BC-DX TopNews WWDXC #945 BC-DX 945

1730-1757 on 7205
SPANISH 0000-0027 on 9445 ASC
0030-0057 on 9790
0200-0227 on 7345
0530-0600 on 9955 RMI
0800-0827 on 11600
1030-1100 on 9955 RMI
1400-1427 on 11720
1800-1827 on 5930
1900-1927 on 5930
2030-2057 on 5930
2300-2327 on 9440
ASC=Ascension Island
SIN=Sines, Portugal
RMI=WRMI Miami, USA
All other via Litomysl, Czech Rep.
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 5)
ASCENSION ISL The BBC English Bay Wind Farm has started to generate
clean electricity for Ascension Island. On Thursday 18 March the first of
the wind turbines started generating electricity. Since then three more of
the five wind turbines have been commissioned, and last one should be
running soon.
The wind turbines were made by Enercon in Germany who chartered a ship to
send them to Ascension. Each turbine is 37m to the top of the tower with a
33m rotor diameter, making them 53.5m (176 ft) tall to the tip of the
blades. The rotor spins at approximately 35rpm and always in a clockwise
direction. The turbine automatically turns to face into the wind. The
towers are steel and the blades are made of fibreglass. The wind turbines
are the same model as on the Falklands .
Each wind turbine can generate up to 330 kW (450 hp) when the wind speed
is 30 mph (25 knots) or more. If the wind speed is lower than this the
turbine will produce less power. The wind on Ascension is excellent for
generating power as it is both strong and consistent; the wind also seems
to be well correlated with the electrical load on Ascension - that is, the
wind is strongest at peak times for electricity usage. The power from the
wind farm goes directly into the island electricity system.
Once finished the wind farm will be capable of generating up to 1650 kW on
a windy day although most of the time it will average about 900 kW.
Ascension Island uses between 1000 kW and 3000 kW depending on the time of
day and the BBC transmitting schedule. This means that the wind farm will
contribute a significant percentage of the island's electricity and help
to reduce the amount of diesel burnt. This is better for the environment
as it means cleaner electricity, a lower carbon footprint, fewer diesel
tankers and less reliance on fossil fuels.
(The Islander, Apr 6, by Andy Sennitt-HOL, RNW MN via dxld)
AUSTRALIA I hear that some of the transmitters decommissioned by CVC at
Darwin may be going on to useful second (third?) lives: two 100 kW could
wind up at Radio Australia, Shepparton, if rather expensive shipping costs
of a megadollar can be covered. RA may also be getting a 300 kW
transmitter, DRM-capable, and some new antennas to serve Africa and SW
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