Essay Sample on Women Pioneers of Early Radio: Global Fame & Recognition

Introduction

The role of women in the development of the early radio forms one of the hotly discussed topics in its history. Fundamentally, the communication age stared with the development of the wireless telegraphy around 1900, whereby the Morse code could be transited over long distances through the use of simple spark gap or the carbon arc equipment of transmission. Various pioneers achieved the global fame and recognition for their success in submitting simple message within the Morse code across the Atlantic from Cornwall in England to Newfoundland. The role of women in such developments has been a source of inspiration, both to the 20th century and current generations. Historians agree that women have been active participants in the development of the radio, which was initially described as wireless communication since its beginning (Burrows 163). As part of this development, studies have shown that women became an essential part of the early processes of information transmission and generation. For example, women worked as operators since the late 1840s and assumed active roles as wireless operators. They also worked as radio engineers (Blake and George 34). As holders of these positions, they participated in the actual development of the systems that were involved in the transmission of the information through the wireless networks. During that time, women had rights and were not isolated from society nor neglected and discriminated by men. Concerning the history of the radio, it is undeniable that women became an essential component of society. Other than their direct political participation, they took an active role in radio development, which saw them participate in various social political and economic.

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Role of Women in the Development of Radio History

One first and recognizable roles of the women in the early historical development of the radio through acting as the telegraph operators. Notably, women worked as operators since the late 1840s (Blake and George 41-42). However, afterward, they began taking active roles as wireless operators. The onset of the 20th further constituted a remarkable development and achievement in terms of the increased number of women who participated in the communication issues that involved the transmission of information.

For example, the announcement of the Hawaiian Inter-Island Communication System inauguration observed 4 out of the 14 operators being women. This announcement was made in 1901. Five years later, Anna Nevins, who had previously taken an active role as telegraphy with the Western Union organization assumed the role as a wireless operator for Lee de Forest's station that was based in the New York. In reality, she was later employed as an operator at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel within the same city (Blake and George 35).

Women as Shipboard Operators

One critical earliest applications of the wireless telegraphy were to enhance the communication between ships at the sea and island stations. While feminism movement had not developed well and that male operated most ships, some women were able to enter into this field. The main requirement in such a role was the ability to manage the Morse code and the machine operation.

Many female operators were able to perform these kinds of operations effectively. Medora Olive Newell is credited and acknowledged to be the first pioneer woman to operate shipboard. He was an extremely experienced operator, who was previously a passenger on the Cunard liner Slovenia (Blake and George 51).

The most important thing to note as part of this role is the fact that Medora did not only carry her tasks as assigned by the company, but she was able to provide valuable insights regarding the potential developments or improvements that could be done to the radio system to make the communication even better. Some of these ideas, owing to her experience as teams of innovators and engineers could implement the operator to try to develop useful features. At one time, the Telegraph Age offered Newell a great recognition and described her as a "woman who had a good knowledge of wireless." This kind of attention enabled her to take her place at the key and even helped in the transmission of the information for the Hungarian parliament (Blake and George 56).

The development of the Wireless Ship Act of 1910 further exposed several female operators into the limelight. For the first time, the actions needed that an operator who had a tremendous knowledge of transmission of information be employed. The same individual would be responsible for the provision of any necessary or appropriate information regarding any system issues that would call for an improvement of the equipment as well as the whole systems. A woman telegrapher Graynella Packer from Jacksonville, Florida took this role and aboard the steamship known as Mohawk from 1910-1911. Her experience was contributed by the fact that she had begun practicing the telegraphy and its related operations as a tender girl and even went ahead assume telegraphy career.

During her role, she is credited for having offered innovative ideas not only regarding how the communication could be enhanced effectively but also about possible mechanisms through which more robust machines that could relay information to longer distances could be created Chignell. Other women who benefitted from this act, was Mabelle Kelso. She is credited for having been the first woman to receive a license as a shipboard operator.

The appointment of Kelso to the position she held generated numerous divergent views and opposition from the majority of the Congress members, who wanted to prevent women from holding such positions especially on sea-going ships. Despite such strong opposition, Kelso received support from other officers and inspectors who argued that no laws were available to prevent Miss Kelso from holding her position. Additionally, she had already received a government license that permitted her to operate without any further restrictions from the government or the Congress itself.

Women as Radio Engineers

Another area in which the efforts of women were felt like part of its development was related to its engineering aspect. Women themselves participated in the actual development of the systems that were involved in the transmission of the information through the wireless networks. By 1920, the technology had undergone evolution to the point where the voice and music could be subjected to transfer, as well as the Morse telegraphy. Numerous radio stations in the United States and other parts of the world such as Europe and Australia began to broadcast their regular programs of news and music through the developed systems.

These developments were made possible by the innovative approaches and engineering ideas that were brought by several women, despite the societal perceptions towards women, and their inabilities to hold such positions in the society. Additionally, the development emerged shortly after the emergence of the second wave of the feministic movement that advocated for gender equality on issues such as the educations and employment.

In 1920, Eunice Randall (1898-1982), who as an employee at the AMRAD became the company broadcaster at the AMRAD radio station, 1XE. Randall's interest in radio and associated activities can be traced to her tender age whereby she managed to create amateur radio equipment, which was able to operate with the call sign 1CDP. Additionally, she participated in other technical duties at 1XE and the activities ranged from repairing the radio equipment to occasionally climbing the transmission tower where she provided insights regarding how faster and effectively information could be transmitted.

In 1922, the AMRAD station shifted its call sign to WGI. Despite such developments, Randall retained her position as the company's engineer as well as the assistant manager in terms of the announcement until 1925. Despite the closure of the company a few years later, Randall continued to engage with her amateur radio activities under the call sign W1MPP. Undeniably, her insights were even then implemented in the subsequent radio development and the information transmission by various stations across the world.

Another woman, Florence Violet Mackenzie OBE is credited for being Australia's first female engineer. As part of her contribution to the development of radio and wireless transmission of information through voice and music, Mackenzie formed the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps and succeeded in training thousands of service people within a signal training center that was located in her Sydney locality. She even corresponded with Albert Einstein, in addition to participating in the latter's initiatives that were aimed at improving the radio frequencies for global reach out.

Women as Radio Operators During World War 1

The period that preceded World War 1 saw significant technological development in terms of increased communication among the military personnel and organization. Ideally, radio communication played a vital role for all combatants during the war, although in the era before the mechanization, the army relied on the miles and horses for transportation. While it is evident that the U.S initially took a neutral stand towards participating in the WW1, there was a need to develop the radiotelephone to aid in communication. This development included transmitters carried by the automobiles, as well as the quenched spark transmitters. As the U.S got ready to enter into the WW1, it is navy department started various programs to subject female soldiers to intense training for radio operation and who could be called to provide their assistance in the event of war (Winkler 852). Notably, various training camps were established by the Girls Division of the U.S Junior Naval Reserve at Martha Washington Post, NJ. Notably, many young women were trained to become wireless operators.

The National League of Women's Service was further established a few years later in Britain. The leagues were further divided into more than ten groups, including one that strictly involved issues of Wireless and Telegraphy. The entrance of the U.S into the war in 1917 saw tremendous participation of the already trained women in the problems of information transmission and facilitating the communication between the individuals at the battlefields and the transmission towers (Winkler 847). Although they were not employees who were employed by the government, the women operators were permitted to conduct such kind of transmission as required. This kind of participation was critical because female individuals had already been subjected to severe negative stereotype regarding their inability to participate in such technical operations.

The military significance of the radio became apparent between 1914 and 1917. In 1914, the Belgians had to sufficiently bring down a major international communication station that is located near Brussels (Winkler 851). This was based on the fear by the Belgians of the possible advancement of the Germans troops, who could use the station for communication purposes. The merchant ship sailors from the European who had access to the radio receivers were able to spread the information at a rapid rate based on the announcements transmitted by the high-power radio stations operated by the major powers (Burrows 163). The British army even went ahead to use women operators to individual man stations that were utilized by a group of people to transmit false signals, which were essential in tracking the enemies and later attacking them (Winkler 856-858).

Women as Radio Amateurs

Women's participation in Amateur radio constituted another crucial area where the role of feminism in the historical development of the radio. Fundamentally, the Amateur radio or ham radio in...