Abstract :
During the 50-year history of the Institute of Radio Engineers the respective technologies of wire and submarine cable telegraphy and telephony, on the one hand, and mobile and point-to-point radio, broadcasting, and television, on the other, have been commingled in an ever increasing degree. Initial contributions leading to the mutuality of the wire and radio branches of applied science came from pioneers who worked in both media. Subsequent discoveries were eagerly put to work in both, prompted by users´ requirements for direct, end-to-end service. Opportunities for interchange of general communication engineering ideas and experience through the IRE were purposely fostered by its directorate from 1912 to 1962. An impressive list of exchanged benefits is attributable in part to the Institute´s hospitable climate. An Appendix lists sources of information on the present status of wire communication, technical and organizational.
