Ham radio

It is common knowledge that, since its first steps, radio was applied in maritime communications, breaking the isolation of ships once they left their harbour.

The city of La Spezia can be considered the “cradle” of radio in Italy, not only because here Marconi made his first official Italian experiments (July 1897), but also because, in the following period, the Italian Navy lavished in the Arsenal of La Spezia, men and resources to develop and improve Marconi's invention.

Marconi was also a Navy Officer: the ties between the Navy, Marconi and the Radio are therefore absolutely evident.

Moreover, radio became an irreplaceable instrument (beacons, radars) for navigation safety and safeguard of human life in the seas.

The Italian Association of Amateur Radio Operators (/Associazione Radioamatori Italiani, /A.R.I.) will develop the theme of maritime radiocommunications and the role that radio had (and still has today) in the safeguard of human life in the sea and, more in general, as an aid for navigation and safety (broadcasts of weather forecasts, etc.)

Within the “Urban Center” heirlooms related to the topic (radios for maritime usage, especially for emergencies in case of a shipwreck, supplied to the emergency longboats), telegraph keys (the Morse telegraphic alphabet was used in the maritime field for a century), audiovisuals on the topic of maritime radiocommunications, images, documents on the wireless telegraphy operators (also known as “marconists”).

There will be a functioning shortwave radio station (same wavelength used for the maritime radio services), to show how it was (and still is) possible to communicate at long distances without using satellites, as it is instead common nowadays.

Saturday 18^th June, at 18.00 there will be the seminar
“G.Marconi and La Spezia: the radio and the sea”