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World Radio Day- 13th February
A Dive Into the World of Radios
Understanding the origin, history and technology of radios
Radio, as we know, is a popularly used device to hear music, news, and many other entertainment shows. Even though radio as a device is vanishing, but the concept of radio and as well the technology is still in use. Radio today stands much more than simple device as such. Being part of one of the oldest set of inventions has paved way for much bigger and better inventions in the category of Wireless Communication like TVs, mobile phones, etc. Even now, people prefer radio over TV as it is cheap, portable and easy to use.
History of the Invention of Radio
Radio was invented so as to replicate the functions of the telegraph with a wireless touch called ‘wireless telegraphy’. The electromagnetic wave theories were slowly flourishing and new applications were being developed. After the discovery of radio waves based on Maxwells and Hertzian theories, led to a conclusion that these showed a lot of similarities to light and might have the same properties as well. It was Sir William Crooks who believed that there was a possibility to use Wireless telegraphy for transmission of information.
Italian Scientist Guglielmo Marconi was inspired by Hertz Theory of Invisible Waves. At a young age, he decided to pursue his dream of using these waves for communication. For that, he moved from Italy to London. For his experimentation, he used a simple oscillator for the radio transmitter. At first, he could only use the radio for transmitting it up to half a mile. He later used the monopole antenna and vertical polarizers to transmit the waves to a longer distance. By 1897, he was able to broadcast for 12 miles and in 1897, he broadcasted across the English channel. His radio wave successfully sent the first radio message across the Atlantic Ocean in December 1901 from England to Newfoundland. For his invention and contribution, Marconi is credited as the inventor of Radio.
