The mediumwave transmitter Flevoland (Middengolf Zendstation Flevoland) was a broadcasting facility for medium wave near
Zeewolde in the province of
Flevoland
Flevoland () is the twelfth and youngest province of the Netherlands, established in 1986, when the southern and eastern Flevopolders, together with the Noordoostpolder, were merged into one provincial entity. It is in the centre of the countr ...
, Netherlands, situated at 5°25′ E and 52°23′ N.
It has been used for broadcasting on 747 kHz (until September 2015) and 1008 kHz with a nominal power of 400 kilowatts. As aerial two guyed steel framework masts with a height of 195 metres are used, which form an
anti-fading aerial. These masts are grounded and carry a
cage aerial
A cage antenna (British cage aerial) is a radio antenna where a conventional design has been augmented by replacing a single long conductor with several parallel wires, connected at their ends, and held in position by ring spacers or support stru ...
, which is upperward the separation insulator, separating the masts in a height of 95 metres in two parts, connected toward the mast construction. The radiation diagram is directional, with a maximum gain of 4 dB in South-Eastern direction, to compensate for the variation in electrical admittance of terrain in the Netherlands.
The station, which came into service in 1980, initially carried the programmes of Hilversum 1 and Hilversum 2. In 1985, following an overhaul of the Dutch public radio service, the frequencies were reassigned to
NPO Radio 1 and
NPO Radio 5 for 747 kHz and 1008 kHz respectively. In 2003, the 1008 kHz frequency was auctioned by the Dutch Government while NPO Radio 5 remained on 747 kHz. Since then, the 1008 kHz has been used by
Radio 10 Gold
Radio 10 (formerly : ''Radio 10 Gold'' and ''Radio 10 FM'') is a Dutch commercial radio station that mostly focuses on songs from the 1970s to 2000s, with a moderate amount of mid-1960s' and 2010s' hits. It is one of the oldest, still remaining, c ...
(from 2004 to 2007) and
Groot Nieuws Radio, a Dutch privately owned religious station.
In September 2014,
NPO announced that distribution of NPO Radio 5 on Medium wave would be discontinued as of September 2015. On 1 September 2015 at 00:02 CEST, the 747 kHz transmitter closed down, marking the end of Medium wave transmissions by the Dutch Public Broadcasters. The 1008 kHz remained in use by Groot Nieuws Radio, though at reduced power of 100 kW. Groot Nieuws Radio ceased broadcasting at 31 December 2018.
On 9 January 2019 the masts were demolished with explosives, marking the definitive end of mediumwave broadcasting from this location. This was the last large mediumwave transmitter in The Netherlands, marking the end of a 90-year era of mediumwave broadcasting.
See also
*
List of masts
References
External links
MW antenna site Flevoland published by http://www.waniewski.de/id208.htm
* http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b36124
* http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b36125
{{Tallest buildings in the Netherlands
Radio in the Netherlands
Communication towers in the Netherlands
Towers in Flevoland
Zeewolde