Marconi wireless school, New York, USA. Students in around 1912 practising to become radio (wireless telegraphy) operators. They are copying messages transmitted from ships at sea. Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) patented his invention in 1897, setting up companies in the UK and the USA and other countries to develop the new technology. This is a school run by the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America. The students are wearing headphones to listen to the incoming signals, and using tap-button operated transmitters to send signals in Morse code. Incoming signals are also recorded as Morse code dots and dashes on ticker tape.