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Possibly the earliest existing recording of a radio broadcast – An early spark-gap telegraphic radio transmission concerning champion boxer Jack Johnson.

Telegraphic radio aircheck

Company	Unknown
Cylinder #	None
Category	Telegraphic code
Title	Telegraphic radio aircheck
Performed by	Unknown
Circa	1910
Announcement	None

Prior to 1920, most radio transmissions were telegraphic messages generated using a "spark-gap" transmitting apparatus (see illustration).

[Lescarboura, Austin C. - Radio for Everybody (1922) - Scientific American Publishing Company, Munn & Co., New York, pg. 16]

It is known that during World War I some radio broadcasts were monitored (for suspicious messages) and wax cylinder "off the air" (aircheck) recordings were made. This Cylinder of the Month seems to be just such an early aircheck. However, with practically no way to determine when this recording was made (current estimate: 1910), or its recorded speed (played back here at 125-RPM), it is difficult to be certain if this is simply a homemade recording of an amateur telegraphic practice session, or an actual aircheck. Two clues indicating this may be a radio broadcast are the quality of the spark-gap tone (the damped-wave buzzer sound), and the fading in and out of the signal strength.

The concensus to date is that this is not "modern" International Morse Code (used primarily after 1920), but the original "American" or "Railroad" Morse Code.

Here is the best translation to date – Many thanks to all who have contributed. The bulk was provided by Lake "Ed" Trump "AL7N", Les Kerr "N7RZ", and Lavina Shaw, with portions provided and confirmed by several others:

. JOE JEFFRIES OWES JACK JOHNSON A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY. THAT IS HE HAS MADE A FORTUNE THROUGH HIS RELATIONS WITH THE COLORED CHAMPION. IN FACT THE CALIFORNIAN HAS CLEANED UP $62218.28 SINCE NOV 17 ALL BECAUSE THE NEGRO FIGHTER INSISTED THAT THE RETIRED CHAMPION AGREE TO MEET HIM IN A FISTIC CONTEST. 1 235 46789 342156.

To learn about Jack Johnson, see:

Jack Johnson: Famous Texan.
Two articles on the Johnson vs. Jeffries fight, from the Library of Congress and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Wikipedia's article on Jack Johnson.
Johnson received a Presidential pardon May 24, 2018.

Dr. Adrian M. Peterson reports that an article in the August 1910 Modern Electrics magazine, which indicates that details of the Johnson-Jeffries match were transmitted progressively by radio station "TG" in San Francisco, leads him to believe that this aircheck recording could reasonably be dated to shortly before 3PM on Monday July 4, 1910.

To hear an early telegraphic radio aircheck —

For help playing these sounds, click here.

Although the American Morse Code heard in this recording is essentially extinct, International Morse Code quite recently (May 24, 2004 on the 160th anniversary of the first telegraphic transmission) had its first new addition since World War I: a code for the "@" (at sign) character was added to the Morse character set.
To learn more, see:

A comparison of American Morse Code vs. Modern International Morse Code, courtesy of Wikipedia.
A history of Spark-Gap Transmitters, courtesy of Ian Poole's Electronics notes site.
The Marconi Archive, courtesy of the Marconi Calling site.
The article Making Wireless History With De Forest, courtesy of the United States Early Radio History site.

— This cylinder of the month is from the Frank V. de Bellis collection at San Francisco State University —

To hear other examples of wax cylinders, see the

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