Marconi pictured in 1896 with an early Spark Gap transmitter and receiver that could send and receive Morse Code.

Marconi was born on April 25th 1874 and was brought up in England and Italy. He attended scientific lectures given by Augusto Righi and did much work on the development of radio. By 1895 Marconi had made experimental transmissions using 'Hertzian Waves' over several kilometers in Italy.  In 1896 he moved to London where the benefits of the wireless telegraphy system were demonstrated to General Post Office and Armed Forces.  After much development work Marconi made the first radio transmission across the Atlantic from Poldhu, Cornwall to Signal Hill, St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada in December 1901. Marconi is often credited with the invention of radio, but perhaps he should be credited with the bringing together of many other scientists work to evolve a workable wireless communication system.  However even this statement can be challenged, since it is probable that the Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovitch Popov actually stole the lead over Marconi's work. Read more about Alexander Popov HERE

Marconi's very first trans-Atlantic transmission involved sending the letter S in Morse Code from his station at Poldhu, which was received at Signal Hill, Newfoundland, using a large antenna suspended from a kite.  The signal heard was just the three faint clicks dot dot dot  that denote the letter S in Morse.  After much more development work Marconi's radio system would provide the world with one of the most important communication tools known to mankind.

Marconi's work was a tremendous achievement and the fitment of Marconi's wireless telegraphy sets, which used Morse Code, to ocean going ships saved the lives of over 700 passengers aboard the Titanic which sank in April 1912.  The distress calls were sent out to near-by shipping using the Marconi apparatus and were received by the Carpathia which was to effect a rescue.  Marconi's work was widely credited for saving the lives of hundreds of people.

2MT CHELMSFORD

It was the invention of the Thermionic Valve, by Flemming and De Forest, in 1906 that allowed Marconi to eventually produce a reliable 'Carrier Wave' that would carry voice and music from the experimental station 2MT in 1920, rather than the spark-gap transmitters that had been used to produce the dots and dashes used by the Morse Code signals for the previous twenty years.

In October 1922 the government did indeed grant the British Broadcasting Company a licence to operate and November 14th 1922 saw the official opening of the BBC London station 2LO on a wavelength of 369 meters from Marconi House on The Strand. On 15th November 1922 the BBC was registered and the BBC Manchester station 2ZY was officially opened on 375 meters transmitting from the Metropolitan Vickers Electricity works in Old Trafford.  On November 16th BBC Birmingham opened with 5IT transmitting from the General Electric Company works at Witton using 420 meters.  BBC Newcastle, 5NO, was the last station to open in 1922 from a transmitter at Eldon Square using 400 meters.  These 'main' stations broadcast with a power of 1.5 kilowatts.

2LO in The Strand, London

1924 saw more expansion with the opening of 5PY Plymouth on 28th March, the 2EH Edinburgh relay of 5SC on May 1st and in June stations 6LV and 2LS were opened to bring a relay of 2ZY to Liverpool and Leeds/Bradford.  On September 15th 1924 BBC Belfast, 2BE, was opened.  Other relay stations were also opened;  6KH in Hull; 5NG in Nottingham; 2DE in Dundee; 6ST in Stoke on Trent and 5SX in Swansea, which opened on the 12th December 1924.  The relay stations in the system broadcast with a power of 100 watts.

During 1923 the number of radio receiving licences, which cost 10 shillings, grew to 500,000 driven by the high quality programmes transmitted.  BBC London, 2LO, moved from Marconi House to new studios at Savoy Hill, while BBC Birmingham, 5IT, moved to new studios at The Picture House on New Street, and on November 14th John Reith became Managing Director of the BBC and declared that the BBC must bring the best broadcasting to the widest possible number of homes.

In February 1924 the Greenwich Time signal ("The Pips") was broadcast for the first time on BBC radio.

	1924 advertisement for the Pye Two Valve radio. W.G. Pye and Co began manufacturing radio sets as early as 1920 and supplied complete valved radios and components to early the radio enthusiasts. Many early radio listeners opted for crystal sets, which required no electricity or batteries and were very much cheaper than valved radios which could cost around £7 for a simple one valve model.  Crystal sets only provide headphone reception and need relatively strong signals.  A popular, and even cheaper option was for listeners to build their own receiver.  W.G. Pye could supply many of the necessary components.
Not UK radio - But a Czechoslovakian Crystal Set with galena detector
THE CRYSTAL SET and Other Home Made Radio Sets In the 1920's buying a radio was a very expensive proposal when considered as a proportion of earnings.  Some people may have saved up for a long time to buy a commercially built radio but in the early days of radio this proposition would have been mainly the rich. The alternative to buying a commercially made set was to build a home made radio.  The most popular type was a Crystal Set which could be built from bits and pieces.  This was a time of 'Make Do And Mend' when many things would be repaired and fixed and others would be home made, such as clothes and even food (!) - so making a radio was just another example. A crystal set has no power from mains or batteries, and simply relies on the energy from the radio waves that are collected in its large long-wire aerial to work.  The aerial for a crystal set may have to be many tens of yards long to be able to pick up enough signal for anything to be heard in the headphones.  Compared to a commercially made radio, a crystal set is very 'deaf' and needed a strong signal to work, therefore the broadcaster had to consider the power of transmitters so that as many people as possible could hear the programme.  In time the original low power transmitters of 1 or 2 kilowatts would be replaced with much higher power transmitters of  30 to 50 kilowatts. Apart from the crystal set, the more adventurous could experiment with a radio based on a thermionic valve (the predecessor to today's transistor) that would amplify the radio signals and the sounds so that weaker signals that a crystal set could not reproduce would be heard.  A valve radio would require more electronic components and both low voltage and high voltage batteries for it to work, making it a more expensive proposition.

LONG WAVE

Until 1924 the BBC had been providing local programmes on the medium waves from the chain of relatively low power transmitters established around the country.  In June of that year 5XX, a new experimental transmitting station at Chelmsford, was opened using the long waves enabling the BBC to be heard over most of the country and also overseas with an alternative national programme enabling people in Britain, who were beyond reach of a local medium wave transmitter, to hear the BBC. 

The experimental long wave station at Chelmsford was deemed a great success and to a permanent site was sought out and on July 25th 1925 the 5XX transmitter was moved to Daventry in Northamptonshire.  Daventry was a more centralised location and with a new more powerful 25kW transmitter on 1562 meters (187.5 kHz) enabled improved coverage across the UK.  By this time there were over 1½ million radio receivers in use, many were still crystal sets, but valved radios which could amplify the signals enough to enable loudspeaker operation, though more expensive, gradually gained popularity.

With the new 5XX Daventry station in operation the BBC experimented with stereophonic broadcasts for the first time with a concert from Manchester being broadcast from all transmitters, 5XX longwave transmitting the right hand channel, while the local mediumwave stations broadcast the left hand channel.

The BBC's licence expired 31st December 1926 and a government committee had recommended that the BBC should be replaced with a public authority.  In 1927 the British Broadcasting Company was therefore nationalised and became the British Broadcasting Corporation with the granting of the first 10 year Royal Charter.  While the BBC was no longer an independent commercial company, the aim of the charter was that it would remain independent of central government interference as the corporation would, from there on, be overseen by an appointed Board of Governors, John Reith being the first Director General (DG).


THE REGIONAL SCHEME

On 21st August 1927 the BBC opened the new 5GB station at the Daventry transmitting site using medium waves, this brought a new Regional Programme as an alternative to the longwave National  Programme to the Midland Region.  5GB was a new departure for the BBC, not only did it mark the start of a new policy 'The Regional Scheme', but it also required a high power transmitter of between 30 - 50 kilowatts, bigger than any transmitter previously built . 

With the successful establishment of 5GB at Daventry the Regional Programme was provided on Medium Wave, while the National Programme could be broadcast from  the 5XX longwave transmitter.  The Geneva Plan of 1926 had reduced the number of medium wave frequencies available to the BBC so from now on the BBC would develop this pattern of services under The Regional Scheme.  It was this development that  led to the eventual demise of the original pioneering local stations such as 2LO, 2ZY and 5IT by 1931. 

The new Regional Scheme required the BBC to build new, more powerful, transmitting stations that could carry both the National Programme and the Regional Programme services to the whole country.  The first station to be purpose built for the scheme was Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire a meticulously chosen site capable of providing signals to London and the South East.  The station was a huge undertaking, using four large lattice towers, two towers used to support the aerial system for each service. 

The Brookmans Park station opened in 1929 using wavelengths of 261 meters for the National Programme at 70 kilowatts and 356 meters for the Regional Programme at 40 kilowatts.  Because the National Programme used shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies) the range was somewhat less than that of the Regional Programme on 356 meters, however the longwave transmitter 5XX at Daventry also transmitted the National Programme and would fill in any areas of poorer reception.  The BBC ensured that the new transmission arrangements would provide robust reception for listeners with both valved radios and humble crystal sets which were still being used.

Eventually similar high power ("Twin Wave") stations would eventually be built at Droitwich, Moorside Edge, Washford Cross and Westerglen.  Additional high power regional transmitting stations were also established at Lisnagarvey ('N.Ireland' on 977 kHz at 100 kW), Burghead ('Scottish' on 767 kHz at 60 kW), Stagshaw ('North' on 1122 kHz at 60 kW), Clevedon ('West' on 1475 kHz at 20 kW) and Start Point ('West' on 1050 kHz at 100 kW).  Additionally Penmon and Redmoss carried lower powered (5kW) transmissions of the Welsh and Scottish regional programme.

SHORT WAVE


NORMANDIE CALLING

The programmes were comparatively lively and fun, and financed by advertising, Philco being an early sponsor.  Henleys, a car sales company, successfully launched the SS1 motor car on the station.  This proved to sceptics that radio advertising really worked.  Henley's went on to become a chain of car showrooms and repair garages from which later Jaguars, Rovers, Land-Rovers, etc, were sold, while SS Cars (aka Swallow Sidecars) went on to become Jaguar Cars! Radio Normandie could be heard across Southern England and beyond and proved to be such a success with the audience that programmes were expanded in 1932 and ran from 6pm to 3am.  Roy Plomley and Bob Danvers-Walker were voices that could be heard on Radio Normandie in the late 1930's, along with commercials voiced by Gracie Fields.

Meanwhile in May 1932 the BBC moved to new headquarters at Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London also commencing experiments with the Baird 30 line mechanical television system, while on December 19th The Empire Service was inaugurated. As 1933 arrived so did Radio Luxembourg, using a large 200kW transmitter on 1190 meters longwave, English programmes started in June running from 5pm to midnight.  Like Radio Normandie the programmes were of a less formal nature than those provided by the BBC and also funded by advertising and sponsorship.  Again the programmes proved to be a hit with the British listening public and by December 3rd 1933 Radio Luxembourg had expanded English programmes to run from 3.30 pm to midnight.

Pye model MM 6 valve radio of 1932 with the Pye trademark Rising Sun loudspeaker grille

AUDIO    LISTEN TO - "THE SET MAKERS" a feature broadcast on RADIO NETHERLANDS and narrated by Jonathan Marks and Nick Meanwell.  1.18 MB [32 kbs]

In 1934 the BBC was still experimenting with television, but dropped the Baird 30 line experimental system in favour Baird's new 240 line system.  The Selsdon Committee (Jan '35) recommended that the BBC trial the Baird 240 line system alongside the Marconi-EMI 405 line electronic method, which used the Emitron electronic camera.  Radio was still being expanded and the BBC moved the 5XX longwave station from Daventry to its new home at Droitwich in October 1934. 

On 17th February 1935 the BBC moved Midlands regional transmitter from Daventry to Droitwich to form the Midlands 'twin-wave' station, on the same day BBC Belfast was renamed BBC Northern Ireland and changed wavelength from 267 to 307 meters, with improved reception.  In June the BBC installed a mast, studio and television transmitter at Alexandra Palace and continued experiments using the Marconi-EMI 405 line system alongside the Baird 240 line system.  Vision was on 45 MHz while sound used 41.5 MHz.  A regular television service started from Alexandra Palace in November the competing systems being trialled one at a time on alternate weeks. 

After two years of regular experimental television transmissions the Television Advisory Committee  recommended that the BBC adopt the 405 line Marconi-EMI system in January 1937.   Sir John Reith, who incidentally was quite unimpressed by the new medium, retired from the BBC in June 1938.  He did not want to leave his post, but had effectively been pushed by a government that no longer wanted such an independent minded man at the helm of the national broadcaster at a time of impending war.  At 10pm he asked to be driven from Broadcasting House to Droitwich, where he closed down the transmitters for the last time as Director General.  

The BBC started the European service in September 1938 with programmes in German, Italian and French.   From February 1938 listeners across Eire and parts of Western Britain had been able to hear a new service from Radio Eireann on 531 meters. 

I.T.M.A.

The very popular comedy series It's That Man Again (ITMA), starring Tommy Handley, began in the summer of 1939.  ITMA was to become a classic radio series that ran for ten years until Tommy Handley's death in 1949.  It was set on board a commercial pirate radio ship and gained it's unusual title from a popular phrase at the time:  Newspapers reporting another Adolf Hitler story would often write "It's that man again" as the headline.  It was not long after the ITMA programme made its first appearance on radio that the crisis with Hitler caused war to break out.  Germany invaded Poland on 1st September, annexing Danzig,  Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on 3rd September 1939.

RADIO DURING THE WAR YEARS

War broke out in 1939 and the nature of programmes provided by the BBC was quickly changed to adapt to the situation.  The experimental television service was closed and the Regional and National radio programmes were replaced by a single Home Service.  This was supplemented by the overseas European Service and later the Forces Programme.

On September 1st the BBC quickly closed its television service from Alexandra Palace for fear of the German air force being able to use the television signals for direction finding.  The National and Regional Programmes were replaced with one Home Service programme transmitted on two frequencies; 668kHz and 767kHz with the groups of transmitters synchronised together to impede direction finding capabilities.   The old Daventry 5XX longwave transmitter was converted to medium wave operation and joined the Home Service group.

The 150kW Droitwich longwave transmitter was also converted to medium wave operation and together with the other former National Programme transmitters, was synchronised on 1149kHz and broadcast the European Service during the hours of darkness.  At a later date the Start Point transmitter in South East Devon was converted for use on 1149 kHz and together with Droitwich these two transmitters broadcast the European Service, leaving other transmitters available for a new third service (the Forces Programme) to be added.

The synchronisation of the Home Service transmitters on to just two frequencies caused many interference problems for domestic listeners, with one Home Service transmitter interfering with another on the same frequency.  To overcome this problem the BBC initially installed a network of 61 low power relay stations around the UK using 203 meters (1474 kHz) called 'Group H', and which was later expanded.  This network of low power relays filled in the coverage gaps from the main transmitters.  All of the Group H stations were manned 24 hours per day so that any single transmitter could be quickly closed down should there be an air raid.

Radio Luxembourg closed the English service on September 21st 1939, followed later the same year by Radio Normandie. 

On 7th January 1940 the BBC Forces Programmes was introduced on 877kHz mediumwave.  At midnight on July 20th 1941 the BBC commenced its "V  for Victory" campaign.  The "V for Victory" broadcasts started with a message  from Prime Minister Winston Churchill directed towards the European countries then occupied by the Nazis.  "The V sign is the symbol of the unconquerable will of the people of the occupied territories and a portent of the fate awaiting the Nazi tyranny."  From then on the BBC's broadcasts employed a call-sign that used the opening bars of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, which has the same  rhythm as the morse code for the letter V (dot dot dot dash).

Subsequently the 5XX transmitter at Daventry, the Droitwich transmitter and a new transmitter installed at Brookmans Park were established as a longwave group of transmitters to broadcast the European Service on 200kHz, later joined by a high power transmitter at Ottringham in the East Yorkshire Riding, in February 1943, also using 200kHz.  The Ottringham transmitting station was a massive affair consisting of six 500 feet high mast and 800 kilowatt transmitters.

On June 4th 1943 (see note below) the American Forces Network (AFN) was established on 344 meters, this provided an uplifting service of record programmes that was popular with the American forces based around Europe.  AFN also proved popular with British audiences who could hear records and music, including jazz and country styles, not normally heard on the BBC.

It was the popularity of AFN and the increasing numbers of American forces based in Britain that encouraged the BBC to 'fine tune' their Forces Programme, renaming it The General Forces Programme , and lightening up the output giving it a wider appeal with material that would be popular with the American troops.  The station adopted a more American style and played more American material.  This new sound was a big hit and certainly helped the listeners endure those troubled times.

(Note: The date of the start of the AFN service has not been fully established and June 1943 is the only date I can find at the moment and this may be slightly inaccurate.)

More about OTTRINGHAM on the BBC website.


What About These Wavelengths?

Before we move on to part 2 and post-war radio you may want to know more about the various wavelengths (frequencies) that have been used by radio in the UK.  A great many wavelength changes have occurred over time, especially in the early years as the number of transmitting stations rapidly expanded into an ever more crowded radio 'dial'.  The numerous changes were made to accommodate all the new stations with the minimum of interference being caused.

I cannot list all the wavelengths used, or offer a blow by blow account of all the frequency and transmitter re-organisations that have taken place in my brief history, but Martin Watkins kindly sent me an Excel spreadsheet of all the medium wave (AM) radio frequencies that have been used year on year from the 1920's to today.  This is a task that has so far taken very many hours of hard graft on Martin's part.  We think it is the definitive list of all time.  Please download the AM Frequency listing by clicking HERE.  Thank you Martin it is an amazing achievement!  The file is about 372KB, and is very well worth looking at.  Martin kindly refined and updated the list on 15th January 2008!

FM Too!  - Martin has very kindly compiled an additional comprehensive FM transmitter listing, and that can be downloaded HERE.
And DAB - Here

Problems? Can't unzip zipped files?  Can't view spreadsheets?  Then check out the links below:

( You can obtain the excellent ALZIP for free HERE  or   QUICKZIP for free from HERE )

( If you don't have a spreadsheet programme on your computer then you can download OPEN-OFFICE for free HERE )

Credits: Some photographs presented here are from Pye Wireless advertising material while others are from unknown sources.  Other information has been gleaned from radio features produced by BBC Radio and LBC / IRN and from BBCi.

END OF PART ONE - Move on to UK RADIO - A Brief history - Part Two (Post War)
UK RADIO - A Brief history - Part Three
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