Results: The History of News and Communication * Part Eighteen * The History of Radio Technology -- The term "radio" can refer to either the electronic appliance that we listen with or to the content that plays from it.

it all started with the discovery of radio waves—electromagnetic waves that have the capacity to transmit music, speech, pictures, and other data invisibly through the air. Many devices work by using electromagnetic waves, including radios, microwaves, cordless phones, remote controlled toys, televisions, and more. Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor, who proved the feasibility of radio communication. He sent and received his first radio signal in Italy in 1895. Have you heard of Guglielmo Marconi prior to this survey?

In 1899, he flashed the first wireless signal across the English Channel, and two years later received the letter "S," which was telegraphed from England to Newfoundland (now part of Canada). This was the first successful transatlantic radiotelegraph message. In addition to Marconi, two of his contemporaries, Nikola Tesla and Nathan Stubblefield, took out patents for wireless radio transmitters. Nikola Tesla is now credited with being the first person to patent radio technology. The Supreme Court overturned Marconi's patent in 1943 in favor of Tesla's. Were you aware of the Supreme Court decision to credit Tesla?

Radiotelegraphy is the sending by radio waves of the same dot-dash message (Morse code) used by telegraphs. Transmitters, at the turn of the century, were known as spark-gap machines. They were developed mainly for ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communication. This form of radiotelegraphy allowed for simple communication between two points. However, it was not public radio broadcasting as we know it today. Were you aware of radiotelegraphy prior to this survey?

The use of wireless signaling increased after it was proved to be effective in communication for rescue work at sea. Soon a number of ocean liners even installed wireless equipment. In 1899, the United States Army established wireless communications with a lightship off Fire Island, New York. Two years later, the Navy adopted a wireless system. Up until then, the Navy had been using visual signaling and homing pigeons for communication. Have you seen homing pigeons in use?

In 1901, radiotelegraph service was established between five Hawaiian Islands. In 1903, a Marconi station located in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, carried an exchange between President Theodore Roosevelt and King Edward VII. In 1905, the naval battle of Port Arthur in the Russo-Japanese war was reported by wireless. And in 1906, the U.S. Weather Bureau experimented with radiotelegraphy to speed up notice of weather conditions. Were you aware of the Wellfleet Station prior to this survey?

Conservator Tony M operates and describes an early 1900's Marconi Spark Gap Transmitter similar to that used on the Titanic. This communication device will be demonstrated at the Canada Science and Technology Museum's upcoming Titanic exhibit. Have you seen a Spark Gap Transmitter prior to this survey?