[CW] First International Radiotelegraph Conference (Berlin, 1906).

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

*Hello to all,*

*From the Belgian ROC website :*

*73’s *
*Michel Bougart*
*+*


Début du message réexpédié :

*De: (…)*
*Objet: **First International Radiotelegraph Conference (Berlin, 1906).*
*Date: *19 septembre 2025 à 12:49:31 UTC+2
*À: (…)*

Hello, Dear fellow ROs,

The first International *Radio*telegraph Convention (French: Convention
*Radio*télégraphique Internationale) was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1906.
It reviewed radio communication (then known as "wireless telegraphy")
issues, and was the first major convention to set international standards
for ship-to-shore communication. One notable provision was the adoption of
Germany's "SOS" distress signal as an international standard.

<https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.37.57.en.100.pdf>



The resulting agreements were signed on November 3, 1906, and became
effective on July 1, 1908.

These standards remained in effect until they were updated at the second
International Radiotelegraph Convention, held in London in 1912, just after
the TITANIC's disaster.

The Convention was initiated by Germany, which three years earlier had
hosted a Preliminary Conference on Wireless Telegraphy that called for a
subsequent formal conclave to expand on the issues discussed at the
original conference. It was initially planned that the Convention would be
held in 1904, however a series of events delayed the start by two years.

The Convention convened on October 3, 1906, at Berlin, with an overall
objective of establishing international standards for radio communication.
While the 1903 conference had been attended by nine nations, the Convention
expanded participation to twenty-seven countries. The resulting agreement,
signed on November 3, 1906 and scheduled to take effect on July 1, 1908,
consisted of four parts:

*-Main Protocol:* General agreement, consisting of twenty-three articles
agreed to by all participants.
*-Supplementary Agreement*: Three intercommunication articles agreed to by
all participants except Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Persia and
Portugal.
*-Final Protocol:* Seven articles covering organizational policies, agreed
to by all participants.
*-Service Regulations:* Forty-two articles detailing with implementation of
the protocols, agreed to by all participants.

A major area of controversy was a requirement for unlimited access to all
"public service" stations, even when the communicating stations were
operated by different companies. At this time the Marconi Company had a
policy of refusing to communicate, except in the case of emergency, with
stations operated by other companies. There was concern this would result
in a Marconi monopoly, that would also give its home country, Great
Britain, as much domination in international radio communication as it
already held in international undersea telegraph cables. As was the case at
the preliminary conference in 1903, Marconi Company officials strongly
objected to this interconnection requirement, on the grounds that competing
systems were all infringing on Marconi patents, and this also would allow
"freeloading" on the extensive network of Marconi coast stations which had
been constructed at great expense.

The* intercommunication issue* was directly addressed by Article I of the
supplemental protocol:

"Each ship station indicated in Article 1 of the Convention shall be bound
to intercommunicate with every other ship station without regard to the
particular system of radiotelegraphy adopted by these stations
respectively."

Because of their close ties with the Marconi interests, six countries, most
notably Great Britain and Italy, were unwilling to agree to support this
provision.
This conference was not an official Union conference. The first
International Radiotelegraph Convention was signed. In addtion, the Final
Protocol, Service Regulations, and the Additional Agreement providing for
obligatory intercommunication between ships without distinction as to the
system used was approved.



*
<https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.36.43.fr.200.pdf>*
*https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.36.43.fr.200.pdf
<https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.36.43.fr.200.pdf>*

*
<https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.37.57.en.100.pdf>*
*https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.37.57.en.100.pdf
<https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.37.57.en.100.pdf>*

Have a good W.E.,

*Jean-Luc COLLARD,*
*33°Fr*

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