Introduction
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) was an Italian physicist and scientist whose fame is linked to his pioneer work in long-distance radio transmission and radio telegraph system. According to Navis and Glynn, he is often acknowledged and credited as the inventor of the satellite and the radio [15: 439]. Further, as Arceneaux observes, based on his development of the wireless telegraphy, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909 [8:161]. He shared this victory with another physicist, known as Karl Ferdinand Braun. Although the radio transmission technology was a work in progress by various physicists, Marconi had the biggest breakthrough in it, as it will be discussed in this paper. This paper will follow Marconi’s work while at the same time referring to previous studies and experimentations by other physicists who ultimately contributed to his (Marconi) success. The paper will also identify the success of Marconi’s satellite invention from a business viewpoint as a start-up venture. Lastly, the paper will highlight Marconi’s contributions to the scientific field of radio transmission and the society in general.
Early Work on Radio Transmission. The Need for Better Communication Mechanisms
As Morash reveals, the research on radio transmission through radio waves began with researches by James Clerk Maxwell, who proposed theories and mathematical proofs on electromagnetism or electromagnetic supposition of light [9:13]. According to Stutzman and Thiele, Heinrich Rudolf Hertz who was also a physicist/scientist was able to prove the existence of Maxwell’s electromagnetic waves in what was later referred to as the radio spectrum, which is a range of radio frequencies as defined by the Radio Regulations (RR) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) [13: 22]. As Segre asserts, Heinrich Hertz presented the findings of his research on Maxwell’s electromagnetic signals during the 1886-1888 period, where he managed to broadcast radio signals via the air [11:31].
According to Hall, Marconi’s legacy in society is evident in his development of wireless communication technology through the use of radio waves [7:290]. This technology-enhanced communication among people. Communication is an essential part of any society, and by making it possible for people to communicate wirelessly, Marconi achieved what other physicists at the time could only theorize. As Henderson confirms, the use of radio waves communication has been phased down and slowly replaced by other wireless technologies, including his satellite invention [6:3]. According to Schwartz and Hayes, it is difficult to imagine the field of wireless communication without a mention of the efforts and contribution of Marconi and his companies through the perfection and commercialization of the radio waves transmission technology [10:44]. The whole of radio and television broadcasting sectors, which are important segments of modern society in passing communication and home entertainment, owe their genesis from the work of Marconi and his companies.
Guglielmo Marconi’s Satellite Invention. The Radio Transmission Technology
The field of radio transmission has a major application in the modern world. It is indeed the backbone of wireless communication, despite it being a recent invention. It was only a concept in its infancy a century ago. Prior to this period, only wired telegraphy was possible. Hence, communication was only limited to individuals who were connected to the telegraph lines. However, such limitation implied the need to find new ways that would allow wireless communication to connect people in remote areas or those who are not linked through conventional telegraph systems.
Following the success of physicists such as Heinrich Hertz among others in proving the existence of radio waves, a young Italian Physicist, namely Guglielmo Marconi, was working on the idea of commercializing wireless telegraphic systems that used the Hertzian waves as Blackband and Hagger [2:59] confirm. His exposure to electromagnetic waves was evident in 1894 when he was studying at the University of Bologna. Professor Righi was then experimenting and expanding on the works of Hertz. Using the acquired experience and knowledge, Marconi started conducting his experiments at the family farm. By 1895, he had succeeded in transiting radio wave signals for over a distance of two kilometers, which was then the maximum distance that Hertz had predicted from his experiments [10:42].
Another major breakthrough by Marconi was his transmission of waves over hilltop from a transmitter to an out-of-sight receiver. At the time, it was mainly believed that radio waves behaved like light and that they could only be transmitted to a limited distance. In 1896, he relocated to England, where he believed would present a better opportunity for him in his goals of making the radio transmission technology a commercially viable business venture. By 1897, Marconi had managed to transmit radio waves over a distance of 7.5kilometers and later 14 kilometers, hence disapproving Hertz’s prediction of the maximum distance that radio waves could be transmitted as Smith [12:8] confirms.
Commercialization of the Satellite Transmission by Guglielmo Marconi
Following the initial success in developing long-range radio waves transmission systems, Marconi formed The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company Limited in 1897 when he was in England. During the same year, Marconi went back to Italy, where he verified the wireless telegraphy via water vessels, which were close to 20 kilometers from the coast. Later, according to Anderson, he was able to transmit radio waves from a station in Isle of Wight, England, to ships that were over 30 kilometers offshore [1:19]. Under his company, Wenzlhuemer reveals how Marconi opened the first commercial wireless telegraph service in Rathlin O’Birner Lighthouse Island in Ireland [14:48]. Further, in 1899, he managed to transmit radio waves across the English Channel, a distance of more than 50 kilometers, effectively linking England to the rest of Europe.
His primary target in commercializing the wireless telegraphy was to sell the idea of wireless telegraphy to the British Royal Navy. Granatstein reveals how the Royal Navy was using submarine telegraph cables that were located across the Dover Strait [5:6]. These cables had been in operation since 1851. However, many political and bureaucratic challenges had been witnessed before the Royal Navy accepted his technology in 1899, starting with three naval ships, to demonstrate the applicability and reliability of his satellite invention. During the trial period, Frost reveals how Marconi’s wireless telegraphy proved very successful with the ships that could communicate with each other over an average distance of 110 kilometers and up to an utmost distance of 136 kilometers [4:26].
In 1900, he formed the Marconi International Marine Communication Company, which immediately embarked on the construction of high-powered wireless transmitters to convey across the Atlantic Ocean. During the close of 1901, the company had managed to transmit radio waves over the Atlantic Ocean between Poldhu Point, Cornwall, and Heart’s Content, Newfoundland [2:60]. Under his companies, the dawn of the 1900s was marked by his development of the earliest transatlantic marketable service that covered regions such as Clifden and Ireland. Further, he developed a shorter distance public wireless telegraphy service between Bari, Italy, and Avidari. These ventures made Marconi and his related companies very successful at a time when wireless telegraphy was developing.
How Marconi Created a Start-up
As start-up companies, Marconi’s business ventures provided essential services to fill a gap in technology concerning the then transmission of information. Prior to the discovery and commercialization of radio waves, only wired telegraphy was possible, despite the many limitations. In wired telegraphy, communication could only be possible between people who were directly connected. As such, the introduction of the wireless telegraphy with radio waves provided a central advancement in the communications field, which allowed communication and transmission of messages across long distances, as well as across many locations. The Marconi-related companies grew tremendously from the 1900s to the 1930s. He was among the pioneers in many areas of radio wave technologies. For instance, the companies were the main suppliers of the satellite communication equipment in many military organizations across the world, starting with England’s Royal Navy, among others. In the 1920s, the company had focused on broadcasting voice messages via the radio. Later, this advancement became the prelude to British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) among other radio stations that sprouted across the world [5:14].
Contribution and Success of Marconi in Business and Satellite Transmission Technology
It is without a doubt that Guglielmo Marconi was a highly successful physicist and businessperson in his time. One of the primary factors of success by Marconi was his ability to take up and commercialize a developing technology at the time. As a growing technology, Marconi took up radio transmission technology and built it further into a commercially viable business [11:36]. Early inventors and physicists in this technology were not keen on pursuing this satellite technology. By taking up and perfecting this early technology, Marconi and his team contributed immensely to the satellite technology field through his companies while at the same time achieving commercial success. From Marconi’s work, the radio technology field is majorly linked to his work and business ventures, which he sought to grow by engaging in new areas of application of the technology such as the satellite. For instance, as Wythoff asserts, the broadcasting of radio voice communication for entertainment and television is linked to his research and business efforts that complement each other in terms of sustaining the efforts that Marconi-related companies put towards to become pioneers in many areas of the application of the radio and satellite transmission technology [3:40].
Conclusion
From the above discussion, Guglielmo Marconi was an inventor, a physicist, and a successful businessperson who commercialized his developments. From a mere student in Italy, Marconi took up a close interest in radio transmission technology and developed it further to his satellite invention from the limited knowledge that existed at the time. Consequently, he achieved enormous commercial success. By developing the existing radio transmission technology to the level of the satellite, which could transmit waves across long distances, Marconi and his companies achieved what was unimagined at the time by other physicists. He opened a new business for himself and others who followed his footsteps. His legacy can be reflected in the wide range of use of radio transmission and satellite technology that has been the backbone of wireless communication for more than a century.
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