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eventREF E-0011447Revised

Event record

South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high

Date
7 Sep 1922
Updated
30 Sep 2019
South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high

During the South African War in 1899, Marconi wireless equipment was tested in South Africa, with mixed results. Land-based military radio proved problematic, but five Marconi installations on naval cruisers in 1900 proved successful. By 1912, there were Marconi stations all over the world, including South Africa, which was then part of the British Empire. On 7 September 1922, South Africa concluded an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high powered radio station, in the same year that radio was revealed to the public for the first time at the Great Empire Exhibition. In 1926, developments took place to build an Imperial Wireless Chain around the world, which brought further wireless construction to South Africa, which operated on a shortwave system. This was known as the Imperial Beam system, and Marconi Beam still refers to a place in Cape Town where this technology was used.

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How we know this

  1. 01Mampone, Gab (2005) 'The SABC- 70 years of broadcasting' ,from the Bizcommunity, 01December, [online] Available at: www.bizcommunity.com [Accessed 30 August 2010]
  2. 02Encyclopedia Britannica, Marconi Wireless Telegraphy Company of American, [online], Available at www.britannica.com [Accessed: 06 September 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011447

South African History Online (2011) 'South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011447 (Accessed: 11 August 2026).

South African History Online, South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011447, (accessed 11 August 2026).

"South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011447. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "South Africa concludes an agreement with the Marconi Company for a high." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011447.

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