Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1909-03-18
HOW THE WIRELESS
TELEGRAPH WORKS
Scientific Explanation of Mar
coni's Great Discovery
Sounds Very Simple
Indeed.
BY Edgar Lucien Larkin.

Low Conservatory, Echo, Mt. Cal.
Drop stone into the surface of lake AT
rest. Circular waves will expand IN every
direction on the plane or fiat surface. If a
similar disturbance could be made in air
the waves would traverse every direction
and the complete wave front at the limit
would be a sphere. Any light object on
the water or suspended in the air would
move slightly.
Suppose we fire revolver in still air,
disturbance would be set UP and waves
started that would be translated into
sound by distant ty1npanic membrane
in an ear. Firing rifles or revolvers so as
to represent dots and dashes in the waves
thus established would not work. So they
fire the giant force electricity across
narrow air gap between carbon points. The
electricity Is stepped up to very nigh pres
sure-voltage in the carbons. FlnallN ,he
pent up force becomes so great that II
breaks the resistance of the almost nom
conducting air and rushes across the other
carbon with immense speed.
This disruption Of the air starts wave
as does a stone falling in water or the
discharge of u gun i'm air. But the out
burst OF electricity is many thousands OK
times more powerful than either. me
sharp sounds heard by those near wire
less telegraphlc transmitter have mourning
TO do with the message. They are sounds
due to air waves But a wireless tele-
gram could be sent through space devoid
of air for the waves are clectrn-maShellc.
not aerial. They move in either. supposed
to Ill all space aud all matter. Many de-
vices have been made TO secure sparks
through air-gaps. Condensers of electric
| ity have been employed a high pressure.
/ Dynamos giving rise to different wave
| lengths are in daily use, also at lower
| pressures Wave characteristics are mods
fled in a number of ways, and also meth
DDS of receiving. Waves of electricity can
be set UP whose lengths vary between on
| inch and as much thousand miles.
/ There is an Incredible number of lengths
I'm between these. so photographers will have
| little trouble in selecting amy length and
! making sending and receiving instruments
| in tune as agreed upon. Suppose these
| should he tuned to waNe-length of lU
| feet then others with instruments attuned
to 30 or ITO feet could not cut the others
message ont OF space and hear what wal
being sent.
The electricity, from whatever source
is turned into and cut out of the sending
apparatus by an ordinary telegraphic key
which makes and breaks the circuit.
Suppose 1t is desired to typewrite a tele
gram as received. Then the power is mo-
sent ON the magnetic waves from the send
ing station. This would require enormou!
supplies of electricity. Waves are sent a.
usual: these are received by delicate mech
ansm wholly unable to print anything
But sensitive apparatus receives the In
coming waves, turns on power from loca
sources and this actuates the printing de
vices. The circumference of the earth a
the equator Is 24,S9S miles. In order Il
telegraph "around the world" 1T would b
necessary to send through not more THAI
half this distance from nation to nation
And no do,ibt exists but that 1t will be ac
conlplished. Wireless telegraphy is ono o