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G4EBT > RADIO 05.11.07 23:14l 78 Lines 2969 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 2B6988G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: On this Day - 5 November 1900
Path: DB0FHN<DB0RGB<DB0PM<OE5XBL<OE6XPE<DB0RES<DK0WUE<GB7FCR
Sent: 071105/2047Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:49973 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:2B6988G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : RADIO@WW
I know that a US station puts out "On This Day" bulletins, so I hope this
item doesn't steal anyone's thunder, but it was on this day in 1900 that
The Times in London reported as follows:
The practicability of utilizing Marconi's system of wireless telegraphy in
connexion with the mail packets running between Dover and Ostend was
tested yesterday with satisfactory result.
The vessel selected for the demonstrations was the Belgian mail packet
Princess Clementine, commanded by Captian Romyn. The installation was
fitted up in one of the private deck cabins on the starboard side. The
receiving and sending wires were connected to the foremast, the height
of which had been considerably increased.
The land installation was set up at La Panne, on the flat coast between
Ostend and Dunkirk, the mast being about 130ft in height. The distance
between La Panne and Dover is 61 miles.
The Princess Clementine left Ostend soon after 11 o'clock on Saturday
night and arrived at Dover at 2.40 yesterday morning. Captain Romyn
described the results as far beyond anything the Belgian authorities had
anticipated.
A message was transmitted from Ostend to La Panne when the Princess
Clementine left the Belgian port, and telegrams continued to be exchanged
between the vessel and the shore at frequent intervals during the voyage
to Dover.
The messages were transmitted at the rate of about 20 words a minute, and
messages were exchanged right up to the time the vessel reached Dover.
Before the Princess Clementine left this morning a wireless message was
transmitted to Belgium stating the number of passengers on board.
End quote.
All very exciting back in those early days, but I guess that with today's
generation the magic has well and truly worn off. The average 10-yr old
today would probably say "so what - I could do that on my mobile phone to
just aboyut anywhere in the world, using speech or text, and I can send
pictures too. What else could they do with those old radios?"
I guess we could call that progress, of sorts.
I can remember the first moon landings, with everyone on the edge of their
seats, eyes glued to the TV. Then after a few years, with one shuttle
launch after another, I remember saying to my kids "come and watch this".
They said "what for?"
Quote of the day:
"Radio Telegraphy"
"You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his
tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand
this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they
receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat".
(Albert Einstein, when asked to describe radio).
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
British Vintage Wireless Society Member
G-QRP Club Member, No: 1339
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 20:31 on 2007-Nov-05
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
(Registered).
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