The Marconi Wireless Installation in RMS Titanic

Introduction

• The Titanic’s Marconi wireless set played a crucial role during the disaster, sending distress signals after the ship struck an iceberg.
• The Titanic’s wireless set was more advanced than initially planned, featuring a 5-kW plain spark installation and a synchronous rotary spark discharger.

Wireless Suite Location

• The wireless suite on Titanic was located on the Boat Deck, inboard on the centerline, unlike the Olympic, where it was against the port side.
• The suite included the Silent Room (for noisy transmitting equipment), the Marconi Room (for operators’ workstations and receiving equipment), and the Bed Room (for operators’ berthing).

Transmitting Set

• The transmitting apparatus converted direct current from the ship’s electrical mains into high-power, radio-frequency oscillations.
• Key components included a motor-generator, a transformer, a main condenser, and a synchronous rotary spark gap.
• The set could operate on both long (600-meter) and short (300-meter) waves.

Receiving Set

• The receiving apparatus converted electromagnetic energy from the aerial into audible signals.
• It included a magnetic detector, a Marconi multiple tuner, and a telephone condenser.
• A Marconi valve receiver served as a backup.

Aerial

• Titanic was fitted with a Marconi twin “T” type aerial, with horizontal wires strung between the ship’s two masts.
• The aerial’s fundamental wavelength was 325 meters, suitable for both long and short wave transmissions.

Emergency Set

• An auxiliary Plain Aerial Coil Set was provided for emergencies, capable of producing a plain spark and operating for at least 6 hours.
• It was powered by eight chloride accumulators and included a 10-inch induction coil.

Ancillary Equipment

• Additional equipment included pneumatic conveyor tubes for message transfer, a shunted buzzer, a galvanometer, and a portable wavemeter.