Radio Wolga (Russian: Радио Волга, romanized: Radio Volga) was a radio station for the Soviet armed forces stationed in the former East Germany and Czechoslovakia, broadcasting mainly in Russian.^[1]

Broadcasting station

Based in Potsdam, Radio Wolga broadcast from the Königs Wusterhausen radio facility near Berlin, as well as the Burg AM transmitter near Magdeburg.^[2]

From 1967 to 1976 Radio Wolga used the 350-meter SL-3 tower, 2.2 kilometers from the transmitter. After it collapsed in 1976, one of the site's two 210-meter high steel tube masts was used instead. Radio Wolga originally broadcast on the longwave frequency 283 kHz.^[3]

Programming

Beside programs for the Soviet soldiers stationed in the GDR, Radio Wolga also broadcast German language programmes from Radio Moscow.^[4] After German reunification in 1990, transmitting time was rented to the German-language news station Radioropa Info, broadcasting on 261 kHz.^[5]

Television

Soviet Central Television's main channel, TSS-1, was also relayed in East Germany via satellite.^[6]

Shutdown

With the departure of Russian troops from Germany, Radio Wolga ceased broadcasting in June 1994.^[3] Radioropa Info took over its frequency, broadcasting from late 1994 to 2000, first from Daun and then from Leipzig.^[7] In 1999 a new cage aerial was mounted on the 324-meter radio mast in Burg.^[8]