The word "Anticoherer" is an obsolete term for an early form of radio receiver. Its spelling can be puzzling, but it is pronounced as "an-tih-koh-heer-er" with the stress on the second syllable. The prefix "anti" means "opposed to," and "coherer" refers to a device that detects radio waves. The word was first used in 1895 by the Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi. Despite being outdated, Anticoherers were a vital development in radio technology, and their spelling is a testament to the history of telecommunications.
An anticoherer is a device used in early wireless telegraphy and radio reception, primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It consists of a glass or metal container filled with metallic filings or granules that can interrupt the flow of electric current. The purpose of the anticoherer is to detect and convert radio waves into electrical signals.
The anticoherer operates on the principle of a coherer, a similar device used to detect electromagnetic waves. However, unlike a coherer that allows the flow of electric current when radio waves are present, an anticoherer interrupts or hinders the passage of electric current until it is triggered by the incoming radio signals.
When radio waves, generated by a nearby transmitter, reach the anticoherer, the metallic filings inside become conductive. This allows electric current to pass through and activate a connected circuit, which can include a sound-producing device or a Morse code receiver. The anticoherer's interrupting property ensures that the flow of current can be easily controlled and regulated for precise detection and conversion of radio signals.
As technology progressed, the use of anticoherers diminished with the development of more sophisticated detection and reception systems. However, these early devices played a significant role in the development of wireless communication and radio technology, serving as the precursors to modern radio receivers and detectors.
The word "Anticoherer" is derived from two parts: "anti" and "coherer".
The term "coherer" was coined by the French physicist Edouard Branly in 1890. A coherer is a device used in early wireless telegraphy to detect radio waves. It consisted of a glass tube filled with metal filings or other conductive materials that would allow electricity to flow through it when radio waves passed through. However, upon receiving radio waves, the resistance of the coherer would change, making it more conductive.
The prefix "anti-" is derived from the Greek word "anti", meaning "against" or "opposite". In this case, "Anticoherer" refers to a device that functions in an opposite manner to a regular coherer, meaning it resists conducting electricity in the presence of radio waves.