Sitkunai Radio Station
Encyclopedia
Sitkūnai Radio Station is a large facility for medium wave and shortwave
broadcasting
at Sitkūnai, Lithuania
. The decision to build a new transmitting centre near the village of Sitkunai, about 17 km (10.6 mi) north of Kaunas
was made by the Government of Lithuania
in 1937. The building works started in 1939, and after completion, a 120kW medium wave transmitter from Standard Telephones and Cables
in the United Kingdom
was ordered. However, the outbreak of the World War II
stopped the shipment. The empty transmitter buildings in Sitkunai survived the war with almost no damage and were used as military compound by the German army
in 1941-1944, and later as a primary school. Because the Soviet Lithuania was badly covered by radio signals, the Soviet authorities decided to continue the building work at Sitkunai and turn the site into a main shortwave and medium wave transmitting centre. During 1951 and 1952 two 50 kW shortwave transmitters, dismantled from an East German utility site as war reparations were installed in Sitkūnai. Several curtain antennas were erected and one 150 kW mediumwave transmitter was installed (665 kHz). During the January Events in 1991, Sitkūnai Radio Station was among those transmitting sites broadcasting to the world about the Soviet military actions in Vilnius
when 14 civilians were killed and more than 600 injured.
Now Sitkūnai Radio Station broadcasts on three frequencies in the
medium wave band using two transmitter
s (Russian made Shtorm, 150 kW, installed 1964, and Russian made Vihr, 500 kW, installed 1977) and following antenna
s: one guyed mast
257 metre tall, two guyed masts 238 metre tall and two masts 150 metre tall. For short wave broadcasting, a Continental 418F 100 kW transmitter is used along with four antennas: three horizontal dipole arrays beamed at 259, 79 and 310 degrees, and a dipole beamed at 259/79 degrees. The station is owned and operated by Lithuanian National Radio and Television
Centre.
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
broadcasting
at Sitkūnai, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. The decision to build a new transmitting centre near the village of Sitkunai, about 17 km (10.6 mi) north of Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
was made by the Government of Lithuania
Government of the Republic of Lithuania
Government of the Republic of Lithuania is the cabinet of Lithuania. It consists of the Prime Minister, who is Head of Government, and 14 government ministers....
in 1937. The building works started in 1939, and after completion, a 120kW medium wave transmitter from Standard Telephones and Cables
Standard Telephones and Cables
Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd was a British telephone, telegraph, radio, telecommunications and related equipment R&D manufacturer. During its history STC invented and developed several groundbreaking new technologies including PCM and optical fibres.The company began life in London as...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was ordered. However, the outbreak of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
stopped the shipment. The empty transmitter buildings in Sitkunai survived the war with almost no damage and were used as military compound by the German army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1941-1944, and later as a primary school. Because the Soviet Lithuania was badly covered by radio signals, the Soviet authorities decided to continue the building work at Sitkunai and turn the site into a main shortwave and medium wave transmitting centre. During 1951 and 1952 two 50 kW shortwave transmitters, dismantled from an East German utility site as war reparations were installed in Sitkūnai. Several curtain antennas were erected and one 150 kW mediumwave transmitter was installed (665 kHz). During the January Events in 1991, Sitkūnai Radio Station was among those transmitting sites broadcasting to the world about the Soviet military actions in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
when 14 civilians were killed and more than 600 injured.
Now Sitkūnai Radio Station broadcasts on three frequencies in the
medium wave band using two transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
s (Russian made Shtorm, 150 kW, installed 1964, and Russian made Vihr, 500 kW, installed 1977) and following antenna
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...
s: one guyed mast
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
257 metre tall, two guyed masts 238 metre tall and two masts 150 metre tall. For short wave broadcasting, a Continental 418F 100 kW transmitter is used along with four antennas: three horizontal dipole arrays beamed at 259, 79 and 310 degrees, and a dipole beamed at 259/79 degrees. The station is owned and operated by Lithuanian National Radio and Television
Lithuanian National Radio and Television
Lithuanian National Radio and Television is the national public broadcasting company of Lithuania. The company operates the two national public television channels LTV, LTV2 and LTV World . LRT also broadcasts three national public radio stations...
Centre.
External links
- AM Radio Stations in Lithuania
- Sitkūnai Radio Station layout and photos
- http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?buildingID=93865,93864
See also
- List of masts