First Licensed Italian Amateur Radio Station

Il Radio Giornale (January 1924, page 20) reports that Giulio Salom, under special concession by the Italian Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs, has been granted the first Italian Amateur Radio license ever on December 1st 1923. His callsign will be 1MT.

A picture from Il Radio Giornale (April 1924, page 18) detailing 1MT's Radio Station.

Introduction

In the burgeoning era of 1920s radio technology, the Italian amateur station 1MT, operated by Giulio Salom from Venice, emerged as a standout example of innovation and international collaboration. Frequently featured in Il Radio Giornale, the official publication of the Radio Club Nazionale Italiano (R.C.N.I.), 1MT's activities highlighted the potential of shortwave communications, bridging continents with modest power and homemade equipment. Salom's work not only advanced technical knowledge but also fostered organizational efforts within the Italian radio community.

Technical Achievements and Experiments

Giulio Salom's station 1MT gained prominence through a series of groundbreaking experiments documented in the magazine. In December 1923, under a special concession from the Italian Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs, Salom conducted transmissions on 200 meters using a reversed feedback circuit and a 250-watt S.I.F. valve powered by 2,000 volts AC. With an antenna current of 3 amperes, he achieved bilateral communications with stations in France (8BM, 8BF), the Netherlands (OAR), and England (2HF), reaching distances up to 1,500 km. By January 1924, upgrading to a Marconi MT4 valve at 6,000 volts, he increased the current to 4-5 amperes and connected with additional British, French, and Dutch amateurs, including receptions as far as Edinburgh, Scotland (2,000 km) at strength 9 on a two-valve receiver.

The antenna setup was a tubular L-shaped design, 14 meters horizontal and 16 meters vertical, supported by wooden poles at 34 meters above sea level. A fan counterpoise of nine wires complemented it, despite challenges from nearby metallic structures like lightning rods and power lines. Salom's detailed reports emphasized optimizing circuits like Colpitts, Hartley, and reversed feedback, achieving remarkable efficiency with limited resources.

By February 1925, 1MT had established bilateral links with 31 American stations, including 1AR, 1MY, and 2BRC. Further receptions were logged in India (Cachar, 350 km northeast of Calcutta) and the United States, with signals on 198 meters reaching Schenectady, New York (2CTJ). In January 1924, 1MT communicated with MJ in Mosul, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), on 95 meters at 50 km distance, showcasing shortwave's versatility.

International Receptions and Recognition

1MT's signals were consistently reported abroad, underscoring its reliability:

• United Kingdom: Received in Norwich, Sheffield, and by operators like 2NM (G. Marcuse), often at strengths R7-R9.
• France: Logged at R8 by stations like 8OK.
• Other Locations: Heard in Finland (2NCB), India, and across Europe, including bilateral exchanges with British amateurs like 2OD and 5LF on 66 meters.

These logs appeared in the "Le vie dello spazio" section, which chronicled transcontinental and transatlantic tests, positioning 1MT among top Italian stations like 1ER and 1RG.

Organizational Role and Legacy

Beyond technical prowess, Giulio Salom played a pivotal role in organizing Italy's radio amateurs. He represented Italy at the First International Congress of Radio Amateurs in Paris (April 1925), alongside figures like Hiram Percy Maxim (USA) and Gerald Marcuse (UK). The congress adopted standards for callsigns, Q-codes, and Esperanto as an auxiliary language, with Salom contributing to these discussions.

Locally, Salom was offered the presidency of the Radio Club Veneto in 1924, later becoming its technical president. By 1925, he served on the R.C.N.I. council as president of the Venice section, promoting amateur activities through contests and shared knowledge.

Salom's efforts exemplified the amateur spirit: experimentation, internationalism, and community building. His station's successes on shortwaves (e.g., 95-200 meters) with powers as low as 100 watts challenged prevailing theories on propagation, inspiring further research. Though details on his later life are sparse, Salom's legacy endures in the history of Italian ham radio, symbolizing how individual passion drove global connections in the pre-World War II era.

Key Specifications of 1MT

This profile draws from Il Radio Giornale issues spanning 1924-1925, capturing 1MT's role in an era when radio amateurs were at the forefront of wireless innovation.