Radio_Hong_Kong_1966-1968 — Page 7

INTRODUCTION-GENERAL REVIEW

THE 1967 disturbances prevented the submission of a Departmental Report for 1966-67, and this report therefore covers a period of two years.

2. The last departmental report began with a review of plans for reaccommodating the Hung Hom medium wave transmitting station and the Mercury House Studio centre.

3. The site chosen for the transmitting station is at Golden Hill, near the Kowloon reservoirs and the station was designed, built and equipped during the period covered by this report. The equipment contract was awarded to Standard Telephone & Cables (Pty.) of Australia at a total cost of approximately £112,000 sterling. Two pairs of 10 KW transmitters feed into a single 300' mast radiator, giving a total power output of 20 KW per programme channel, on 860 KHz and 640 KHz.

4. Tests were carried out early in 1968, and the station was commissioned in February. The 640 KHz transmission, carrying the Chinese Service, has given markedly better reception throughout the Colony, but in certain areas the 860 KHz transmission carrying the English Service, is rather worse. This is principally due to the very poor soil conductivity at Golden Hill, and in order to improve reception, tests were carried out in March using a frequency of 545 KHz. This new frequency gave decidedly better results everywhere, and as a result, the transmitters will be modified to enable a permenent change to the lower frequency, which should take place in the summer of 1968.

5. The Golden Hill station is operated by Cable and Wireless Ltd., with a staff of thirteen engineers, technicians and watchmen, working in three daily shifts.

6. Throughout 1966 and 1967, working drawings and specifications were drawn up for Broadcasting House, to be built on a site at Broadcast Drive, Kowloon, in an area which already accommodates the studio centres of Rediffusion (H.K.) Ltd. and Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Ltd. The building has been designed and its construction is being supervised by the Canadian firm of N. J. Pappas & Associates.

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