Herzogstand Radio Station

Herzogstand Radio Station was a radio communication station, which was built and operated from 1920 to 1946 at Herzogstand in the proximity of Kochel/Lake in Bavaria. The plant was conceived of C Lorenz AG as independent operational funds for radio traffic on very long waves between Germany and the far east, since the existing large radio stations served mainly traffic to the west. Starting from 1930 the mechanism was used as research and research station of the technical university Munich for ionosphere research.

Construction of antenna

Since the costs of the masts of a large station of the company were exorbitant, the antenna system in the mountains should be hung up. The 1735 m high Herzogstand between Lake Kochel and Lake Walchen in the Bavarian alps seemed particularly suitable for several reasons: The summit is all year round accessible, at the station place was sufficiently drinking water and cooling water available and the close convenient Lake Walchen Power Plant promised a safe, economical power supply. For the intended design of the antenna there were no experiences. As free span a distance of over 2,5 km resulted to reach with a difference in height of 800 m. around a sufficient height of the antenna above ground should the rope at the lower point of suspension horizontally accumulate, which required an enormous tension of the rope. Due to that load by wind, in addition, by snow and ice, additionally which can be expected, only steel wire of highest firmness was applicable. A first thin steel cable became strained in the summer 1920. Radiation measurements resulted in the 1.3 subject radiation and/or the 1.6 subject in the comparison to the overseas Eilvese transmitter in the case of wavelengths of 12,6 km and 9.7 km in the comparison to the high-power radio station Nauen. Up to the early summer 1925 3 antennas were pulled fan-like for the summit burr of the duke conditions. In order to achieve a better conductivity, the steel cable was provided with a coat from aluminum. The rope in a particularly developed Seilereianlage within the summit range were manufactured. In the range of the summit the antennas were fixed at concreted steel anchors. At the lower tie point a mobile suspension was used, in order to make a giving way for that possible rope during load by snow and ice.

Building of transmtter building

The station building for the transmitting plants and a house was established in the long valley above the Kochelsees. Here also extensive grounding systems were built. After the completion a further development and enterprise of the station appeared technical and economically not meaningful, since meanwhile world-wide radio communications on short wave could be accomplished more economically with substantially smaller antennas.

Ionospheric research

The plants were finally put physical Institut of the technical university Munich for research work at the disposal. Under the direction of Professor J. Zenneck here the first German ionosphere research station developed. With high performance emitters with variable frequency the propagation of the radio waves and their reflection were based on the layers of the ionosphere and examined scientifically. But own antennas were used, the mountain antenna was again diminished 1934. The slave station was in some km distance in the "office for amplifier" in Kochel. Occasionally additionally transmitting plants in Berlin eagle yard, Amberg and swan village were used.

End of facility

After end of the Second World War the ionosphere research was continued until 1946. Subsequently, all plants were diminished, the factory was torn off. Gedenkstein for ionosphere research station today one finds beside Gedenkstein in the proximity of the Walchenseekraftwerkes only remainders of the anchorages to that antenna rope as well as some foundations of the station buildings in the forest.

References

*W. Dieminger "Trends in Early Ionospheric Research in Germany" Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 280, No. 1293, A Discussion on the Early Days of Ionospheric Research and the Theory of Electric and Magnetic Waves in the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere (Oct. 23, 1975), pp. 27-34