Radio Beacon Station Building Used at Ford Airport, 1927
Add to SetSummary
The radio beacon may be Henry Ford's most important contribution to aviation. Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted the Morse code letter "A" (dot-dash) in one direction and the letter "N" (dash-dot) in another. The pilot steered until the separate signals merged into a steady hum.
The radio beacon may be Henry Ford's most important contribution to aviation. Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted the Morse code letter "A" (dot-dash) in one direction and the letter "N" (dash-dot) in another. The pilot steered until the separate signals merged into a steady hum.
Artifact
Radio station
Date Made
1927
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Heroes of the Sky
Object ID
00.136.446
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Metal
Glass (Material)
Paint (Coating)
Color
Yellow
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Width: 120 in
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