Lahti - a city of radio

Regular public radio broadcasts began in the USA in 1920. In Finland too, broadcasts to the general public started as early as 1923. ‘Lahden Radioharrastajat ry’ (Lahti Radio Amateurs’) began radio transmissions in Lahti in 1924. The Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) was established in 1926. The decision was made to build the nation’s first large-scale transmission station in the town of Lahti, owing to its central location.

Transmissions by the Finnish Broadcasting Company

The transmission station and radio masts were commissioned in 1928, with a transmission power of 25 kW. In 1929, this power level was raised to 40 kW and Lahti was then one of Europe’s most powerful radio transmission stations. In 1935, a new AM station building, designed by Kaarlo Könönen, was constructed. In December 1935, broadcasts began at a power of 150 kW. The reception area covered the whole of southern Finland, as far north as Jyväskylä.

Short-wave transmitters, Lahti II and Lahti III, began broadcasting in 1938-1940 and operated in Lahti up to 1949. In 1953, two 100 kW transmitters were acquired for the Lahti long-wave station, and, at the same time, the first VHF transmitter started up. TV broadcasts began in Lahti in 1958. In 1967, VHF and TV broadcasting were transferred to Tiirismaa. In May 1993, the Finnish Broadcasting Company ceased long-wave transmissions from the AM station. The radio masts are still in active use and are leased to seven different broadcasters.

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