Marconi radio aboard the Titanic to be retrieved

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wa8pyr

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Fascinating. Plans afoot to retrieve the Marconi radio equipment from the Titanic. ARRL Letter

That would be neat trick, since there was a lot of wood in those things. Probably not much left.

Not sure I agree with going into the wreck to retrieve artifacts; it's like robbing a grave. 500 years from now is one thing, but it's only 108 years ago; I wouldn't be too thrilled with someone digging into my great-great-grandparents graves to poke around for artifacts.

Going in to do nothing more than take photos to aid in creating an accurate recreation would be OK.
 

a417

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couple of interesting things caught my eye;

"The company with sole rights..." & "A just-signed treaty between the UK and the US grants both countries authority to allow or deny access to the wreck and to remove items found outside the vessel. "

I guess money talks.
 

KD2DXF

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While it might be a cool museum piece, I dont understand the reasoning for spending the couple hundred thousand dollars or more to make this happen. But on the flip side. I see why they would want to try to save some pieces, before it is completely lost to Davy Jones Locker. I think there wouldn't be too much left of the original radio after all this time either.
 

ko6jw_2

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For a whole lot less money you could visit the Titanic Museum in Belfast and see reproductions of the ship including the radio room. One of the problems in 1912 was that the radio room was owned by Marconi for the purpose of making money transmitting telegrams for passengers. Ships of that era did not maintain radio watches for the safety of the ship. They were private for profit operations. Of course, that changed after the Titanic sank.
 

dvendt

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I would find Marconi's original plans and specs and make an "exact" working replica. Alot cheaper and probably alot easier.
 

w4amp

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It is an underwater tomb. I say leave it alone. I understand the interest in the historic radio equipment, but feel respect for the dead outweighs it.
 

Turtleham

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The American Museum of Radio and Electronics in Bellingham WA has a recreation of the Titanic's radio room, with contemporary furniture and electronics. Why anyone would spend so much heaving a heap of eroded and useless material from the depths is beyond me. Go to Bellingham.
 

RandyKuff

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Don't know if any of you have seen this National Geographic vid... "Drain the Titanic"
It's from about 2 1/2 years ago...
The technology they used to do this blew me away...


 

RadioDitch

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On the land side of the Titanic's radio history is also a loss in need of saving. Unfortunately the museum at Cape Race, where the Myrick boys received and handled much of the Titanic's radio traffic that faithful morning, is now a shell of it's former self. All the radio equipment was removed by a volunteer who has since retired, and there isn't a whole lot left expect some sign displays.
 

Izod

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The operating frequency was set actually by the available dimension of the ships fore and aft masts at 325 meters. The 2 frequencies were 1 MHz (300m) and 500 kHz (600m). Being the second harmonic made the installation easily able to have a “long” and a “short” wave channel. The change was effected by the simple change of the HV condenser bank from parallel (long wave) to series (short wave), and a few changes to the series inductors. The equipment provided a 250 mile daytime range and a 2000 mile nighttime range. An emergency radio provision was designed for an 80 miles range.
 
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