New Pictures Of Titanic This Year

[padi56]

Seeing the new pictures of the Titanic released early this year reminded me as myself a amateur radio operator and worked most countries world wide plus all states in USA. But in the early part of the twentieth century when Guglielmo Marconi, the grandfather of amateur radio was experimenting with wireless communications in Italy, pioneering experiments with wireless were also taking place here in Wales not far from where I used to live. Working from his shed at The Mill in Gelligroes a young guy called Arthur Moore was conducting his own experiments with wireless telegraphy. Young Artie (his nickname) was inspired to experiment with wireless after winning a book as first prize in a national model engineering competition for his model of horizontal steam engine. The book was entitled “Modern Views on Electricity and Magnetism” and was written by Oliver Lodge, a leading British light then on the new wave of wireless communication.

He was the eldest son of the local miller, Artie Moore was employed at the local coal colliery. Here he struck up a friendship with the colliery’s electrical engineer Richard Jenkins and together they began to experiment with the ideas presented in Lodge’s book. They were successful in constructing a spark-gap transmitter and a coherer receiver (the earliest form of radio wave detector) and after teaching themselves Morse code they were able to communicate between their homes, Artie at The Mill and Richard at Ty-Llewed Farm some miles away. Using just a long wire antennas Artie received the first message asking him to convey to the mill that the farm needed grain.

As Artie’s construction skills improved he was able to build more sensitive equipment and soon began receiving world news regularly, which he reported to the local population at least two days before it appeared in the national press. At 24 years of age on 14th of April 1912 Artie received the faint signal of a ship in distress. The signal read: “CQD SOS 11.50pm from (MGY) (Titanic's code name,) we have struck an iceberg sinking fast come to our assistance position lat 41.46 north Lon 50.14 west MGY”. This was the distress call of the unsinkable Titanic! The call continued: “Sinking we are putting passengers off in small boats weather clear.” Artie reported this to the locals who did not believe his incredible news that the unsinkable Titanic had perished, two days later they received confirmation of this terrible event through the national press and Artie achieved considerable notoriety as a result. And he had the message correct word for word, the Titanic after sending several distress calls,they started to use the new SOS call ...---... One newspaper reported: “A Young boy from the valleys of South Wales has witnessed through the modern invention of wireless the death of a famous ship thousands of miles away.”

Due to his pioneering work as an amateur, Artie came to the notice of local Education Committee who offered him a scholarship to the British School of Telegraphy in London. Soon after this in the last few months of 1912 Artie was invited to join the Marconi Wireless Telegraphy Company as a draughtsman. At the outbreak of war in 1914 Artie left Marconi to take up a position as a wireless technician with the Admiralty where he was responsible for designing wireless equipment for Britain’s warships. Artie stayed with the Admiralty after war ended in 1918, and as assistant to Captain H. J. Round was instrumental in developing the thermionic valve, without which advancements in radio and electronics would not have been possible.

Artie Moore died in 1948 after seeing two world wars and contributing considerably to the advancement of radio (remnants of his amateur station can still be seen at The Mill at Gelligreos and our club transmits once every year from Arties old radio station.

Thanks to GW6GWB, 2W0ZAE, MW0ZAE,MC0YAD.

[Chewbacca]

Interesting.

Now, this post is begging to become a Wes Anderson movie. Just needs a Welsh love interest and we’re gold!

[brandrea]

What a great read Peter, thank you for sharing

Stories like these conjure up images of what life was like back then and how far we’ve come. Technology changes but the people who “invent it” were and are truly gifted and inspiring.

[fskywalker]

Nice Peter, thanks for sharing!


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[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by brandrea

What a great read Peter, thank you for sharing

Stories like these conjure up images of what life was like back then and how far we’ve come. Technology changes but the people who “invent it” were and are truly gifted and inspiring.

100%

Thanks for teaching me something today Peter!!


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[Stan Cooper]

. Dupe

[Stan Cooper]

Thank you, Peter.

Stan (amateur radio operator K4DRD since June 14, 1955).

Operating KJ6DA from Johnston Atoll in 1966.

[Romeojk]

Great reading Peter. It begs to be a prequel to the Titanic movie.

And Stan, 20 years retired!! How is retirement going? Quite a milestone. I hope to achieve it someday. But I have to retire first.


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[RW16610]

What a fantastic story, I thoroughly enjoyed reading that. It covers many things I find fascinating with regards to history. His accomplishments are remarkable, and helped with many advancements.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

Thank you, Peter.

Stan (amateur radio operator K4DRD since June 14, 1955).

Operating KJ6DA from Johnston Atoll in 1966.

To a fellow amateur radio operator thank you Stan and 73.

[Stan Cooper]

Originally Posted by Romeojk

Great reading Peter. It begs to be a prequel to the Titanic movie.

And Stan, 20 years retired!! How is retirement going? Quite a milestone. I hope to achieve it someday. But I have to retire first.

Splendidly, Kevin! I'm still healthy except for a few typical but inconsequential old age complaints, and quite active physically. Thanks for asking.