Grigoriopol transmitter

At the end of the 1960s, the Soviet Union began building a powerful radio broadcasting station for propaganda to Western countries in Grigoriupol.{{Cite web |title=LA RADIO NELLA CRISI UCRAINA – Radio Hernica |url=https://www.radiohernica.com/2022/02/07/la-radio-nella-crisi-ucraina/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |language=it-IT}} Construction work on this facility with an area of {{convert|950|ha|mi2|frac=4}}, which hoisted at the beginning of the 1990s over 20 transmitters working in the short- and mediumwave range, took place between 1968 and 1975. The antennas consisted of several systems for shortwave with heights between {{convert|60|and|160|m|ft}} and a large rotatable shortwave antenna, which could focus its radiation to every point on Earth. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, its transmitters were used by several foreign broadcasting companies, mainly the missionary organization Trans World Radio. In 1997 several antennas were destroyed or damaged by excessive icing. The largest loss was a {{convert|350|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} guyed mast and a {{convert|250|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} mast used for mediumwave broadcasting.

The de facto Transnistrian authorities sold the facility to the Russian state media company RIA Novosti in 2007. The Russian Federation mandated the Moscow-based pro-government broadcasting network Vesti FM to also broadcast over Grigoriupol's powerful medium-wave transmitters. Moscow based Vesti FM started broadcasting on 1413 kHz with 500 kW power from 2014, just before the start of the Ukraine crisis. The programme thus reached not only the entire Ukraine, but also a large part of the rest of Europe.

As of 2021, it was being used as a medium wave transmitter for Vesti FM on 1413 kHz with 500 kW and Trans World Radio on 999 kHz (500 kW) and 1548 kHz (1000 kW), as well for shortwave transmissions on 9940, 11805, 11530 and 11570 kHz for TWR mostly.[http://www1.s2.starcat.ne.jp/ndxc/pc/us/nda/userlist1.txt AOKI A22 MW Shortwave Frequency List]

Multiple antennas were destroyed in the course of two blasts on early morning of 26 April 2022.{{Cite web |title=Radio station bombed in Transnistria, Kremlin says it is 'monitoring very closely' developments |url=https://www.lkrlt.org/radio-station-bombed-in-transnistria-kremlin-says-it-is-monitoring-very-closely-developments/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=LKRLT |language=en-US}} The first at 06:40 and the second at 07:05 local time. As of 09:00, the two most powerful transmitter-antennas were out of service: one a 1000 kW and the other a 500 kW system.{{Cite web |title=The two most powerful antennas of Grigoriopol transmitter in Transnistria have been destroyed {{!}} Southgate Amateur Radio News |url=http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2022/april/the-two-most-powerful-antennas-of-grigoriopol-transmitter-in%20transnistria-has-been-destroyed.htm |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=www.southgatearc.org}} Both were transmitting Russian state radio, most likely Vesti FM on 1413 kHz. Responsibility for the attack was not immediately clear.{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=2022-04-26 |title=Kremlin voices concern after blasts hit breakaway Moldovan region |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blasts-hit-soviet-era-radio-antennae-breakaway-moldovan-region-authorities-say-2022-04-26/ |access-date=2022-04-26}} Some media reported, they may have been a false flag operation by Russia or Transnistria itself. These explosions were part of a series of attacks that struck Transnistria in 2022 while the Russian invasion of Ukraine was taking place.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/false-flag-attack-concerns-moldova-transnistria-ukraine-russia/101018422|title=Possible 'false flag' attacks in separatist Moldovan region of Transnistria raises concerns Russia plans to expand conflict|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=27 April 2022}}

Since April 5, 2022 Radio Rossii transmits on 999 kHz with 1000 kW instead of Trans World Radio, which instead transmits on 621 kHz with a power of 150 kW. The mediumwave frequency 1548 kHz allocated by TWR is still in service.{{Cite web |title=Radio Rossii auf 999 kHz künftig mit nächtlicher Sendepause |url=https://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2022/pridnestrowje_grigoriopol.html |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=www.radioeins.de |language=de}}

Радиоцентр Маяк, коротковолновая поворотная антенна А30-31.jpg

Радиоцентр Маяк, коротковолновая поворотная антенна А30-31 (2).jpg|Shortwave rotating antenna (1 MW)

Средневолновая антенна -Квадрат-.jpg|Medium wave antenna

Радиоцентр Маяк, антенное поле коротковолновых антенн зимой.jpg|Stationary shortwave antennas

{{Reflist}}

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• {{YouTube|-BYHmklHi_A|Shortwave rotating antenna}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220423/https://www.panoramio.com/photo/2753512 Picture of antennas]
• [http://fmf.spsu.ru/announcement-advert/257-ekskursiya-po-ob-ektam-radioteletsentra# History of complex] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519140351/http://fmf.spsu.ru/announcement-advert/257-ekskursiya-po-ob-ektam-radioteletsentra |date=2021-05-19 }} {{in lang|ru}}

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