ARLA/CLUSTER: Radio Netherlands Worldwide compra 3 emissores de 500 kW usados na Suécia

[João Gonçalves Costa]

RNW moves Hörby SW transmitters to Madagascar

RNW (Radio Netherlands Worldwide) management has confirmed the purchase of the three 500 kW shortwave transmitters from the recently-closed shortwave site at Hörby in Sweden. The transmitters are currently being dismantled for shipment to RNW’s station in Madagascar.

Recently, RNW management announced that it intended to speed up the process of replacing shortwave with other distribution platforms, including the closure of its relay stations in Bonaire and Madagascar. The Bonaire facility is scheduled for closure at the end of October 2012, but no closure date has yet been decided for Madagascar.

However, late last year RNW decided it was time to replace the nearly 40-year-old Philips transmitters at Madagascar. Rather than invest in new transmitters, the opportunity was taken to purchase the three ABB transmitters from the Swedish station at Hörby which was closed at the end of last year. These were installed in 1993.

There are two reasons for buying these transmitters: Firstly, in order to guarantee the reliability of existing services from Madagascar it is necessary to replace the current 40-year-old transmitters as soon as possible, and secondly the “new” ABB transmitters are much more energy efficient, so that the relatively small investment will be recouped in a short time.

Related story:
Håkan Widenstedt of the Hörby SW station R.I.P.
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/hakan-widenstedt-of-the-horby-sw-station-rip