7 Guglielmo Marconi 7transmitter of 1 kilowatt at Poldhu, Cornwall, signals were
received at a distance of 1,400 miles (2,250 km). These
signals were much louder than those from Caernarfon,
Wales, on a wavelength several hundred times as great and
with 100 times the power at the transmitter. Thus began
the development of shortwave wireless communication
that, with the use of the beam aerial system for concen-
trating the energy in the desired direction, is the basis of
most modern long-distance radio communication. In 1924
the Marconi company obtained a contract from the post
office to establish shortwave communication between
England and the countries of the British Commonwealth.
A few years later Marconi returned to the study of still
shorter waves of about 20 inches (50 cm). At these very
short wavelengths, a parabolic reflector of moderate size
gives a considerable increase in power in the desired
direction. Experiments conducted off the coast of Italy
on the yacht Elettra soon showed that useful ranges of
communication could be achieved with low-powered
transmitters. In 1932, using very short wavelengths,
Marconi installed a radiotelephone system between
Vatican City and the pope’s palace at Castel Gandolfo. In
later work Marconi once more demonstrated that even
radio waves as short as 22 inches (55 cm) are not limited
in range to the horizon or to optical distance between
transmitter and receiver.
Marconi received many honours and several honorary
degrees. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics
(1909) for the development of wireless telegraphy; sent as
plenipotentiary delegate to the peace conference in Paris
(1919), in which capacity he signed the peace treaties with
Austria and with Bulgaria; created marchese and nominated
to the Italian senate (1929); and chosen president of the
Royal Italian Academy (1930).