THE KLÍNOVEC TELEVISION TRANSMITTER
Introduction
Since the mid-1950s, Klínovec had been regarded by radio amateurs as an ideal location for a transmitter. The strategic position of the highest peak of the Ore Mountains provided exceptional conditions for signal propagation. The main obstacle, however, was the so-called Secret Area of Jáchymov, which was closed to the public.
First Attempts by Radio Amateurs
After the enthusiasts managed to obtain permission to enter the area, they attempted to receive the signal of the first Czechoslovak television transmitter in Prague, located on the Petřín observation tower. Permission was granted mainly because most of them were employees of the Uranium Mines Jáchymov. At that time, the public security authorities monitored individuals moving in the area with headphones on their ears and various devices in their hands, which aroused suspicion.
To avoid complications, the radio amateurs formed a district radio club in Ostrov and, under the umbrella of Svazarm, established cooperation with the national enterprise TESLA Holešovice. After two years of negotiations, a steel mast was erected on the summit of Klínovec on 14 August 1957. The antennas were directed between Karlovy Vary and Sokolov, while the transmitter itself was installed in room no. 104 of the Klínovec hotel.
The facility was put into operation on 21 December 1957, and the reception of the signal from Prague proved excellent. The mast, originally found at Karlovy Vary airport, measured only 25 metres at first, but engineers from Jáchymov increased its height to 40 metres.
Interference and Technical Adjustments
In 1958 the first major problem arose. A transmitter in St. Pölten, Austria, began operating on the same frequency as the Prague Petřín transmitter, causing significant interference. Therefore, a device was installed at the base of the mast to connect it with the microwave relay station in Loučná.
Another important step followed on 10 July 1965, when transmitters removed during the reconstruction of the Petřín facility were relocated to Klínovec.
The New Concrete Tower
Meanwhile, the summit of Klínovec had come to the attention of the Radiocommunications Administration in Prague. In 1967, construction began on a reinforced concrete tower intended to serve both as a television transmitter and a microwave relay station. The interior equipment was completed and the facility was put into operation in 1973.
The Klínovec tower has an almost identical counterpart on Zelená hora near Cheb. Both structures were not only built but also commissioned in the same year, month, day and almost at the same minute.
August 1968
The most dramatic moments occurred in August 1968. The transmitter was surrounded by Soviet troops who demanded that the Czechoslovak soldiers operating the facility cease broadcasting and allow them to take control of the tower. When these demands were refused, a cannon was brought in and the transformer station at the base of the tower was shelled. The staff surrendered only after tanks arrived and heavy fire was threatened.
Restoration and Present
Since its commissioning in 1973, the tower has formed an integral part of the Klínovec skyline and continues to provide television and radio broadcasting for a wide area of western Bohemia. At present, discussions are underway regarding the possible opening of the tower to the public, which could transform it into another panoramic viewpoint and tourist attraction on the highest peak of the Ore Mountains. A structure originally intended solely for signal transmission may thus gain a new public function.
