Radio Normandie

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 4 January 1935, Page 43

Radio Normandie

By

81S.

S many dxers in this country hold verifications from this station, perhaps the following account of how itcume into existence may be of interest. Fecamp Radio Club was founded on January 1, 1924, but it is now known as the "Association of Auditeurs de Radio Normandie." With a membership of over 15,000, it is the most important and active club in Normandy. In 1926 the amateurs were losing ~ interest and as a result the club suffered a grave setback: The directors decided to meet the crisis by organising some broadcasts to create new interest in the ‘club,

M. Le Grand was made president, and. after the war he _ asked ‘for authority to broadcast for the P.T.T., using the call letters EFSIC. EFS8IC continued to function more or less regularly on low power from 1926 on With very satisfactory results. » On November 18, 1926, the station became known as "Radio Fecamp," thus losing iis distinction as a private station. The club began to grow and the construction of a new station was decided upon.. The home of M. Le Grand was transformed into a studio, and the salons were used as an auditorium. The transmitter was -placed on the verandah, while the aerial was erected on the roof. In 1929 the station was officially reecgnised by the Government. Because of the impossibility of. continuing ‘ broadcasts from Monsieur Le Grand’s home, two 50-metre masts were erected, between which stood a large building housing all the station equipment. The drawing room of the radio club was transformed into a small. audi--torium. In 1933 two 3830-foot masts were erected, and increased, the range of the transmitter considerably. At this time a portable transmitter was installed in a trailer for relaying from remote parts of the main transmitter. Also in 1933 certain difficulties arose when the telephone circuits were taken from Radio Normandie and also the studios at Havre and Rouen, which supplied the major portions of the station’s programmes, Barly this year Radio Normandie almost ceased operations, for by the Lucerne Act it was assigned to the common wave of 200 metres (1500 k.c.), but due to the efforts of a French Minister it was allotted a frequency of 1456 k.c. (206m), the wave of Hiffel Tower, Fecamp, or Radio Normandie, is one of the most popular stations heard in Fngland,-due chiefly to its many varied programmes. Fecamp has more time on the air than any other station in BHurope, a fact for which dxers the world over can be thankful when listening for this 500-watt Buropean.