History of Radio Als 1988-2018

Radio Als first broadcast on August 27, 1988, from the old janitor's residence at Nordborg School. It only broadcast for a few hours a day.

In the technique there were:
   2 Technics turntables
   2 cassette tape recorders
   2 reel tape recorders for large tapes
   2 telephone modems
   1 large mixer

As well as a switch with a key, which ensured that the connection via telephone lines to the transmitter in Oksbøl could be established and disconnected. It was not until the 90s that this connection was replaced with a satellite dish in the 2.3 GHz range.

Reports in the field were recorded with Marentz tape recorders and edited onto reel-to-reel tapes at home in the studio. Much later, recordings were digitized on microphones with built-in flash. Portable minidesk recorders were also used for a while. DAT tapes, however, had a very short lifespan.

Here at the museum you can see the equipment first used for live reporting from other locations. This was done via a modem, which was connected to a telephone socket (which had to be borrowed on site) via a 50-meter-long cable on a cable drum. The cable was connected to the modem in question along with a microphone and headphones. Then the radio was dialed with the slow dial. Through the modem on the radio, you entered the mixer and then out to the transmitter.

Once, a transmission was to be made from Storegade in Nordborg and the long wire was led into the telephone socket in a shop. In the middle of a transmission, a pony came by. Unfortunately, it stepped on the wire with its horseshoes, which was cut. Then it was over. Go in and borrow scissors and tape so that the repaired wire could be continued.

A caravan was not acquired until 2011. An antenna was installed on the mast at Guderup, so that the UHF band could be used to send home from the entire new Sønderborg municipality and beyond.

Radio Als lost its broadcasting license on January 1, 2018.

Hardy Antonsen
september 2025