“History sometimes lives not in books, but in steel masts that have withstood the winds for more than a century…”
Amid the bustling streets of Tashkent, there is a place with a remarkable history. Every day, hundreds of cars pass by and thousands of people walk past it. Most assume that it is simply an ordinary government institution. Yet few know the remarkable story behind it.
Fargona yoli, 15 is not just an ordinary address.
More than a century ago, it was from this very site that powerful radio waves were transmitted into the skies of Central Asia for the first time.
Signals sent from this location travelled thousands of kilometres, linking Turkestan with Moscow.
Today, this historic site is home to the Electromagnetic Compatibility Center. Times have changed and technologies have evolved, yet the site's primary mission—serving the nation's radio communications—has remained unchanged.
In 1895, the Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovich Popov successfully received a wireless signal, marking a major milestone in the development of radio communications. His invention made it possible to transmit information without wires, ushering in a new era in telecommunications. Within a short time, the world's leading nations began introducing radio technologies. The Russian Empire also took an active part in this process and, twenty years later, decided to build one of its most important radio stations in Tashkent, the administrative centre of Turkestan.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the need for rapid communications in Turkestan was steadily increasing, as telegrams sent from Moscow sometimes took several days to reach their destination. For this reason, the Shumilov settlement in the north-eastern part of Tashkent was selected as the site for the radio station. Thanks to its open terrain and favourable location, the area was considered ideal for constructing a large antenna system, and construction began in 1913.
The construction of the radio station was entrusted to the engineers of one of the leading industrial enterprises of that era—the German company «Siemens & Halske».
The project was carried out with the direct participation of the company's engineers, and within a short period a modern technical complex was built. Special technical buildings, powerful generators, a diesel power station, and steel antenna masts approximately 90 metres high were constructed. As a result, one of the largest and most technologically advanced radio communication complexes in Turkestan and throughout Central Asia was commissioned.
In the spring of 1915, construction of the radio station was completed, and all equipment successfully passed testing. That same year, powerful radio waves were transmitted from Tashkent for the first time. According to archival records, one of the first radiograms was an official service message sent from Moscow. This event marked the beginning of the modern radio communication system in Turkestan and made the rapid transmission of information possible.
The signals transmitted through the radio station’s steel antenna masts reached the northern regions of Turkestan, Semirechye, Krasnovodsk, and as far as the border with Iran. At the beginning of the twentieth century, this represented a major technological achievement for Central Asia, making it possible to establish rapid radio communications between territories separated by thousands of kilometres. Thus, a new era of information exchange began in Turkestan.
The radio station endured many turbulent periods of history, including the First World War, the Revolution, the Civil War, and the Second World War. Despite changes in states and political systems, it continuously served the needs of public administration, the railway network, military communications, and the radio communication system throughout Turkestan. For this reason, the facility is regarded not only as an engineering monument but also as an important part of the nation's communications heritage.
Today, the steel antenna masts erected more than a century ago still stand at Fargona yoli, 15. These structures have witnessed the key stages in the development of the country's radio communications throughout the periods of the Russian Empire, the Turkestan Governor-Generalship, the Soviet era, and independent Uzbekistan. Therefore, these masts are significant not only as engineering structures but also as important monuments of Uzbekistan’s communications history and technical heritage.
Today, the Electromagnetic Compatibility Center operates on this historic site. The Center carries out vital tasks to ensure the security of the country's radio communications, oversee the efficient use of the radio-frequency spectrum, and ensure the electromagnetic compatibility of radio electronic equipment. In this way, for more than a century, this site has continued its tradition of serving the national radio communication system.
The significance of this place has remained unchanged for over a century. While it played a key role in the emergence of radio communications in Turkestan at the beginning of the twentieth century, today the activities of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Center contribute significantly to ensuring the security of Uzbekistan’s radio communications, the efficient use of the radio-frequency spectrum, and electromagnetic compatibility. Thus, the site at Fargona yoli, 15 serves as an important link between the history of the nation’s radio communications and its modern development.
The world is home to many historical landmarks that embody different eras and events. However, the site at Fargona yoli, 15 holds a special place in the history of Uzbekistan’s radio communications. It was here, at the beginning of the twentieth century, that one of Central Asia’s first major radio communication complexes was established, laying the foundation for the development of the region’s modern radio communication system.
The steel antenna masts, preserved for more than a century, are a unique example of our country's engineering and technological heritage. Even today, this historic site remains of great importance to Uzbekistan’s radio communications sector, demonstrating the enduring connection between historical heritage and modern technology.
Prepared by: B.E. Abdurahmonov, Category I Engineer, Service for the Coordination and Registration of Radio Frequency Assignments
