Radio Beacon Transmitter 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
Transceiver
Date Made
1927
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Heroes of the Sky
Object ID
44.150.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company
Material
Metal
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