The station was originally built by the BBC during the Second World War to house additional shortwave (HF) broadcasting transmitters. When it officially started broadcasting on October 17, 1943, it had six 50 kW RCA transmitters, obtained by land-lease. The site has been modernised many times over the years and is now DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) capable providing daily digital radio programmes.
To mark its 80th anniversary Encompass Digital Media (a key DRM member) will be running a special programme on HF analogue and DRM, too at Woofferton Transmitting Station (WOF) in south-west UK. Here are the details:
- Tuesday 17th October 2023 from 1330 – 1430 UTC/GMT
- Sender 95 Marconi (BD272 from 1963) 250 kW AM 15245 kHz Array 928 294* for North America
- Sender 96 Riz 250 kW AMC 17785 kHz Array 904A 114* for Europe and beyond.
- Sender 92 Riz 110 kW DRM 11725 kHz Array 909A 114* for Europe and beyond.
- There will be an opening interval signal on all three frequencies.
The programme content will be historical facts of WOF in BBC, VoA, Radio Free Europe, R Liberty ,CBC etc and the later privatised times, DW and VoV for example as well as up-to-date information on DRM as well as personal recollections from many former WOF staff. There will be station idents of services over the years.
There will be a special e-QSL card and the chance to enter a competition to win a historic station artifact and an Woofferton 80th mug.
