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German wireless telegraphy station powered by charge stored in 360 Leyden jars, c1908

Spark-gap radio transmitter for a long-distance wireless telegraphy radio station built by Gesellshaft fur Drahtlose Telegraphie (Telefunken) at Nauen, Germany in 1907. Designed by German radio pioneer Georg von Arco (1869-1940), this was Germany's first high-power radio station and (using a more powerful transmitter) served as Germany's main communication channel with other nations during World War I. The bank of 360 narrow Leyden jar capacitors is visible in the background. The jars have a total capacitance of 400 microfarads. The station was powered by an oil engine turning a 35 horsepower (26 kilowatts) alternator. The transmitter's radiated power was about 10 kW in the very low frequency band using a 300-foot high-wire umbrella antenna; it could be received at a range of about 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles). (Source: Monckton CC. Radio-Telegraphy. D Van Nostrand Co.: New York, 1908:228. Figure 155. Also published in Ramakers L. The new wireless station at Nauen Germany. Scientific American supplement 1907;63[1621]:25972. Figure 1. Public domain.)