Difference between revisions of "British Adoption of Radio Communication"
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In 1896, ''Defiance'' was able to transmit Morse code over short distances at a slow rate and then worked with Signor Marconi who had more fully developed and sensitive gear answering to the same principle. The transmitter created sparks and thus radio energy between two large balls {{frac|1|25}} inch apart in a bag of oil. More code rates of eight words were reached, and Marconi suggested that a radius of ten miles was feasible with a little work. | In 1896, ''Defiance'' was able to transmit Morse code over short distances at a slow rate and then worked with Signor Marconi who had more fully developed and sensitive gear answering to the same principle. The transmitter created sparks and thus radio energy between two large balls {{frac|1|25}} inch apart in a bag of oil. More code rates of eight words were reached, and Marconi suggested that a radius of ten miles was feasible with a little work. | ||
| − | In 1897, the experiments by [[Henry Bradwardine Jackson| H. B. Jackson]] of telegraphy "without connecting wires" were outlined in the Torpedo School's Annual Report.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1897'', Appendix C. Plates 27-29.</ref> | + | In 1897, the experiments by [[Henry Bradwardine Jackson| H. B. Jackson]] of telegraphy "without connecting wires" were more extensively outlined in the Torpedo School's Annual Report.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1897'', Appendix C. Plates 27-29.</ref> A single Royal Navy-built transmitter with an antenna of [[Pattern]] 60 wire and matching receiver equipment reliably carried Morse signals at 10 words per minute between ''Defiance'' and gunboat ''Scourge'' at distances of 5800 yards. At the same time, Marconi had maintained his edge, showing 12 miles a workable distance in Italian tests. A notable aspect of the description is that though Marconi's equipment excels in its detailed differences from the Royal Navy's simultaneous efforts, Marconi's divergent points are not secret — they are fully spelled out and diagrammed, bespeaking an unusually collegial effort rather than a strictly competitive one. |
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| + | The promise of radio communication as then envisaged was that fog and intervening land would not inhibit scouts from keeping their battle fleet informed of their encounters, though a naive edge is anticipated that the enemy will supposedly remain unaware that this communication is taking place. Similarly, the need for telegraph lines to be laid in harbour would be avoided and the use of then-common Morse inkers rather than sounders seemed to offer an automatic record of communications. It further seems that the service is still trying to understand the theory that has delivered them this new form of communication, yet they understand the practical limitation of a single transmitter having exclusive use of the air at a time.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1897'', p. 109.</ref> | ||
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| + | In 1898, tests at Dover under Mr. W. H. Preece with a transmitter at Fort Burgoyne were seeking to unravel the theoretical mysteries behind the marvel.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1898'', Appendix D. pp 131-136.</ref> Such work demonstrated the welcome advantage of light aerials over heavier wires and the benefits of having the aerials of transmitter and receiver arranged parallel to each other. On 7 May 1898, Commander Hornby observed Marconi successfully signal over at 10 words per minute 14.5 miles from Bournemouth to Alum Bay. Hornby observed that antennae at 30 feet height provided communication over a mile, and that range was proportional to the square of antenna height and that Marconi had conceived of the idea of different tunings to alleviate issues of a channel being monopolized by single sender.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1898'', Appendix D. pp. 134-5.</ref> | ||
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| + | 1899 saw Lieutenant Salwey reporting on tests between ''Europa'', ''Alexandra'' and ''Juno'' during the "Peace Maneouvres". Marconi personally adjusted the equipment and great results were obtained. The small factors that allowed for such were continually revealing themselves through the person of Marconi, such as the importance of keeping aerials as well clear as possible from ferrous structures. The process of "tuning" sets to different "notes" is also discussed. | ||
==Proliferation== | ==Proliferation== | ||
Revision as of 10:39, 8 April 2012
The Royal Navy first mentioned "promising" experiments in "Electric Signalling" in Defiance with the cooperation of Marconi in its Annual Report of the Torpedo School in 1896, mentioning the promise that "torpedo boats might indicate their approach or proximity to friendly ships."[1] The details of these "Experiments with Wireless Telegraphy" were amplified in a four page appendix to the Annual Report of the Torpedo School in 1897, a feature that repeated and grew to six and then nine pages in length until the 1900 edition, where the topic merited its own section where coverage exploded to 42 pages. The era of communication beyond visual ranges was blossoming.
By the time of the Great War, the Royal Navy had a patchy global network of shore stations able to offer a modicum of command and control with its ships. The ships carried radios and aerials whose range and power varied with their size and the era.
Early Experiments
In 1896, Defiance was able to transmit Morse code over short distances at a slow rate and then worked with Signor Marconi who had more fully developed and sensitive gear answering to the same principle. The transmitter created sparks and thus radio energy between two large balls 1⁄25 inch apart in a bag of oil. More code rates of eight words were reached, and Marconi suggested that a radius of ten miles was feasible with a little work.
In 1897, the experiments by H. B. Jackson of telegraphy "without connecting wires" were more extensively outlined in the Torpedo School's Annual Report.[2] A single Royal Navy-built transmitter with an antenna of Pattern 60 wire and matching receiver equipment reliably carried Morse signals at 10 words per minute between Defiance and gunboat Scourge at distances of 5800 yards. At the same time, Marconi had maintained his edge, showing 12 miles a workable distance in Italian tests. A notable aspect of the description is that though Marconi's equipment excels in its detailed differences from the Royal Navy's simultaneous efforts, Marconi's divergent points are not secret — they are fully spelled out and diagrammed, bespeaking an unusually collegial effort rather than a strictly competitive one.
The promise of radio communication as then envisaged was that fog and intervening land would not inhibit scouts from keeping their battle fleet informed of their encounters, though a naive edge is anticipated that the enemy will supposedly remain unaware that this communication is taking place. Similarly, the need for telegraph lines to be laid in harbour would be avoided and the use of then-common Morse inkers rather than sounders seemed to offer an automatic record of communications. It further seems that the service is still trying to understand the theory that has delivered them this new form of communication, yet they understand the practical limitation of a single transmitter having exclusive use of the air at a time.[3]
In 1898, tests at Dover under Mr. W. H. Preece with a transmitter at Fort Burgoyne were seeking to unravel the theoretical mysteries behind the marvel.[4] Such work demonstrated the welcome advantage of light aerials over heavier wires and the benefits of having the aerials of transmitter and receiver arranged parallel to each other. On 7 May 1898, Commander Hornby observed Marconi successfully signal over at 10 words per minute 14.5 miles from Bournemouth to Alum Bay. Hornby observed that antennae at 30 feet height provided communication over a mile, and that range was proportional to the square of antenna height and that Marconi had conceived of the idea of different tunings to alleviate issues of a channel being monopolized by single sender.[5]
1899 saw Lieutenant Salwey reporting on tests between Europa, Alexandra and Juno during the "Peace Maneouvres". Marconi personally adjusted the equipment and great results were obtained. The small factors that allowed for such were continually revealing themselves through the person of Marconi, such as the importance of keeping aerials as well clear as possible from ferrous structures. The process of "tuning" sets to different "notes" is also discussed.
Proliferation
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896, pp. x, 71-3.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1897, Appendix C. Plates 27-29.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1897, p. 109.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1898, Appendix D. pp 131-136.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1898, Appendix D. pp. 134-5.
Bibliography
