7 th February 2008
It would be very inaccurate to say that Marconi invented all of the components that were used in making possible the first transmissons. The principles originated from Maxwell (1865) and Hertz (1889) relating to Electron-magnetic waves and D.E. Highes; the inventor of the microphone (1879). Others using 'telegraphy' systems included Samuel Morse ( og Morse code fame) who set up systems that transpitted across rivers and sort distances. One similar system was set up between the Isle of Wight and the coast at Southampton after a break in the cable that ran from Hurst Castle to Newport (IOW). It may have been thse installations tha drew Marconi to the area since he experimentd from the grounds of the Madeira Hotel ( near the current Bournemouth International Conference Centre) across to the Needles on the Isle of Wight. He moved to the Haven Hotel - at the end of the Sandbanks peninsular in Poole, Dorset after a disagreement about the rentle of the space for the 150 foot arial in the Madeira Hotel's grounds. He was there from 1898 to1925.
The next time you use your mobile 'phone spare a thought for Guglielmo Marconi, for it was through his tireless efforts that we have wireless and mobile phone technology today. His efforts are all the more remarkable when you bear in mind that he had no formal academic qualifications. What he did have was tremendous drive, enthusiasm and vision. His vision was to develop a form of communication which would cross the world and he was convinced that radio waves were the answer. Scientists of
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the time believed that the curvature of the earth would prevent the radio waves from travelling any great distance, but Marconi was convinced that this was not the case and set out to develop the technology needed for radio waves to span the Atlantic Ocean. Using the technology of the time he asseembled the many varied parts needed to 'invent' the new technology we know today as 'wireless technology'. Wireless technology has revolutionised our world and has given us the ability to communicate with all parts of our planet almost instantaneously.
The next big step was for an increase in the distance over which transmission took place and the |Poldhu (Cornwall) to St John’s Newfoundland
experiment was the key historic event that established Marconi as the ‘Father of Wireless’ even though so many others had also contributed. (12.30pm, December 12th 1901 )
