The Arc Transmitter (Poulsen Arc) and the Titanic
video description
Date: 2022-12-27
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 20
Primodernious
the explananations and theories of these devices are to complex and holds a fairytale like tone to it that makes it more entertaining but less understandable. the simple explanation would have allowed people in the bronze age to make radio. the simple explanation is much cruder. a electic arc creates a vibration that is both electric and sound at the same time. the amplification in the circuit is created by the vibration. to explain simple you don't need a theory to understand how to make this stuff. you only need to know that when you speak trough a graphite rod in series with a dc current it will vibrate and the electric current will vibrate at the rate of the sound wave. this itself is a crude transmitter. now you only need to use somthing to create a carrier wave with like a arc lamp. by using a speaker funnel connected to the body of the arc lamp you could speak into it and it would transmit at the frequency of the arc lamp. in order to receive the signal and amplify it, you can use a antenna connected to a speaker funnel and place a graphite dc circuit inside it. when the weak sound wave / radio wave goes trough the graphite buzzer it amplify the rf signal and the sound wave inside it. by using a crystal or a another dc circuit with a graphite element you can attatch this to the speaker funnel and amplify the reception this way. this part of the circuit have the same purpose as electric coil in a more refined version. the parts for this would have been possible to make in the bronze age by a single blacksmith. there is likely even more crude to do this that what i say now that i have not yet taught of that is even simpler.
reply
the explananations and theories of these devices are to complex and holds a fairytale like tone to it that makes it more entertaining but less understandable. the simple explanation would have allowed people in the bronze age to make radio. the simple explanation is much cruder. a electic arc creates a vibration that is both electric and sound at the same time. the amplification in the circuit is created by the vibration. to explain simple you don't need a theory to understand how to make this stuff. you only need to know that when you speak trough a graphite rod in series with a dc current it will vibrate and the electric current will vibrate at the rate of the sound wave. this itself is a crude transmitter. now you only need to use somthing to create a carrier wave with like a arc lamp. by using a speaker funnel connected to the body of the arc lamp you could speak into it and it would transmit at the frequency of the arc lamp. in order to receive the signal and amplify it, you can use a antenna connected to a speaker funnel and place a graphite dc circuit inside it. when the weak sound wave / radio wave goes trough the graphite buzzer it amplify the rf signal and the sound wave inside it. by using a crystal or a another dc circuit with a graphite element you can attatch this to the speaker funnel and amplify the reception this way. this part of the circuit have the same purpose as electric coil in a more refined version. the parts for this would have been possible to make in the bronze age by a single blacksmith. there is likely even more crude to do this that what i say now that i have not yet taught of that is even simpler.
reply
Robert
Having constructed several replicas of both SPARK transmitters and POULSEN ARC transmitters, there is absolutely no way to operate multiple transmitters at the same time in a local area without interference between the two. Practical tuning allowing different frequencies to be differentiated is nearly impossible. In 1912 both systems used either a 600 meter wavelength or what was at the time considered short wavelength, 300 meters by inserting a large capacitance into the antenna lead. One advantage over the Marconi system of 1912 was that it allowed full break-in which up until that time, was a miraculous operational convenience. This allowed an operator to listen for other signals in between key breaks. This was possible for two reasons: the use of the Marconi Magnetic Detector which was impervious to vibrational issues from the ship's engines and the fact it could be connected to the antenna continuously (without having to change a switch from send to receive, and an auxiliary pair of shorting contacts attached to the Morse sending key lever which shorted out the operator's headphones so his ears did not get blasted by his own signals. No other wireless system at the time had effectively mastered this. Other systems that used similar Poulsen transmitters included Telefunken which mostly used Slaby-Arco designed arc sets.
reply
Having constructed several replicas of both SPARK transmitters and POULSEN ARC transmitters, there is absolutely no way to operate multiple transmitters at the same time in a local area without interference between the two. Practical tuning allowing different frequencies to be differentiated is nearly impossible. In 1912 both systems used either a 600 meter wavelength or what was at the time considered short wavelength, 300 meters by inserting a large capacitance into the antenna lead. One advantage over the Marconi system of 1912 was that it allowed full break-in which up until that time, was a miraculous operational convenience. This allowed an operator to listen for other signals in between key breaks. This was possible for two reasons: the use of the Marconi Magnetic Detector which was impervious to vibrational issues from the ship's engines and the fact it could be connected to the antenna continuously (without having to change a switch from send to receive, and an auxiliary pair of shorting contacts attached to the Morse sending key lever which shorted out the operator's headphones so his ears did not get blasted by his own signals. No other wireless system at the time had effectively mastered this. Other systems that used similar Poulsen transmitters included Telefunken which mostly used Slaby-Arco designed arc sets.
reply
scharkalvin
Arc lamps were used much later than the 1920's for search and spot lights, in fact I remember seeing them in use as late as the 1970's (maybe later. The carbon arc requires a ballast resistor in series with it when used on DC, and a resistor or capacitor ballast in series when used on AC. As you described, this is because the arc behaves as a negative resistance, which means that the current drawn will go UP as the voltage applied across it drops. If a negative resistance is applied across a tuned circuit, this creates a power oscillator that can be connected to an antenna as a transmitter. This is how the arc transmitter works. Years later, a solid state device known as the tunnel diode was invented that also acts as a negative resistance. So the carbon arc was actually an early tunnel diode.
reply
Arc lamps were used much later than the 1920's for search and spot lights, in fact I remember seeing them in use as late as the 1970's (maybe later. The carbon arc requires a ballast resistor in series with it when used on DC, and a resistor or capacitor ballast in series when used on AC. As you described, this is because the arc behaves as a negative resistance, which means that the current drawn will go UP as the voltage applied across it drops. If a negative resistance is applied across a tuned circuit, this creates a power oscillator that can be connected to an antenna as a transmitter. This is how the arc transmitter works. Years later, a solid state device known as the tunnel diode was invented that also acts as a negative resistance. So the carbon arc was actually an early tunnel diode.
reply
Richard
Thank you Kathy for your awesome videos!
I've only read this once, and I question the source material, but I'll share this rumor I heard and I'm looking for confirmation or put this to sleep.
What I read was about the signal itself; it's one of the first times they used S. O. S (save our ship) as a distress signal.
It's one of the most simple Morse code letters: 3 dots for s, 3 dashes for o. Or the other way around.
Anyways, in the James Cameron movie they used CQD, which was the old distress signal.
It could have been that most ships in the area didn't understand the new SOS code, contributing to the disaster.
Please keep in mind I'm not actually sure if this is true or not. Maybe someone like Kathy can help? Thanks.
reply
Thank you Kathy for your awesome videos!
I've only read this once, and I question the source material, but I'll share this rumor I heard and I'm looking for confirmation or put this to sleep.
What I read was about the signal itself; it's one of the first times they used S. O. S (save our ship) as a distress signal.
It's one of the most simple Morse code letters: 3 dots for s, 3 dashes for o. Or the other way around.
Anyways, in the James Cameron movie they used CQD, which was the old distress signal.
It could have been that most ships in the area didn't understand the new SOS code, contributing to the disaster.
Please keep in mind I'm not actually sure if this is true or not. Maybe someone like Kathy can help? Thanks.
reply
Primodernious
if you want to know how the bronze age could have had access to dc batteries i can explain that as well. there is found batteries in bagdad that is many tousands of years old that contain a iron rod inside a copper tube inside a jar with a aspalt plug in the top of the jar. there is also found graves with sulfuric acid so they knew what that was. sulfur was also known 2000 years ago and the chinese at that time even had cannons and not just rockets. even if they only used a sulfur water solution it would probably work with just that. that is how the bronze age could have made batteries. even stomach acid can work for batteries extracted from the belly of animals that have consumed vinegar. you can also use sea water.
reply
if you want to know how the bronze age could have had access to dc batteries i can explain that as well. there is found batteries in bagdad that is many tousands of years old that contain a iron rod inside a copper tube inside a jar with a aspalt plug in the top of the jar. there is also found graves with sulfuric acid so they knew what that was. sulfur was also known 2000 years ago and the chinese at that time even had cannons and not just rockets. even if they only used a sulfur water solution it would probably work with just that. that is how the bronze age could have made batteries. even stomach acid can work for batteries extracted from the belly of animals that have consumed vinegar. you can also use sea water.
reply
Davin
The man working the wireless didn't put the iceberg warnings as a priority because the passenger wires were more important - what they get paid to do. Therefore they were put aside.
Also, thorough the day the wireless room received 6 iceberg warnings, put together they indicate a giant ice field of nearly 80 miles directly in the ship's path, but no one thinks to put them together. Most of the warnings went un-noticed on the bulletin board. Later, when the California tries to warn Titanic about ice, by interrupting Titanic's wire, Titanic's wireless operator replies rudely back Shut Up, I'm busy. The California operator then hangs up his head set and turns in for the night.
reply
The man working the wireless didn't put the iceberg warnings as a priority because the passenger wires were more important - what they get paid to do. Therefore they were put aside.
Also, thorough the day the wireless room received 6 iceberg warnings, put together they indicate a giant ice field of nearly 80 miles directly in the ship's path, but no one thinks to put them together. Most of the warnings went un-noticed on the bulletin board. Later, when the California tries to warn Titanic about ice, by interrupting Titanic's wire, Titanic's wireless operator replies rudely back Shut Up, I'm busy. The California operator then hangs up his head set and turns in for the night.
reply
Michael
There are others that think the exchange with the Titanic and the other operator was not aggressive, just usual over the air communication protocol of that era.
It would be like looking at a male college student chat group of today and thinking that certain in group phrases are mend to be offensive, when in reality, they are just normal slang.
Note that the operates where young men that went trough the same education and where basically a group of nerds talking to each other.
The your to loud specifically is just due to the fact that they could not adjust the volume.
reply
There are others that think the exchange with the Titanic and the other operator was not aggressive, just usual over the air communication protocol of that era.
It would be like looking at a male college student chat group of today and thinking that certain in group phrases are mend to be offensive, when in reality, they are just normal slang.
Note that the operates where young men that went trough the same education and where basically a group of nerds talking to each other.
The your to loud specifically is just due to the fact that they could not adjust the volume.
reply
MichaelJGrant
Just as an aside, the transmitter aboard the RMS (not SS) Titanic operated by the Marconi Company was rated at 5, 000 watts, the most powerful afloat at the time. Titanic's distress call was clearly received by a number of stations on the mainland. The distress signal was passed to other ships. Sadly, none were close enough to respond in time. An interesting fact was the service voltage Titanic used. Only 100 volts DC.
reply
Just as an aside, the transmitter aboard the RMS (not SS) Titanic operated by the Marconi Company was rated at 5, 000 watts, the most powerful afloat at the time. Titanic's distress call was clearly received by a number of stations on the mainland. The distress signal was passed to other ships. Sadly, none were close enough to respond in time. An interesting fact was the service voltage Titanic used. Only 100 volts DC.
reply
Nils
Thank you for your always splendid videos! Were you aware that Poulsen invented the first magnetic device capable of sound recording six years prior to inventing the arc transmitter? The 'Telegraphone', as it was called, is the earliest predecessor to magnetic tape recorders, magnetic stripes on credit cards and magnetic hard drives. I think this invention/discovery should deserve its own video. Just a thought for inspiration.
reply
Thank you for your always splendid videos! Were you aware that Poulsen invented the first magnetic device capable of sound recording six years prior to inventing the arc transmitter? The 'Telegraphone', as it was called, is the earliest predecessor to magnetic tape recorders, magnetic stripes on credit cards and magnetic hard drives. I think this invention/discovery should deserve its own video. Just a thought for inspiration.
reply
John
Re: Carbon Light Arce illumination. In 1972 when I was studding Metrology at RMIT there UNC-Metric Thread Measuring Projector used Carbon-Arce as a light sauce.
My grandfather of the same name was the Maintenance Engineer on a freighter traveling UK to US when the RMS Titanic Sunk. They had NO method of commination a part from semaphore. He could not believe Titanic had sunk when he reached the US.
reply
Re: Carbon Light Arce illumination. In 1972 when I was studding Metrology at RMIT there UNC-Metric Thread Measuring Projector used Carbon-Arce as a light sauce.
My grandfather of the same name was the Maintenance Engineer on a freighter traveling UK to US when the RMS Titanic Sunk. They had NO method of commination a part from semaphore. He could not believe Titanic had sunk when he reached the US.
reply
From
So the Titanic could have just been the second instance of the Olympic class, if a British company wouldnt have to want an exclusive license for the better radio.
BTW, just read that in 1912, there was a scandal on government member making money through insider trading before an contract with the Marconi Company became official. Not so much change in the last century.
reply
So the Titanic could have just been the second instance of the Olympic class, if a British company wouldnt have to want an exclusive license for the better radio.
BTW, just read that in 1912, there was a scandal on government member making money through insider trading before an contract with the Marconi Company became official. Not so much change in the last century.
reply
Mark
I once refurbished a Watson - Victor Diathermy unit. It was effectively a arc that cut through human skin and cauterised as it went. It was essentially and arc transmitter. The Spark gap was about an inch in diameter and had three screws to position the plates such that the arch was even throughout. It was a beautiful piece of equipment. Probably 40s vintage.
reply
I once refurbished a Watson - Victor Diathermy unit. It was effectively a arc that cut through human skin and cauterised as it went. It was essentially and arc transmitter. The Spark gap was about an inch in diameter and had three screws to position the plates such that the arch was even throughout. It was a beautiful piece of equipment. Probably 40s vintage.
reply
Jeff
Amazing history. Lord Armstrong bought the rights to develop the Poulsen Arc in the US for $500K. I've always wanted to dig deeper into that story. Another Dane worked with Poulsen named Peder Olaf Pedersen. he wrote some amazing books on electrical discharges. Poulsen also developed the wire recorder in the late 1800s!
reply
Amazing history. Lord Armstrong bought the rights to develop the Poulsen Arc in the US for $500K. I've always wanted to dig deeper into that story. Another Dane worked with Poulsen named Peder Olaf Pedersen. he wrote some amazing books on electrical discharges. Poulsen also developed the wire recorder in the late 1800s!
reply
zh84
I thought I knew about the history of electricity, but I had no idea whatever about arc transmitters and the negative resistance of arcs. Thank you for enlightening me. The use of the negative resistance of the arc to amplify a signal is, with completely different technology, reminiscent of a tunnel diode!
reply
I thought I knew about the history of electricity, but I had no idea whatever about arc transmitters and the negative resistance of arcs. Thank you for enlightening me. The use of the negative resistance of the arc to amplify a signal is, with completely different technology, reminiscent of a tunnel diode!
reply
Daniele
2: 50 I think that a better explanation of negative resistance characteristic of arc is that increasing the current lead to lowering the voltage drop across the arc itself, while in regular ohmic resistance increase in current will result in increasing voltage across the resistor (E=IR.
reply
2: 50 I think that a better explanation of negative resistance characteristic of arc is that increasing the current lead to lowering the voltage drop across the arc itself, while in regular ohmic resistance increase in current will result in increasing voltage across the resistor (E=IR.
reply
richaarrd1
Arc Lamps were used in theater film projectors well into the 60s. I know because I spent many hours testing motion picture film products in a projection room. subsequently, the arcs in the projectors were replaced by Xenon lamps. I'm old enough to be a film historian. lol
reply
Arc Lamps were used in theater film projectors well into the 60s. I know because I spent many hours testing motion picture film products in a projection room. subsequently, the arcs in the projectors were replaced by Xenon lamps. I'm old enough to be a film historian. lol
reply
Przemysaw
Read about Ballard find out wreckage od titanic on the bottom of the sea. This ship seen from Titanic wasnt californian. Captain of californian couldnt stand accusesion of being 1000 time killer and committed suicide. His son restored his name after Ballards discovery.
reply
Read about Ballard find out wreckage od titanic on the bottom of the sea. This ship seen from Titanic wasnt californian. Captain of californian couldnt stand accusesion of being 1000 time killer and committed suicide. His son restored his name after Ballards discovery.
reply
Joel
I finished an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering without learning about anything except computers and integrated circuits. I finally got some classes on power systems in grad school, but I still don't know much about communications. Thank you for these videos.
reply
I finished an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering without learning about anything except computers and integrated circuits. I finally got some classes on power systems in grad school, but I still don't know much about communications. Thank you for these videos.
reply
Peter
Interesting! I had a great uncle by marriage who was a telegraph operator on the night shift in Newfoundland when the Titanic sent its SOS. He listened to the unfolding drama in Morse code in real time. I am not aware that he recorded it though. What a night.
reply
Interesting! I had a great uncle by marriage who was a telegraph operator on the night shift in Newfoundland when the Titanic sent its SOS. He listened to the unfolding drama in Morse code in real time. I am not aware that he recorded it though. What a night.
reply
Raymond
As I understand it, the rotary gap was the means of transmitter used on the Titanic. This was a
rotor with equally spaced teeth around it, spun a fraction of an inch from a very high voltage.
a capacitor wired to a coil is a so called 'Tank circuit'
reply
As I understand it, the rotary gap was the means of transmitter used on the Titanic. This was a
rotor with equally spaced teeth around it, spun a fraction of an inch from a very high voltage.
a capacitor wired to a coil is a so called 'Tank circuit'
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
