Information transmission is the process of sending information from source to destination. There are several methods of achieving information transmission and this can be classified under ancient and modern methods.
Ancient methods of transmitting information: The ancient people were able to transmit information through methods that were both natural and cheap and mostly community-based. Below are some of the ancient methods
- Oral method: parameter involves direct talking to a person or persons.
- Beating drums: This was a way of passing information when someone meetings especially to get people ready for a battle.
- Fire Lighting: this method signal that people are being summoned for a meeting. The smoke from the fire communicates the event.
- Town crying: through this method information was disseminated to community members about important decisions concerning the community members. It is still used to someone people to important events, ceremonies or meetings in our local environment.
- Burning fire: This method involved gathering firewood and setting it on fire. The fire attracted attention of community members or those involved in the mission to gather at the fire place.
- Whistling: This method served to alert people. The mode of whistling indicated the signal given. Security organisations and paramilitary agencies like the army, boys brigade, scout used this method and still use it presently
- Drawing diagrams: This was primarily to describe objects, give information or direction. The primitive man used to draw on caves for leaving some information to his fellows.
- Canon firing or gun shot: This is used to allow people on the time of an event, it is an indication of the time or take off of a program. It is also used to herald and event or recognise the arrival of an important personality to an event.
- Making representations: This was a way of using objects and symbols to represent quantities, prices of commodities and positions.
Modern Methods of Transmitting information: modern methods of transmitting information include the following; telex, radio, television, fax, satellite, internet.
Television: The telephone is commonly called phone. Telephone is an electronic telecommunication device that sends and receives sound between people that are physically separated by distance. Alexander Graham bell developed the telephone in the 1870s. Telephone is now commonly used for business transactions, in households and in government and corporate organisations. Every telephone has four basic components namely; The microphone to speak into, the earphone which reproduces the voice of the person speaking, The ringer which makes a sound to alert the user when a call is coming in, and a keyboard to enter the telephone number of the telephone being called. Telephones are of two modes, landline telephone which is connected by a pair of wires to the telephone network, while a mobile phone or cell phone is portable and communicate with the telephone network by wireless facility. The telephone was originally designed for voice communication, but it has been adapted for data communication such as telex, fax and dial up internet communication.
Telex: the telex network is used for sending text based messages. This network provided the first common museum for international record communications. Telex messages are routed by addressing them to a telex address example “1523 JERRY” we are 1523 is the subscriber number, JERRY is an abbreviation for the subscriber’s number. The first white coverage Telex network was achieved in Germany during the 1930s as a network used to communicate with the government.
Radio: Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves below those of visible light. Radio is used to broadcast news, advertise goods and services, broadcast drama, debate, announcement such as obituary announcements, play music and other forms of entertainment.
Fax: This is a machine that is used to send messages printed on paper. The messages sent can be text or images. The fax incorporates a telephone system hence it is also called telecopying. The original document is scanned with a fax machine, Which processes the contents as a single fixed graphic image, converting it into a bitmap. The information is then transmitted as electrical signals through the telephone system. The receiving fax machine reconverts the coded image printing a paper copy. Fax servers and other computerised systems are now being used by corporate organisations in place of standalone fax machines. These are capable of receiving and storing incoming faxes electronically and then route them to users on paper or through an email. This technique saves costs by reducing the number of printouts and phone lines needed by an office
Satellite: a satellite is a natural or artificial object stationed in space for communication, military research, medical and other purposes. A communication satellite is an electronic device stationed in space for the purpose of communications. The first artificial satellite was the Soviet Sputnik 1 launched on October 4th 1957. Satellite finds application or is useful in telephone, satellite television, satellite radio, mobile satellite, satellite internet and in the military’s communication networks. Is that light radio or subscription radio is a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communication satellite which covers a much wider geographical range than terrestrial radio signals.
The Internet: The internet is a global interconnection of computers for sharing information and carrying out many other transactions. The internet offers a lot services such as electronic mails, chatting, video conferencing, electronic learning, electronic banking and vast range of information resources and services. The origin of the internet dates back to research of the 1960s. It’s however I started in the US in 1970s as the United States government sponsored project called ARPAnet( Advanced Research Projects Agency). It was a military project to enable researchers and military personnel to communicate in the event of emergency such as nuclear attack. It was later popularised with other academic networks connecting to ARPAnet.
GSM(Global System for Mobile Communication): This is the present form of digital communication system that we use. It enables a cell phone to be a world phone. It was originally called Groupe Special Mobile and it is a standard set developed by the European telecommunications standards institute (ETSI) Which describes technologies for second generation (or 2G) digital cellular networks. It is developed as a replacement for first generation analogue cellular networks. GSM has a SIM(Subscriber Identity Mobile) Which is commonly called SIM card. This is a detachable smart card that contains the users subscription information and phone book.