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Warsaw radio mast

The Warsaw Radio Mast (Polish: Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie) was a radio mast located near Gąbin, Poland, and the world's tallest structure at 2,120 ft (646.38 m) from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991.[1] The mast was designed for extreme height in order to broadcast Communist propaganda around the world, including to the remotest areas such as Antarctica.[2][3] As of 2023, it was the third-tallest structure ever built, after the Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates in 2009, and Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia in 2022.[1]

Warsaw Radio Mast
Radiofoniczny Ośrodek
Nadawczy w Konstantynowie
The Warsaw radio mast before topping out (1974)
General information
StatusCollapsed
TypeMast radiator insulated against ground
LocationKonstantynów, Gąbin, Poland
Coordinates52°22′3.74″N 19°48′8.73″E / 52.3677056°N 19.8024250°E / 52.3677056; 19.8024250 (Warsaw Radio Mast ( Konstantynow Radio Mast))
Construction started5 July 1969
Completed18 May 1974
Destroyed8 August 1991
Height646.38 m (2,120.67 ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Jan Polak at Mostostal M-1 Zabrze (radio mast)
Civil engineerAndrzej Szepczyński at Mostostal M-4 Zabrze
Other designersAlimak Het [sv] of Sweden (elevator)

Brown, Boveri & Cie of Switzerland (transmitters)

Several Polish companies
Main contractorPolish Broadcasting Company (Polskie Radio)
The Warsaw Radio Mast (centre) from a distance (as pictured in 1989)
Warsaw Radio Mast compared with some other tall structures

Designed by Jan Polak, its construction started with earthworks for the foundations on 5 July 1969,[4] while the tower itself started construction on 18 October 1972 with a ceremony, and on 18 May 1974 it was completed. Its transmitter, whose installation started in October 1973, entered regular service on 22 July 1974.[5] The opening of the mast was met with extensive celebration and news coverage by the Polish Film Chronicle.[3][6] The tower was used by Warsaw Radio-Television (Centrum Radiowo-Telewizyjne) for longwave radio broadcasting on a frequency of AM-LW (long wave) 227 kHz before 1 February 1988 and 225 kHz (1332m) afterwards.[7] Its base was 115.2 metres (378 ft) above sea level. Because there was a potential difference of 120 kV between the mast and ground, it stood on a 2-metre (6.6 ft)-high insulator. It operated as a mast radiator (half-wave radiator), so its height was half of its 1332m broadcasting wavelength. The signals from its 2 MW transmitters could be received across essentially the entire globe. The Warsaw Radio Mast's weight was debated; Polish sources claimed 420 tonnes (930,000 lb).[1]

The mast was designed for national pride, mainly because of the height of the mast, which made it the tallest structure in the world at the time, surpassing the KVLY-TV mast in Blanchard, North Dakota, US. It was also designed to broadcast the "propaganda of the successes." However, an unintended effect of the mast's height was that the "officially non-existent Poles of the east" could tune in to Polish radio broadcasts, including those in remote places such as Antarctica.[3]

The official name of the facility was Radiofoniczny Ośrodek Nadawczy w Konstantynowie (Radiophonic Transmission Centre Konstantynów), Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie (Radio Transmission Centre Konstantynów; RCN Konstantynów) or Warszawska Radiostacja Centralna (WRC) w Gąbinie (Warsaw Central Radio Station Gąbin). It broadcast Polskie Radio's Program I (unofficially referred to as "Jedynka").[8] The transmitter was so powerful that Program I could be received in parts of Canada and the United States.[2]

Construction edit

The mast's location, which was finalised to be in Gąbin, was chosen because of its high soil conductivity and the need for a position in the centre of Poland.[9] A large amount of research was utilised to decide where to build the mast, which included factors such as soil resistance, ownership of property, and the quality of infrastructure (especially roads).

The mast was initially constructed to replace the Raszyn radio transmitter, which had been constructed in 1931 and rebuilt in 1949. The Raszyn transmitter was designed to cover the Eastern Borderlands, and so Polish authorities did not consider reception in the Recovered Territories. When it became evident that Raszyn could not provide coverage to the entire country, the station received an increase of power to 500 kW, but this too failed. In the late 1960s it was decided to construct a new central transmitter at the geographical centre of Poland (post-WWII borders). Gąbin was chosen not only due to its central position, but also its high soil conductivity.[10] During storms, when the mast could not operate, the signal would be temporarily switched to Raszyn, a process that was eased thanks to direct phone lines from RCN Konstantynów to both Raszyn and the energy sector.[10]

The Warsaw radio mast was a guyed steel lattice mast of equilateral triangular cross section, with a face width of 4.8 metres (16 ft). The vertical steel tubes forming the structures of the mast had a diameter of 245 millimetres (10 in); the thickness of the walls of these tubes varied between 8–34 mm (0.31–1.33 in) depending on height. The mast consisted of 86 sections, each of which had a length of 7.5 metres (25 ft). The mast had 3 arrays of guy wires, each array attached to the mast at 5 levels: 121.78 metres (399.5 ft), 256.78 metres (842.5 ft), 369.28 metres (1,211.5 ft), 481.78 metres (1,580.6 ft), and 594.28 metres (1,949.7 ft) above ground.[11][5] Each guy was fixed on a separate anchor block at the ground and was 50 millimetres (2.0 in) in diameter. To prevent the guy wires from interfering with the radio transmissions, the guys were insulated at regular intervals. The weight of guys and insulators used to anchor the mast was 80 tonnes (180,000 lb).[12][13] An elevator and separate protected ladders were installed in the interior of the mast to facilitate access to the various mast components, including the aircraft warning lamps. The elevator was designed by Alimak Hek [sv], a Swedish company, and took 45 minutes to reach the top. The lift was nicknamed "Alimak", as a nod to the company that designed it. Safety was a priority, so "Alimak" had a safety procedure, where it could be stopped, but this precaution never had to be used. A maximum of 3 people could ride up the elevator, although sources claim it would be crowded. The elevator was powered by an internal combustion engine. An area for maintenance supplies was present, in order to transport materials such as lightbulbs for the aircraft warning lights. Inspection crews travelled up it once per month to replace light bulbs, and watch for cracks in the steel. If a crack was found, the transmitters were turned off and the Raszyn radio mast took over the broadcast. Any cracks were then fixed by welders from Mostostal Zabrze by making patches out of sheet metal.[14]

In the lower half of the mast, there was a vertical steel tube, attached to the mast's outer structure with large insulators. This tube was grounded at the bottom, and connected electrically to the mast structure by an adjustable metal bar at a height of 328.68 metres (1,078.3 ft) when the tower transmitted on 227 kHz longwave and at a height of 334.18 metres (1,096.4 ft) when it switched to 225 kHz on 1 February 1988.[13] This technique allowed adjusting the impedance of the mast for the transmitter and worked by applying a direct current ground at a point of low radio frequency voltage, to conduct static charge to ground without diminishing the radio energy. Static electrical charge can build up to high values, even at times of no thunderstorm activity, when such tall structures are insulated from ground. Use of this technique provides better lightning protection than using just a spark gap at the mast base, as it is standard at most mast radiators insulated against ground.[12]

The mast was equipped in 16 levels with arrays of six air traffic warning lights with 200 W power. At the top there was a flashing beacon consisting of two lamps of 1,000 W.[14][15]

 
A map of the facility and location

A 600 metres (2,000 ft) long special overhead radio frequency transmission line of 120 ohms was used to transfer the signal from the transmitter building to the mast. Featuring an asymmetrical coaxial power supply, it consisted of the inner "hot" core of 24 copper wires connected to a small ring at each post, and each was connected by three insulated cables to the outer ring. The outer ring served as the support of another set of 24 wires, known as the "outer braid." The transmission line was monitored whenever the mast was in operation; at night the line was illuminated with street lights, to prevent trespassers from electrocuting themselves.[16] The transmitter building had a volume of 17,000 cubic metres (600,000 cu ft) and was approximately 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the mast. The transmitter consisted of two 1,000 kW units built by Brown, Boveri & Cie. An atomic clock was used to generate the transmission frequency in order to provide a very accurate, stable signal source which could be used as a frequency standard by anyone within signal range. The transmitters had the ability for each component to be turned on manually or all be started with one button. The transmitters were capable of receiving remote input, but the devices needed to utilize this were not implemented in Konstanynów. When high-voltage power was switched on, the transmitter was protected by two locked doors and crews were informed by way of illuminating a red lightbulb. This lightbulb was controlled by a photodiode that would additionally flash the lightbulb if a short-circuit in the transmitter was detected. The station, which had an area of 65 hectares (161 acres), also had a 76 metres (249 ft) lattice tower of rectangular cross-section close to the transmitter building. This tower was used to provide a radio link for programme feeds from the studio, which ran from the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw via a radio relay tower at Wiejca.[16] At Konstantynów, the signal was focused on a parabolic dish at 30 dB and was captured in a horn antenna at the focal point of the dish. Upon reaching the transmitters, a dehydrator ensured that no condensation occurred. The transmission building used a NEC radio set and the TN60 multiple telephony system. This allowed for 60 telephone lines connected to the Polska Poczta, Telegraf i Telefon [pl] (Polish PTT agency) fixed-line telephone network to be run off the station but the full possibilities of this system were never used.[17]

To supply power to the station, a 110 kV substation was built. The substation was over-engineered due to the strategic importance of the station as Poland's central transmitter: although the power consumption of the transmitting station was large at an estimated 6,000 kW, the substation was capable of supplying much more. Six small towers were erected around the periphery of the station's grounds in order to support aircraft warning lamps where the guy ropes were located.[18]

Problems edit

Approximately ten years after completion of the mast, inspections revealed structural damage caused by wind-induced oscillations at the mast, the backstay insulators and the guys. Repair work was considered to be expensive and difficult, so replacement of the mast by a stronger construction of the same height was considered; but this was not carried out due to Poland's worsening economic situation. Repainting was started in 1988, but could not be completed due to not enough paint being available.[19] A lack of equipment and training of maintenance teams led to a severe degradation of the mast's condition by the late 1980s. An inspection in May 1989 found that 13 strands of the upper guys had been fractured and, by the time of the collapse of the mast in 1991, seven guy wire insulators had been damaged. Another cause of the structure's deterioration was insufficient knowledge of the strains exerted on structures of such a great height. Additionally, on 23 March 1992, Adam Brzeziński, managing director of Mostostal Zabrze at the time, stated to Dziennik Zachodni that Mostostal should have prepared a technical report before starting construction on the risks faced during repair of a strained mast.[20]

Specifications edit

General characteristics edit

  • Weight: 420 tonnes (930,000 lb)[1]
  • Height: 646.38 metres (2,120.67 ft)[1]
  • Coordinates: 52 22 3.74 N 19 48 8.73 E[21]
  • Frequency: 227 kHz (before February 1988), 225 kHz (after February 1988)[13]
  • Type: Guyed steel lattice mast
  • Designer: Jan Polak[5]

Transmitter edit

Transmitter building edit

  • Volume: 17,000 m3[16]
  • Distance from mast: 600 metres (2,000 ft)[16]
  • Method of signal transportation: Overhead Radio Frequency Transmission Line[16]

Elevator edit

 
Konstantynów radio relay tower used for radio relay link to studio in Warsaw
 
View of the mast from one of the guy wires

Staff edit

The manager of the radio station from 1974 to 1980 was Zygmunt Duczmalewski (died 2016). His successor, Witold Czowgan (1947-2017), served as the manager from 1983 to 1986.[23][24]

The mast had a total of 30 engineers and technicians. It also had 15 administrative staff. Because a large portion of the staff was recruited from around Poland, a new block of flats was built 30 km away in Sochaczew to accommodate the staff. More specialised staff were accommodated in the guest rooms of the transmission building. The facility also had a complement of guards, hired directly by the Ministry of Interior, mainly from the local population of Konstantynów.[12][25]

Collapse edit

 
On 8 August 1991 at 4pm UTC the mast collapsed. It is pictured here in January 1992.

At 16:00 UTC on 8 August 1991 a catastrophic failure led to the collapse of the mast. During replacement of frayed guy wires, one of the main cables had to be replaced by two temporary ones. After the main cable had been disconnected and before the temporary ones could be connected, a gust of wind twisted the temporarily unmoored tower, pulling loose the other guys. The unsupported mast first bent, and then snapped at roughly half its height. The helix building and the transmitter building and transmitter were not damaged.[26] The transmission line was also unaffected, but it was dismantled shortly after the collapse of the tower, leaving only the sustaining poles in place. A mobile crane belonging to Mostostal Zabrze was destroyed when the tower collapsed. As the foreman did not keep a construction log it was hard to determine the exact events that led to the catastrophe.[20] The construction coordinator and the division chief of the company responsible for maintaining the mast were found liable for the collapse, and both were sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. The construction manager's sentence was eventually shortened to six months.[1][27][28]

Since the collapse of the 640-metre (2,100 ft) Warsaw radio mast, the tallest structure in Poland has been the FM radio and TV transmission mast at Olsztyn-Pieczewo, 385 metres (1,263 ft) tall.[1][29]

Replacement edit

After the collapse, Polskie Radio used the old Raszyn transmitter with its 335 metres (1,099 ft) mast near Warsaw, which had been used since 1978 for daytime transmissions of a second Polish broadcasting service programme in the longwave range on the frequency AM-LW 198 kHz, for transmissions on AM-LW 225 kHz with a power of 500 kW.[30] It is not possible to transmit from Raszyn on AM-LW (long wave) 198 kHz/1515 metres and 225 kHz/1333 metres simultaneously due to risk of interference, so the transmissions on the second longwave frequency AM-LW (long wave) 198 kHz had to be discontinued until either a second longwave broadcasting transmitting facility was built in Poland or a special frequency switch, which would allow transmissions on both frequencies, was installed at the Raszyn transmitter. The latter, simpler solution would have decreased the effectiveness and reliability of both transmitters and was therefore rejected.[8]

Because of the importance of Polish longwave transmitters to Polish people abroad, as early as April 1992 the Polish government planned to rebuild the mast at Konstantynów.[31] In September 1995 the Polish government was set to rebuild the mast. Although refurbishment of the old foundations, which could be reused, had already started, the rebuilding of the mast was cancelled due to protests by local residents, who claimed that radiation from the mast was a health hazard.[32] While the accuracy of these claims has not been verified, a new site for the transmitter was sought. Several other locations were considered, but due to the continuing resistance of nearby inhabitants (backed by the Solidarity trade union), planned mast height and transmitter range were both greatly reduced, and an old military site just southeast of Solec Kujawski was chosen.[33] There were once again protests in this location, but tensions were eased when Polish Radio donated PLN 3.5 million towards the development of the local community.[34] There, a new longwave transmission facility was built in 1998–1999, with a transmitter of 1200 kW output power for the frequency AM-LW (long wave) 225 kHz. This facility, which was inaugurated on 4 September 1999, uses one 330 metre (1083 ft) and one 289 metre (948 ft) grounded top-fed masts as aerials.[8]

After the inauguration of the transmitter at Solec Kujawski, the transmitter at Raszyn was again used for transmitting on the frequency AM-LW (long wave) 198 kHz for Polskie Radio Parlament [pl] until it ended LW transmissions in 2009.[35]

At Gąbin, there was also a radio link relay tower, commissioned in 1974, last used in 1998 and demolished in 2021. It was used as a radio relay link to receive Polskie Radio Program I programming from the microwave link at the RTCN Warszawa (PKiN) transmitter to Konstantynów. In front of the entrance to the mast, a cross was erected by local residents associated with the now defunct Association for the Protection of Human Life at the Highest Mast of Europe.[30]

From 2001 to 2012, the facility was managed by the Real Estate department of Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TP SA). Due to the 2012 merger of TP and Orange Polska, the facility is now managed by the Orange Polska SA Real Estate Sales Office. The facility is protected against unauthorised access, as it is worth approximately PLN 3,650,000 (approx. $1 million USD).[36]

State since 1991 edit

Except for the mast and the radio-frequency transmission line that led to it, nearly all components of the facility remained in place, unused and slowly deteriorating. Some local people have visited the remains of the mast on anniversaries, such as the 20th anniversary in 2011.[24]

In 2018, the Swiss Brown, Boveri & Cie 2 piece radio transmitter (Brown Boveri SL 61 B3) was donated by Orange Polska, a Polish telecommunications provider, to the Babice Transatlantic Radio Station Culture Park Association. It was then transferred to Warsaw for renovation. There are plans to restore the transmitter for active usage in a museum.[18][22][37]

At the end of September 2021, the Konstantynów relay tower was decommissioned and demolished.

In popular culture edit

The Warsaw radio mast was added to The Guinness Book of World Records; the record was given for the mast's height, which was later surpassed by the Burj Khalifa.[38]

The Warsaw Radio mast's successor and predecessor, the Raszyn Mast, was depicted on several stamps issued by the Polish government.[39][40][41]

The Polish Film Chronicle, a Polish newsreel typically shown in cinemas before a movie, showed the Warsaw Radio Mast.[3][42]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kohlstedt, Kurt (April 18, 2016). "Unheard Of: The Catastrophic Collapse of the World's Tallest Tower - 99% Invisible". 99% Invisible. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  2. ^ a b Kępa, Marek (2021). "The Sky is the Limit: Poland's Highest Mountains & Tallest Buildings". culture.pl. Adam Mickiewicz Institute; Polish Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport.
  3. ^ a b c d Polish Film Chronicles nr 39 1991 on Warsaw Radio Mast w/English Subtitles, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-04-12
  4. ^ "Marian Siedlarek about the lift on the mast in Konstantynów". radiopolska.pl (in Polish).
  5. ^ a b c Andruszkiewicz, Wojciech (January 21, 2006). "Maszt Radiowy w Konstantynowie (Gąbin, Polska) - najwyższa budowla na świecie". Budowle.pl (in Polish). Wojciech Andruszkiewicz. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  6. ^ Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie cz. 2/5, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-04-12
  7. ^ Baranski, Piotr; Loboda, Marek; Wiszniowski, Jan; Morawski, Marek (2012-11-01). "Evaluation of multiple ground flash charge structure from electric field measurements using the local lightning detection network in the region of Warsaw". Atmospheric Research. 117: 99–110. Bibcode:2012AtmRe.117...99B. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2011.10.011. ISSN 0169-8095. S2CID 27536503 – via Elsevier.
  8. ^ a b c "RadioPolska • Obiekt nadawczy | RTCN Warszawa *Raszyn*". radiopolska.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  9. ^ "Filomena Grodzicka on reconciling the long-term Gąbin". radiopolska.pl (in Polish).
  10. ^ a b "Marian Siedlarek o Konstantynowie podczas burz / Maszt w Konstantynowie". RadioPolska (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  11. ^ . forum.rcnkonstantynow.pl. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05.
  12. ^ a b c d e f O, Łukasz. . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Konstantynow Radio Mast, Gabin - SkyscraperPage.com". skyscraperpage.com. Skyscraper Source Media. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  14. ^ a b c "Marian Siedlarek o windzie na maszcie w Konstantynowie / Maszt w Konstantynowie". RadioPolska (in Polish). 2014. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  15. ^ Interesting, Unusual (2018-01-08). "The tallest structure in the world which collapsed in 1991". Unusual Interesting. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  16. ^ a b c d e . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  17. ^ . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  18. ^ a b c d e Miś, T. A.; Orda-Sztark, S.; Ostafin, Ł; Płachta, P. (March 2019). "The Battle For Brown Boveri. Salvaging And Restoration Conception Of The SL 61 B3 Long-Wave Transmitter". 2019 13th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP). IEEE: 1–5 – via IEEE Xplore.
  19. ^ Meier, Allison (2013). "Lost Wonders: The Warsaw Radio Mast". atlasobscura.com.
  20. ^ a b [Mast catastrophe]. www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  21. ^ Warsaw Radio Mast, Google Maps
  22. ^ a b Now Gąbin | Equipment from the Radio Center in Konstantynów will get a new life. Will any exhibit go to Gąbin? - Now Gąbin, [1] 2018-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  24. ^ a b "Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie". www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  25. ^ . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  26. ^ "25 years ago today, the tallest structure on earth you've never heard of collapsed". newstalk.com. 2016. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  27. ^ "Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie". mlodytechnik.pl (in Polish). AVT-Korporacja. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  28. ^ Breczko, Bolesław (2017). "Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie. Najwyższy obiekt na świecie stał w Polsce". tech.wp.pl (in Polish). Group HR. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  29. ^ "RadioPolska • Obiekt nadawczy | RTCN Olsztyn *Pieczewo*". radiopolska.pl (in Polish). Radio Polska. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  30. ^ a b . www.rcnkonstantynow.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  31. ^ PAP News Wire, April 7, 1992, NEWS, 106 words, RADIO MAST IN GABIN TO OPERATE AGAIN
  32. ^ Djakovski, Peter, Abandoned Spaces, Warsaw Radio Mast: Tallest Man Made Structure until 2010
  33. ^ Newstalk. "25 years ago today, the tallest structure on earth you've never heard of collapsed". Newstalk. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  34. ^ Stankiewicz, Adam. "Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie - historia polskiego sukcesu". wspieramrozwoj.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  35. ^ "RadioPolska • Obiekty nadawcze aktywne". radiopolska.pl (in Polish). Radio Polska. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  36. ^ Afrykański, Dariusz (2016). "Nieruchomości Orange Polska" (in Polish). from the original on 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  37. ^ Żółtowska-Tomaszewska, Urszula (2018). "Co dalej z masztem z Konstantynowa?". PolskieRadio.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  38. ^ Janela, Mike (2014-09-03). "8 Burj Khalifa records for Skyscraper Day". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  39. ^ "Poland A09 MLH-MNG 1949 1v Radio tower Raszyn". eBay. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  40. ^ "35 złotych 1949 - Radio station in Raszyn, Misc - Poland - Stamp - 11216". www.allnumis.com. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  41. ^ "Radiostacja Centralna w Gąbinie w filatelistyce - Forum RadioPolska". forum.radiopolska.pl (in Polish).
  42. ^ "Historia o historii, czyli Polska Kronika Filmowa". PolskieRadio.pl. 2013. Retrieved 2021-05-26.

External links edit

  • Radio Warsaw Transmission Tower at Structurae
  • Diagrams of the Warsaw mast, Directional Radio Tower Konstantynow and Marking Towers of RCN Konstantynow
Records
Preceded by World's tallest structure
1974–1991
646.38 m (2,120 ft 8 in)
Succeeded by
World's tallest structure ever built
1974–2008
Succeeded by

warsaw, radio, mast, warsaw, radio, mast, polish, maszt, radiowy, konstantynowie, radio, mast, located, near, gąbin, poland, world, tallest, structure, from, 1974, until, collapse, august, 1991, mast, designed, extreme, height, order, broadcast, communist, pro. The Warsaw Radio Mast Polish Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie was a radio mast located near Gabin Poland and the world s tallest structure at 2 120 ft 646 38 m from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991 1 The mast was designed for extreme height in order to broadcast Communist propaganda around the world including to the remotest areas such as Antarctica 2 3 As of 2023 it was the third tallest structure ever built after the Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia in 2022 1 Warsaw Radio MastRadiofoniczny Osrodek Nadawczy w KonstantynowieThe Warsaw radio mast before topping out 1974 General informationStatusCollapsedTypeMast radiator insulated against groundLocationKonstantynow Gabin PolandCoordinates52 22 3 74 N 19 48 8 73 E 52 3677056 N 19 8024250 E 52 3677056 19 8024250 Warsaw Radio Mast Konstantynow Radio Mast Construction started5 July 1969Completed18 May 1974Destroyed8 August 1991Height646 38 m 2 120 67 ft Design and constructionArchitect s Jan Polak at Mostostal M 1 Zabrze radio mast Civil engineerAndrzej Szepczynski at Mostostal M 4 ZabrzeOther designersAlimak Het sv of Sweden elevator Brown Boveri amp Cie of Switzerland transmitters Several Polish companiesMain contractorPolish Broadcasting Company Polskie Radio The Warsaw Radio Mast centre from a distance as pictured in 1989 Warsaw Radio Mast compared with some other tall structuresDesigned by Jan Polak its construction started with earthworks for the foundations on 5 July 1969 4 while the tower itself started construction on 18 October 1972 with a ceremony and on 18 May 1974 it was completed Its transmitter whose installation started in October 1973 entered regular service on 22 July 1974 5 The opening of the mast was met with extensive celebration and news coverage by the Polish Film Chronicle 3 6 The tower was used by Warsaw Radio Television Centrum Radiowo Telewizyjne for longwave radio broadcasting on a frequency of AM LW long wave 227 kHz before 1 February 1988 and 225 kHz 1332m afterwards 7 Its base was 115 2 metres 378 ft above sea level Because there was a potential difference of 120 kV between the mast and ground it stood on a 2 metre 6 6 ft high insulator It operated as a mast radiator half wave radiator so its height was half of its 1332m broadcasting wavelength The signals from its 2 MW transmitters could be received across essentially the entire globe The Warsaw Radio Mast s weight was debated Polish sources claimed 420 tonnes 930 000 lb 1 The mast was designed for national pride mainly because of the height of the mast which made it the tallest structure in the world at the time surpassing the KVLY TV mast in Blanchard North Dakota US It was also designed to broadcast the propaganda of the successes However an unintended effect of the mast s height was that the officially non existent Poles of the east could tune in to Polish radio broadcasts including those in remote places such as Antarctica 3 The official name of the facility was Radiofoniczny Osrodek Nadawczy w Konstantynowie Radiophonic Transmission Centre Konstantynow Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie Radio Transmission Centre Konstantynow RCN Konstantynow or Warszawska Radiostacja Centralna WRC w Gabinie Warsaw Central Radio Station Gabin It broadcast Polskie Radio s Program I unofficially referred to as Jedynka 8 The transmitter was so powerful that Program I could be received in parts of Canada and the United States 2 Contents 1 Construction 2 Problems 3 Specifications 3 1 General characteristics 3 2 Transmitter 3 3 Transmitter building 3 4 Elevator 4 Staff 5 Collapse 6 Replacement 7 State since 1991 8 In popular culture 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksConstruction editThe mast s location which was finalised to be in Gabin was chosen because of its high soil conductivity and the need for a position in the centre of Poland 9 A large amount of research was utilised to decide where to build the mast which included factors such as soil resistance ownership of property and the quality of infrastructure especially roads The mast was initially constructed to replace the Raszyn radio transmitter which had been constructed in 1931 and rebuilt in 1949 The Raszyn transmitter was designed to cover the Eastern Borderlands and so Polish authorities did not consider reception in the Recovered Territories When it became evident that Raszyn could not provide coverage to the entire country the station received an increase of power to 500 kW but this too failed In the late 1960s it was decided to construct a new central transmitter at the geographical centre of Poland post WWII borders Gabin was chosen not only due to its central position but also its high soil conductivity 10 During storms when the mast could not operate the signal would be temporarily switched to Raszyn a process that was eased thanks to direct phone lines from RCN Konstantynow to both Raszyn and the energy sector 10 The Warsaw radio mast was a guyed steel lattice mast of equilateral triangular cross section with a face width of 4 8 metres 16 ft The vertical steel tubes forming the structures of the mast had a diameter of 245 millimetres 10 in the thickness of the walls of these tubes varied between 8 34 mm 0 31 1 33 in depending on height The mast consisted of 86 sections each of which had a length of 7 5 metres 25 ft The mast had 3 arrays of guy wires each array attached to the mast at 5 levels 121 78 metres 399 5 ft 256 78 metres 842 5 ft 369 28 metres 1 211 5 ft 481 78 metres 1 580 6 ft and 594 28 metres 1 949 7 ft above ground 11 5 Each guy was fixed on a separate anchor block at the ground and was 50 millimetres 2 0 in in diameter To prevent the guy wires from interfering with the radio transmissions the guys were insulated at regular intervals The weight of guys and insulators used to anchor the mast was 80 tonnes 180 000 lb 12 13 An elevator and separate protected ladders were installed in the interior of the mast to facilitate access to the various mast components including the aircraft warning lamps The elevator was designed by Alimak Hek sv a Swedish company and took 45 minutes to reach the top The lift was nicknamed Alimak as a nod to the company that designed it Safety was a priority so Alimak had a safety procedure where it could be stopped but this precaution never had to be used A maximum of 3 people could ride up the elevator although sources claim it would be crowded The elevator was powered by an internal combustion engine An area for maintenance supplies was present in order to transport materials such as lightbulbs for the aircraft warning lights Inspection crews travelled up it once per month to replace light bulbs and watch for cracks in the steel If a crack was found the transmitters were turned off and the Raszyn radio mast took over the broadcast Any cracks were then fixed by welders from Mostostal Zabrze by making patches out of sheet metal 14 In the lower half of the mast there was a vertical steel tube attached to the mast s outer structure with large insulators This tube was grounded at the bottom and connected electrically to the mast structure by an adjustable metal bar at a height of 328 68 metres 1 078 3 ft when the tower transmitted on 227 kHz longwave and at a height of 334 18 metres 1 096 4 ft when it switched to 225 kHz on 1 February 1988 13 This technique allowed adjusting the impedance of the mast for the transmitter and worked by applying a direct current ground at a point of low radio frequency voltage to conduct static charge to ground without diminishing the radio energy Static electrical charge can build up to high values even at times of no thunderstorm activity when such tall structures are insulated from ground Use of this technique provides better lightning protection than using just a spark gap at the mast base as it is standard at most mast radiators insulated against ground 12 The mast was equipped in 16 levels with arrays of six air traffic warning lights with 200 W power At the top there was a flashing beacon consisting of two lamps of 1 000 W 14 15 nbsp A map of the facility and locationA 600 metres 2 000 ft long special overhead radio frequency transmission line of 120 ohms was used to transfer the signal from the transmitter building to the mast Featuring an asymmetrical coaxial power supply it consisted of the inner hot core of 24 copper wires connected to a small ring at each post and each was connected by three insulated cables to the outer ring The outer ring served as the support of another set of 24 wires known as the outer braid The transmission line was monitored whenever the mast was in operation at night the line was illuminated with street lights to prevent trespassers from electrocuting themselves 16 The transmitter building had a volume of 17 000 cubic metres 600 000 cu ft and was approximately 600 metres 2 000 ft from the mast The transmitter consisted of two 1 000 kW units built by Brown Boveri amp Cie An atomic clock was used to generate the transmission frequency in order to provide a very accurate stable signal source which could be used as a frequency standard by anyone within signal range The transmitters had the ability for each component to be turned on manually or all be started with one button The transmitters were capable of receiving remote input but the devices needed to utilize this were not implemented in Konstanynow When high voltage power was switched on the transmitter was protected by two locked doors and crews were informed by way of illuminating a red lightbulb This lightbulb was controlled by a photodiode that would additionally flash the lightbulb if a short circuit in the transmitter was detected The station which had an area of 65 hectares 161 acres also had a 76 metres 249 ft lattice tower of rectangular cross section close to the transmitter building This tower was used to provide a radio link for programme feeds from the studio which ran from the Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw via a radio relay tower at Wiejca 16 At Konstantynow the signal was focused on a parabolic dish at 30 dB and was captured in a horn antenna at the focal point of the dish Upon reaching the transmitters a dehydrator ensured that no condensation occurred The transmission building used a NEC radio set and the TN60 multiple telephony system This allowed for 60 telephone lines connected to the Polska Poczta Telegraf i Telefon pl Polish PTT agency fixed line telephone network to be run off the station but the full possibilities of this system were never used 17 To supply power to the station a 110 kV substation was built The substation was over engineered due to the strategic importance of the station as Poland s central transmitter although the power consumption of the transmitting station was large at an estimated 6 000 kW the substation was capable of supplying much more Six small towers were erected around the periphery of the station s grounds in order to support aircraft warning lamps where the guy ropes were located 18 Problems editApproximately ten years after completion of the mast inspections revealed structural damage caused by wind induced oscillations at the mast the backstay insulators and the guys Repair work was considered to be expensive and difficult so replacement of the mast by a stronger construction of the same height was considered but this was not carried out due to Poland s worsening economic situation Repainting was started in 1988 but could not be completed due to not enough paint being available 19 A lack of equipment and training of maintenance teams led to a severe degradation of the mast s condition by the late 1980s An inspection in May 1989 found that 13 strands of the upper guys had been fractured and by the time of the collapse of the mast in 1991 seven guy wire insulators had been damaged Another cause of the structure s deterioration was insufficient knowledge of the strains exerted on structures of such a great height Additionally on 23 March 1992 Adam Brzezinski managing director of Mostostal Zabrze at the time stated to Dziennik Zachodni that Mostostal should have prepared a technical report before starting construction on the risks faced during repair of a strained mast 20 Specifications editGeneral characteristics edit Weight 420 tonnes 930 000 lb 1 Height 646 38 metres 2 120 67 ft 1 Coordinates 52 22 3 74 N 19 48 8 73 E 21 Frequency 227 kHz before February 1988 225 kHz after February 1988 13 Type Guyed steel lattice mast Designer Jan Polak 5 Transmitter edit Model and Manufacturer Brown Boveri amp Cie Brown Boveri SL 61 B3 22 18 Power 1 000 kW 1 MW 1 18 Total Power 2 000 kW 2 MW 1 18 Transmitter building edit Volume 17 000 m3 16 Distance from mast 600 metres 2 000 ft 16 Method of signal transportation Overhead Radio Frequency Transmission Line 16 Elevator edit Model and Manufacturer Alimak 13 12 Maximum Capacity 3 people 13 12 Type Climbing elevator 13 12 Power supply Internal combustion engine 14 nbsp Konstantynow radio relay tower used for radio relay link to studio in Warsaw nbsp View of the mast from one of the guy wiresStaff editThe manager of the radio station from 1974 to 1980 was Zygmunt Duczmalewski died 2016 His successor Witold Czowgan 1947 2017 served as the manager from 1983 to 1986 23 24 The mast had a total of 30 engineers and technicians It also had 15 administrative staff Because a large portion of the staff was recruited from around Poland a new block of flats was built 30 km away in Sochaczew to accommodate the staff More specialised staff were accommodated in the guest rooms of the transmission building The facility also had a complement of guards hired directly by the Ministry of Interior mainly from the local population of Konstantynow 12 25 Collapse edit nbsp On 8 August 1991 at 4pm UTC the mast collapsed It is pictured here in January 1992 At 16 00 UTC on 8 August 1991 a catastrophic failure led to the collapse of the mast During replacement of frayed guy wires one of the main cables had to be replaced by two temporary ones After the main cable had been disconnected and before the temporary ones could be connected a gust of wind twisted the temporarily unmoored tower pulling loose the other guys The unsupported mast first bent and then snapped at roughly half its height The helix building and the transmitter building and transmitter were not damaged 26 The transmission line was also unaffected but it was dismantled shortly after the collapse of the tower leaving only the sustaining poles in place A mobile crane belonging to Mostostal Zabrze was destroyed when the tower collapsed As the foreman did not keep a construction log it was hard to determine the exact events that led to the catastrophe 20 The construction coordinator and the division chief of the company responsible for maintaining the mast were found liable for the collapse and both were sentenced to 2 5 years in prison The construction manager s sentence was eventually shortened to six months 1 27 28 Since the collapse of the 640 metre 2 100 ft Warsaw radio mast the tallest structure in Poland has been the FM radio and TV transmission mast at Olsztyn Pieczewo 385 metres 1 263 ft tall 1 29 Replacement editAfter the collapse Polskie Radio used the old Raszyn transmitter with its 335 metres 1 099 ft mast near Warsaw which had been used since 1978 for daytime transmissions of a second Polish broadcasting service programme in the longwave range on the frequency AM LW 198 kHz for transmissions on AM LW 225 kHz with a power of 500 kW 30 It is not possible to transmit from Raszyn on AM LW long wave 198 kHz 1515 metres and 225 kHz 1333 metres simultaneously due to risk of interference so the transmissions on the second longwave frequency AM LW long wave 198 kHz had to be discontinued until either a second longwave broadcasting transmitting facility was built in Poland or a special frequency switch which would allow transmissions on both frequencies was installed at the Raszyn transmitter The latter simpler solution would have decreased the effectiveness and reliability of both transmitters and was therefore rejected 8 Because of the importance of Polish longwave transmitters to Polish people abroad as early as April 1992 the Polish government planned to rebuild the mast at Konstantynow 31 In September 1995 the Polish government was set to rebuild the mast Although refurbishment of the old foundations which could be reused had already started the rebuilding of the mast was cancelled due to protests by local residents who claimed that radiation from the mast was a health hazard 32 While the accuracy of these claims has not been verified a new site for the transmitter was sought Several other locations were considered but due to the continuing resistance of nearby inhabitants backed by the Solidarity trade union planned mast height and transmitter range were both greatly reduced and an old military site just southeast of Solec Kujawski was chosen 33 There were once again protests in this location but tensions were eased when Polish Radio donated PLN 3 5 million towards the development of the local community 34 There a new longwave transmission facility was built in 1998 1999 with a transmitter of 1200 kW output power for the frequency AM LW long wave 225 kHz This facility which was inaugurated on 4 September 1999 uses one 330 metre 1083 ft and one 289 metre 948 ft grounded top fed masts as aerials 8 After the inauguration of the transmitter at Solec Kujawski the transmitter at Raszyn was again used for transmitting on the frequency AM LW long wave 198 kHz for Polskie Radio Parlament pl until it ended LW transmissions in 2009 35 At Gabin there was also a radio link relay tower commissioned in 1974 last used in 1998 and demolished in 2021 It was used as a radio relay link to receive Polskie Radio Program I programming from the microwave link at the RTCN Warszawa PKiN transmitter to Konstantynow In front of the entrance to the mast a cross was erected by local residents associated with the now defunct Association for the Protection of Human Life at the Highest Mast of Europe 30 From 2001 to 2012 the facility was managed by the Real Estate department of Telekomunikacja Polska S A TP SA Due to the 2012 merger of TP and Orange Polska the facility is now managed by the Orange Polska SA Real Estate Sales Office The facility is protected against unauthorised access as it is worth approximately PLN 3 650 000 approx 1 million USD 36 State since 1991 editExcept for the mast and the radio frequency transmission line that led to it nearly all components of the facility remained in place unused and slowly deteriorating Some local people have visited the remains of the mast on anniversaries such as the 20th anniversary in 2011 24 In 2018 the Swiss Brown Boveri amp Cie 2 piece radio transmitter Brown Boveri SL 61 B3 was donated by Orange Polska a Polish telecommunications provider to the Babice Transatlantic Radio Station Culture Park Association It was then transferred to Warsaw for renovation There are plans to restore the transmitter for active usage in a museum 18 22 37 At the end of September 2021 the Konstantynow relay tower was decommissioned and demolished nbsp Foundation of former mast nbsp Former helix building nbsp Tower used for marking the northern end of span field of the guylines nbsp Guard tower at southern limb nbsp Radio relay towerIn popular culture editThe Warsaw radio mast was added to The Guinness Book of World Records the record was given for the mast s height which was later surpassed by the Burj Khalifa 38 The Warsaw Radio mast s successor and predecessor the Raszyn Mast was depicted on several stamps issued by the Polish government 39 40 41 The Polish Film Chronicle a Polish newsreel typically shown in cinemas before a movie showed the Warsaw Radio Mast 3 42 See also editRadio masts and towers List of catastrophic collapses of broadcast masts and towers KVLY TV mast List of tallest structuresReferences edit a b c d e f g h i Kohlstedt Kurt April 18 2016 Unheard Of The Catastrophic Collapse of the World s Tallest Tower 99 Invisible 99 Invisible Retrieved 2018 05 26 a b Kepa Marek 2021 The Sky is the Limit Poland s Highest Mountains amp Tallest Buildings culture pl Adam Mickiewicz Institute Polish Ministry of Culture National Heritage and Sport a b c d Polish Film Chronicles nr 39 1991 on Warsaw Radio Mast w English Subtitles archived from the original on 2021 12 21 retrieved 2021 04 12 Marian Siedlarek about the lift on the mast in Konstantynow radiopolska pl in Polish a b c Andruszkiewicz Wojciech January 21 2006 Maszt Radiowy w Konstantynowie Gabin Polska najwyzsza budowla na swiecie Budowle pl in Polish Wojciech Andruszkiewicz Retrieved 2021 04 12 Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie cz 2 5 archived from the original on 2021 12 21 retrieved 2021 04 12 Baranski Piotr Loboda Marek Wiszniowski Jan Morawski Marek 2012 11 01 Evaluation of multiple ground flash charge structure from electric field measurements using the local lightning detection network in the region of Warsaw Atmospheric Research 117 99 110 Bibcode 2012AtmRe 117 99B doi 10 1016 j atmosres 2011 10 011 ISSN 0169 8095 S2CID 27536503 via Elsevier a b c RadioPolska Obiekt nadawczy RTCN Warszawa Raszyn radiopolska pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 04 12 Filomena Grodzicka on reconciling the long term Gabin radiopolska pl in Polish a b Marian Siedlarek o Konstantynowie podczas burz Maszt w Konstantynowie RadioPolska in Polish Retrieved 2021 04 14 Guy wire diagram forum rcnkonstantynow pl Archived from the original on 2013 10 05 a b c d e f O Lukasz Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 12 Retrieved 2021 04 12 a b c d e f Konstantynow Radio Mast Gabin SkyscraperPage com skyscraperpage com Skyscraper Source Media Retrieved 2021 04 12 a b c Marian Siedlarek o windzie na maszcie w Konstantynowie Maszt w Konstantynowie RadioPolska in Polish 2014 Retrieved 2021 04 14 Interesting Unusual 2018 01 08 The tallest structure in the world which collapsed in 1991 Unusual Interesting Retrieved 2021 04 12 a b c d e Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 12 Retrieved 2021 04 12 Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 13 Retrieved 2021 04 13 a b c d e Mis T A Orda Sztark S Ostafin L Plachta P March 2019 The Battle For Brown Boveri Salvaging And Restoration Conception Of The SL 61 B3 Long Wave Transmitter 2019 13th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation EuCAP IEEE 1 5 via IEEE Xplore Meier Allison 2013 Lost Wonders The Warsaw Radio Mast atlasobscura com a b Katastrofa masztu Mast catastrophe www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie Archived from the original on 2021 04 13 Retrieved 2021 04 13 Warsaw Radio Mast Google Maps a b Now Gabin Equipment from the Radio Center in Konstantynow will get a new life Will any exhibit go to Gabin Now Gabin 1 Archived 2018 08 06 at the Wayback Machine Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 13 Retrieved 2021 04 13 a b Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 04 12 Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 12 Retrieved 2021 04 12 25 years ago today the tallest structure on earth you ve never heard of collapsed newstalk com 2016 Retrieved 2020 12 07 Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie mlodytechnik pl in Polish AVT Korporacja Retrieved 2021 04 13 Breczko Boleslaw 2017 Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie Najwyzszy obiekt na swiecie stal w Polsce tech wp pl in Polish Group HR Retrieved 2021 04 13 RadioPolska Obiekt nadawczy RTCN Olsztyn Pieczewo radiopolska pl in Polish Radio Polska Retrieved 2021 05 24 a b Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze w Konstantynowie www rcnkonstantynow pl in Polish Archived from the original on 2021 04 10 Retrieved 2021 04 12 PAP News Wire April 7 1992 NEWS 106 words RADIO MAST IN GABIN TO OPERATE AGAIN Djakovski Peter Abandoned Spaces Warsaw Radio Mast Tallest Man Made Structure until 2010 Newstalk 25 years ago today the tallest structure on earth you ve never heard of collapsed Newstalk Retrieved 2021 04 12 Stankiewicz Adam Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie historia polskiego sukcesu wspieramrozwoj pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 04 14 RadioPolska Obiekty nadawcze aktywne radiopolska pl in Polish Radio Polska Retrieved 2021 04 12 Afrykanski Dariusz 2016 Nieruchomosci Orange Polska in Polish Archived from the original on 2016 06 24 Retrieved 2021 04 12 Zoltowska Tomaszewska Urszula 2018 Co dalej z masztem z Konstantynowa PolskieRadio pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 04 14 Janela Mike 2014 09 03 8 Burj Khalifa records for Skyscraper Day Guinness World Records Retrieved 2021 04 13 Poland A09 MLH MNG 1949 1v Radio tower Raszyn eBay Retrieved 2021 04 13 35 zlotych 1949 Radio station in Raszyn Misc Poland Stamp 11216 www allnumis com Retrieved 2021 04 13 Radiostacja Centralna w Gabinie w filatelistyce Forum RadioPolska forum radiopolska pl in Polish Historia o historii czyli Polska Kronika Filmowa PolskieRadio pl 2013 Retrieved 2021 05 26 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Warsaw radio mast External links editRadio Warsaw Transmission Tower at Structurae Diagrams of the Warsaw mast Directional Radio Tower Konstantynow and Marking Towers of RCN Konstantynow Pictures showing current state of former siteRecordsPreceded byKVLY TV mast World s tallest structure1974 1991646 38 m 2 120 ft 8 in Succeeded byKVLY TV mastWorld s tallest structure ever built1974 2008 Succeeded byBurj Khalifa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Warsaw radio mast amp oldid 1185703465, 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