The development of maritime radio communications

This paper provides an historical review of maritime mobile radio communications systems as a primary means of ensuring the safety and security of ships at sea. Safety at sea has always been a priority for seamen and shippers. Distress alerts at sea caused by the blind forces of Mother Nature or, more commonly, by human factors have occurred over many centuries, as seafarers often set sail with inadequate information about their course, navigation and weather conditions. Until the late nineteenth century, only audio and visual transfers of information from point to point were used. From then on, however, new methods, such as news and information via wire and then by radio communications systems, were introduced. So long as safety standards are met, it is also important to test innovations and technology transfer to develop devices that are more reliable than mobile radio communications.