IS WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY A FAILURE?

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8294, 24 September 1903, Page 1

IS WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY A FAILURE?

An effort to utilise the Marconi wireless telegraph for the transmission of a report of the movements of the America Cup contestants over the Sandy Hook course from the jsress boat to the shore was a signal failure. Only one intelligible message was received. All others transmitted reached the shore operators in an absolutely unintelligible jumble. At the cup races of 1901 the system was tried with indifferent success. This year's experiment resulted in its complete collapse. It is represented (remarks an American paper) that the failure was due to the disturbing influence in the atmosphere by four competing wireless systems. These rivals are said to have battered the air into a state of hopeless confusion with more or less malicious intent. Assuming this to be true, it is none the less proof of the unreliability of wireless telegraphy. Hitherto, Marconi has claimed that- no atmosphere condition can exist which will interrupt the electric wave, started by his transmitter or prevent its interception and delivery by the X-iroperly attuned receiver located at the other end of the wireless line. Tuesday' 6 experience completely upset- this claim. If the intelligibility 01 a- message can be artificially destroyed during its transmission, it may be reasonably assumed t&it natural conditions in the atmosphere may at any time prevail which will have exactly the same effect. No system of transmission surrounded with such uncertainties can, consequently, hope to attain a commercial standing. The latter is dependent entirely upon reliability. Evidently, the failure of the system in the America Cup races explains the suspension of the transatlantic service some months ago, which the London Times prematurely boomed as an established success, and was afterwards compelled to confess was a failure, and to announce that its contract with the company had been cancelled. At that time Marconi represented that the difficulty was merely a mechanical one which could be overcome by the installation of inore powerful batteries. He promised to have the system in operation again before this month, but up to the present time no effort to renew' it has been made. The Sandy Hook experience does not give any encouragement that the wireless transatlantic service ever will be resumed,- or, if again attempted, will ever become a commercial success because of the ease with which the transmission of serial messages may be disturbed by natural and artificial agencies. Wireless telegraphy will probably continue to have restricted uses, but it is never likely to displace wire systems of transmission.