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The invention of the radio all started, with the discovery of something called electromagnetic waves. These became better known to the average person, as radio waves. These radio waves are able transmit things such as: noise, speech, tv pictures and sound, and even the internet, through the air soundlessly and invisibly. Cell phones, police radios, laptops, microwaves ovens, other internet devices, tvs, and blackberrys all work on radio waves.
James Clerk Maxwell was a Scottish physicist. In the 1860s, he was one of the first people to say that these radio waves must exist. He based his theories on electromanetism. Heinrich Rudolph Hertz was a German phsicist. In 1886, he came close to proving that radio waves did exist. Many people were working on the theory of radio waves, from the early 1800s, until they finally did prove that they existed and could be used.
Mahlon Loomis was an American dentist that in 1866, did prove that wireless communication was possible. He actually did it with two kites. His was the first aerial communication.
Guglielmo Maconi was an Italian inventor, who, finally sent and received the first radio signal. In 1895, he sent and received a signal across Italy. He was also the first person to send a wireless transmission across the English Channel. He also sent the first Trans Atlantic communication from England to Newfoundland. It was the letter "S". Maconi was also responsible for equipping ships that crossed the Atlantic, with wireless radios to make their crossings safer.
Nikola Tesla was the first person to successfully procure a patent in radio technology. Guglielmo Maconi lost out to Tesla on a patent. Tesla was known for long distance signaling, and demonstrating the principles of the radio in public. Thus, educating the public on the importance and wonders of the radio. He also was the one who found out how to produce radio frequency currents reliably.
Lee DeForest invented what is known as AM radio in the early 1900s. With the advent of AM radio, it would now be possible for there to be many stations to choose from. This had not been possible before. Lee DeForest was also the person who coined the term radio.
In 1933, FM radio was invented by Edwin Armstrong. The earth's atmosphere makes its own static noise, as does the electrical equipment involved in radio transmission. The FM technology helps cut down on this static noise.
Once the radio was perfected, it quickly became very popular. Every home in the United States had to have one. There was all kinds of programing to please every taste. There was music for the whole family. There was superman for the children, or the young at heart. There were soap operas for the ladies, and they actually were supported by soap companies. The time and weather were given every hour too. During WWI, every evening, the whole family would gather around the radio for the latest news of the war, always hoping that things were better than they were. On V-Day, everyone new immediately, because it was broadcast on the radio in the living room, so the whole United States knew at the same time that the miracle had finally happened.
Programming has really changed on the radio today. In the sixtys, the FM radio stations started going to rock and roll, and they have stayed that way pretty much. A lot of stations are pre-programed, and do not give time and weather anymore. The programs have a lot more commercials to support the stations too.
The radios themselves have changed in their looks. You don't find too many that are actual pieces of furniture, like in the twenties and thirties. Most radios today are very small. Some are so small, they fit on a runner's head band or right in the earphone. They get excellent reception for all their smallness though. The reception of radios today has greatly improved also. Even the small tabletop radios, can produce High Definition sound that rivals the big radios.
Alarm clocks used to be just that, clocks that you wound up and set the time on, and then they rang and woke you up. That is not how it works anymore. We have clock radios now. They still have clocks. You still set them to wake you up, but boy have they changed. They have internet alarms now. They have CD players to wake you up. Some of them even have ipod docks. They come in all colors, shapes and sizes. They even come in real wood.
Weather radios are very important to have during the hurricane season in the southern parts of the United States. It is always good to have them before bad weather strikes. They come in several styles. Some use batteries, some have little generaters, so you can just wind them up, and others are solar powered. These radios are also good for areas that are prone to flooding and tornadoes.
Satellite radios seem to be a must have of today. Everyone wants them for their cars and boats. This year they came out with a portable one that can be unplugged and transported from one place to another. These radios get continuous streaming music, sports, and talk shows from satellites without commercials. People seem to really love them.
Many people contribbuted their talents to the inventions of radio technology. Two such people were Guglielmo Marconi and Nikola Tesla. Marconi was the first person to send and receive a signal sent across Italy. He accomplished this in 1895. He also sent the first wireless signal across the English channel. He sent the first Transatlantic transmission in 1902 from England to New Foundland. The message was the letter S. He also is known for the fact that he put radios on ships that crossed the Atlantic, so that they had communication for emergencies. He lost the first radio technology patent to Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla was the first person to successfully procure a patent in radio technology. He was famous for his demonstrations of public of wireless technology and transmissions in St. Louis Missouri. He also discovered how to produce radio frequency currents reliably.
Lee DeForest invented what we know as AM radio. With the advent of AM radio, there was now the possibility of many stations to choose from. Much more programing was possible. This was not available before. Lee DeForest was also the person who coined the term radio. FM radio was invented in 1933 by Edwin Armstrong. The static from the earth's atmosphere makes noise, as does the radio electrical equipment. This noise comes through when broadcasting. The FM technology helps cut down on this static noise.
Many people worked on the invention of radio technology at the same time. Some of them, actually produced equipment that worked, but did not seek patents or even credit for their work. So many people were involved in the developement of the radio, that one person cannot receive the credit. The credit goes to all who worked diligently to make this wonderful invention happen.
Today, radios come in every imagionable shape size and color. There are radios that pick up signals directly from statellites that orbit in outerspace. These radios have constant streaming music, news, sports, and talk shows. They can be permanently installed in cars and recreational vehicles, or are plug and play and can be moved from one to the other. Small table top radios today are capable of playing with High Definition sound just like the large models. They come in very modern streamlined shapes to the retro styles of the fifties and sixties.
Weather radios are very specialized radios that most homes need for storm emergencies. In the southern United States, they are good for keeping up with Hurricane updates, and in flood zones they are good for keeping up with rain predictions and flood levels. In tornado areas, they send out advance warnings of imminent tornadoes even before the regular news stations, which may give that extra few minutes that may save a life.
Clock radios are very different today from what they used to be. Today they have many new features. Some of them have ipod docks. They can be set to wake you up to your favorite CD songs. Some are set up to wake you with internet alarms. Some radios today are so small that they fit into a runner's earphones. Gone are the days when the radio was a large center piece of furniture in the family's living room. |
