Many of the more senior members of the Society of Wireless Pioneers began their careers at American Marconi, which later became part of RCA. Through their efforts to preserve rare American and British Marconi documents and photos via the SoWP archives we’re able to make these available to you on this web page. We will continue to add material as we go through the files, so check back often.
The photo above comes from the 1915 Year Book of Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony, a Wireless Press (Marconi) publication. We’ve begun scanning and posting other photos and articles from this fascinating 800-page tome, which you can see below.
They just don’t grow ’em that way anymore!
Maj Gen Squier, inventor of multiplex telephony and… Muzak!
Around the World in Record Time – Travel around the world in just over a month impossible, you say? In 1913 John Henry Mears set the world’s record of 35 days, 25 hours (?), 35 minutes, and 4-5 seconds. In the process he spoke with Signore Marconi, rode the Trans Siberian Railroad, and travelled by “Pull-man-car” (rickshaw). Read about it here. From The Marconigraph from September, 1913.
With the Marconi Engineers – Photos of the erection of a transmitter antenna mast at radio station KIE, Kahuku, Hawaii. From The Marconigraph from September, 1913.
Marconi Detector Paper – A new magnetic detector of electric waves (like the ones shown below) by Guglielmo Marconi, from Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1902
Marconi Propagation Paper – Daylight versus night-time radio propagation, an original research paper by Guglielmo Marconi, from Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1902
South Wellfleet History – Technical history of the Marconi South Wellfleet station (later WCC)
Commercial Marconi Magnetic Detector (“Maggie”)
Original Marconi Equipment Restored by Linc Cundall, AWA Museum
Future King George V, G. Marconi, others. See below.
Transmitting Eqpt, Marconi Poldhu Station, 1901, Courtesy of Marconi International Marine.
Frank Hogan, 2052-P, at Marconi Memorial, Poldhu, 1979
Last Wall Standing, Marconi Poldhu Station, 1979
Fahie: Marconi’s Method – In 1902 JJ Fahie surveyed both theory and experiment underlying the latest advances in wireless communication being investigated by Signore Marconi. Read about it here and see if you can answer the questions he posed over a century ago (see page 216). Archivist Bart Lee has assembled some interpretive information on this text here: Fahie Additional Info
Home of Wireless – Visit the luxurious Marconi headquarters in London through this fascinating tour. From The Marconigraph for October 1912.
Wireless Medallion – Why is a semi-naked woman perched atop a ship’s wireless aerial? Find out in this extract from The Marconigraph for May, 1913.
Guglielmo Marconi (front center), others unidentified. Babylon Station, L.I., 1902
Babylon Station, Marconiville, L.I., 1902
Marconi Station, Unidentified Location
Cookson RCA Service Record – Marconi/RCA service record for SoWP member Howard Cookson, 140-SGP
Marconi Invitation Letter – Letter from Jack Irwin inviting the newly licensed Mario Spagna to interview for a position as a Marconi operator near San Francisco or Honolulu, dated February 25, 1913
Marconi School Pamphlet – Looking for “an open door of opportunity”? Check out this pamphlet about the Marconi School of Instruction in New York
Marconi Service Nx July 1916 – Free death & dismemberment insurance for radio operators! Marconi doing its part for preparedness…
Marconi Service Nx Sep 1916 – Aeroplane wireless in war by G. Marconi; a poem about infantile paralysis and more
Marconi Service News Dec 1917 – SoWP member Conrad A. Russell and others relate their experiences of being torpedoed in WWI, and news about Marconi radio operators is reported. Mr Sarnoff has returned from a conference with the Navy…