Wireless Ship Act Law and Legal Definition
The Wireless Ship Act was a U.S. federal legislation that required all U.S. ships traveling over 200 miles off the coast and carrying more than 50 passengers to be equipped with wireless radio equipment with a range of 100 miles. The legislation was passed in 1910 in response to the shipping accident of 1909, where a single wireless operator saved the lives of 1200 people.
However, the could not solve the problem, existing at the time, of interference between multiple users of the radio spectrum. Amateur radio enthusiasts fought against the Act. On account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic and an international convention agreed in London, the Wireless Ship Act was replaced with the Radio Act of 1912.
