Blog #4 EOTO Radio

Radios are commonplace in modern life, both in the car and at home. In fact, it would be difficult to find anyone in today's society that has not heard of, viewed, or used a radio at some point in their lives; This hasn't always been the case, especially hundreds of years ago. Even after the radio's creation in the late 1800s, it took a long time for radios to become widespread and a household fixture. The history of radio is intriguing, since it revolutionized how people around the world interacted and communicated over long and short distances.

                                                                        History of the radio

Nikolai Tesla

In the late 1800s, the radio was invented. People were exploring and analyzing it at the time. Although we don't know who invented the radio, Nikolai Tesla demonstrated a wireless radio in St. Louis, Missouri in 1893. 

Guglielmo Marconi

Despite this demonstration, Guglielmo Marconi is widely regarded as the inventor of the radio. Marconi was awarded the very first wireless telegraphy patent in England, securing his spot in radio's history. Tesla, on the other hand, filed for patents in the United States for his basic radio a year later. In 1900, four years after Marconi's invention was issued, his patent request was granted. Regardless of who was behind the creation of the radio, on December 12, 1901, Marconi's place in history was forever sealed when he became the first person to transmit signals across the Atlantic Ocean. 

Radios starting to be used

Radios were mostly used to communicate with ships at sea prior to the 1920s. During WWI, the radio was almost solely used by the military. 

It became an essential tool for delivering and receiving real-time messages to the military without the use of a physical courier. Citizens began to purchase personal radios after the war. Radios began to appear in homes and gradually became essential.  During World War II, the radio played an essential role for both the United States and the United Kingdom. The radio broadcasted military news to the public with the help of journalists. It served as a rallying point for the government in gaining popular support for the war. After the closure of television stations in the United Kingdom, it became the principal source of information. Following WWII, radio stations shifted their focus to "Top 40" music. The popularity of music and radio rose to the point where they became interchangeable. When FM radio stations began to outnumber AM radio stations, new genres of music, such as rock and roll, began to develop.

WW2 Radio

Todays radio

The Radio has evolved far beyond what Tesla or Marconi could have dreamed. Traditional radios and radio transmitting are no longer available.With technology advancing year by year, the radio has evolved to keep up with satellite, music and radio talk shows. Radios are now a staple in vehicles, you most likely won't see a radio not placed in a vehicle. Handheld radios have become crucial in sports, media production, and even commercial aircraft operations because short-range radios have enhanced communications at work sites.

Radio in cars