Radio Kansai (Japanese: ラジオ関西, abbreviated CRK) is a commercial radio station in Hyogo Prefecture. Launched in 1951,[1] it was the tenth commercial radio station to be set up overall in Japan, and one of three not affiliated to any of the two commercial AM networks.

History

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Kobe Broadcasting was set up on August 22, 1951[1] and received its license to operate on March 20, 1952, callsign JOCR operating on a frequency of 1490KC and an output of 1W. It started broadcasting on April 1, 1952.[1]

Considering that the area of reception was smaller than expected, Radio Kobe moved to AM frequency 560 and increased its output to 3W on August 1, 1953.[2] The name changed to the current Radio Kansai on January 1, 1960.[1] On November 1, 1971, it upgraded its output to 20kW.[3]

The station was an affiliate of the National Radio Network from 1965 to 1978. That year, after becoming an independent station again, it moved to 558kHz due to the passing of the new Geneva Frequency Plan.[2]

CRK started conducting Wide FM simulcasts on both the Kobe and Himeji transmitters on December 14, 2018.[4] Regular Wide FM broadcasts started on April 1, 2019.[5]

Broadcast

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The main transmitter in Kobe[6] is JOCR, broadcasting on 558kHz, with relay station JOCE, 1395kHz, in Toyooka. The station delivers its FM signal from both Kobe and Himeji on 91.1 FM with the Kobe transmitter operating on 1kW and the Himeji relay at 100W.[7] The station's transmitter is located close to Japan's timezone meridian.[8]

The FM signals started on April 1, 2019.[9] A synchronized FM broadcasting system was developed by Nitsuki and Yamaguchi Broadcasting was introduced, with the aim of delivering the signals over the same frequency in Kobe and Himeji.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Japan Commercial Broadcasting Association "Japan Broadcasting Yearbook '20", Koken Publishing
  2. ^ a b Radio Kansai (12 March 2022). "わずか2キロヘルツ…ラジオ局が周波数を細かく変更した理由とは". ラジトピ. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  3. ^ 日本放送協会総合放送文化研究所放送史編修室 (1972), NHK年鑑'72, 日本放送出版協会, p. 41
  4. ^ "ラジオ関西FM補完中継局試験放送のお知らせ". ラジオ関西. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  5. ^ 2019年4月1日(月) ラジオ関西のワイドFM(FM補完放送)スタート ラジオ関西 2018年3月19日
  6. ^ "総務省 電波利用ホームページ | 無線局免許状等情報". www.tele.soumu.go.jp (in Japanese). 20 February 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  7. ^ 総務省|近畿総合通信局|株式会社ラジオ関西のFM補完中継局に予備免許 -兵庫県内で初のFM補完中継局の開局-、Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  8. ^ ラジオって何で聞こえるの? ラジオ送信鉄塔の高さのヒミツ ラジオ関西 2021年5月2日
  9. ^ "総務省|近畿総合通信局|株式会社ラジオ関西のAMラジオの難聴が解消されます -兵庫県内で初めてのFM補完中継局に免許-". Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  10. ^ FM同期放送システムとは 日本通信機 2021年5月2日閲覧