Herzogstand Radio Station

The 1,735 metres (5,692 ft) Herzogstand mountain between the Kochelsee and Walchensee in the Bavarian Alps seemed particularly suitable for several reasons: the summit is accessible all year round, sufficient water for drinking and cooling was available, and the Lake Walchen Power Plant, conveniently situated nearby, promised a safe, economical power supply.

Due to additional loads by wind, snow, and ice being expected, only steel wire of the highest tensile strength was found suitable.

At the lower tie points a mobile suspension system was used, in order to account for the yielding of the cables when loaded with snow and ice.

The station building for the transmitting plants and a house were erected in 1927 in the long valley above the Kochelsee on behalf of the Oberpostdirektion Munich according to plans of Robert Vorhoelzer and Walther Schmidt, and extensive grounding systems were also installed.

[1] After completion, further development and operation of the station became uneconomic, since advances in short-wave radio communications allowed the use of substantially smaller antennas.