Iranian Radio Anniversary
| This article was originally aired over Adventist World Radio’s “Wavescan” program. Copyright to the author, Adrian Peterson |
The Middle Eastern country of Iran is located on the south western edge of Asia. It is a little over one thousand miles long and a little less than a thousand miles wide with a total area of two thirds of a million square miles.
The total population is around fifty million and the capital city is Tehran with around five million inhabitants. Iran is a very picturesque country with high snow-covered mountain-ranges, wide barren deserts and many large salt-water lakes.
Even though Tehran has been described as one of the most modern cities in the Middle East, yet one of the most fascinating aspects of Iran is its long and interesting history. Iran is one of the oldest countries in the world and its history goes way back into the Persian era more than three thousand years ago.
The earliest settlers in Iran came down from the north and were known as the Elamites. Other tribal peoples moved into the area subsequently and established their own regional societies.
The height of political glory in ancient Persia was achieved under the Archaemenid rulers and at one stage the Persian Empire was made up of 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. A glimpse of their past glory may be gained in viewing the monumental ruins of ancient cities, temples and palaces in such places as Persepolis, Pasargadae and Apardana.
Wireless communication came to Iran in the early 1920s when station VTF was established by the Indo-European Telegraph Department at Busher on the gulf coast. This station was established for the purpose of regional communication, direct communication with England, and intermediate communication between England and India.
The first radio broadcasting station in Iran was a temporary mediumwave facility that was established in Tehran in 1938. Thirty years later, a postage stamp was issued to commemorate the first broadcast from this station which occurred on February 22.
Permanent radio came to Iran in 1940 when a combined mediumwave and shortwave facility was constructed on the edge of Tehran. This new radio station contained a 30 kW mediumwave transmitter on 895 kHz under the callsign EQA, and two shortwave transmitters at 20 kW with the callsigns EPB & EQB. The auspicious date for the inauguraton of this combination radio station was April 24, 1940; hence their 64th anniversary just yesterday.
Plans were announced in 1963 for the construction of a massive new shortwave station at Kamalabad adjoining the older base that was now more than 20 years old. At maximum capacity, this station is said to have contained a total of 36 shortwave transmitters rated at 100 250 & 500 kW, and this would have to be one of the very largest radio stations anywhere on planet earth.
In addition, regional shortwave stations have been established in more than a dozen cities throughout Iran and even to this day, four of these locations are listed as still active. These four regional shortwave stations are located at Ahwaz, Mahshad, Sirjahn and Zahedan, with a total of 18 transmitters rated at 250 & 500 kW.
In addition to their massive network of superpower shortwave stations, Iran also maintains a huge network of gigantic mediumwave stations. These mediumwave stations, more than 100 of them, are located throughout the country and they range in rated output right up to a massive superpower of 2,000 kW.
Over the years, many international radio listeners have received prized QSLs from various radio stations throughout Iran, mediumwave as well as shortwave. Our own collection contains QSLs from six different mediumwave stations in Iran, as well as six QSL cards from their shortwave services.
In earlier years, the radio stations in Iran issued registered letters to confirm reception reports, though in more recent time, attractive oversized cards were printed, showing monuments and tourist attractions throughout their country.
Radio Events in Iran – Communication Stations
References
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Station Location Year Date Information Reference
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VTF Bushehr 1920s Indo-European Telegraph Dept YBWT&T 82.7 503
SW Teheran 1939 Jun EPB calling London on 15100 kHz R&H 79.11 7-39 51
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Radio Events in Iran – Mediumwave
References
——————————————————————————————————————-
Station Location Year Date Information Reference
——————————————————————————————————————-
Local Iran 1928 Feb 22 First radio station in Iran Postal History
1958 Feb 22 Commemorative postage stamp issued Postal History
MW Teheran 1940 Apr 24 Radio broadcast service inaugurated 30 kW MII 84.49 5
1940 Jun MW callsign EQA, parallel SW R&H 77.10 7-40 64
1947 MW EQA 895 kHz 7 kW WRHB 1948 51
1948 Oct EQA 895 kHz R&H 79.13 10-48 85
1966 Oct 26 Radio & TV services organized as NIRTV MII 84.49 5
1969 Three radio services established MII 84.49 8
1971 70 regional stations established progressively MII 84.49 8
NIOC Abadan Oil company station established 1160 kHz MII 84.49 8
1970 10 kW 1160 kHz, QSL by letter EA 79.17 8-70 177
Souithern Iran 1977 Plans for FM & TV from balloons RMI 91-4
Qaz viu Plain 1974 New 2,000 kW 558 kHz EA 79.17 12-74 110
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Radio Events in Iran – Shortwave
References
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Station Location Year Date Information Reference
——————————————————————————————————————–
EPB-EQA Teheran 1938 Plans for 2 @ 20 kW EQB 6155, EQC 9680 RN 11-38 42
Saveh 1939 New station 77.19 1939 6
1939 Jun EPB calling London on 15100 kHz R&H 79.11 7-39 51
1939 Jun Tests EQA 8950 EQB 6155 EQC 9680 R&H 79.11 7-3951
1939 Two HP SW trasnmitters under construction RN 9-39 45
1939 EQB & EQC 2 @ 20 kW under constructuion RN 10-39 44
1939 EQP listed at 2 kW & EQC at 20 kW RN 11-39 40
1940 Mar Equipment shipped from UK EQC on air soonR&H3-40 56
1940 Apr 24 20 kW SW facility inaugurated MII 84.49 5
1940 May New EQC 9680 heard in Australia R&H 79.11 6-40 57
1940 Jun New EQB & EQC heard R&H 77.10 7-40 64
1941 Jul EPB EQC EQE EQF R&H 79.11 7-41 55
1943 Jan EQB 6155 letter QSL R&H 79.12 1-43 49
1943 Aug EQB 6150 noted with AFRS programming ARW 77.8 9-43
1947 Jan EPB 15100 heard USA EE news FF ID RN 2-47 155
1947 EPB 15100 kHz 14 kW, EQB 6150 kHz 7 kW WRHB1947
1947 EQC 9680 7 kW, EQD 4830 kHz 1 kW WRHB 1947 41
1948 Oct EPB EQA EQB EQC EQD schedules R&H 79.13 10-48 85
1956 Plans for 50 kW & 100 kW WRHB 1956
1957 Plans for new 50 kW end of 1957 WRHB 1957 89
1957 2 channels heard in Australia R&H 79.14 11-57 95
1959 Change of channel R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Kamalabad 1963 Plans announced 300 kW SW planned RTVH 3-63 119
1963 Dec 2 @ 100 kW testing R&H 77.14 2-64 117
1964 Plans for 2 @ 100 kW WRHB 1964 156
1964 2 @ 100 kW under installation R&H 79.15 1-64 103
1964 100 kW testing R&H 79.15 10-64 119
1964 100 kW testing R&H 79.15 10-64 120
1965 2 @ 100 kW under installation WRTVHB 1965 173
1966 Oct 26 Radio & TV services organized as NIRTV MII 84.49 5
1969 2 @ 250 kHz hve been ordered R&H 77.14 6-69 180
1973 New 250 kW introduced EA 79.17 5-73 118
1977 10 @ 500 kW planned WRTVHB 1977 165
1978 20 new SW transmitters planned WRTVHB 1978 185
1980 Purchasing 8 SW & 18 antennas EA 02.248 12-80 108
1984 New unit testing for weeks on 4990 ISWLPG 6&7-84 9
1984 Apr 28 New SW unit officially inaugurated ISWLPG 6&7-84 9
1984 Apr 29 New SW unit taken into service ISWLPG 6&7-84 9
1989 Telefunken contract 10 SW + 50 antennas ADXN 8-89 11
1991 May 15 2 @ 500 kW inaugurated NASWA 7-91 35
1963-1994 36 SW transmitters installed 5 – 500 kW TDP 1998 30
SW Regionals 1952 All temporarily off air WRHB 1952 62
SW Ahwaz 1959 7990 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
1961 100 kW before the end of 1961 WRHB 1961 132
SW Ishfahan 1952 7960 Persian music R&H 77.14 6-52 90
Isfahan 1959 6175 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Kermanshah 1961 100 kW before the end of 1961 WRHB 1961 132
SW Mahabad 1959 6870 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Mahshar 1993 2 @ 250 kW installed TDP 1998 30
SW Meshed 1952 8015 fade in & fade out patterns R&H 77.14 6-52 90
1959 6870 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
1986 4 @ 500 kW installed TDP 1998 30
SW Refht 1959 7040 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Seneneday 1959 6705 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Shiras 1952 6845 fade in & fade out pattern R&H 77.14 6-52 90
Shiraz 1959 6183 kHz schedule R&H 77.14 1-59 98
SW Sirjan 1988 Plans for 16 @ 500 ADXN 10-88 12
1990 10 @ 500 Telefunken palnned ADXN 8-90
1990 10 @ 500 kW installed TDP 1998 30
1991 10 @ 500 plus 6 @ 500 48 antennas ADXN 8-91 2
SW Tabriz 1947 Jan New SW station heard USA 6090 kHz RN 2-47 155
1947 5800 kHz WRHB 1947 50
1952 6092 Persian & Azerbaijani R&H 77.14 6-52 90
SW Zahedan 1961 100 kW before the edn of 1961 WRHB 1961 132
1986 2 @ 500 kW installed TDP 1998 30
fm Teheran 1964 First listed WRHB 1964
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRHB Entries – 1
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Location Call kW 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
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Teheran EPB 14 15400 15100 15100 15100
EPB 20 15100 15100 15100
EPB 7/20 15100 15100
EPJ 7 18590
EPF 7 8110
EPP 2 3930
EQB 7 6155 6150
EQB 2 6155 6155 6155
EQB 14 6155
EQB 20 6155 6155
EQC 7 9680 9680 9680
EQC 20 9680 9680 9680
EQC 14 9680
EQD 1 4820 4830
EQD 2 4780 4590
EQO 20 3980 3980 3850 3960
Awaz 8000
Isfahan .4 6818
1 6845
Khoramabad 6845
Meshed .075 5007
Sanandaj 1 6755
Shiraz .075 6845
5 6500
Tabriz 7.5 5800 6092 6845 6092 6092
11960
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 2
———————————————————————————————————————-
Location Call kW 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
———————————————————————————————————————-
Teheran EPB 20 15100 15100
32 15100
EQB 2 6155
EQC 20 9677 9680 9680 6040
EQO 7.5 3750
3960
20 3960 3960 11730
17775
10 17725
20 11703 3780 3780 3780 3780
3840 3840 4840
100 3780 9680 3780 7085 7031 7031
7285 9660 7085 7085
9660 15105 7125
9660 15125
Ahwaz EPU3 .75 7950 7950 8108 8108 7990
Isfahan .5 6521 6175
Kurdestan .5 3460 8108 8108
9680
Meshed 7.5 6800 6800 6240 6250 6870
Resht EPR16 .75 7940 7940
.5 7940
Rizalyeh .5 6850 8040 8040 8040 6940
Sanandaj .5 6715 6700 6700
.4 6700 6700
Shiraz EPP2 .4 6435 6435
.5 6383 6183 6385
Tabriz EQR2 7.5 6122 6092 6122 6152 6152 6155 6155 6155 6155
Teheran AFRTS .25 620 630 630 630 630 630
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 3
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Location kW 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
———————————————————————————————————————–
Teheran 100 3780 3780 3870 3870 3998 3998 3780
7125 7125 7064 7064 7064 7064 7065 7064
7135 9005 9022
11730 11730 11705 11705 11730 11730 12165 9030 9677
15110 15110 15105 15105 15135 15135 12185
17735 17735
350 7135
Kamalabad 100 3998 3778
7044 7064
12176
250 15084 15084 15085 15084
Gorgan .4 6520 6520 6520 6520 6520 6520
Isfahan .4 7888 7888 7888 7888
Rezaiah .5 6940 6940 6940 6940 6940
Senandaj .4 6818 6818 6818 6818 6818
Shiraz .4 4500 4500 4500 4500
Tabriz 7.5 6155 6155 6155 6155 6155 6155
Abadan 10 1160 1160 1160
AFRTS .25 630 630 630 630 630 630
1 1555 1555 1555 1555
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 4
———————————————————————————————————————–
Location kW 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
———————————————————————————————————————–
Teheran 100 3778
7064 7064
9044
17735
250 9022
Kamalabad 100 3777 3779 3779 3779
250 9022
15084 15084
Iran 100 7135
7215
9765
11735
11930
15315
250 15084
350 9022
17730
Abadan 10 1160 1160 1160 1160 1161 1161 1161 1161 1160 1160
AFRTS 1 1555 1555 (1555) (1555) (1555) (1555)
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 5
(Listed for Changes only)
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Location 1978 1984 1986 1987-FP 1995 1999 2000
———————————————————————————————————————
Saveh 2 @ 100 1 @ 25
1 @ 100
Kamalabad 4 @ 5
3 @ 20
3 @ 50
2 @ 100 2 @ 100 100 100 100 100 10 @ 100
1 @ 250 1 @ 250 250 250 250
1 @ 350 1 @ 350 350 350 350 1 @ 350
500 500 500 500 12 @ 500
Ahwaz 500 500 250 3 @ 250
Mashhad 2 @ 250
500 500 500 4 @ 500
Shahrivar 500
Sirjan 10 @ 500 500 10 @ 500
Tabriz 500
Zahedan 500 500 500 2 @ 500
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 6
——————————————————————————————————————–
Location kW 1984 1985 1986 1987
——————————————————————————————————————–
Kamalabad 100 3779 3779
Abadan 10 1160 1160 1160 1160
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On the Air Shortwave in Iran
WRTVHB Entries – 7
——————————————————————————————————————–
Location 2002 2004
———————————————————————————————————————
Ahwaz 2 @ 250
Kamalabad 10 @ 100 10 @ 100
3 @ 250 3 @ 250
1 @ 350 1 @ 350
12 @ 500 12 @ 500
Mashhad 4 @ 500 4 @ 500
Mashahr 2 @ 250
Sirjahn 10 @ 500 10 @ 500
Zahedan 2 @ 500 2 @ 500
Also LP SW Also MW
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Radio Events in Iran
QSLs
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kHz kW Location Year Date QSL Holder
——————————————————————————————————————
EPB EQC EQE EQF 1941 Jul Registered letter R&H 7-41 55
EQB 6155 1942 Verifies by letter R&H 1-43 49
557 2000 Qazvin 1975 Jul 7 Photo card Hafez tomb AMP
726 10 Mashad 1974 Oct 24 Long card TV antenna AMP
777 100 Zahedan 1971 Jun 19 Long card Text AMP
1050 250 Bandar Lingeh 1975 Sep 4 Photo card Mosque tiles AMP
1160 10 Abadan 1974 Dec 12 Long card NIRT building AMP
1555 1 Teheran – AFRTS 1972 Sep 14 AFRTS card Medallions AMP
9022 1975 Oct 2 Long card Kerman TV AMP
9022 1990 Jun 22 Paper copy Text side Placanica
15084 250 1971 Feb 16 Long card Text AMP
Blank Photo card Ghavam AMP
Blank Photo card Safavid palaceAMP
Blank Photo card Funeral AMP
Blank Egypt – Radio Vatan Art card Flag AWR
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Radio Events in Iran – AFRTS Stations
References
WRTVHB & MiL 84.49 8 & AFRS Delay
———————————————————————————————————————
Station Location kHz kW Opened Closed Information
———————————————————————————————————————-
AFRS Qazvin 1944 Nov 1945 Feb
AFRS Hamadan 1944 Nov 1945 Feb
AFRS Khorramshahr 1 1090 1943 Jul 1945 Nov
AFRS Ahwaz .25 650 1944 Jan 1945 Apr Moved to Khorramshahr
AFRS Khorramshahr 1 1090 1943 Jul 1945 Nov
.25 7275 1945 Apr 1945 Nov Moved from Ahwaz
AFRS Teheran 1 1000 1943 Dec 1945 Sep 30
1943 Dec 1945 Sep 30 SW parallel with MW
AFRTS Tehran .25 620 1959 1959
.25 630 1960 1970
1 1555 1971 1979
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