The project, which is expected to be completed in 2009, includes the design and construction of the two radio transmission stations, the procurement and installation of the towers and the antenna systems, as well as the delivery and installation of 600kW
medium-wave AM transmitters.
An agreement reached earlier this month calls for Vatican Radio to cut emissions from its FM and medium-wave broadcasts in 40 languages beamed around the world by a field of powerful transmitters in a suburban area north of Rome.
To lower the electrosmog levels, the Vatican will cede one of its FM frequencies to the Italian Episcopal Conference, beam medium-wave broadcasts by satellite to Radio Monte Carlo for retransmission to Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Germany, and adjust the directions of medium-wave broadcasts in Slovenian, Croatian, French, English, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese.