Highest TV Transmitter in Europe
August 1958 Radio News

August 1958 Radio & TV News

[Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio & Television News, published 1919-1959. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

When I saw this photo of the Mount Säntis television transmission tower in Switzerland, the first thing I thought of was the scene in the James Bond "Moonraker" movie where 007 battles the infamous Jaws while riding a cable car. That took place in an area around the Mediterranean though, so maybe it was "Where Eagles Dare" or some other spy / military movie I was thinking of. The tower is featured on a Wikipedia webpage where it states in part: "Located at the peak of the Säntis is a 123.55 meter high transmission tower, which was commissioned in November 1997. The original tower stemming from the year 1955 had to be renovated several times due to the rough weather conditions before finally being replaced. The antenna of the new transmission tower got a fibre-glass enforced plastic layer on the outside in order to prevent ice falling onto the visitors' terrace." The Säntis TV tower was only 3 years old when this piece appeared in a 1958 issue of Radio & TV News magazine.

Highest TV Transmitter in Europe, August 1958 Radio News

The highest TV transmitter in Europe, and perhaps the world, is this one atop Mount Saentis in northeastern Switzerland. The transmitter is 8210 feet above sea level which is over five times higher than the Empire State Building where all New York City's TV station antennas are located. Fortunately, repairmen will not have to be Alpinists. An aerial cable car provides year-round access to the peak. The inset above shows a close-up view of the transmitter building and antennas perched high on mountain.

Posted October 21, 2019