Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

Record Details:

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GUGLIELMO MARCONI, PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICA ON THE YACHT "PONCE." REPORTING BY RADIO Marconi Carried Out First American Wireless Coriimunication at 1899 Yacht Races. By George Clark FORTY-THREE years ago. the first wireless communication in America was carried on, under the direction of Guglielmo Marconi, who came to this country at the request of the New York Herald to report by the "new communica- tion" the international yacht races. The yacht Ponce was used for the marine end of the wireless link, and its shore counterpart was a temporary installation at the High- lands of Navesink, N. J. The mast used for the antenna is still stand- ing and, after the war, will be marked as a permanent monument. The yacht is still in service, and its type of propulsion, the recipro- cating steam engine, may be found on many other ships today, which is more than can be said of the wireless apparatus which it carried. This form of steam drive may be likened to the Marconi spark set of that early test, in that it used inter- mittent power, while today there are manv steam-turbine installa- tions <iii ships, whosf smooth, coii- liiiuous power is quite the equiva- lent of the modern vacuum-tube I I'aiismitter. 2 Honored by Preshieul (continued from payc Jl) The RCA workers were iiRhidcd in a group of ten jiroduction "heroes" who were honored by the President. The other eight are em- ployees of as many different war plants throughout the country. RCA is the only plant in the group to place two winners. To emphasize the fact that the distinction given them was without precedent in American history, the winners were guests of honor at ceremonies similar to those held for returning war heroes. For an en- tire day they were, in effect, guests of the Nation. Actual presentation of the citations and certificates by the President occurred at the White House. The program also included an of- ficial luncheon with Donald Nelson, receptions, entertainment and other activities. It was in recognition of the fact that his calipers broke a production bottleneck that Donald Nelson, Chief of the WPB, awarded the Certificate of Individual Produc- tion Merit to Crawford. The cali- pers make it possible to determine the wall thickness dimensions of certain castings essential to war equipment. These castings are cost- ly and utilize critical materials. Crawford, who is 50 years old and is a civilian fireman reserve in his home town, started with RCA in 1928 as a packer in the shipping de- l^artment. He soon moved into in- spection, testing and checking in- coming parts and material. Tracy started with RCA Victor in New York in 1939, in the serv- ice department. He is 31 years old and married. His father was a mis- sionary to Turkey, and he was born in that country. While still a boy he caught the "radio bug." Tracy's suggestion grew out of the need for speeding up testing of aircraft radio equipment. Former- ly, before a plane went into action, it was necessary to disconnect all or nearly all the radio equipment, re- move it from the plane, set it up in tlif testing e(|uii)ment and put it through the tests. This reciuired an average of eight man-hours for every plane. A relatively simple os- cillator was devised by Tracy. It is set up (in an air field and gets the same or better results in three min- utes. These oscillators are now install- ed or on their way to every Ameri- can flying field, particularly those on the fighting fronts. Radiomarine Wins "E" (fontiinifil ffoiii ii(i(/c 10) "We have in our organization a crew of men and women that you can count on to give everything that is in them for the war effort. You have made us very proud to be a part of the war machinery, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Acceptance of the "E" pins was by a plant committee made up of .James E. McDowell, Engineering Department; .Johan G. Schott, Shop; G. P. Shandy, M.R.I. Depart- ment; Anthony Krause, Shipping Department, and Mrs. E. P. Schna- bel. General Office. •John Szpak, representing the en- tire employee group, responded to presentation by handing Rear Ad- mii-al Watts a scroll which bore the signatures of all his co-workers to a "pledge of service in the war ef- fort and in the cause of victory." "We are proud that the work we ha\e done, so far, entitles us, as individuals, to wear the Army-Navy 'E* emblem," said Szpak. "Good teamwork wins battles, both in the front lines and in the production lines. We have all of that in this haiipy plant. "As we look ahead we can see even greater opportunities to serve our country. We pledge our best efforts to make the most of those opportunities, and to show you later that we are entitled to the star. You may count on us to continue to be worthy of the high honor which the Army and Navy have bestowed upon us." Miss Lucy Monroe, singing star of radio and stage, completed the ceremony by singing "The Star Spangled Banner." RADIO AGE 311