Modernization of the transmitter cable car on the Villach Alps undertaken
03/June/2026
To ensure the flawless distribution of TV and radio programs in the future, the broadcasting and streaming expert Big Blue Marble has modernized the cable car to the transmitter facility on the Dobratsch mountain.
The renovation work began at the end of September last year and has now been completed. The work primarily involved replacing components of the cable car system, such as pulleys, carriages, the electric drive system, and the emergency drive, as well as the electrotechnical components for controlling and regulating the cable car, in order to continue guaranteeing operational safety. A modern communication system was also integrated, enabling video transmission to and from the mountain station.
Modernization Increases Security of Supply:
The Dobratsch transmitter site is located at an altitude of 2,115 meters on the Villach Alps, with the transmission tower rising an additional 167 meters. The site is not open to the public and is accessible year-round to Big Blue Marble technicians via the service cable car, which was built in 1969 and has now been modernized. This access must be guaranteed year-round to ensure that maintenance work and material transport can be carried out at any time and that malfunctions can be quickly rectified. Up to six people can be transported to the transmitter site in the cable car cabin.
The transmitter is the largest in the Austrian state of Carinthia and one of the largest in Austria. It provides radio and television signals to large parts of Carinthia, as well as parts of Styria, the Canal Valley (Italy), and large parts of the Gorenjska region (Slovenia). Around 540,000 subscribers are currently served by the Dobratsch transmitter and its subsidiary transmitters with the FM radio programs Ö1, Radio Kärnten, Ö3, FM4, Antenne Kärnten, and Radio Agora. Digital terrestrial television via simpli and digital radio DAB+ are also broadcast from the Dobratsch. In addition, due to its prominent and highly visible location, the facility also serves as an important site for mobile and public safety radio communications, as well as for other radio service providers.
“With the renovation of the cable car, we not only guarantee regular servicing and rapid access to the transmitter, but also lay the foundation for Carinthians to be supplied with TV and radio information in the best sound and picture quality today and in the future – even in crisis situations,” said Michael Weber of Big Blue Marble.
Big Blue Marble is an international media technology expert that guarantees its customers broadcast-quality TV and audio content transmission. In addition to traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting in Austria, the company focuses on an innovative suite of cloud-native streaming solutions. Big Blue Marble supports broadcasters, telecommunications companies, cultural institutions, sports clubs, and other content providers worldwide in quickly and easily launching secure and scalable video services.
