Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The mobile communications of World War One

Mark Bridge writes:

Unmanned drone aircraft are flown by pilots thousands of miles away, while hackers attempt to intercept their transmissions. Temporary WiFi connections offer internet access to soldiers working at army bases in unfamiliar countries, prompting warnings about sharing too much information on social networks. Civilians transmit live video coverage of military activity from their mobile phones, putting themselves at risk of being targeted.

It’s clear that communications technology has transformed 21st century warfare.

What may not be so obvious are the ways that wireless communications played a part in the First World War... and the concerns about security that remain with us today.

Radio had proved its worth at sea before the war when the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg in 1912. The stricken liner sent a Morse Code radio distress call that was received by RMS Carpathia. As a result, more than 700 people were rescued from the Atlantic Ocean. During WW1, all the major navies used radio equipment - and were also aware of the risks involved with wireless technology. Communications could be overheard and could even be located by the enemy. As a result, ships tended to avoid sending messages unless it was essential. Instead, radio was used mainly for receiving one-way messages. Submarines had a greater problem: they could only communicate when they were on or very near the surface, risking discovery.

And there was another issue that affected everyone using wireless during the 1914-1918 conflict. Most equipment at the beginning of the war wasn’t capable of sending voice by radio, which meant Morse or military codes needed to be ‘tapped out’ by hand and translated by radio operators.

The danger of intercepted messages wasn’t just restricted to the sea. Direction-finding receivers were also used on battlefields, causing land-based forces to be cautious as well. While messages to and from the frontline were sometimes delivered by motorcyclist dispatch riders, it wasn’t unusual to see carrier pigeons and messenger dogs being employed. Similarly, semaphore flags and lights were utilised when field telephone lines weren’t practical. But this didn’t prevent radio equipment from being carried into battle by horse-drawn vehicles or trucks on occasions.

Radio equipment was bulky, which is one of the reasons it wasn’t used much in aircraft at the start of the Great War. Antennas were long and batteries were heavy. Yet by the end of the war, wireless communications had evolved dramatically. In 1918, several hundred RAF aircraft had been fitted with two-way radios that could transmit voices, enabling an informal version of Air Traffic Control. Transmissions were used in a different way by the pilots of German Zeppelin airships; they listened to radio signals in order to track their own location as they flew towards England.

Wireless technology was in its infancy at the time of the First World War. However, the benefits and the risks were already clear to military commanders. Although the technology has developed in the past 100 years, many of those risks and benefits remain largely unchanged. It’s still a challenge to ensure your message is heard by the right people... and not overheard by the wrong ones.

Mark Bridge is a freelance copywriter who’s easily distracted by any kind of vintage wireless technology. He’s also one of the team behind The Fonecast, which produces podcasts about the UK mobile phone industry every week.
Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Categories: Networks and operators, OpinionNumber of views: 15316

Tags: opinion location military

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Opinion Articles

World class, my a**e!

Iain Graham writes:

I recently had to, as a last resort, call the customer service department of a large communications company about a problem I currently have with a piece of equipment. I know I could have looked in the 150-page accompanying instruction manual but I haven't got half my life to spare! (as I mentioned in my previous blog piece on handsets!)

Businesses these days are telling us "Customer service has been outsourced to the Indian subcontinent and technologically streamlined in order to offer our customers a better, more efficient service"!

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Don’t be a not-so-early adopter

Mark Bridge writes:

So – you’re thinking about buying a new mobile phone. A smartphone. And yes, I mean a real smartphone, not just something with a touchscreen that looks nice.

I know, I know. You’re tempted by the iPhone. It’s all those apps, isn’t it?  100,000 and counting.

Yet Android is catching up. Admittedly it’s still got a long way to go to match that six-figure total… but the signs are certainly there.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Probably the best Bluetooth headset brand in the world

Mark Bridge writes:

I really don’t want to make a habit of pointing at surveys and laughing – or even scratching my head in the kind of theatrical gesture used by Stan Laurel – but I should imagine there was some wry amusement at Strategy Analytics this week.

They’d been talking to car owners in Europe and the USA about their preferred brand for Bluetooth headsets and speakerphones. In the United States, 45% of respondents said Bose was their preferred brand. Excellent news for Bose. Excellent news for Bose stockists. Except...

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Movon MB80 Bluetooth handsfree wristband review

Mark Bridge writes:

I’m always on the lookout for technology that’ll make life easier. That’s one of the reasons the Movon MB80 caught my eye. It’s a Bluetooth handsfree unit that you wear on your wrist. The MB80 is designed for the times your phone’s not convenient and you don’t want to miss a call – but you also don’t want to wear a Bluetooth headset. Perhaps you’re playing sports or are out for an evening with friends. The Movon Bluetooth wristband rings or vibrates when someone calls – and then can be used as a handsfree loudspeaker.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: 4.0

"Cancer" mobile phone headlines don't help anybody

James Rosewell writes:

"Mobile: new cancer alert" - The Daily Telegraph

The front page of Saturday's Telegraph led with the headline "Mobiles: new cancer alert" re-igniting fears about mobile phone usage. The centrepiece of the article is "a £20 million, decade long investigation, overseen by the World Health Organization (WHO) will publish evidence that heavy [mobile phone] users face a higher risk of developing brain tumors later in life". How should this topic be reported and what will it mean for our industry?

Author: The Fonecast
1 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First105106107108110112113114Last

Recent Podcasts

Reviewing our 2015 mobile industry predictions... and looking forward to 2016

Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Podcast - 6th March 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Looking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

Podcast - 27th February 2015

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
12345678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«March 2025»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
242526272812
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31123456

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement