
What was telegraphy used for before radio waves?
Before the discovery of radio waves, telegraphy had been developed as a means of communication. Telegraph meant “long-distance writing” in Greek. Earlier means of communication included smoke signals, torch signaling, heliographs (flash mirrors), and signal flags were used to convey message over distance (Crowley & Heyer, 2002; Farnham, 2005).
What were the early uses of the radio?
The early uses of the radio were mainly for maintaining contact between ships out a sea. However, this initial radio was unable to transmit speech, and instead sent Morse code messages back and forth between ships and stations on the land.
When was the first radio broadcast made?
On 27 August 1920, regular wireless broadcasts for entertainment began in Argentina, pioneered by Enrique Telémaco Susini and his associates, and spark gap telegraphy stopped. On 31 August 1920 the first known radio news program was broadcast by station 8MK, the unlicensed predecessor of WWJ (AM) in Detroit, Michigan.
Who invented AM radio?
The invention of amplitude-modulated (AM) radio, so that more than one station can send signals (as opposed to spark-gap radio, where one transmitter covers the entire bandwidth of the spectrum) is attributed to Reginald Fessenden and Lee de Forest.

What did people use before radios?
Prior to the 1920s, the radio was primarily used to contact ships that were out at sea. Radio communications were not very clear, so operators typically relied on the use of Morse code messages.
When was the radio first used?
The first voice and music signals heard over radio waves were transmitted in December 1906 from Brant Rock, Massachusetts (just south of Boston), when Canadian experimenter Reginald Fessenden produced about an hour of talk and music for technical observers and any radio amateurs who might be listening.
What came first the radio or TV?
In 1900, the invention of the radio was patented allowing news and music to be broadcast to many people simultaneously. It wasn't long before inventors figured out how to broadcast pictures with the audio and soon the television was born.
What was the first radio device?
Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi (pictured at right) first developed the idea of a radio, or wireless telegraph, in the 1890s. His ideas took shape in 1895 when he sent a wireless Morse Code message to a source more than a kilometer away.
Did the first TV have sound?
Electromechanical broadcasts began in Germany in 1929, but were without sound until 1934.
What was a radio first called?
the wireless telegraphIn 1895, a young Italian named Gugliemo Marconi invented what he called “the wireless telegraph” while experimenting in his parents' attic. He used radio waves to transmit Morse code and the instrument he used became known as the radio.
What was the original online alternative to radio?
The original online alternative to radio was streaming audio.
Was there TV during ww2?
The first television sets, stations and networks were already being built before the war. During the war, most -- but not all -- television production ceased.
What was the first form of electronic communication?
The invention that got electronic communications started was the telegraph. It was invented by Samuel Morse in 1836. He also developed the Morse Code which allowed the signals that the telegraph sent over the wires to represent words and phrases.
What is an old radio called?
A foxhole radio is a simple crystal sets radio receiver cobbled together from whatever parts one could make (which were very few indeed) or scrounged from junked equipment.
How were the first radios powered?
The most common type of receiver before vacuum tubes was the crystal set, although some early radios used some type of amplification through electric current or battery.
Was the radio used in ww1?
During the First World War, (WWI) communication technology was changing very quickly. For the first time, much of the world was using electricity, and this new source of power was utilized for communication in the form of telegraphs, telephones, signal lamps, and radio.
Was the radio used in ww1?
During the First World War, (WWI) communication technology was changing very quickly. For the first time, much of the world was using electricity, and this new source of power was utilized for communication in the form of telegraphs, telephones, signal lamps, and radio.
What did people listen to on the radio in the 1920s?
They began broadcasting things like popular music, classical music, sporting events, lectures, fictional stories, newscasts, weather reports, market updates, and political commentary.
What was the role of radio in the 1912s?
The 1912s marked the development of radio telephony, or voiceless communication using radio waves in safety and military communications. During this period, the development of amateur radios was taking place in countries with this technology. Amateur radio operator, Hiram Percy Maxim came up with what is now known as the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) whose role was to set up a voluntary network of associated radio amateurs to facilitate the long-range relay of “radiograms”. The reliability and accuracy of relaying messages through such means was very important for military, commercial and public services (Farnham, 2005).
When was the first radio signal sent across the English Channel?
In the Late 1800s first radio signals were sent across the English Channel. During the titanic disaster, the challenges of unresponsive ineffective radio operators were witnessed. This led to the enactment of Radio Act of 1912. This required that at least two radio operators be on board all vessels carrying more than 50 passengers, and at least one operator be on duty in the Marconi room all the times while the vessel was underway (Farnham, 2005).
What was the ARRL during the Cold War?
Before the United States involvement in the Second World War in 1940, the ARRL established an Emergency Corps that trained on frequencies not initially used by casual amateurs. Up to this day military radio system has involved the training of personnels and continued tests. The cold war reached its greatest heights in 1952. During this period, Radio Amateur Society was formed under the effort of the Civil Defense. This development and many others were as a result of the recognition of the essence of disaster and emergency communication. In the cold war period, transistors and integrated circuits were also invented. It also saw the improvement of frequencies from the lowest to microwaves (Farnham, 2005).
What was the electronic medium used in the propaganda war?
The electronic medium commonly in use that time was the black and white television. Although quite costly, many could still afford one. The use of television opened a fresh page in the propaganda war. It was used to dispel fear that the Soviet Union was on the wrong side. It promoted the idea that white Americans were superior over the other races and there could easily be victorious over the Soviet Union (Hudson & Stainer, 1997; Kerrington, 2007).
How did communication play a role in the Cold War?
Various means of communication such as the televisions and radios were used by both parties of the conflict to marshal civilian support against their enemies. As portrayed above this period was marked by the distortion of foreign reporting, issuance of threats, and accusations which were only made possible via the mass media.
How did Stalin propagate his propaganda against the US?
Their form of propaganda involved the demonstration of e military might by constantly holding military marches. These were used to remind the public that their army was the most invincible. Stalin propagated his against the Americans via the radio, always insisting that communists should uphold their togetherness. The Americans were painted as racists, sexists, treacherous and indifferent to others. In Stalin’s perspective the Americans were ignorant, and America faced probable defeat. Unlike the American methods, Stalin’s methods of propaganda were more direct. They were also equally successful (Kerrington, 2007).
How did literature help propagate communism?
People could also be exposed to propaganda through literature. Several fiction novels, the paperback novels, and comics were used to propagate anti-Soviet or communism ideologies. They were readily available due to their low cost. These novels depicted the heroic actions of the cowboys in their rescue missions. On the other hand, the non-fictional books were also extremely biased negatively depicting the threat posed by communism. The comics, focusing mainly on the young generation were aimed at inculcating hatred for the communists. Communists were also not allowed to express their idea freely; they were prevented from teaching in colleges and at secondary level. As a result many people lost their jobs because of such stance (Kerrington, 2007).
What is the history of radio?
The early history of radio is the history of technology that produces and uses radio instruments that use radio waves. Within the timeline of radio, many people contributed theory and inventions in what became radio. Radio development began as " wireless telegraphy ".
How did radio broadcasting start?
The beginning of radio broadcasting started with different creations of developing the radio receivers and transmitter including the crystal sets and the first vacuum tubes. These help to transmit the radio waves for long distance broadcasting.
What was the first patent for a radio wave?
In 1896, Marconi was awarded British patent 12039, Improvements in transmitting electrical impulses and signals and in apparatus there-for, the first patent ever issued for a Hertzian wave (radio wave) base wireless telegraphic system. In 1897, he established a radio station on the Isle of Wight, England.
How was Telex adapted to short wave radio?
Telex systems were adapted to short-wave radio by sending tones over single sideband. CCITT R.44 (the most advanced pure-telex standard) incorporated character-level error detection and retransmission as well as automated encoding and routing. For many years, telex-on-radio (TOR) was the only reliable way to reach some third-world countries. TOR remains reliable, though less-expensive forms of e-mail are displacing it. Many national telecom companies historically ran nearly pure telex networks for their governments, and they ran many of these links over short wave radio.
Why is radio navigation important?
However, as radio technology expanding, navigation is easier to use, and it provides a better position.
What are the phases of radio?
The meaning and usage of the word "radio" has developed in parallel with developments within the field of communications and can be seen to have three distinct phases: electromagnetic waves and experimentation; wireless communication and technical development; and radio broadcasting and commercialization.
Why did radio stations not have precise frequency?
As equipment progressed, precise frequency control became possible; early stations often did not have a precise frequency, as it was affected by the temperature of the equipment, among other factors . Identifying a radio signal by its frequency rather than its length proved much more practical and useful, and starting in the 1920s this became the usual method of identifying a signal, especially in the United States. Frequencies specified in number of cycles per second (kilocycles, megacycles) were replaced by the more specific designation of hertz (cycles per second) about 1965.
When was the radio invented?
The history of the radio is much older than most of us. What we call a radio today dates back to as far as the early 20 th century.
Who was the first person to broadcast radio?
And that was what laid the foundation for radio broadcasting in America. Reginald Fessenden would be credited for the first radio waves that will hit the airwaves with the help of an asynchronous rotary-spark transmitter. It was the first official AM radio transmission, happening on the 24 th of December, 1906.
What is the wireless telegraph called?
That was how the term ‘radio-telegraphy’ was born. Wireless telegrams were called radios or radio-grams. These terms help to explain why Marconi and Tesla were deemed to be responsible for what we describe as the wireless telegraph today. I’m pretty sure you now understand how the name radio came into existence.
How far can Marconi radios travel?
After several adjustments and tests, his devices could only do as much as transmitting signals to 1.5 miles. Interestingly, that same distance was predicted by Oliver Lodge to be the highest distance his radio signals were going to travel.
What did Marconi think of radio waves?
Marconi felt the world could do much more with radio waves than just thinking of them as electromagnetic waves. Therefore, he sourced as much literature as he could find. He combined that literature with the ideas of other scientists and ended up building the first set of portable transmitter and receiver devices.
Why did the government censor radio stations?
As with every other aspect of the entertainment industry , the government had a firm grip on radio stations, which led to censoring many of their programs. Radio became the source of series of propaganda in WWII as authorities looked for any means to keep the spirits of its citizens high.
Who was the first Italian scientist to use radio waves?
In 1894, it was believed that a young Italian scientist by the name of Guglielmo Marconi woke up one morning with a deep craving for long-distance wireless communication. His ambitions could be traced to the existence of radio or electromagnetic waves.
What was Marconi's wavelength?
In 1901, Marconi claimed to have received daytime transatlantic radio frequency signals at a wavelength of 366 metres (820 kHz). Marconi established a wireless transmitting station at Marconi House, Rosslare Strand, Co. Wexford in 1901 to act as a link between Poldhu in Cornwall and Clifden in Co. Galway.
How far did the radio telegraph reach in 1900?
On 24 September 1900 radio telegraphy signals were exchanged regularly with the island of Heligoland over a distance of 62 km. Lightvessels in the river Elbe and a coast station at Cuxhaven commenced a regular radio telegraph service.
What was the first wireless telegraph system?
Before the discovery of electromagnetic waves and the development of radio communication there were many wireless telegraph systems proposed and tested. In April 1872 William Henry Ward received U.S. Patent 126,356 for a wireless telegraphy system where he theorized that convection currents in the atmosphere could carry signals like a telegraph wire. A few months after Ward received his patent, Mahlon Loomis of West Virginia received U.S. Patent 129,971 for a similar "wireless telegraph" in July 1872. The patented system claimed to utilize atmospheric electricity to eliminate the overhead wire used by the existing telegraph systems. It did not contain diagrams or specific methods and it did not refer to or incorporate any known scientific theory.
What was the first device to detect radio waves?
In 1890, Édouard Branly demonstrated what he later called the "radio-conductor ," which Lodge in 1893 named the coherer, the first sensitive device for detecting radio waves. Shortly after the experiments of Hertz, Branly discovered that loose metal filings, which in a normal state have a high electrical resistance, lose this resistance in the presence of electric oscillations and become practically conductors of electricity. This Branly showed by placing metal filings in a glass box or tube, and making them part of an ordinary electric circuit. According to the common explanation, when electric waves are set up in the neighborhood of this circuit, electromotive forces are generated in it which appear to bring the filings more closely together, that is, to cohere, and thus their electrical resistance decreases, from which cause this piece of apparatus was termed by Sir Oliver Lodge a coherer. Hence the receiving instrument, which may be a telegraph relay, that normally would not indicate any sign of current from the small battery, can be operated when electric oscillations are set up. Branly further found that when the filings had once cohered they retained their low resistance until shaken apart, for instance, by tapping on the tube. The coherer, however, was not sensitive enough to be used reliably as radio developed.
How were Hertzian waves transmitted?
For the first time, electromagnetic radio waves ("Hertzian waves") were intentionally and unequivocally proven to have been transmitted through free space by a spark-gap device , and detected over a short distance.
What was the idea behind the wireless telegraph?
The idea that the wires needed for electrical telegraph could be eliminated, creating a wireless telegraph, had been around for a while before the establishment of radio-based communication. Inventors attempted to build systems based on electric conduction, electromagnetic induction, or on other theoretical ideas.
Why was the Fleming diode invalidated?
The Supreme Court of the United States would eventually invalidate the US patent because of an improper disclaimer and, additionally, maintained the technology in the patent was known art when filed. This invention was the first vacuum tube. Fleming's diode was used in radio receivers for many decades afterward, until it was superseded by improved solid state electronic technology more than 50 years later.
When did the first national campaign use electronic media?
This year's race for the presidency marks the 80th anniversary of the first national campaign dominated by electronic media. In 1928 , radio networks had newly and broadly changed the dynamics of politics: Candidates were stars, their speeches were drafted to be broadcast, and campaigns used the electronic media to attack and counterattack.
How did radio affect the election of 1928?
Radio industry experts estimated that the heated campaign increased sales of radios by more than 3 million in 1928 and that radio in turn helped to swell the ranks of registered voters. On election eve, both candidates gave final speeches to nationwide radio audiences. Hoover reiterated that his party was on the verge of ending poverty and pledged to work to unite America. Smith reassured voters that he was beholden to no man or interest group, save for the American people. In the end, Hoover, the man who had never held elected office but had more purely executive experience than any president before or since, won handily. Smith's message that the country needed a change was drowned out by the din of personal destruction.
What was the primary source of entertainment in 1928?
It seems hard to believe, but in 1928, radio was not only the new but the only electronic medium; it was most families' primary source of entertainment, just as later they would turn to television, and then the computer. It was also the primary source of political news. But whereas today the complex issues are boiled down to 15-second sound bites, in 1928, Americans welcomed political oratory and listened to hourlong speeches. Radio was still so new that those talks were entertaining.
What did Smith use to make his case to the American people?
Conversely, Smith used drama and humor to make his case to the American people. When asked about the Republican claim of having "put a chicken in every pot," Smith retorted, "A man who invents a lie like that, what must be his estimation of the average intelligence of the American people?" One radio critic wrote, "Radio transmits [Smith's] magnetic personality whereas it even further chills Hoover's delivery of cold facts."
What was the first radio used for?
Old Time Radio. The early uses of the radio were mainly for maintaining contact between ships out a sea. However, this initial radio was unable to transmit speech, and instead sent Morse code messages back and forth between ships and stations on the land.
What was the purpose of the radio during the First World War?
Both sides used the radio to relay messages to troops and top officials as well as people not on the battle front.
Why was RCA formed?
To curb this a government-sanctioned agreement created the Radio Corporation Agreements, RCA, was formed to manage the patents for the technology of the receiver and transmitter. Companies like General Electric and Westinghouse were allowed to make receivers while Western Electric was allowed to build transmitters.
What format did radios play in the 1950s?
Following the Second World War the radio turned into its more recognizable for of musical entertainment. AM stations played a top-40 time and temperature format, which meant they played popular three minute songs in constant rotation.
What is the purpose of a radio?
The purpose of the radio, however, has remained constant. From its inception the radio was created to communicate messages in mass for.
What was the radio in Europe in the 1990s?
Radio in Europe continued to expand and in the 1990s new radio stations, like Radio 1, 4 and 5 began broadcasting with genres like sports and comedy appealing to new audiences. As the BBC entered into the new millennium its popularity continued to grow.
What was the impact of the devastation of Britain in the 1960s?
During the 1960s with the expansion of radio to FM more programs were played and local BBC stations opened up across England.

History of Communication
- Before the discovery of radio waves, telegraphy had been developed as a means of communication. Telegraph meant “long-distance writing” in Greek. Earlier means of communication included smoke signals, torch signaling, heliographs (flash mirrors), and signal flags were used to convey message over distance (Crowley & Heyer, 2002; Farnham, 2…
Introduction
- Cold war was a period between 1945 and 1991 involving the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was over the military might, often characterized by the struggle between capitalism and communism. Communication played a vital role in cold war, mostly in the use of various means to convey propaganda (Crowley & Heyer, 2002; Jenks, 2006). The historical acc…
Communication During The Cold Wars
- Before the United States involvement in the Second World War in 1940, the ARRL established an Emergency Corps that trained on frequencies not initially used by casual amateurs. Up to this day military radio system has involved the training of personnels and continued tests. The cold war reached its greatest heights in 1952. During this period, Radio Amateur Society was formed und…
Computing in The Cold War
- It is commonly believed that war influences the rate of technological development. This is probably true in the arena of computing. Many earlier machines such as the ENIAC and the Mark I for instance were invented for military calculations. It is however believed that the cold war promoted the greatest advances in computing (I-Programmer, 2010). The computer was very im…
Cold War Propaganda
- In the early period of the cold war, the British government established a voluntary civil defense with the objective of protecting the nation from the enemy in case of attack. The civil propaganda was successful in mobilizing many people to participate in the war (Jenks, 2006).During the cold war both the United States and the Soviet Union were involved in propaganda. In the period of t…
Conclusion
- Communication played greatly defined the cold war. Various means of communication such as the televisions and radios were used by both parties of the conflict to marshal civilian support against their enemies. As portrayed above this period was marked by the distortion of foreign reporting, issuance of threats, and accusations which were only made possible via the mass media.