Guglielmo Marconi story

I saw this story posted on the blog of IV3JVH, only it was in Italian, so I thought I would convert it to English and post it to my blog with the permission of IV3 JVH Emanule of course! Marconi is one of my radio heroes although I give credit for the invention of radio to Nikola Tesla.

Guglielmo Marconi story

Born 25 April 1874 in Bologna, Italy

      In his villa in Pontecchio, at Bologna, he discovered that by connecting a generator of electrical oscillations in a wire isolated in the air (antenna) and the earth, was obtained by an efficient radiator of electric waves and that these waves could be detected at a distance about 2 km from a receiver connected to it as well a wire isolated in the air (antenna) and the earth.

Marconi for young, had suffered the clearest insights of the great convenience and possible future of his invention. But also realized the need for large financial resources for the development of new communication system he devised. He therefore went to February 2, 1896 in London, accompanied by his mother, who, by their own relatives, gave him the presentation of the chief engineer of the Post Office in London, Sir William Preece.

In the spring of 1897, Marconi demonstrated the ability to communicate at a distance of about 4 km Salisbury (England), a distance that a little later was increased to 15 km. Developed 'then a competition between the governments of the great nations of Marconi to get a practical demonstration of its new system of telegraphy.

The Italian Government, on the initiative of the Secretary of the Navy B.Brin, begged M. ritornre of Italy in order to perform experiments in radio-telegraphy on ships of the Royal Marina. Marconi joined the invitation and in 1897 gave practical demonstrations of his invention prior to Rome and then on R.Nave San Martino in La Spezia, by means of which he felt the chance to telegraph at a distance of about 18 km.

Following these first practical demonstrations generously given by Marconi with full confidence and above all in the interest of communications for the safety of life at sea, were built in a short time at the great nations new associates with the Marconi Company, founded in 1897 in England, or competing with it.

Large and unexpected obstacles that were opposed to the development of Marconi's invention: the high mountains, the curvature of the earth, the sun, the interference between close stations, the atmospheric electrical discharges, etc.., Which appeared in principle insurmountable obstacles the rapid and practical development of wireless telegraphy.

These obstacles They provided powerful elements to justify the coldness of the government after an initial period of enthusiasm, skepticism of the technicians, the distrust of financiers. But Marconi managed to win brilliantly and tenaciously, with subsequent refinements, all obstacles oppostigli by nature and by man.

1,898
M. Create the first wireless apparatus with syntonic circuits to ensure the independence of contemporary communications more nearby stations (patent 7777).

1,899
established the first radiotelegraph communications, despite the curvature of the earth, between stations at a distance of about 300 km., ie between S: Catherine the Isle of Wight and Cape Lizard in Cornwall.

1,901
In December demonstrates for the first time the possibility of transmitting telegraph signals across the Atlantic between Polchu (England) and St. John's, Newfoundland. This success confirms entirely the opinion of M. already expressed after connecting Cape Lizard - S. Catherine, that the electric waves would not have been arrested by the curvature of the earth and that they could be transmitted to any distance on our planet. This view, in contrast to all existing theories, was strenuously opposed by leading scientists.

1,902
February. M. discovers a fact, which became common knowledge, and that is that, with waves of about 1000 m., the transmission range is much greater at night than during the day.
Following the first wing radio-electric transmission accomplished by the Atlantic Ocean and the resulting value taken from their patents, M. wrote to the Secretary of the Navy in Rome that he granted the R. Italian government on free use of its patents and the free play of his equipment in the arsenals of the state in the interest of Italian military radio communications.

1,902
July-December: R.N. Carlo Alberto
experiences the magnetic detector

1,903
radiotelegraph communications between the United States and England
The two main applications:
Radio-maritime services for public safety at sea liner

1,904
property directives of horizontal antennas
first applications of diode Fleming

1,907
inaugurates the first regular public radiotelegraph between Europe and America

1,909
first dramatic rescue in high-Atlantic collision between the steamships Republic and Florida.
Special laws are enacted to make it compulsory installation of radio stations on board ships.

1,912
Titanic sinks in
The Marconi system was officially adopted by England for the imperial telegraph network meant to connect England with all of its colonies.

1,914
first applications of vacuum tubes in the transmitters and radio-first.
During World War Marconi participates as an officer, before the Army and then the Navy.

1,916
in Genoa resumed his studies on the shortwave. Parabolic reflector.

1,924
first voice transmission from England to Australia

1,927
Merger of the company with the company Marconi cable English.

1,933
In the presence of Pope Pius XI inaugurated the microwave link between the Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo.

In the history of science and its applications can not remember another inventor who, like Marconi, after realizing his invention, it is always kept at the head of the development of it, and he has personally directed the main applications around the globe. For this purpose has been particularly advantageous the great activity and the particular initiative of M. move quickly in the most distant countries eseguirele his experiences ...

with comfortable sun laboratory experiments the radio would never have progressed.

Marconi has so far crossed the Atlantic 87 times and finished in 1933. Marconi died in 1937.

Reprinted with permission of IV3VJH

Very 73 de Cliff - KU4GW