New-York tribune., 1922-09-10
Pioneer Radio,
Station Entis
Its Career
Famous Wireless Station at
poIdl1a, England, Closed
Down After Twenty Years
of Continuous Servic g
First to Bridge Atlantic
Also First of al,e Big Long
Range Plants To Be De-
signed With High Power

aThs Marconi station at Poldhu. in
FrgIand. was closed down last night.
vhe last message sent was TO station
/, snain. The traffic handled by Pol
dbv will now be taken care Of by the
station at Cnfden, in Ireland
This terse eablegram from London
marks she termination Of the most re-
so.,arkable radio station in the history
IN communication without connecting
,kia,res The passing Of poldhu takes
u,,e. almost ualleralded in this ge~of
rs.s;nr deyeloDmelts in the realm of
ys5io but despite its unglorified exit
poidhu once held the centre OF the
worlds attention.
Ii was the first high powered wire
less station to be erected, and the first
IN open the eyes Of civilization TO the
possibihties of communication through
the ether. Viewed from our present
day knowledge, the apparatus of Poll
dhu was indeed crude, but it served it's
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 we'll as the
most historic wireless stations in the
world Its location upon the top of
4 ore OF the forbidding rocks that jut out
into the Atlantic on the southwest
coast Of England made it one of the
landmarks that attracted the attention
sf all Atlantic voyagers.
It was the first major undertaking
Il company organized in Great Brit
ain to take over the Marconi invention.
,The apparatus installed in the station
vas designed by Professor A. j. Flem-
ing. inventor of the two-element vacuum
tube, and its purpose was to bridge the
Atlantic Ocean by means of wireless
biography at time when the greatest
success that had been achieved was
over distance of not more than 100
miles. So confident, were Professor
Fleming and Signor Marconi that they
would achieve their object that an
nouncement was made in the year 1902
that the latter would make voyage
on the American liner Philadelphia for
the purpose OF receiving signals clear
across the Atlantic Ocean.
Ltswas at this time that Marconi dis
closed to the world his newest tyoe of
was destined TO give great impetus to
the Development of wireless comn,uni-
cation. On this voyage Marconi sue
ceeded in receiving signals up to a
distance Of 800 miles.
Set Taken to Newfoundland
This so encouraged him that ar
angements were made with the gov
sfament Of Newfoundland. and the re-
R eelVlng equipment was taken to that
h aanffy. There experiments were car
ied out in suspending an aerial wire
q means of high flying kite and in
ne iate part Of the year Marconi sue
seeaed IN receiving the famous IS"
signals from Poldhu station-the first
Ocean.
These experiments with Poldhu re-
sal1sa IN large amount of practical
knowledge being obtained which ma
terlally affected the Immediate future
long distance communication and
isad to rapid developments along this
me. poidhu was immediately fol-
H inWea by similar stations at South
mei1Heet Mass, and Glace Bay, Can
ssaa, ana THESE in turn were followed
y other large stations. 1t was shortly
aver thls that the first successful mes
ssse was sent across the Atlantic Ocean
ifom n hlng Edward Of Great Britain to
President Roosevelt.
News Sent to Ships
The operation of Poldhu had clearly
/ demonstrated the possibili+J of lons
iange communication. and as soon as
me original experiments across the Al
4 auc had been completed and other
sations designed new role was
'ss,saec to the pioneer station. II was
ss ssa' q transmitting daily newsNto the
s,,ail ps . sea, so that they could publish
h across the Atlantic. y e'se
tsae lis innovation was established in
lsO0 nfst en- the Cunard Line and then
snn4s sas e. other lines. The station at
sss,,;.. a neilneet Mass, augmented this
'ss 80 That it was possible for
srsp p a sea to publish newspaper
gay irrespective of its position.
w.s operation of the two stations
bss;. standardized and worked on the
mils. ~ :, maximum range of 1900
esas lhls meant that ship in mid
basa baa acsaa!ly received the news from
5ar sues OF the Atlantic at least one
* aprine the voyage.
transmitting apparatus ar poldbu
ssehsisted of gigantic gpark nrodncaS
ss ase induction coils. 1t was truly
ave - aaWe-inspiring sight to see this ap-
sssssSs ~. = N action. Control of the spark
- oosaiRed by means of a magnetic
ysrs ys1g KEY, which in turn operated
is.ss. large contracting arms. On the
tsets. huge platinum con-
bjs as yoltages used were so large that
Dr., s'sefric motors had to be used to
fa,. fss ians SO that the arcs. which
sIsasa at these contacts could be
i a OUT The result was that a mass
fs..a fnNne II about foot long shot out
tos.. . .ne points every time they met in
!, ms coupled with the terrific noise
ris;,as ans spark, left the inexperienced
,.rsg .sf % the station almost terror
d ~ 80 loud was the discharge
t,las spark that it was impossible TO
ss g me transmitting room, ard even
q gs a.sinsers had to wear cotton in
q when working there.
9 Is aoiseless vacuum tube has taken
q pace Of all this gigantic and ave-
& Il Ing apparatus, and is doing the
"a Sre efnelently. 1t is no wonder
Y a. slse the passing of Poldhu should
b saAen place so unobtrrsively.
d weather Nos Due to Radio
q s.a reply to the question whether the
sSss. ngineer Of thunderstorms which
g. apeo last month were in any wav