Fernmeldeturm Berlin
Encyclopedia
The Fernmeldeturm Berlin (Telecommunications Tower Berlin) is a telecommunication
tower
located atop the Schäferberg hill in Berlin
-Wannsee
. The tower was built between 1961 and 1964, and is not open to the public. Owner and operator of the site is Deutsche Funkturm (DFMG), a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
.
The Fernmeldeturm Berlin is 212 metres (696 ft) tall, and its steel-reinforced concrete shaft extends to a height of 187 metres (614 ft). Between 101 and 132 m (331.4 and 433.1 ft) in elevation, the tower houses six floors for technical equipment. This currently consists of transmitters for DVB-T
digital television, analog FM radio, and newer DAB
and DMB
digital radio.
From 1964 to the early nineties, the tower was also used to implement an over horizon radio relay link to former West Germany
(counterparts at Torfhaus
and Clenze
). To that end the tower was equipped with two parabolic dish antennas, each 18 metres (59 ft) in diameter, which were mounted on the lower portion of the tower. They were removed in 1996. Because of these aerials, the Fernmeldeturm Berlin had to be designed to withstand triple the wind loading of the comparably sized TV tower in Stuttgart
. The concrete shaft is thus 12 metres (39 ft) in diameter at the bottom, with a wall thickness of 55 centimetres (22 in). At the 97 metres (318 ft) mark, the shaft is nigh 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter.
Directly adjacent to the Fernmeldeturm Berlin is a free standing steel framework tower, which formerly supported two 10 metres (33 ft) diameter parabolic aerials for an over horizon radio relay link, but these have since been removed. It is now predominantly used for cellular network
aerials.
Since 2001, the Fernmeldeturm Berlin is also used for transmissions in the medium-wave range on 1485 kHz in DRM
mode. Since the tower was not designed to accommodate this frequency range, a long wire aerial
was installed for this purpose.
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
located atop the Schäferberg hill in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-Wannsee
Wannsee
Wannsee is a locality in the southwestern Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Germany. It is the westernmost locality of Berlin. In the quarter there are two lakes, the larger Großer Wannsee and the Kleiner Wannsee , are located on the river Havel and are separated only by the Wannsee bridge...
. The tower was built between 1961 and 1964, and is not open to the public. Owner and operator of the site is Deutsche Funkturm (DFMG), a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....
.
The Fernmeldeturm Berlin is 212 metres (696 ft) tall, and its steel-reinforced concrete shaft extends to a height of 187 metres (614 ft). Between 101 and 132 m (331.4 and 433.1 ft) in elevation, the tower houses six floors for technical equipment. This currently consists of transmitters for DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
digital television, analog FM radio, and newer DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
and DMB
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting is a digital radio transmission technology developed in South Korea as part of the national IT project for sending multimedia such as TV, radio and datacasting to mobile devices such as mobile phones...
digital radio.
From 1964 to the early nineties, the tower was also used to implement an over horizon radio relay link to former West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(counterparts at Torfhaus
Torfhaus
Torfhaus is a village in the borough of the mining town of Altenau in the Harz mountains of Germany and lies at a height of about .This small settlement consists mainly of restaurants, youth hostels, ski huts and large car parks. It is the highest settlement in Lower Saxony...
and Clenze
Clenze
Clenze is a municipality in the district Lüchow-Dannenberg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km northwest of Salzwedel, and 25 km east of Uelzen....
). To that end the tower was equipped with two parabolic dish antennas, each 18 metres (59 ft) in diameter, which were mounted on the lower portion of the tower. They were removed in 1996. Because of these aerials, the Fernmeldeturm Berlin had to be designed to withstand triple the wind loading of the comparably sized TV tower in Stuttgart
Fernsehturm Stuttgart
The Fernsehturm Stuttgart is the world's first TV tower built from concrete ....
. The concrete shaft is thus 12 metres (39 ft) in diameter at the bottom, with a wall thickness of 55 centimetres (22 in). At the 97 metres (318 ft) mark, the shaft is nigh 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter.
Directly adjacent to the Fernmeldeturm Berlin is a free standing steel framework tower, which formerly supported two 10 metres (33 ft) diameter parabolic aerials for an over horizon radio relay link, but these have since been removed. It is now predominantly used for cellular network
Cellular network
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area...
aerials.
Since 2001, the Fernmeldeturm Berlin is also used for transmissions in the medium-wave range on 1485 kHz in DRM
Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital Radio Mondiale is a set of digital audio broadcasting technologies designed to work over the bands currently used for AM broadcasting, particularly shortwave...
mode. Since the tower was not designed to accommodate this frequency range, a long wire aerial
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
was installed for this purpose.