It is not every day that a new radio station is created on 1440 kHz AM. Before it was used for Radio Luxembourg which is worldwide known in Europe. So to see that Europe now gets a totally new radio station on AM in 2020 is fantastic.
The news that we received is all about that Copenhagen in Denmark now got a totally new radio station, which focuses on people over 50. At the same time, it is now for the first time since 1978, that you can hear the radio on medium wave from Copenhagen in Europe and beyond. It is Radio208 with well-known Stig Hartvig Nielsen behind.
Radio208 is the name. But unlike other radio stations in the Copenhagen area, neither FM nor DAB + is where this radio station chose to broadcast. Instead, they chose to broadcast on the medium wave instead, and this is the first time since 1978 that a medium wave is now in use from Copenhagen, Denmark. Many stations across Europe stopped broadcasting in mid-wave at the beginning of 2010 etc.
Narrow conditions for Mediumwave in areas other than Europe worldwide
The medium wave is not so much known for today’s generation. But for people that have lived a bit, it is known as the AM band. The medium wave has been in tight conditions in most of Europe for the last several years. Many stations public service radio channels have closed them, as most listeners in Europe moved to the much more known FM radio. Norway is the only exception in the world where DAB + is the largest. FM is only used for local radio stations in Norway.
In both North and South America, in large parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia, mediumwave is still widely used by many radio stations. Also in several major cities in the United States, the most-watched radio station is an AM station. In countries such as the UK, Spain, and Romania, mediumwave is also still in use, and in the Netherlands over the past few years, up to 100 private low-power stations have been opened on medium wave.
First AM radio station to be broadcasted from Copenhagen in a very long time
In Denmark, Stig Hartvig Nielsen has worked with the radio for many years. He’s been working with both local ‘full service’ radio (Radio Viborg), commercial radio (Radio ABC) and public service radio (DR) – behind Radio208.
The idea was, and is, that mediumwave, where there are many available broadcasting options, could be used for smaller, niche radio stations that are poorly accommodated on the FM band. Niche stations that have a more specialized program format than the large, wide FM stations, and therefore have a smaller and perhaps more dedicated listener audience who are more interested in program content than in broadcasting the program in FM quality.
CAA transmitter from 1974 is in use by Radio208 right now
The transmitter itself is an old CCA transmitter from 1974. CCA is not so well known as a brand, but the quality is reported to be top-notch. CCA was founded by some former technicians from the acclaimed RCA.
The CCA transmitter from 1974 has been brought back to life and renovated in Denmark for several months. The transmitter is purchased from Canada and was intended for use at 1476 kHz, which for frequency planning reasons could not be used in Copenhagen. To change the frequency to 1440 kHz, a new local oscillator has been built containing a TCXO to 14.4 million MHz. It is divided first by five and then by two. Next, the signal is filtered a little so that a nice sine wave comes out. The accuracy of the used TCXO should be better than 1ppm, which means that Radio208 transmits at exactly 1440,0000 kHz.
The antenna, which is a ‘slooping’ dipole of 2×50 meters from 74 meters to four meters above the ground, is Danish design. The antenna is suspended so that it provides both an optimal ground wave, and thus good coverage in the Copenhagen area and a good ‘skywave’ radiation, so that Radio208 can reach far in Europe in the evening and night hours as well.
The transmitter antenna was donated by Jens Christian Seeberg and a new driver tube for the transmitter was donated by Niels Dreijer. – RadioNytt.no
It’s just awesome to see old technology holding up and that it still can be used for transmitting radio stations over it. AM also coverts lots of areas which makes it a must frequency for certain radio stations such as Radio208.
Rock and hippie music every day on Radio208 on AM
This medium wave radio station plays nice music from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, The Doors, Sex Pistols, Moody Blues, Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, and The Clash as well as Danish names such as Alrune Rod, Skousen & Ingemann, Kliché, Lost Kids, Povl Dissing and Steppeulvene.
These artists are some of the artists you can hear on the new station, Radio208. In other words, music from the 1970s and surrounding areas, or more precisely from 1964-84 is what you can listen to. Most of the slightly ‘nicer’ pop music is peeled off, so there is first and foremost rock, beat and ‘hippie’ music on Radio208.
Replaces Radio Luxembourg 208
Radio208 transmits around the clock. This means there are no pauses within the broadcast. You can listen to it for 24 hours if you wish. Just as the legendary European major station Radio Luxembourg did until 1991.
Contrary to DAB, which Norway has chosen is not good at all because of its demands. Almost all of radio listening numbers here in Norway have plumbed and is very critical. Getting a DAB+ upgrade for cars ain’t cheap. But for AM! Virtually all car radios can receive mediumwave, and many transistor radios apply.
You can simply press the AM / MW button instead of FM and tune your radio to 1440 kHz which all cars or FM radios do support. The last transmitted medium wave in Copenhagen kept on transmitting until 1978 when the DR (national radio company of Denmark) closed and switched off the Herstedvester transmitter at 1431 kHz. In 2011.
The new Radio208 can also be heard on their website here: www.radio208.dk
Niche radio that covers a large area of the World
The idea behind the revival of medium wave radio in Denmark is that medium wave, which, unlike FM, has many available broadcasting options. It can be used for smaller niche radio stations with a more niche topic related program format than the large, wide FM stations, and with a more dedicated listening crowd. In addition to Radio208, Stig Hartvig Nielsen has plans for two other medium-wave stations in Copenhagen: ‘World Music Radio’ (WMR) with popular, tropical world music, and a news channel ‘NB24’. WMR has already sent for two years on shortwave and internet: www.wmr.dk
Radio208 at 1440 kHz can be heard in most of Greater Copenhagen and southwestern Skåne. During the first 24 hours of the radio station, the reception was also reported in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Belgium, UK, Poland, Finland, and Norway.
So, now you know. Radio208 might be your new radio station. Give it a try if you love their type of music. It’s awesome to see that AM is still used.
The Important Radio208 FAQ
Source: Radio208.dk – Radionytt.no – Wikipedia – Own Interest in Radio
