Francesco Vecchiacchi

Francesco Vecchiacchi is one of the precursors of radio bridges and television. Beginning in 1932, he directed the Magneti Marelli radio laboratory in Milan, and in 1937 he chaired the Electrical Communications Department at the Politecnico di Milano. In 1939 he contributed to the creation of the first multi-channel radio link: Milan-Cimone-Terminillo-Rome. That same year, he realized the first Italian television broadcast, with shots in the studio, outdoors, and live. He was also among the scholars who realized the first Italian radar (G.U.F.O.), installed in 1941 on the battleship Vittorio Veneto. In 1952 he built the first microwave radio bridge between Turin and Milan for the television service, demonstrating the possibility of extending the network throughout Italy. Subsequently the Milan-Palermo bridge was realized, designed by Vecchiacchi and built after his death.