Belgium

On 28 March 1914, rom right outside the king's palace in Laken, experimental broadcasts are started on long wave - 165 kHz (1800 metres) with 2 kW. The transmission can be picked up in a radius of 70 to 80 km.
These experiments are the first and also last time long wave has been used in Belgium.
Geluidsfragment Listen to an extract of the 1914 broadcast.   00:52, 8 kbps, 54 kB (MP3)
On 19 August of that same year King Albert I orders to have all radio transmitters destroyed so that the German occupying force cannot use them for propaganda purposes.

Radio Belgique starts broadcasting in French on 732 kHz (410 metres) with 150 watts on 24 November 1923.

The Belgian public broadcaster NIR starts broadcasting on 1 February 1931 on medium wave via Veltem, on 322 metres in Flemish, on 484 metres in French.

On 16 May 1940 the Belgian national radio starts broadcasting via Radio Lille. One week after the German invasion in Belgium, all Belgian stations were silenced. The studio was dismantled and transported to France. As of 18 May the Belgian broadcaster also broadcasts via Radio Paris II. They will cease there on 13 June 1940.
In June Goebbels authorises the propaganda station 'Voix de la Paix' to broadcast on medium wave near the normal Brussels frequency.
On 28 September Radio België starts broadcasting via the BBC for 10 minutes per day.
Geluidsfragment Listen to the start of Radio België.   00:37, 16 kbps, 74 kB (MP3)
On 21 April 1941, after some restructuring with Europasender, there are now two separate broadcasts for Flanders, Brussels I (from Brussels) and Brussels II (broadcast from Gent), and one programma for Wallonia (via Tervuren and the French Lille).

On 8 February 1943 the BNRO (Belgische Dienst voor Radio-Omroep), the radio station of the Belgian government in exile, transmits for the first time via the European Service of the BBC.

On 4 September 1944 The Belgische Nationale Dienst voor Radio-Omroep starts broadcasting from an emergency studio in Vorst.
Geluidsfragment Listen to an extract of the first broadcast after the liberation of Belgium (4 September 1944).  00:28, 16 kbps, 56 kB (MP3
On 1 October 1944, in the Flemish Kempen and as part of the German Skorpion West war propaganda, a medium wave station, Concordia, is launched in collaboration with  Walloon (Léon Degrelle) and Flemish (Dr. Van de Wiele) fascists.
On 16 December the British soldier station BLA2 starts broadcasting via 4 transmitters in Belgium and the Netherlands. The first station to be used is Stokkel (near Brussels). ID: "You are listening to station BLA2 operating in the field by the British Liberation Army Units."

On 3 September 1955 Radio Kerkske, owned by Georges De Caluwé, returns on the air but as the station has no license it will be shut down by the authorities after a few days.

On 6 December 1977 RTB changes to RTBF to underlign its Walloon character.

On 23 November 1978 VRT Radio 2 starts broadcasting on 1188 kHz via Kuurne. On 1 March 1979 BRT2 starts transmitting on 540 kW with 150 kW.

On 9 July 1979 Radio 245, a medium wave pirate that could be heard well in East and West Flanders and the Dutch province of Zeeland, is shut down by the authorities after a complaint by Dutch Radio Bloemendaal.

On 30 September 1990 BRTN World Service takes over 1512 kHz from Studio Brussel.

On 28 March 1992 BRTN Radio Donna takes over the Radio 1 frequency of 927 kHz. This will last until 6 June. On 27 September The BRTN World Service changes its name into Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal.

In July 1993 the RTBF ceases broadcasting on 1125, 1233, and 1305 kHz.

Between 15 and 29 March 1996 there are special multilingual military NATO transmissions via Waver 1512 kHz. Programmes are made in a temporary set up by a German Army Radio studio (propaganda section at Andernach).
Geluidsfragment Extract from a special NATO exercise transmission from the English service of Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (1996) on 1512 kHz (courtesy of Herbert Meixner)   01:59, 32 kbps, 464 kB (MP3)
On 1 January 1998 the BRT is renamed into VRT: Vlaamse Radio en Televisie. On 31 August Flemish television station VT4 starts with test broadcasts via 1296 kHz in Orfordness (UK). These broadcasts are ceased on 4 September.

On 2 February 2000 another Flemish station, BOB, the oldies station of Flemish Radio Flandria, ceases test transmissions on 1296 kHz.
On 10 May Radio Traffic starts broadcasting on 1125 and 1233 kHz.

On 17 January 2003 927Live, the VRT's sports station, starts broadcasting. The first broadcast is the live report of the first division football match Moeskroen-Standard.

On 27 March 2005 Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal ends broadcasts in foreign languages. On the same day Radio Nederland ceases its relay via Wolvertem (1512 kHz).
On 30 March 2008 VRT ceases transmissions on 540 kHz (Radio 2) and 1512 kHz (RVi). One day later transmissions are ceased on 1188 kHz (Radio 2 - 5 kW).


Other sound clips and images

    QSL of Deutsche Welle via Wolvertem 1512 kHz from 2001 (courtesy of Peter Vaegler)   61 kB (jpg)