Oliver Heaviside and the Untold Story of Transmission Lines

This article unveils the groundbreaking contributions of Oliver Heaviside to transmission line theory. Starting as a humble telegraph operator, Heaviside, through self-study and a deep understanding of Maxwell's equations, solved the signal distortion problems plaguing telegraph technology. He corrected Thomson's model, incorporating inductance, and derived formulas for transmission line impedance and signal propagation speed. Heaviside's invention of Pupin coils, used to compensate for transmission line losses and improve signal quality, continues to impact modern communication technology.