128.015 SIXTY YEARS OF TRANSATLANTIC RADIO, Science Service Historical Image Collection

no date - hastily-erected station on Signal Hill, St. John's, Newfoundland, was successful in detecting Morse signals emanating from Poldhu in Cornwall, 2,200 miles away

SIXTY YEARS OF TRANSATLANTIC RADIO

E&MP128.015

Telegraph

no date

On December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi at a hastily-erected station on Signal Hill, St. John's, Newfoundland, was successful in detecting Morse signals emanating from Poldhu in Cornwall, 2,200 miles away. The Atlantic Ocean had been bridged by wireless telegraphy - an achievement which leading scientists of the day declared to be impossible.

The picture shows part of the transmitting station which had been built at Poldhu for the experiment. This station was 100 times more powerful than any other which had been previously built. On the extreme left are the transformers. The banks of capacitors can be seen in the wooden rack. On the extreme right is the spark gap.

Original Caption by Science Service
^©Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, Ltd.

a closer view:

On the extreme left are the transformers

The banks of capacitors can be seen in the wooden rack

On the extreme right is the spark gap