GB No. 4(19)/95
The aerial mast in G±bin was a product of PRL's "propaganda of success". Let everyone look and admire, we have built in Poland the highest building in the world - 646 metres high! We have beaten America, which defeated Europe in 1929, with the Chrysler Building towering over the Eiffel Tower! The longwave transmitter of Warsaw radio station was started because of the thirtieth anniversary of PRL, which fell on 22nd of July, 1974. We found our way to "Guinness Book of Records".
Allegory?!
The mast collapsed just like the system which had created it. And now the present authorities want to rebuild it.. The reconstruction would be conducted by the same people who had botched the previous construction. Any contemporary poet-prophet would be proud of such an allegory!
Dr. hab. Włodzimierz Klonowski
Dr. hab. W3odzimierz Klonowski is a professor of the World Open University and the President of Canadian and Touring Services, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and a professor and manager of Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Cracow Institute of Technology in Kraków.
The above text is a excerpt from an article "Mast - Allegory" by dr. hab. Włodzimierz Klonowski, which was published in Environmental Protection Service (SOO - Serwis Ochrony Orodowiska), issue 30/95, p.6.
That the decision to rebuild the mast is not technically reasonable is supported by the fact that such solutions are not applied in the world now. Long waves are subject to amplitude modulation, which is highly sensitive to any static.
In short, this range of radio waves is not used in modern telecommunication.
A far more better result could be achieved by arranging 20 ultrasound 100,000-watt radio transmitters regularly all over the country.
A question arises: why do the decision-makers insist on rebuilding the aerial mast?
A rational answer is that what counts is not technical reasons but some other important motives, which cannot be presented.
And another question arises: why do the inhabitants of G±bin have to pay for this?
There is still time to think it over. After rebuilding the mast it will be too late.
mgr inż. Tadeusz Dretkiewicz
The above text is an excerpt from an article "Should the aerial mast be rebuilt?" by mgr inż. Tadeusz Dretkiewicz, which was published in SOO, issue 30/95, p.4.
The Konstantynów Radio Broadcasting Centre Act was outvoted by MPs and senators and signed by the President. It was published on the 11th of December, 1995 and came into force after 14 days, especially for the inhabitants of Konstantynów, I might add.
Stanisław Zubek,
Kraków, 7 July 1995,
Although the legislative process has finished, the people will not stop their protest. Due to personal and tragic experience, they have a different consciousness than 20 years before, when the previous mast was being built. (...)
It seems that over 90% Polish people are surprised at "a bunch of protesting hotheads" and do not believe in their arguments. (...)
The protesters' arguments have not approached public opinion because the interested business had great power. Besides, there was a lack of understanding of the threat of electromagnetism, similar to that of ionising radiation or some chemical agents, which, after years of experiments, proved to be killers. (...)
It seems that "G±bin case" is a precedent in Poland and it can, and should, focus attention on the reckless installation of transmitters of greater power on house buildings. The case should also interest scientist because of G±bin's "guinea pigs".
Marian Kłoszewski
Marian Kłoszewski, who has taken part in a hunger strike and is a member of a committee of protesters against rebuilding of the mast in Konstantynów, is the author of a study "Did G±bin radio station cause illness and death?". The above text consists of excerpts from the study.
I haven't been to Konstantynów. I have asked my friends. They haven't, either. Konstantynów Lódzki can be found in PWN's "The Great Encyclopaedia". It is a different town, though.
I looked in "The Dictionary of Polish Geography and Tourism"[1]. Apart from Konstantynów Łódzki, there were two more. The first one is a village in Bia3a Podlaska district. It is not the Konstantynów. The other one is a village in P3ock district. It is the Konstantynów. But there is no further information in the entry. There is only a cross-reference to G±bin.
G±bin. A town. Previously in the Warsaw district, now in the Płock district. A small town (over 4,000 inhabitants), but old (gained civic rights around 1322). Used to be of more significance (a seat of local administration in 15th century). There are forests north and west of G±bin, and near G±bin, in Konstantynów, there was the highest (646m) radio transmitter mast in the world. It belonged to Warsaw Central Radio Station and collapsed on August 8, 1991.
In relation to that it is easy to understand that either G±bin or Konstantynów is mentioned when talking or writing about the mast although it is the same mast.
And now RCN and RON. These two abbreviations are exchangeable. RCN means Radiowe Centrum Nadawcze (Radio Broadcasting Centre) whereas RON stands for Radiofoniczny Oorodek Nadawczy (Radio Transmitting Centre).
The full name is Radiofoniczny Oorodek Nadawczy in Konstantynów [2].
Stanisław Zubek
Kraków, July 9, 1995
[1] The Dictionary of Polish Geography and Tourism", Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warsaw 1992.
[2] The Act of December 14, 1994, concerning the Radio Broadcasting Centre in Konstantynów (Dziennik Ustaw RP no. 2 from January 11, 1995).
Another village should be mentioned when talking about the mast. It cannot be found in "The Great Encyclopaedia" or even in "The Dictionary of Geography and Tourism". It is Topólno near G±bin. That is where the hunger strike took place. That is the seat of Stowarzyszenie Ochrony Życia Ludzi przy Najwyższym Maszcie Europy (Society for Protecting People Living By The Highest Mast in Europe). I enclose an exact address below because I haven't heard if the Society has been dissolved.
Stanisław Zubek
Kraków, July 9, 1995
reprinted from Zielone Brygady 8/95
translated by J. Iwański
Stowarzyszenie Ochrony Życia Ludzi
przy Najwyższym Maszcie Europy
(the Society for Protecting People Living
near the Highest Mast in Europe)
Topólno 09-542
Lipińskie