Hertzian Wave Wireless TelegraphyFleming, J. A. (John Ambrose), Sir
Science
Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy
Fleming, J. A. (John Ambrose), Sir
Electric waves; Telegraph, Wireless
There are many of the details of the receiving arrangements which
remain to be considered. If the communication is received by a
telegraphic instrument like the Morse printer, which requires a
current of anything like ten milliamperes to work it, then an
important element in the receiving arrangement is the relay. The relay
that is generally used is a modified form of the Siemens polarised
relay, which is so adjusted as to make a single contact. For marine
work on board ship, it is essential that this relay shall be balanced
so that variations in position shall not affect it. Sometimes the
relay is hung in gimbals like a compass, and at other times suspended
from a support by elastic bands, so as to avoid jolting. In any case,
the relay must be so adjusted that no change of position will cause it
to close the circuit of the telegraphic printer or recorder. Its
sensibility ought to be such that it is actuated by a tenth of a
milliampere, and, if possible, even by less. The alteration of
sensibility in the ordinary contact form of relay is the pressure that
is necessary to bring the platinum points of the circuit closer
together, so as to pass the minimum current which will work the
telegraph printer.
The important matter, however, in connection with the use of the relay
in Hertzian wave telegraphy, is that it should be capable of
adjustment without extraordinary skill. It is no use to put into the
hands of an operator a relay which requires abnormal dexterity to make
it work at all.
* * * * *
It remains, then, to consider some of the questions connected with
practical Hertzian wave telegraphy and the problem of the limitation
of communication. These matters at the present moment very much occupy
the public attention, and many conflicting opinions are expressed
concerning them.
It may be observed at the outset that the difficulty of dealing with
the subject as freely as many desire is that Hertzian wave telegraphy
is no longer merely a subject of scientific investigation, but has
developed into a business and involves, therefore, other interests
than the simple advancement of scientific knowledge. We can, however,
discuss in a general manner some of the scientific problems which
present themselves for solution. The first of these is the
independence of communication between stations. It is desirable, at
the outset, to clear up a little misunderstanding. There is a great
difference between preventing the reception of communication when it
is not desired by the recipient, and preventing it when it is the
object of the latter to overhear if he can. It is, therefore,
necessary to distinguish between isolation and overhearing. We may say
that a station is _isolated_ when it is not affected by Hertzian waves
other than those it desires to receive; but that a station _overhears_
when it can, if it chooses, pick up communications not intended for
it, or cannot help receiving them against its will.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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