DOCSLIB.ORG

History of Radio Telegraphy and Telephony

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
History of Radio Telegraphy and Telephony CONTENTS FOREWORD. The Modern Conception of Electricity and its Relation to matter and the Ether. CHAPTER I. The growth of electrical signalling systems. Early history of electrical phenomena, the Leyden jar, the growth of electrical signalling systems, earth teturn. The pioneer work of Steinheil, Moise, Wheatstone, Lindsay, and others. CHAPTER II. The development of the telephone. Detailed account of the birth and development of the telephone, including the early discoveries of Reis. A detailed account of the early telephones and work of Bell. Dolbeai's electro-magnetic and electro-static telephones. The capillary telephones of Brtiguet and Plecher. Edison's Eleetromotograph. Preece's hot-wire telephone. The hot-wire telephones of Eccles, Forbes, and Tucker. The Johnson-Guyott system of wireless telegraphy and telephony. The receivers of Brown, Mercadier, Miller, Gaydon, and others. Hughes' pencil microphone. The researches of Johnsen and Rahbek ; their loud speaker and relay. McLachlan's magnetic drum recorder. The " Magnavox." Loud-speakers of Brown, Western Electric Co., and others. The Stentorphone. Unusual methods of telephonic reception. The phenomenon of magnetostrication and Glew's floating magnet. CHAPTER III. First attempts at wireless communication. The work of Loomis. Child's high-tension key. Earth current signalling. The work of Trowbridge, Preece, Rathenau, Willoughby-Smith, and others. Communication with moving trains. The induction methods of Edison, Heaviside, Stevenson, and others. A detailed account of the early work of Hughes ; his discovery and application of electro-magnetic waves before Hertz. Hughes' detectors, microphones, and type- printing telegraph The observations of Edison. Dolbear's wireless system. CHAPTER IV. ElectrO'tnagnetic waves. The discovery of ether waves by Elihu Thomson (12 years before Hertz). The predictions of Clerk Maxwell, Fitzgerald, Helmholtz, and others. The discovery of waves on wires by Von Bezold. The early work of Lodge and others. An account of the discoveries of Hertz. Production, detection, reflection, refraction, polarization and parallel beam radiations of " Hertzian waves ". Lodge's " recoil " and " overflow " effects. The prediction of Crookes. Experiments of Chunder Bose and Righi. CHAPTER V. Wave responding devices of the coherer type. The discovery of electrical coherence by Lodge. The researches of Varley and Onesti on cohesion effects. Minchin's " Impulsion cell " ; details of its construction and use as a detector. Campbell Swinton's voltaic selenium cell. The researches of Minchin and his " seleno-aluminium bridge." The early coherers of Lodge (including his well-known disc coherer), Branly, and others. The anti-coherer of Schafer. The early circuits of Marconi, Popoff, and Dolbear. Self-decohering detectors of Minchin and others. The researches of Jackson, Marconi and others. The coherers of Smith, Ferrie, Blondel, Shoemaker, Pickard, Hughes, Slaby, and others. Popoff's microphonic contact detector. Marconi's first Transatlantic receptions. Tommasina's self-restoring coherer as used by Marconi for first Transatlantic receptions and photograph of same. CHAPTER VI. Magnetic detectors. The work of Rutherford and Wilson. Fessenden's various forms of magnetic wave-responding receivers. The Heterodyne receivers of Fessenden arid Latour. The magnetic or hysteresis detector of Marconi. Braun's magnetic coherer. Saiki's Teppuri detector. The high-frequency receiver of Fessenden. The magnetic- detectors of Walter and Ewing. The Sella-Tieri detector. Marconi's employment of the Einthoven string galvanometer—for high speed reception. Evershed's call relay. CHAPTER VII. Electrolytic and crystal detectors. The evolution of electrolytic detectors including a description of Neugeschwende's detector, de Forest's responder. The positive point electrolytic detectors of Ferrie, Fessenden, Vreeland, Schloemilch, Shoemaker, and Reich. Fessenden's barreter. Tissot's bolometric method of received current measurements, Walter's tantalum detector. The human body as a detector. Brown's peroxide of lead detector. Wichi Torikata's detector. Boy's bouncing jet detector. The development of crystal detectors. Braun's discovery. Dunwoody's first crystal rectifier (catborundum). The researches of Eccles and Braun. The carborundum—mercury detector. An account of the large number of wave-responsive rectifying crystal combinations discovered by Wichi Torikata. Pickard's " perikon " detector. The detectors of Saiki, Lyon, Pierce, Austin, Lepel, and Donle. The "Bronc " cell. Blake's iron-sulphide detector. Eccles' discovery of the oscillating crystal. The experiments with oscillating crystals of Lossev and Podliasky, and Scott-Taggart. Other forms of detector ; de Forest's molecular, the heated thermo-couple, Blake's " hot-point," and Latour's Glow-lamp. The thermal detectors of the N.V.N. and Townsend. Claude's neon detector. Fessenden's frictional receivers. The Poulsen Co.'s " Tikker." Tesla's interrupted receiving circuit. Austin's " rotary tikker." Goldschmidt's " tone wheel." The gas-flame tikker. Also Goldsmith's varying mutual inductance method of recerjtion. CHAPTER VIII. The damn of practical Radio-telegraphy. Lodge's svntonic jars and his application of this fundamentally important discovery to wireless tuning. Marconi's early tuning method. Lodge's " capacity areas." Inductive coupling, disc coherer. Employment of rectifying valves, Muirhead's coherer. Lodge-Muirhead portable aerials, Automatic signalling devices, etc. Marconi, the World's long distance record maker and breaker ; a short account of his early work, his jiggers, early short wave transmitters, etc. Slaby's experiments. Marconi's concentric cylinder aerial. Eccles' early researches and methods of testing coherers, plotting their characteristics, etc. Eccles' thermophone. Fleming's historic first Transatlantic transmissions from Poldhu, and Marconi's reception of same at Newfoundland. A description of many early tests. The origin of the S.O.S. call. Historic occasions of life-saving at sea. CHAPTER IX. Further investigations. The work of Orling and Armstrong. Lippmann's capillary voltmeter. A surface tension experiment. The " Armorl " capillary detectors. Orling's jet relays. Walter's electrolytic relay. The Johnson-Guyott system. Atmospheric disturbances and observations of long distance transmissions. The work of Lodge, Popoff, Feriyi, Turpain, Eccles, Fleming, Marconi, Airey, Appleton, Watt, Marchant, and many others. A brief account of the life and early work of Nikola Tesia, the phenomena of " Stationary waves " on the earth, or " World waves," and his suggestions for the wireless transmission of power, etc. The Marconi " Multiple tuner." CHAPTER X. The employment of ether waves of shorter wavelength than those discovered by Herts, for Radio telegraphy and telephony. Heliography. Mance's Heliograph. The Heliographs of Atkinson, Drummond, and Begbie. Use of the Heliograph during the Boer War. The photophone !—May's discovery of the photo-electrical properties of Selenium. A brief account of the researches of Bell and Tainter, their transmitters and receivers. Mercadier's photo- phone reproducer. The magnetic photophone receiver. The work of Jamieson with a manometric flame. Bell and Hayes photophonic control of a D.C. arc. The speaking arcs of Simon, Reich, and Ruhmer. Duddell's speaking arc. Blake's method of arc modulation. Simon's microphonic arc. Philip Thomas's glow discharge microphone. Manometric flame controllers of Blondel and Chambers. The flame audion, De Forest's gas flame microphone. Further experiments in photophony by Riihmer, Schuckert, Furet, Rankine, and Bragg. Blake's Photophone ; the employment of glass and silica rods to transmit light to selenium cell, etc. Amplification circuits. Blake's method of control of high and low frequency oscillating circuits by means of visible light, and heterodyne method of amplification. Employment of light controlled circuits for naval, military, and many other purposes including star transits, television, photometric measurements, etc. Information re the selenium cell, monochromatic cell, Thalofide cell, antimony sulphide cell, copper oxide cell, also the photo-electric cells of Elster and Geitel, Stebbins, Greigcr, Murdock, and others. The " Polyphos " light sensitive cell. The Rubidium cell, etc. Secret photophonic transmissions. The Larsson and Svalling light-operated relay. The " Photographophone." Blake's prediction and its close fulfilment. The " Pallophotophone." De Forest's " Phonofilm." The Faraday effect. The Kerr effect. The Zeeman effect. The utilization of ultra-violet rays for Radio-telegraphy. The ultra-violet detectors of Zickler and Sella. War-time ultra- violet signalling in England and America. Description of various signalling lamps and methods. Heinicke's method of X-ray telephony. Blake's application of X-rays to radiography of wireless apparatus. Infra-red signalling, Case's method of Harbour defence. Charbonneau's detector for infra-red radiations. Submarine signalling with ultra-sonic sound waves. Piezo-electric properties of quartz and other substances Cady's quartz wavelength standards. Control of frequency at transmitting stations by quartz crystals. CHAPTER XI. Spark and Arc generators of high-frequency currents. Defines the phenomena of arc and spark generators. Davy's first arc. Spark transmitters. Elihu Thomson's magnetic blow-out. Maiconi's mushroom-shaped electrodes. Parallel straight-edge gap. Dubilier's straight-edge quenched
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Samuel Morse's Telegraph
    1 SAMUEL MORSE’S TELEGRAPH (The Start of the Communications Revolution) Steve Krar We live in the information age where more and more information is required at all times. There never seems to be a time when information is so readily available, but this has not always been the case. The today’s communications revolution includes radio, telephones, television computers, fax machines and satellites. So fast is the change in communications that we sometimes forget the machine that started it all. The Telegraph The telegraph was born at a time when few grasped even remotely what electric current was, let alone what it might do. The telegraph was a landmark in human development from which there could be no retreat. For the first time messages could routinely travel great distances faster than man or beast could carry them. Samuel Morse In October 1832 Samuel Morse, an early pioneer of the telegraph, on his way home from Europe met Dr. Charles Jackson who asked whether electricity took much time to travel over a long wire. The idea began to obsess Morse and before reaching shore, he had sketched the basic elements of a telegraph instrument and a crude version of a code based on dots and dashes. News from Europe in early 1837 told of the great strides being made in telegraphy; Morse realized that if he did not finish the invention soon, his efforts might be wasted. Finally, in February 1837 Congress directed the Secretary of the Treasury to ask for proposals for a telegraph. Morse’s Telegraph Morse thought that if he could perfect the electromagnetic telegraph that he had designed, in 1836, it would answer the government's needs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Story of Subsea Telecommunications & Its
    The Story of Subsea Telecommunications 02 & its Association with Enderby House By Stewart Ash INTRODUCTION The modern world of instant communications 1850 - 1950: the telegraph era began, not in the last couple of decades - but 1950 - 1986: the telephone era more than 160 years ago. Just over 150 years 1986 until today, and into the future: the optical era ago a Greenwich-based company was founded that became the dominant subsea cable system In the telegraph era, copper conductors could supplier of the telegraph era, and with its carry text only — usually short telegrams. During successors, helped to create the world we know the telephone era, technology had advanced today. enough for coaxial cables to carry up to 5,680 simultaneous telephone calls. And in today’s On 7 April 1864, the Telegraph Construction and optical era, fibres made of glass carry multi- Maintenance Company Ltd, better known for most wavelengths of laser light, providing terabits of of its life as Telcon, was incorporated and began its data for phone calls, text, internet pages, music, global communications revolution from a Thames- pictures and video. side site on the Greenwich Peninsula. Today, high capacity optic fibre subsea cables For more than 100 years, Telcon and its successors provide the arteries of the internet and are the were the world’s leading suppliers of subsea primary enablers of global electronic-commerce. telecommunications cable and, in 1950, dominated the global market, having manufactured and For over 160 years, the Greenwich peninsula has supplied 385,000 nautical miles (714,290km) of been at the heart of this technological revolution, cable, 82% of the total market.
    [Show full text]
  • Electrical Engineering
    SCIENCE MUSEUM SOUTH KENSINGTON HANDBOOK OF THE COLLECTIONS ILLUSTRATING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING II. RADIO COMMUNICATION By W. T. O'DEA, B.Sc., A.M.I.E.E. Part I.-History and Development Crown Copyright Reseruea LONDON PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY's STATIONERY OFFICI To be purchued directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICI at the following addre:11ea Adutral Houae, Kinpway, London, W.C.z; no, George Street, Edinburgh:& York Street, Manchester 1 ; 1, St, Andrew'• Cretccnr, Cudi.lf So, Chichester Street, Belfa1t or through any Booueller 1934 Price 2s. 6d. net CONTENTS PAGB PREFACE 5 ELECTROMAGNETI<: WAVF13 7 DETECTORS - I I EARLY WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY EXPERIMENTS 17 THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY - 23 THE THERMIONIC vALVE 38 FuRTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN TRANSMISSION 5 I WIRELESS TELEPHONY REcEIVERS 66 TELEVISION (and Picture Telegraphy) 77 MISCELLANEOUS DEVELOPMENTS (Microphones, Loudspeakers, Measure- ment of Wavelength) 83 REFERENCES - 92 INDEX - 93 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE Fig. I. Brookman's Park twin broadcast transmitters -Frontispiece Fig. 2. Hughes' clockwork transmitter and detector, 1878 8 Fig. 3· Original Hertz Apparatus - Fig. 4· Original Hertz Apparatus - Fig. S· Original Hertz Apparatus - 9 Fig. 6. Oscillators and resonators, 1894- 12 Fig. 7· Lodge coherers, 1889-94 - Fig. 8. Magnetic detectors, 1897, 1902 - Fig. 9· Pedersen tikker, 1901 I3 Fig. IO. Original Fleming diode valves, 1904 - Fig. II. Audion, Lieben-Reisz relay, Pliotron - Fig. IZ. Marconi transmitter and receiver, 1896 Fig. IJ. Lodge-Muirhead and Marconi receivers 17 Fig. 14. Marconi's first tuned transmitter, 1899 Fig. IS. 11 Tune A" coil set, 1900 - 20 Fig. 16. Marconi at Signal Hill, Newfoundland, 1901 Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • The Failure of Fax: When a Vision Is Not Enough
    The Failure of Fax: When a Vision Is Not Enough Jonathan Coopersmith TexasA&M University In the lastdecade, fax machineshave revolutionized communications. We have becomeused to and dependentupon instantaneousinformation. Many peoplecannot conceive how theyworked without a fax machine.The question, however,arises: If the conceptis so good,why did nearlya centuryand a half elapsefrom the first patent in 1843 until rapid commercialdiffusion in the 1980s? In actuality,attempts to commercializefacsimile technology extend back to the 1860s[5]. Its promotersspanned the spectrumfrom individualinventors, suchas Thomas Edison and Arthur Korn, to massivecorporations, such as Xerox and AT&T. Their most common feature until the mid-1980s was failure. The few successesoccurred not in generalcommunications but in dedicatedniche marketsand, evenhere, failuresflourished. Perhaps the questionshould be: In view of the dismalhistory of failures,why did so manypeople and companies pressahead? What motivatedindividuals and ill-msto commitresources to createnew marketsand technology,given the dauntinghistory that lay behind them? Failure,the lack of technicaland commercial success for a productin the marketplace,is endemicto innovativetechnologies. Failure is worthyof study if only to betterunderstand success. Historians of businessand technology acceptthis, but tend to focusmore on success. This lack of coveragedistorts our knowledgeof the businessprocess because failure is an integral,if not dominant, theme in the existenceof companies. Much scholarlywriting
    [Show full text]
  • Transocean and German Wireless Telegraphy, 1914-1922
    "The Path to Freedom"? Transocean and German Wireless Telegraphy, 1914-1922 The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Evans, Heidi Jacqueline. 2010. "The path to freedom"? Transocean and German wireless telegraphy, 1914-1922. Historical Social Research 35(1): 209-233. Published Version http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-285403 Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:11375397 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA “The Path to Freedom”? Transocean and German Wireless Telegraphy, 1914-1922 Heidi J. S. Evans ∗ Abstract: »„Der Weg ins Freie”? Transocean und die deutsche drahtlose Te- legraphie, 1914-1922«. This article examines the early years of Transocean, a news agency owned and run by the German government, and its use of wire- less telegraphy from 1914 to 1922. This investigation of the infancy of wireless technology demonstrates that technology plays a constitutive role in defining news. The German government used the new possibilities innate in the medium of wireless to carve out their own sphere of operation in the seas and on conti- nents where German telegraph news had never played a major role, in particu- lar East Asia. Wireless telegraphy enabled the German government to circum- vent the British communications blockade in World War I. Afterwards, Transocean’s wireless transmissions to East Asia and ships en route caused an uproar in Britain disproportionate to its circulation.
    [Show full text]
  • A Short History of Radio
    Winter 2003-2004 AA ShortShort HistoryHistory ofof RadioRadio With an Inside Focus on Mobile Radio PIONEERS OF RADIO If success has many fathers, then radio • Edwin Armstrong—this WWI Army officer, Columbia is one of the world’s greatest University engineering professor, and creator of FM radio successes. Perhaps one simple way to sort out this invented the regenerative circuit, the first amplifying re- multiple parentage is to place those who have been ceiver and reliable continuous-wave transmitter; and the given credit for “fathering” superheterodyne circuit, a means of receiving, converting radio into groups. and amplifying weak, high-frequency electromagnetic waves. His inventions are considered by many to provide the foundation for cellular The Scientists: phones. • Henirich Hertz—this Clockwise from German physicist, who died of blood poisoning at bottom-Ernst age 37, was the first to Alexanderson prove that you could (1878-1975), transmit and receive Reginald Fessin- electric waves wirelessly. den (1866-1932), Although Hertz originally Heinrich Hertz thought his work had no (1857-1894), practical use, today it is Edwin Armstrong recognized as the fundamental (1890-1954), Lee building block of radio and every DeForest (1873- frequency measurement is named 1961), and Nikola after him (the Hertz). Tesla (1856-1943). • Nikola Tesla—was a Serbian- Center color American inventor who discovered photo is Gug- the basis for most alternating-current lielmo Marconi machinery. In 1884, a year after (1874-1937). coming to the United States he sold The Businessmen: the patent rights for his system of alternating- current dynamos, transformers, and motors to George • Guglielmo Marconi—this Italian crea- Westinghouse.
    [Show full text]
  • VHF Bandplan
    IARU Region 1 VHF band plan Effective December 2020 (VGC Novi Sad) edited by ON4AVJ (02/12/2020) FREQUENCY SEGMENT (kHz) MAX BANDWIDTH (Hz) PREFERRED MODE AND USAGE Coordinated Beacon Project 000 - 010 Region 1, 010-020 Region 2, 020-030 Region 3 50,000 - 50,100 500 Telegraphy 50,050 centre of activity 50,090 intercontinental centre of activity 50,100-50,130: intercontental.Centre of activity: 50,110 50,100 - 50,200 2700 SSB and Telegraphy 50,130-50,200: international. Centre of activity: 50,150 50,200 - 50,300 2700 SSB and Telegraphy General use. 50,285: crossband 50.305 PSK Center of activity 50,300 - 50,400 2700 Narrow band modes, MGM 50.310 - 320 EME center of activity 50.320 - 380 MS center of activity 50,400 - 50,500 1000 MGM and Telegraphy Beacons exclusive (50.401 MHz +/- 500Hz WSPR Beacons) 50.510 SSTV 50.520 - 540 Simplex FM Internet Voice Gateways 50.550 Image working frequency 50.600 RTTY (FSK) 50.620 - 750 Digital communications 50,500 - 52,000 12 KHz all mode 50.630 Digital Voice (DV) calling 51.210 - 390 FM/DV Repeater Inputs 51.410 - 590 FM/DV Simplex 51.510 FM calling frequency 51.810 - 51.990 FM repeaters output channels 50 MHz50 50.540 - 580 Simplex FM/DV Internet Voice Gateways 50,500 -50,700 none all mode 50.600-50.700 Digital communications; including 50.630 DV calling 50,700 -50,900 12 KHz FM/Digital voice 50.710 - 50.890 FM/DV repeater output channels 50,900 -51,200 none all mode For wideband digital experiments 51,200 -51,400 12 KHz FM/Digital voice 51.210 - 390 FM/DV Repeater Input channels 51.410 - 590 FM/DV
    [Show full text]
  • Sending Messages Using Morse Code NATURE Sunday Academy 2012‐2013
    Sending Messages Using Morse Code NATURE Sunday Academy 2012‐2013 Project Description: In this lesson we will examine the background and history of Morse code. We will utilize internet websites and computer programs to interpret Morse code. Finally, we will build our own telegraph machines to send messages using Morse code. Project Objectives: The students will learn the basics of Morse code and how it was sent. The students will build a machine that will transmit information to another machine. The students will interpret Morse code both through sound and sight. The students will learn how to encode and decode messages using Morse code. State Standards: 9‐10.1.1 Explain how models can be used to illustrate scientific principles 9‐10.2.2 Use appropriate safety equipment and precautions during investigations 9‐10.6.1 Use appropriate technologies and techniques to solve a problem 9‐10.8.3 Explain how individuals and groups, from different disciplines in and outside of science, contribute to science at different levels of complexity Session Organization: 11:00 – 11:30 Cultural Connection/Brief Introduction 11:30 – 12:00 Background/PowerPoint 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch 12:45 – 1:15 Activity 1 – Code and Decode Messages Using Morse Code 1:15 – 2:00 Activity 2 – Computer Activity with Morse Code 2:00 – 2:30 Activity 3 – Build a Telegraph Circuit 2:30 – 3:00 Activity 4 – Use Telegraph to Send Morse Code Message 1 Applications and Career Paths: An important application is signaling for help using SOS, "∙ ∙ ∙ — — — ∙ ∙ ∙". This can be sent many ways: keying a radio on and off, flashing a mirror, toggling a flashlight, and similar other methods.
    [Show full text]
  • The Electrical Experimenter" When Writ,, G to Advertisers
    eElectrica Experimenter www.americanradiohistory.com -: -. 7RAD INSULATORS 1,000 TO 1,000,000 VOLTS Employed by U. S. NAVY and all the Commercial Wireless REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. & FOREIGN COUNTRIES- Telegraph Companies INSULATION LOUIS STEINBERGER'S PATENTS 4 '0 -1-nvvt-wwd 47,02 isos rilittfiri$44 4 44. 4517 // íi,. % %rL uvi ir ® 'Tv Tvf,%.oi.: 655.i a2ti_ ,r's77 %/%/,r/,i/.',irvi 17:: ,4 411\k'' s, wa4 77.. n /i\S2 \VN 71:ní SOLE MANUFACTURERS .:;., T= ,/ 66 -76 Front St. BROOKLYN, N. Y. 60-72 Washington St. AMERICA HERE IT IS Are You Losing the Weak Signals ? AI:F the receivers y..11 n'e merely high-wound telephone receivers - whirh bring in ordinary. sig- nals clearly enough, but miss The ALBANY altogether the weak, long - di - tance ones' Combination DETECTOR Or are they real wireless Polished hard rubber base, I, ceivers - sensitive enough to bring in ct en the ex- inch hex. brass standards, one tremely weak signals? pivoted. Five holes in large cup. you have actually Until 5/8 inch diameter. tried Brandt, Receivers you Small cup ,xill never know how many Noval cat whisker attachment signals you may now be fail- ! Saprai \víth each instrument receive of in- ing to because PRICES ,fticient receivers. To-day-write for our new CATALOG E, containing im- Lacquered brass $2.00 They are designed, made portant information about Polished nickel 2.50 and used solely as wireless radio as well as receivers. full lb. receivers. They have Sensi- intormation about our sev- Postage extra -weight t tiveness which is surprising eral type.
    [Show full text]
  • Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977
    Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 Interviewee: R.D. Parker Interviewer: Richard R. Mertz Date: July 13, 1970 Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History MERTZ: This is an interview conducted with Mr. R.D. Parker, conducted at his home at 3606 Chesapeake Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. on July the thirteenth, 1970. The interviewer is Dr. Richard Mertz. Mr. Parker has referred me to a publication in the McGraw-Hill series in Information Processing and Computers, a volume entitled Digital Computing Systems, by Samuel B. Williams. The book was published in 1959. Mr. Porter's first name is PARKER: Parker MERTZ: Mr. Parker's first name is Ralzemund: R-A-L-Z-E-M-U-N-D. PARKER: -M-O-N-D MERTZ: -M-O-N-D. PARKER: You've got it wrong--[laugh]. MERTZ: Would you care to describe your early years, Mr. Parker? Where you come from--roughly, where? PARKER: For additional information, contact the Archives Center at 202.633.3270 or [email protected] Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 R.D. Parker Interview, July 13, 1970, Archives Center, National Museum of American History Well, I was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. I went to Ann Arbor, and graduated in class--Engineering, class of 1905, and then stayed on for another year and got my Master's Degree in 1906. This was all in engineering. I started to work for the Western Electric Company, but after a few months I was offered a position to teach at the university, Ann Arbor, and went back there and remained until 1913.
    [Show full text]
  • From Spark to Speech – the Birth of Wireless Telephony
    Feature From Spark to Speech – the birth of wireless telephony he history of voice before valves is one of the most fascinating Tadventures that unfolded during the embryonic years of our hobby. As we tune across the crowded HF amateur bands with a sensitive modern communications receiver, it’s difficult to imagine the eerie hush that the set would have captured if we were magically transported back some 120 years. In parts of the spectrum, it would have picked up the cosmic noise that has pervaded space since the beginning of time; and crashes of distant lightning strikes and local precipitation static would have punctuated that constant hiss. But near centres of population the electrical noise from arc lamps, switches, leaking insulators and the first electric streetcars would have revealed that man was beginning to harness the new form of energy that would change the world. In 1865, Clerk Maxwell had formulated the classical theoretical foundation for the understanding of electromagnetic waves, and by 1888 Heinrich Hertz had confirmed the existence of such waves and measured their A simple Righi-style spark transmitter at Salvan in Switzerland, where Marconi carried out properties, using spark gap transmitters with successful tests at a range of 1.5km in 1895. In 1897, Rodolfo Lonardi proposed to send speech frequencies between about 50 and 500MHz. by modulating the positions of the spark spheres. But Hertz thought that his work had no practical use, and it was left to Guglielmo Marconi, Oliver Lodge, William Preece, Reginald Fessenden, Lee de Forest, Karl Braun and others to pursue the application of these discoveries to the first practical systems of long distance radio communication.
    [Show full text]
  • Wireless Telegraphy Act Licensing Terms, Provisions and Limitations
    Wireless Telegraphy Act Licensing Terms, Provisions and Limitations Publication date: Contents Section Page 1 Introduction 1 2 Aeronautical 5 3 Amateur 17 4 Broadcasting 28 5 Business Radio 42 6 Fixed Links 55 7 Maritime 65 8 Programme Making and Special Events 91 9 Satellite 96 10 Science and Technology 109 Wireless Telegraphy (Terms, Provisions and limitations) Section 1 1 Introduction This publication details the terms, provisions and limitations which apply to each class of licence listed below, and includes sample licences and, where applicable, the terms and conditions booklets which relate to those licences. Each Wireless Telegraphy licence issued by the Ofcom under section 8 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (“the WT Act”) authorises the licensee to establish and use stations or install or use apparatus for wireless telegraphy, subject to the terms, provisions and limitations of that licence. The terms contained in the General Licence Conditions Booklet (the “Booklet”)1 are incorporated into and form part of the terms, provisions and limitations of each wireless telegraphy licence to which the Booklet applies. (Each such wireless telegraphy licence is referred to as “the Licence”). The current version of the Booklet is directly cited in The Wireless Telegraphy (Licensing Procedures) Regulations [2015] made on [XX Month 2015]. A copy of these are included in Annex 1 of this document. Aeronautical Aircraft No separate terms and conditions booklet Aircraft (Transportable) No separate terms and conditions booklet Aeronautical Ground
    [Show full text]