Wireless Telegraphy 1904
Written by Godfrey Dykes
© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library
| The contents of this file 1904/1 are listed below. | Summary - the war in the Far East (Russia and Japan) has shown that W/T in war time is likely to be of great value and particularly so to the Power taking the offensive.
Foreign Governments are displaying real activity in W/T matters.
USA will have four stations capable of 1000 miles range by January 1905.
Royal Navy still in front of W/T except for long range.
Tune A and B now fitted throughout the navy.
Introduction of 'split aerial'.
Magentic Detectors now the norm all round.
Submission that the navy needs a new rating of telegraphist.
Staff of HMS Vernon too small to cope.
W/T Act of 1904 - Marconi Companies get 15 year contract for W/T service to Newfoundland and North America for UK messages. They also get an 8 year contract for messages exchanged between ships and 10 UK radio stations. 6 of these stations may be closed down if they interfere with Admiralty stations. In emergencies Admiralty reserve the right to take over Marconi stations. Only British subjects can be employed by Marconi. UK Government messages to be given priority over all other traffic and at half the cost. The signal DDDT (dah dit dit dah dit dit dah dit dit dahrun together as one group) will indicate that a British man-of-war is calling a British coast station and has a message for admission to the Admiralty. Upon hearing this the coast station must suspend all other communications except those on-going for distress purposes and take the man-of-war's message. End of the 'Marconi Set'. From here on in, all sets are to be called 'Service Sets'. Spark Coil - choice and circuitry approved and standardised.Morse keys giving trouble. Isenthal Interrupters on the way out. Service Sets (receivers) - modifications. Introduction of the "Scout Class" which is practically a half 'Service Set'. Various remarks for Tunes A and B receivers, transmitter circuits, use of either A or B and wire aerials.Standard layout diagram showing the FULL Tune A and B system. Ship can now communication on two frequencies (wavelengths). Failures in apparatus. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/2 are listed below. |
| Shore Stations - 7 already equipped with W/T. 18 following on for completion in 18 months time. All get their power from batteries. One station to try a dynamo/oil engine and to be lit by electricity - other will follow on eventually. Earths ashore: very difficult. Aerial reception. Effect of lightning. Picture of shore wireless stations 1904-1905. Protection of W/T instruments during thunderstorms. Long distance reception from Poldhu with Mr Marconi directly involved embarked in HMS Duncan on passage Gibraltar-UK. Not good results simply because Duncan had no information as to exact times, wave lengths used, nature of messages etc. In short, a cock up! Abstract Report on Marconi Canadian Company at Glace Bay by Lieutenant Donaldson HMS Ariadne. Abstract Report on Mr Marconi's attempt to maintain a service of Press News on the Cunard Liner 'Campania' en-route Liverpool to New York. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/3 are listed below. |
| >Abstract of report of A and B Tunes. Abstract of report Captain Jackson on W/T Tunes and magnetic detectors in use on the Mediterranean Station. Abstract of report on A and B Tune in the Channel Fleet. Johnson's Secret Wireless Invention. Wireless Control Syndicate. Abstract report by Lieutenant Commander Percy .C. Ryan on W/T experiments carried out in HMS Bat - 'service sets' too big and cumbersome for destroyers due to vibration. Abstract report HMS Vernon on Roof Aerials. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/4 are listed below. |
| Various Systems of W/T- The DE FOREST: 30 wpm compared with the RN's 10 to 15 wpm. Conclusion - De Forest good but no better than Marconi although it did show our operators in bad light - very poor calibre compared with De Forest's operators. The electrolytic detector is mentioned. De Forest provides the USA with their long distance equipment and currently, Marconi are suing De Forest for infringement of patent. The STABY D'ArcO System. The BRAUN System. The ROCHEFORT and DUCRETET System. The LODGE MUIRHEAD System. The ANDERS-BULL Selection System. The FESSENDEN System. The American, Tesla, didn't even have his name mentioned in naval quarters, and yet this futuristic and exciting looking W/T stations looks too obvious to miss Tesla's Transmitting Station. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/5 are listed below. |
| W/T in Foreign Countries. USA - The American's despite them having funded Samuel Morse (an American) with his code which became internationally accepted, had NO FEWER than Three Morse Codes, all being used in the same time period. They accepted that the International Morse Code was just that, INTERNATIONAL, whilst using the AMERICAN CODE and allowing the U.S. NAVY its OWN CODE too. Each was very different and the latter two, incomprehensible to all other users and nations. German Navy - three waves used - harbour, intermediate and outside each with their respective distances. Russia. Progress being made in HMS Vernon - officers and men instructed in W/T in 1904. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/6 are listed below. |
| Instructional Circuits for accepted and approved tunes. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/7 are listed below. |
| Magnetic Detectors. Walter Ewing Detector. Choking Coils in Marconi Boxes. Combined Autumn Manoeuvres. Tuned Shunts. Method of Measuring Wave Lengths. |
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| The contents of this file 1904/8 are listed below. |
| The electrical constants of an aerial. Measuring the capacitance of a coherer. Are acceptors and rejecters independent............ ?. Various strength of the two waves given off by an oscillator. Roof aerials - in a seagoing ship it is expected the following aerial should get signal 2000 miles from Poldhu at night. Four Lieutenants and their inventions. Instruction for use of W/T coil circuit. Report of W/T Progress in HMS Defiance. Alternators. Long Distance Experiments. |