Pre-1900 - The Theory and Foundation
1600
William Gilbert suggests a link between static electricity and magnetism.1831
Michael Faraday discovers electromagnetic induction - the action of induced electrical current in a wire crossing lines of magnetic force.
Faraday
1838
K.A. Steinheil of Munich shows that one of two wires used in overland telegraphy could be dispensed with by using an earth ground. He looked forward to a time that the second wire could also be eliminated, and 'wireless' telegraphy could be used.1842
Joseph Henry calls attention to oscillatory discharges of a Leyden Jar, or condenser.1844
Samuel F.B. Morse sends the first message of any distance by Telegraph - about 40 miles. The message -"What hath God wrought!" The wired Telegraph and Morse Code are the first long distance, instant communication system the world has known.
Morse
1846
Faraday suggests that light and electricity may be different manifestations of the same force.1864
James Clerk Maxwell formulates "Maxwell's Equations", which account for the actions of electromagnetic waves.Mahlon Loomis makes a sketch of a vertical top-capacity loaded aerial with a keying device and an indicator, all in series to ground. He wrote a brief description of how the system would "remit shocks (to the atmosphere) affecting a distant reciprocating apparatus"
1865
Mahlon Loomis transmits wireless telegraph messages between two mountains in Virginia.Loomis used two kites flown 18 miles apart, each carrying a 600 foot wire that reached to the ground. When he interrupted the flow of electricity from the atmosphere, through the wire, to an earth ground, a galvonometer on the other kites wire measured a change in current.
He also made note of dark clouds passing over his apparatus causing too much electricity to be collected by the aerials...causing him to shut down operations.
1872
On July 30th, Patent # 129,971 is granted to Mahlon Loomis by the United States Government for a form of wireless communication.1873
The "Loomis Aerial Telegraph Company" is incorporated.1874
Karl Ferdinand Braun discovers 'one way conduction' in metal sulfide crystals.1875
Werner Siemens shows that electricity travels along a wire with a velocity approximately equal to that of light.1876
Alexander G. Bell demonstrates the telephone.1877
Thomas A. Edison records sound on cylinders. The first recording - "Mary had a little lamb." 134K Wav
1878
Edison begins work on the electric light.
1879
The Berlin Academy of Sciences offers a prize to the scientist who can show experimentally that a changing electric field generates a transient electric field, and vice-versa.The challenge is taken up by, among others...Heinrich Hertz.
Continue to 1899
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