CRR-10, Radiostation 3

by Feodor Brazhnikov:
I visited Angarsk in mid-July 2001 to see that place ang get some pictures. The transmitting center Radiostation Number 3 consists of 3 antenna systems. The highest one is (was) two high masts. Both of them are approximately 50 meters height and 205 meters between. Mass Media reported false information about the 205 meters of height. TV Tower in Irkutsk - the highest building - is only 150 meters high. Another antenna system consists of 4 identical towers with broken antenna wires. And last antenna system is 5 towers - 3 big, 1 medium and 2 small. This last system was far away from the place I stood. And I hope to recognize more next time. Check this site later for more details.

Mass Media about the folling down of antenna mast

The Siberian News Information Agency , 6 June 2001, 15:53

The Irkutsk region. In Angarsk has fallen down the 205 meters high broadcasting mast.

The mast with a height of 205 meters has fallen down on the night from 5-th to 6-th June in the territory of radiostation number 3 in Angarsk (Irkutsk region). During the incidence the antenna-feeder equipment was damaged, the broadcasting of Radiostation Mayak was interrupted. The broadcasting specialist reported that the order of the State Communications Comission about emergencial state of that fallen northern mast and that remained standing southern one was given out as early as 1999. However, the provincial branch of VGTRK, to which the radiostation belongs , continued their operation. Both masts were installed in 1937. Aging led to the fact that metallic constructions, which retained the mast, were untwined, that also led to the incidence. In connection with the failure of antenna-feeder equipment, within the next few days there must be a question solved about the transfer of "Mayak" broadcasting to the radio station in the settlement of Meget or to the transmitting center near by the village of Odinsk (Angara region).

The broadcasting mast, of 205 metres height, has fallen down in the town of Angarsk. At night from 5th to 6th of June the 205-metres broadcasting mast fell down on the territory of radiostation No. 3, in Angarsk. As a result of this fall the aerial feeding system was damaged; the broadcasting of "Radiostantsiya Mayak" was broken off. The fallen mast relayed the signal of "Mayak" for most of Eastern Siberia.

On the night from Tuesday to the Wednesday in Angarsk was brought down the broadcasting mast. There are no victims, fortunately. Now there goes the dismantling by that collapsed two-hundred-meter construction. The mast fell at night - the ropes of stretching did not withstand any more. The two-hundred-meter tower when falling was broken in half; therefore it did not follow the unavoidable destruction which are usual in similar cases. Although the mast could damage those near located control house and hostel. The shock was so strong that some parts of construction made pits in the ground, and both bolts and nuts flew away on a large distance. The falling of the tower was completely unexpected for the workers of radio station. Now the inhabitants of Irkutsk region, Buryatiya and southern part of the Krasnoyarsk region cannot receive the program of Radio Mayak on the LW band but only in the SW. The Radio station was built before the second World War. On the upper part of the radio mast there is an autograph, left by some Vasiliy N. as early as 1938. This confirms the fact that the tower appeared here even before they built Angarsk. At that time everything here was differently: the militarized protection with the weapon and the dogs, no stranger could get to the territory. Now the vacant land, where the mast is located is a favorite place of leisure of townspeople. In the hot weather they come here to light up, and directly under the tower they arranged vegetable-gardens. The main thing in the reason of the incident is the high wear-out of the radio tower. In the recently times the quality of its maintenance was low. Ropes have long ago rusted and already several times burst themselves. Earlier, station technical workers oiled regularly the ropes, but then they solved, that this is excess. Now the workers of radio station dismantle the collapsed constructions. After the elimination of all consequences it will be necessary for the staff of the radio station to look for a new job - they are not going to restore the tower.

The true reason for the broadcasting mast falling in Angarsk is established. On the conclusion of commission, this occurred because of prolonged period of the operation of tower, which was built 64 years ago, and aging of metall constructions. Mast itself was not to attackable, but the ropes of the second tier did broken. As calculated by designers, when falling, tower has collapsed in air. Inspection of the second mast showed that its deviation from the axis does not exceed the standard. It does not represent any threat for the houses around the radio station. In the case of the incidence, its top will prove to be in 50 meters from nearest building. Nevertheless, the administration of Angarsk made a decision about the removal of the second mast.

Angarsk is supposed to transmit Mayak on 198 as well as 576, both running 250 kW. The mention of damaged antenna feeder lines of course suggests that also further txs cannot operate at present, especially as this report suggests that neither 198 nor 576 are on air. Other LW/MW outlets from Angarsk are 234 (Irkutskaya GTRK) and 1080 (VoRussia).
(Kai Ludwig-D, Jun 5)

Note that the station affected was No. 3, which is located in an open area in the very centre of Angarsk city. All high powered (250 kW +) SW/MW/LW txs are located at the Radio Station No. 7 megasite in the countryside south of Angarsk.
The RS3 site in 1999 shows at least three curtains for SW and two tall, slender masts carrying a T antenna for MW/LW. I guess one of the latter was the one that collapsed, leaving the T antenna hanging dead from the remaining one.
So judging, RS3 is a very old one. The LW towers are/were stayed at six levels (at alternate section joints), so they should not have toppled too easily. Because of the location of the site in midcity Angarsk it is an ovious measure to reconstruct the station somewhere else.
(Olle Alm-SWE, Jun 7)

Obviously this affected one of two masts that carried a T-antenna for the Mayak tx on 198. Radio Station No. 3 is located in central Angarsk City, and reportedly the LW tx will now be moved elsewhere.
(Olle Alm-SWE, ARC MV-Eko, Jul 11)

    The dismantling of emergency 205- meter radio mast in the territory of radio station Nr.3 in Angarsk it is planned/glided to conduct during January. On this to correspondent IA " Siberian news " reported the chief engineer of the center of radiobroadcasting and radio communication Nr.3 of the branch VGTRK of Vladimir Vlasenko. According to him, the winter months are most favorable for the dismantling of similar constructions/designs.
    As explained specialist in the connection/communication KZHKKH of administration AMO Vladimir Bogdanov, southern mast was acknowledged emergency as early as 1999. During May 2001 of year the analogous and worked paired with it northern mast because of the decrepitude of hand ropes fell and broke. The work of the transmitter hung between the masts is ended, southern mast is freed from the increment loads; however, the threat of its incidence/drop in immediate proximity of the apartment houses remains. A question about the source of financing works concerning the dismantling of emergency radio mast is not thus far resolved. The administration Angarsk, according to V. Bogdanov, repeatedly was turned into Gostekhnadzor, committee on tele-radiobroadcasting, department of transport and connection/communication of Irkutsk region and to the management/manual of the branch VGTRK CRR-10 with the request to dismantle mast and to move the equipment for the radio station N7 working in the zone of housing building, arranged/located after the city. According to V. Bogdanov, the administration of Angarsk must not finance work, which are produced in the territory and with respect to the equipment of federal enterprise.
    As reported V. Vlasenko, the CRR-10 management proposes administration AMO to finance the dismantling of antennas within the framework of the prisoner in 1995 of the protocol of the agreement of the volumes of works on the extension of technical equipment of the radio station N3 GPR-10. it was planned/glided, that after the extension of broadcasting equipment beyond the limits of city the administration finances the dismantling of masts. At present it is proposed to finance the part of these works even to the extension of equipment. Information about the fact that for the elimination of emergency situation at the broadcasting service in Angarsk is provided the purposeful/target financing in the federal budget for 2002 years, according to V. Vlasenko, in CRR-10 thus far did not enter. On application to MinPechati, in conducting of which until 1 January 2001 of year it is located by CRR-10, in the present year due to the federal budget is produced the repair of masts in Chita, Khabarovsk and Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk.

august, 1999 The right "northern" mast before falling down	july, 2001 The fallen down mast
july, 2001 The remained left mast; control house in the background	july, 2001 The same view from a closer point
august, 1999 Another antennas to the left and deeper from the remain standing mast	july, 2001 The same view with the remain standing mast
july, 2001 Another antennas, almost behind the fallen down mast; antenna net wires are broken	august, 1999 The same antennas, view from another place; building with a view from windows to the antenna field; just behind the fallen down antenna net

Web site of the Irkutsk DXers
(1996-2003)