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Rás 1

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Rás 1 (Útvarp Reykjavík)
  • IS
FrequencyFM: 93.5 MHz (Reykjavík)
FM: Various (Nationwide)
RDSRAS 1
Programming
Language(s)Icelandic
Ownership
OwnerRÚV
Rás 2
History
First air date
20 December 1930; 93 years ago (1930-12-20)
Former frequencies
LW: 207 kHz (Eiðar site)
189 kHz (Hellissandur site)
MW: Variable (select locations)
SW
Links
Websiteruv.is/ras1

Rás 1 ([rauːs'ejtʰ]; Channel 1) is an Icelandic radio station belonging to and operated by Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), Iceland's national public service broadcaster. Broadcast throughout Iceland on FM (92.4 and 93.5 MHz in Reykjavík),[1] via satellite,[2] and DVB, it is currently among the country's most listened-to radio stations.

History

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RÚV Longwave transmitter, Vatnsendi built in 1930.
Former logo (2011–2019)

The station began broadcasts on 20 December 1930, using the call-sign Útvarp Reykjavík (Radio Reykjavík). A transmission site was chosen at Vatnsendi (also known as Vatnsendahæð) in Kópavogur, then uninhabited, due to its prominence over Reykjavik as well as its relatively flat land. Two 150 metre tall steel masts made by Telefunken were erected and a wire strung between them forming a T-antenna.

As was the norm for the time, broadcasts were on AM longwave band, initially at a wavelength of 1200 metres (249.8 kHz) with a power of 16kW. Marconi transmission equipment was used.

New transmission equipment was acquired in 1935, and in 1938, the transmitted power was increased 100kW.[3][4]

Also in 1938, the Eiðar transmission relay site serving the East Iceland was opened, initially at a power of 1kW using two 25m masts, at 614kHz (488 m). In 1951 a taller mast was constructed, 75 m high, and a new 5kW medium-wave transmitter was installed.[5] In 1966, a second 75m mast was constructed, and the transmitter was converted to longwave, at a power of 20kW with the same frequency as the main Vatnsendi site.[6] Around a dozen small medium-wave relay transmitters were constructed in the 1950s to fill in coverage gaps of the longwave service from Reykjavík, including at Akureyri and Höfn.[7][8] Longwave transmission equipment at the main Vatnsendi site was renewed in 1951 and in 1964.[9][10]

During the British occupation of Iceland, radio transmissions were tightly censored.

Until the 1960s RÚV's transmission frequency went through many changes, due to interference with other stations in Europe. Below is a list of known frequencies RÚV transmitted at their main Vatnsendi site:

Rás 1 longwave frequencies and power since its inception
Date Wavelength (m) Frequency (kHz) Transmission site Power Mast height Remarks
1930-12-20 1200 250 Vatnsendi 16kW 2x 150 m [11]
1934-01-15 1639 183 Vatnsendi 16kW 2x 150 m [12]
Spring 1934 1442 208 Vatnsendi 16kW 2x 150 m [3]
1938-08-01 1442 208 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m New transmitter[4]
1941-11-22 1107 271 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [13]
1948-10-26 1648 182 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [14]
1959-12-15 1437 209 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [15]
1960-02-11 1648 182 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [16]
1960-12-15 1435 209 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [17]
1988 1448 207 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 150 m [18]
1991-02-03 - - Vatnsendi - 1x 150 m One mast collapsed during storm[19]
1991-04-03 - - Vatnsendi - - Remaining mast felled[20]
1991-11 1448 207 Vatnsendi 100kW 2x 70 m Temporary masts, requisitioned from Iceland Telecom[21]
1997-09-09 1586 189 Hellissandur (Gufuskálar) 300kW 1x 412 m New site: Hellissandur

On 3 February 1991, one of the original 1930 transmission masts at Vatnsendi collapsed during a winter storm.[19][22] They had been due for replacement since the late 1970s, and were in a bad state of repair, however their replacement was never funded.[23] On 3 March 1991, the remaining tower was felled for safety reasons. Two 70m tall spare masts obtained from Iceland Telecom were erected and longwave transmissions began again in November 1991, albeit with much reduced coverage.[21]

Icelandic radio transmission network in 1981.

RÚV's responsibility as public broadcaster and emergency broadcasts (for civil protection, severe weather alerts etc.) were questioned, In addition, much of the fishing fleet and rural areas were out of reach by radio.[24] However some questioned the obselecence and cost of LW radio as FM broadcasts were of better quality and more popular.[25] To meet its responsibilities, RÚV took the decision to revamp its longwave service in the 1990s. On 9 September 1997, Hellissandur longwave transmitter began broadcasting at 300kW, converted from a recently disused 412m tall LORAN-C mast.[22] In 1999 the Eiðar mast was reconstructed at a height of 220m and its power increased to 100kW, at 207kHz.[26] Broadcasts over longwave are now split between Rás 1 content and Rás 2 content by schedule.

RÚV has since announced the retirement of its longwave transmissions in 2024, citing its inadequacy as an emergency broadcasting service as most vehicles and radios do not support longwave broadcasts anymore.[27][28] In 2023, the Eiðar longwave transmitter was demolished, ceasing 207kHz transmissions.[27][28]The Hellissandur longwave radio mast went off the air on 5 September 2024. On October 17 RÚV announced that the transmitter would not be returning to service. [29]

Shortwave and medium-wave broadcasting

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Shortwave broadcasts were used for long distance transmission, mostly for seafarers and Icelanders abroad. They began in 1948 and were used intermittently for important broadcasts (e.g. election nights) and regular newscasts. They were sent from the Rjúpnahæð site (mainly used for HF ship-to-shore and air-to-ground comms), adjacent to the Vatnsendi site. Shortwave broadcasts ceased on 1 July 2007, after the introduction of satellite broadcasts.[30][6]

FM broadcasting

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FM broadcasting began in 1959 at its main Vatnsendi site, later expanding nationwide. Stereo transmissions began in 1980.[6]

The station adopted its present name on 1 December 1983 when RÚV began transmitting a second radio channel, which is known as Rás 2.

Programming

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Rás 1 carries primarily news, weather, current affairs coverage, and cultural programming dealing with the arts, history, the Icelandic language, literature, and social and environmental issues.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hvar finn ég á Rás 1 eða Rás 2 í útvarpinu?". RÚV. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Dreifikerfi". RÚV. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Útvarpstíðindi - 4. tölublað (07.11.1938) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Fálkinn - 31. Tölublað (06.08.1938) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Nýi tíminn - 26. tölublað (16.07.1953) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Government of Iceland (6 February 1981). "643. Skýrsla menntamálaráðherra um Ríkisútvarpið" (PDF). Althing (in Icelandic). p. Fylgiskjal 1.10.BI.l. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Verkamaðurinn - 30. tölublað (24.11.1968) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Öryggishlutverk RÚV – eru Akureyringar og Eyfirðingar afskiptir?". vefsafn.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Fálkinn - 24. Tölublað (22.06.1951) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Vísir - 255. Tölublað (18.11.1964) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Árbók Félags útvarpsnotenda - 1. Tölublað (01.01.1930) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Árbók Félags útvarpsnotenda - 1. Tölublað (01.01.1933) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Verkamaðurinn - 47. tölublað (22.11.1941) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Alþýðublaðið - 243. Tölublað (26.10.1948) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Vísir - 273. Tölublað (15.12.1959) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Þjóðviljinn - 34. tölublað (11.02.1960) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Morgunblaðið - 288. tölublað (15.12.1960) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  18. ^ Radio and Electronics World (1 April 1988). "The communications and electronics magazine" (PDF).
  19. ^ a b "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 29. tölublað (04.02.1991) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Tíminn - 63. Tölublað (04.04.1991) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Tíminn - 205. Tölublað (12.11.1991) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Langbylgjustöðin (Útvarpshúsið) á Vatnsendahæð – Ferlir" (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Tíminn - 135. Tölublað (23.06.1976) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Tíminn - 13. Tölublað (19.01.1995) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 43. tölublað (20.02.1991) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Morgunblaðið - 265. tölublað (20.11.1999) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Langbylgjan þagnar og kallað eftir ábendingum um hvar má bæta FM kerfi RÚV - RÚV.is". RÚV. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Third largest structure in Iceland demolished - RÚV.is". RÚV. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  29. ^ Magnúsdóttir, Margrét (17 October 2024). "Tilkynning um lokun langbylgju - RÚV.is". RÚV. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  30. ^ "blaðið - 119. tölublað (29.06.2007) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
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