In radio, longwave refers to parts of radio spectrum with relatively long wavelengths. The term is a historic one dating from the early 20th century, when the radio spectrum was considered to consist of long, medium and short wavelengths. Most modern radio systems and devices use wavelengths which would then have been considered 'ultra-short'.
In contemporary usage, the term longwave is not defined precisely and its meaning varies across the world. In the US, for example, the Longwave Club of America is interested in “frequencies below the AM broadcast band”, i.e. all frequencies below 535 kHz. (Lower frequencies correspond to longer wavelengths.)
In Europe and other parts of ITU Region 1, where a range of frequencies between 148.5 and 283.5 kHz is used for AM broadcasting (in addition to the medium wave band), the term longwave usually refers specifically to this broadcasting band.
The Region 1 longwave broadcast band falls wholly within the low frequency band of the radio spectrum (30-300 kHz); broader definitions of longwave may extend below and/or above it.
Non-broadcast use
Non-directional beacons
Non-directional beacons transmit continuously for the benefit of
radio direction finders in marine and aeronautical navigation. They identify themselves by a callsign in
Morse Code. They can occupy any frequency in the range 190–1750 kHz. In North America they occupy 190–535 kHz. In ITU Region 1 the lower limit is 280 kHz.
Time Signals
There are stations between 40–80 kHz that transmit time signals to radio clocks. For example:
WWVB in Colorado on 60 kHz.
DCF77 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 77.5 kHz.
HBG in Prangins, Switzerland on 75 kHz.
JJY in Japan on 40 & 60 kHz.
66.6 kHz in Taldom transmitter, Russia.
50 kHz in Irkutsk, Russia.
MSF time and 60 kHz frequency standard transmitted from Anthorn in the UK
Radio controlled clocks receive their time calibrations signal with built-in longwave receivers. They use longwave, rather than
shortwave or
mediumwave, because the accuracy of the clocks is not affected by the time signal's travel from the
transmitter to the
ionosphere and to the receiver; as longwave travels by
groundwave, rather than
skywave.
Military Communication
The
United Kingdom,
Russian Federation,
United States,
Germany, and
Sweden use wavelengths below 50 kHz to communicate with their submarines.
LowFER
In North America during the 1970s the frequencies 167, 179 and 191 kHz were assigned to the short-lived
Public Emergency Radio of the United States. Nowadays the 160–190 kHz range is used in the United States for
Part 15 LowFER amateur and experimental stations, and the 190–435 kHz band is used for
navigational beacons.
Broadcasting
Longwave is used only within ITU Region 1. Most of the longwave broadcasters are in
Europe, the
former Soviet Union and
Mongolia. The rest are located in
Algeria,
Morocco,
Western Sahara, and
Libya.
Saudi Arabia,
Egypt,
Qatar and the
United Arab Emirates have vacant low powered broadcasting allocations.
Typically, a larger area can be covered by a longwave broadcast transmitter than a medium-wave one. This is because ground-wave propagation suffers less attenuation due to limited ground conductivity at lower frequencies.
Carrier frequencies
Carrier frequencies are exact multiples of 9 kHz ranging from 153 to 279 kHz, except for two stations in Germany on 177 kHz and 183 kHz.
Until the 1970s, some longwave stations in the Soviet Union operated on frequencies as high as 400 kHz, and there was even a station on 433 kHz in Finland.
Some stations, for instance Droitwich in the UK, derive their carrier frequencies from an atomic clock. They can be therefore used as frequency standards. Droitwich also broadcasts a low bit-rate data channel, using narrow-shift phase-shift keying of the carrier, for Radio Teleswitch Services.
List of longwave broadcasting transmitters
List of the most important longwave broadcasting transmitters
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Freq. kHz
! Station name
! Country
! Location
! Aerial type
! Power kW
! Coordinates
! Remarks
|-
| rowspan=6 valign=top | 153
|
Deutschlandfunk
|
|
Donebach
| Directional aerial, two guyed steel lattice masts, 363 m high, fed at the top
| 500
| ;
| Night: 250 kW
|-
|
Antena Satelor / Radio Romania
|
|
Braşov
| T-aerial on 2 guyed steel lattice masts with a height of 250 metres
| 1200
| ;
|
|-
|
NRK Finnmark
|
|
Ingoy
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 362 m height, fed at the top, ex-Omega equipment
| 100
|
|
|-
|
Chaine 1
|
|
Kenadsa / Bechar
| Three guyed steel lattice masts, height 357 m.
| 2000
| ;
|
|-
| YuFM
|
| Taldom
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 257 m height
| 300
|
|
|- Inactive
| Radio Rossii
|
| Popova near Komsomolsk-na-Amure
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 257 m height
| 1200
|
|
|-
| rowspan=5 valign=top | 162
|
France Inter
|
|
Allouis
| Two guyed steel lattice masts, height 350 m, fed on the top
| 2000
| ;
| Time signal phase-modulated
|-
|
TRT
|
|
Agri
|
| 1000
| ;
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Norilsk
| Omnidirectional antenna, 205 m high antenna
| 150
| ?
|-
| Radio Yuldash, Radio Rossii
|
| Ufa
|
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
| Kanal Uzbekiston
|
| near Tashkent
| Omnidirectional antenna, 235 m high antenna ( demolished?)
| 150
| ?
| inactive?
|-
| 164
|
|
|
Ulan-Bator
|
| 500
|
|-
| rowspan=9 valign=top | 171
|
Medi 1
|
|
Nador
| Directional aerial consisting of three guyed steel lattice masts, 380 metres tall
| 2000
| ; ;
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Bolshakovo near
Kaliningrad
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 600
|
|
|-
| Ukrainian Radio
|
|
Krasne near
Lwow
| Omnidirectional antenna, 259 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 150/75
|
| inactive at present
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Raduga
| Omnidirectional antenna, 255 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 250
|
|
|-
|
Radio 1
|
|
Murmansk
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
|
Radio 1
|
|
Noginsk
| Omnidirectional antenna, 242 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
|
Radio 1
|
| Ezhva near
Syktyvkar
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Tulagino near
Yakutsk
| Omnidirectional antenna, circle antenna with 1 central and 6 ring masts
| 150
| ; ; ; ; ; ;
|
|-
|
Radio Kavkaz
|
|
Oktyabrskiy
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 1200
|
|
|-
| valign=top | 177
|
Deutschlandradio Kultur
|
|
Zehlendorf near
Oranienburg
| Omnidirectional aerial, cage aerial mounted on 359.7 m high guyed mast, triangle aerial on 3 150 m high guyed steel lattice masts
| 500
|
| Since August 29, 2005 between 2 and 5 a.m. CET
DRM-Mode
Non-standard frequency (not divisible by 9)
|-
| rowspan=6 valign=top | 180
|
TRT
|
|
Polatli
|
| 1200
|
| Turkish Programme
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Yelizovo near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
| Omnidirectional antenna, 255 m high guyed lattice steel
| 150
|
|
|-
|
Radio Mayak
|
| Kruchina near
Chita
| Omnidirectional antenna, 200 m high guyed lattice steel mast
| 150
|
|
|-
|
|
|
Alma-Ata
|
| 250
|
|
closed
|-
|
|
|
Aktyubinsk
|
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
|
|
|
Chimkent
|
| 50
|
|
closed
|-
| valign=top | 183
|
Europe 1
|
|
Felsberg-Berus
| Directional aerial, four ground insulated steel lattice masts. Heights of 270 m, 276 m, 280 m and 282 m. Spare aerial: two ground insulated steel lattice masts of 234 m height.
| 2000
| Main antenna: ; ; ; , Spare antenna: ;
| French programme. The most powerful longwave transmitter in Germany.
Non-standard frequency (not divisible by 9). DRM Test after 00:00 UTC
|-
| rowspan=4 valign=top | 189
|
RÚV
|
|
Gufuskalar near Hellissandur
| Slight oval bi-directivity aerial, top loaded parallel connected triangular loops, mast as a common member, all guys insulated except two radiating diametrically opposed grounded top guys, loops closed by copper straps in the ground from two conducting guy grounding points to base of the guyed steel lattice mast insulated against ground, height 412m
| 300
|
| RÚV national programs 1 and 2 Rás 1 and Rás 2
|-
|
RAI
|
|
Caltanissetta
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast, height 282 m
| 10
|
| Inactive since August 2004
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Kostantinogradovka near
Blagoveshchensk
| Omnidirectional aerial, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 1200
|
|
|-
|
|
| Dusheti
|
| 250
|
| inactive
|-
| rowspan=10 valign=top | 198
| rowspan=3 |
BBC Radio 4
| rowspan=3 |
|
Droitwich (
SFN)
| T-aerial on 2 guyed steel lattice masts insulated against ground with a height of 213 metres
| 500
| ;
| rowspan=3 | All three transmitters carry
Radio teleswitch PSK data. Droitwich relays
BBC World Service after the end of Radio 4 programmes.
|-
|
Burghead (
SFN)
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast
| 50
|
|-
|
Westerglen (
SFN)
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast, height 152 m
| 50
|
|-
|
Chaine 1
|
|
Berkaoui / Ouargla
| Three guyed steel lattice masts.
| 2000
| ; ;
|
|-
|
Polskie Radio Parlament/Radio Polonia
|
|
Raszyn
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast insulated against ground, 335 m high
| 200
|
| excluded for financial reasons the Polish Radio
|-
|
Radio Mayak
|
| Sankt Petersburg -
Olgino
| Omnidirectional aerial, 205 m high guyed steel lattice mast
| 150
|
|-
| Radio Mayak
|
| Angarsk
| Before 2001: T-antenna spun between 2 205 m tall guyed steel lattice mast
| 250
| , possibly
|
closed
|-
| Radio Mayak
|
| Avsyunino
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 150
|
|
|-
| Radio Mayak
|
| Ufa
|
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
|
|
| Krasnaya Rechka near
Bishkek
|
| 150
|
|
closed
|-
| rowspan=7 valign=top | 207
|
RÚV
|
|
Eiðar near Egilsstaðir
| Omnidirectional aerial, steel lattice mast insulated against ground, height 220 m
| 100
|
| RÚV national programs 1 and 2 Rás 1 and Rás 2
|-
|
Deutschlandfunk
|
|
Aholming
| Directional aerial, two guyed steel lattice masts, 265 m high, fed at the top
| 500
| ;
| Night: 250 kW
|-
|
RNE Todo Noticias closed
|
|
Logroño
| Directional antenna, 300 metres tall.
| >100
|
|-
| Ukrainian Radio
|
|
Brovary
| Omnidirectional antenna, 259.6 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 600
|
|
|-
|
|
|
Azilal
|
| 400
|
|-
|
|
|
Al Karanah
|
| ?
| ;
| closed
|-
| Radio Mayak
|
|
Tynda
| Omnidirectional aerial, steel lattice mast insulated against ground, height 244 m
| 150
|
|
|-
| rowspan=3 valign=top | 209
|
|
|
Choibalsan
|
| 75
|
|-
|
|
|
Dalanzadgad
|
| 75
|
|-
|
|
|
Olgii
|
| 30
|
|-
| rowspan=5 valign=top | 216
|
Radio Monte Carlo
|
|
Roumoules
| Directional aerial, 3 300 metre high guyed steel lattice masts, 330 metre high guyed steel lattice mast as backup aerial
| 1200
| ; ; , Backup antenna:
| Transmitter site exterritorial, exclave of Monaco
|-
|
Azerbaijani Radio 1
|
|
Ganja
|
| 600
|
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Krasnoyarsk
| Omnidirectional antenna, guyed lattice steel mast, 210 m tall
| 150
|
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Atamanovka
| Directional antenna
| 150
|
| Inactive
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Birobidzhan
| 2 guyed masts, 260 m high
| 30
| ;
|
|-
| rowspan=3 valign=top | 225
|
Polskie Radio Program 1
|
|
Solec Kujawski
| Directional aerial, 2 guyed radio masts fed on the top, heights 330 m and 289 m
| 1000
|
| Earlier transmitter site
Konstantynów ( )
|-
|
|
|
Van
|
| 600
|
|
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Surgut
| Omnidirectional antenna, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 1000
|
|
|-
| 227
|
|
|
Altai
|
| 75
|
|
|-
| rowspan=8 valign=top |234
|
RTL
|
|
Beidweiler
| Directional aerial, 3 guyed grounded steel lattice masts, 290 m high, with vertical cage aerials
| 2000
| ; ;
| Spare transmitter site
Junglinster ( ; ; )
|-
|
Radio 1
|
|
Krasny Bor transmitter near Sankt-Peterburg
| Omnidirectional aerial, 271.5 metres tall guyed mast with cage antenna
| 1200
|
|
closed
|-
|
|
|
Koskovo near Murmansk
| Omnidirectional aerial, 210 m tall guyed mast
| 250
|
|
inactive
|-
|
Radio 1
|
|
Novosemeykino near
Samara
| 4 205 metres tall towers insulated against ground arranged in a square
| 2000
| ; ; ;
|
closed
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Raduzhnyy near
Magadan
| Omnidirectional aerial, 259 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 1000
|
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Odinsk near
Irkutsk
| Omnidirectional aerial, 259 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 500
|
|
|-
|
Radio 1
|
|
Koskovo near
Arkhangelsk
| Omnidirectional aerial, 257 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 500
|
|
closed
|-
| Radio 1
|
|
Gavar
| Omnidirectional aerial, ARRT-antenna
| 500
|
|
|-
| rowspan=5 valign=top | 243
|
DR Kalundborg
|
|
Kalundborg
| Semi-directional Alexanderson aerial 153/333 degrees, two grounded 118 m steel lattice radiating towers with interconnecting top wire capacitance
| 300
| ;
| DRM. AM suspended 2007, reduced-power DRM from 3 October 2008 (full-power AM 16–31 October 2009)
|-
|
|
| Erzurum
|
| 200
|
| inactive?
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Razdolnoye near
Ussuriysk
| Omnidirectional antenna, 259 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 1000
|
|
inactive
|-
|
|
|
Karaganda
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 254 m height
| 1000
|
|
closed
|-
|
|
|
Alma-Ata
|
| 1000
|
|
closed
|-
| rowspan=4 valign=top | 252
|
Chaine 1
|
|
Tipaza
| Omnidirectional aerial, single guyed lattice steel mast, height 355 m
| 1500
|
| French programme; during night-time half transmitter-power
|-
|
RTÉ Radio 1
|
|
Clarkstown
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast, insulated against ground, height 248 m
| 500
|
| Used for
Atlantic 252, 1989–2002. Now the only AM transmitter for RTÉ Radio 1. Decreases power at night to 100 kW.
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Kazan
| Omnidirectional aerial, 152 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna ( ARRT-antenna)
| 100
|
|
|-
|
|
| Yangi-Yul
|
| 150
| ; ; ;
|
|-
| rowspan=6 valign=top | 261
|
Transmitter Burg
|
|
Burg
| Omnidirectional aerial, cage aerial on 324 m high guyed, grounded steel lattice mast, 210 m high steel tube mast, insulated against ground
| 200
|
| Inactive at the moment, formerly used by
Radio Wolga and
Radioropa Info
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Taldom
| Omnidirectional antenna, circle antenna with 1 central and 5 ring masts, height of central mast 275 m
| 2500
| ; ; ; ; ;
| Most powerful transmitter in the world. Currently not used on its maximum power.
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
| Kruchina near
Chita
| Omnidirectional antenna, guyed lattice steel mast, 260 m high
| 150
|
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Tyumen
| Omnidirectional antenna, guyed lattice steel mast, 220 m high
| 150
|
| inactive
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Vorkuta
| Omnidirectional antenna, guyed lattice steel mast, 220 m high
| 50
|
| inactive
|-
|
Radio Horizont
|
|
Vakarel
| One of the few Blaw-Knox Towers in Europe, 215 m high
| 75
|
|-
| rowspan=4 valign=top | 270
|
ČRO 1 - Radiožurnál
|
|
Topolna
| Directional aerial (maximum of radiation in East-West direction), two grounded 257 m high guyed steel lattice mast with
cage aerials
| 650
| ;
|
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Orenburg
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 137 m height
| 25
|
|
closed
|-
| Radio 1
|
|
Khabarovsk
| 2 guyed steel lattice masts, height: 164 m
| 150
| ;
|
closed
|-
| Radio Slovo
|
| from
Novosibirsk moved to Raduga
| Omnidirectional aerial, 209 metres tall guyed mast with cage antenna
| 150
|
|
|-
| rowspan=6 valign=top | 279
|
Belaruskaje Radyjo 1 (BR1)
|
|
Sasnovy
|
| 500
|
|
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Gorno-Altaisk
| Omnidirectional antenna, 143m high guyed lattice steel mast
| 50
|
|
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Selenginsk
| Omnidirectional aerial, 260 m high guyed lattice steel mast with cage antenna (ARRT-antenna)
| 150
|
|
|-
| Radio Rossii
|
|
Vestochka near
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
| Omnidirectional antenna, guyed lattice steel mast, 258 m high
| 1000
|
|
|-
|
Radio Rossii
|
|
Yekaterinburg
| Omnidirectional aerial, guyed steel lattice mast of 256 m height, fed at the top
| 150
|
|
|-
|
|
|
Ashgabat
|
| 150
|
|
|}
Notes and references
See also
Low frequency: for other uses (military, commercial and amateur) of this part of the radio spectrum (30–300 kHz)
Electromagnetic spectrum: Very low frequency, Shortwave, Ground wave, Skywave, Medium wave
Radio broadcasting: AM broadcasting, BBC Radio 4, BBC Light Programme, Radio clock, Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française, Warsaw radio mast, Digital Radio Mondiale, International broadcasting,
Shipping: Global navigation satellite system, Navigation, Shipping Forecast
Lists: List of wave topics
Other: 1 kilometre, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Fail-safe, WGU-20
External links
Tomislav Stimac, "Definition of frequency bands (VLF, ELF... etc.)". IK1QFK Home Page.
The Medium Wave Circle - The premier club for MW/LW enthusiasts
Medium Wave News - Published regularly since 1954
Euro-African Medium Wave Guide
"Longwave Club of America"
How to receive DRM from Kalundborg longwave station
(German)
http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz;=153 - List of long- and mediumwave transmitters with GoogleMap-Links to transmission sites
Category:Bandplans
![High surf at Ho'okipa. Over the years Ho'okipa has been the site for many organized windsurfing competitions in the Wave discipline.[1] A long-running annual event is the Aloha Classic, a Pro-Am competition with age categories for contestants.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110213184618im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/dc/75/6c9d2871872bf41f3ba38602d95f_grande.jpg "High surf at Ho'okipa. Over the years Ho'okipa has been the site for many organized windsurfing competitions in the Wave discipline.[1] A long-running annual event is the Aloha Classic, a Pro-Am competition with age categories for contestants.")
![High surf at Ho'okipa. Over the years Ho'okipa has been the site for many organized windsurfing competitions in the Wave discipline.[1] A long-running annual event is the Aloha Classic, a Pro-Am competition with age categories for contestants.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110213184618im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/dc/75/6c9d2871872bf41f3ba38602d95f_thumb.jpg "High surf at Ho'okipa. Over the years Ho'okipa has been the site for many organized windsurfing competitions in the Wave discipline.[1] A long-running annual event is the Aloha Classic, a Pro-Am competition with age categories for contestants.")
