Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900-1910

Made:
1900-1910 in United Kingdom
Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Three quarter rear view on graduated grey background. From Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Side view on graduated grey background. From a colour Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Oblique three quarter rear view on graduated grey

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Three quarter rear view on graduated grey background. From
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Side view on graduated grey background. From a colour
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Early Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, 1900. Oblique three quarter rear view on graduated grey
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, unknown maker, British, 1900-1910

The coherer was the first practical device for detecting Hertzian waves. Its most familiar form was a tube containing metal filings or turnings loosely packed between metal plugs. This presented a high resistance to current but changed to low resistance in the presence of electric waves because the filings 'cohered' or stuck together. In order to restore the high-resistance state the tube needed to be given a mechanical tap or jolt. Filings coherers were fitted with clockwork or other arrangements for driving a 'tapper' to provide continual mechanical agitation. Marconi brought the coherer to its most efficient form and it was used with receiving sets in wireless telegraphy equipment used by the Royal Navy.

Details

Category:
Radio Communication
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy), copper (alloy), ebonite, glass, paint, plastic (unidentified), steel (metal) and wood (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall: 115 mm x 100 mm x 170 mm, 1.07 kg
Identifier:
1923-396
type:
coherer
taxonomy:
  • component - object
  • radio receiver
credit:
Donated by M Child