The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-10
RADIO
 STATION ENDS|TS
 NOTABLE CAREER
Famous Wireless Station At Poldhu, England, Closed Down After Twenty
 Years
BY JACK BINNs

b1 IACA btNNS
 "The Marconi station at Poldhu. in England. was closed down last night. The last message sent was 10 a station in Spain. The traffic han dled by Poldhu will now be taken care of by the station at Clifden, in Ireland"
 This terse cabieEram from Lon don marks the termination of the most remarkable radio station in the history of communication without connecting wires. The passing of Poldhu takes place almost unherald- ed in this age of major developments In the realm of radio, but despite its unglorified exit Poldhu once held ths center of the worlds attention.
 It was the first high powered wire less station to be erected. and the first to open the eyes of civiiiza ton to the possibilities of communi- cation through the ether. Viewed from our present day knowledge the apparatus of Poldhu was Indeed crude. but 1t served its purpose nobly, and was considered In the zenith of its glory one of the won ders of the world.
 Had Wonderful Location The Poldhu station was one of the most remarkable looking, as well as the most historic wireless sations In the world. It's location upon the top of one of the forbidding rocks that jut out into the Atlantic on the southwest coast of England made 1t enc of the landmarks that attracted the attention of all Atlantic voy- agers.
 It was the first major undertaking of company organized in Great Britain to take over the Marconi in- vention. The apparatus installed in the station was designed by Prof. A J. Fleming, inventor of the two-ele- ment vacuum tube. and its purpose was to bridge the Atlantic ocean oy means of wireless telegraphy at q tune when the greatest success that had been achieved was over a dis tance of not more than 100 miles. So confident were Professor Fleming and Signor Marconi that they would achieve their object that announces ment was ma @ in the year 1902 that the latter would make voyage en the American liner Philadelphia for the purpose of receiving signals clear across the Atlantic ocean.
 It was at this time that Marconi disclosed to the world his newest type of receiver-the magnetic de- tector-which was destined to give great impetus to the development of wireless communication. On this voyage Marconi succeeded in receiv- ing signals up to distance of 1.500 miles.
 Set Taken to Newfoundland
 This so encouraged him that ar engagements were made with the gov- ernment of ewfoundland. and the receiving equipment was taken to that country. There experiments were carried out in suspending an aerial wire by means of 8 high fly ing kite, and in the late part of the year Marconi succeeded in receiving the famous IS" signals from Poldhu station-the first to be received across the Atlantic ocean.
 These experiments with Poldhu re- suited in large amount of practi- cal knowledge being obtained which affected the immediate fu- ture of long distance communication and led to rapid developments along this line. Poldhu was immediately followed by similar sations at South Wellfleet, Mass, and Glace Bay. Can ada, and these in turn were followed by other large sations. It was short ly after this that the first success ful message was sent across the Att lantic ocean from King Edward of Great Britain to President Roose- welt.
 News Sent to ships
 The operation of Poldhu had clear ly demonstrated the possibility of long range communication. and as soon as the original experiments across the Atlantic had been com pleted and other large stations de- a rn1a ad n the pioneer station. It was that of transmitting daily news to the ships at sea. so that they could publish small newspapers while on their voy- age across the Atlantic,
 This innovation was established in 1903, first on the Cunard line and then on the other lines. The station at South Wellfleet Mass, augmented this service so that it was possible for a ship at sea to publish a news paper every day irrespective of it's position.
 The operation of the two stations was standardized and worked on the basis of a maximum range of 1.500 miles. This meant that ship in mid ocean actually received the news from both sides of the Atlantic at least one day during the voyage.
 The transmitting apparatus at Poldhu consisted of a gigantic spark produced by large induction coils. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight to see this apparatus in action. Control of the spark was obtained by means of a magnetic sending key. which in turn operated very large contracting arms. On the later there were huge platinum contacts.
 The voltages used were so large that big electric motors had to be used to drive fans so that the arcs which formed at these contacts could be blown out. The result was that mass of flame about foot long shot out from the points every time they met in contact.
 This. coupled with the terrific noise of the spark, left the mex perienced visitor to the station al- most terror stricken. So loud was the discharge of the sparkle that 1t was impossible to talk in the trans- hitting room, and even the engi- neers had to wear cotton in their ears when working there.
 The noiseless vacuum tube has taken the place of all this gigantic and overlapping apparatus, and is doing the job more efficiently. It is no wonder then that the passing of Poldhu should have taken place 90 
 but at the same time she Is asking that no one close their minds against her because she h . woman. Ehe will have the support on the stump of