RTL Longwave End of Broadcasting: January 1, 2023

RTL longwave antenna array at Beidweiler, Luxembourg

Live off-air recording of the last approximately two hours of programming from the RTL longwave station on 1 January 2023 beginning at 22:00 UTC on the frequency of 234 kHz. The signal originated from a transmitter located in Beidweiler, Luxembourg, reported to operate with a power of 375 kW at night (and 750 kW during the day). The transmitter was capable of operating at 1500 kW. The three-mast antenna beamed the signal mostly in the direction of Paris.

RTL is a general-interest, news, talk, and music station station owned by the RTL Group with its main studios in Paris. It has an extensive FM network covering France and also uses other broadcasting means such as DAB+ and streaming services.

The final two hours of programming was produced and presented by long-time French broadcaster Georges Lang, a devotee of English-language rock, pop, and blues music primarily from the 1960s through the 1980s. The first hour was a special New Year's version of the "Georges Lang Collection" followed by "Les Nocturnes," a program Lang has done for fifty years. The transmitter left the air at 00:00:05 UTC.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 9.00 kHz RF filtering. Reception was excellent.

Radio Luxumbourg: March 5, 1982

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, for the following recordings. Jack notes:

Radio Luxembourg used two short wave frequencies for their broadcasts: 6090 and 15350 kHz.  On 6090, the station relayed their 1440 kHz service, which included their English and German language broadcasts.  The 15350 kHz relayed their French language service on 234 kHz long wave.

This recording of RTL's French service was made in the early evening in the midwestern USA on Friday 4 March 1982, which would have been the early Saturday morning in Europe.

RTL 1440 kHz Final Sign-off: December 31, 2015

Live off-air recording of the last one and one-half hours of programming from legendary broadcaster RTL (formerly Radio Luxembourg) on 31 December 2015 beginning at about 21:28 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1440 kHz from Marnach, Luxembourg. The transmitter was switched off at 23:59:10 UTC, coincident with many other medium-wave transmitters in France and Germany on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

The recording begins with the China Radio International program Kultur Kollage (in German) in progress. This is followed by CRI - Panorama beginning at 22:00 UTC and Chinesische Literatur. The program is interrupted in mid-sentence at about the 57-minute mark by the national anthem of Luxembourg ("Ons Heemecht"). The transmitter is switched off five seconds later.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering.

(Image of Marnach transmitter site courtesy of Google Maps)

RTL 1440 kHz Final Sign-on: December 31, 2015

Live off-air recording of the final sign-on and first three hours of legendary broadcaster RTL (formerly Radio Luxembourg) on 31 December 2015 beginning at 03:55:44 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1440 kHz from Marnach, Luxembourg. The transmitter switched off at 22:59 UTC on 31 December 2015, coincident with many medium-wave transmitters in France and Germany permanently switching off on New Year's Eve or early on New Year's Day.

The transmission begins with the carillon interval signal, followed by the programming of Deutschlands Hit-Radio. Between about 04:30 and 05:00 UTC, there is religious programming from Radio Freundes-Dienst. The recording ends at about 07:00 just as the program from China Radio International (in German) begins. 

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering.