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Great advances in technology often ocvcur during or as a result of war. World War I was no exception. The need for improved communications resulted in considerable advances in telecommunications, including radio. Commercial radio broadcasts began after World War I. The broadcasts started in America first (1919-20). Broacasts in other countries soon followed: Australia (1921?), France (1921), England (1922), Germany (1923), New Zealand (1923), Switzerland (1923), and Austria 1924). Early radio listerners used broadcast "detectors" (crystal sets) to receive the broadcast. The basic detector obtained its energy from the transmitted signal. Only headphone reception was possible (figure 1). possible. Boys are always interested in technology. Boys of the period were very keen on radio as a hobby. For some reason girls were much less interested. (This has not changed greatly. In our modern age, boys show a much greater interest in computers than boys.) Boys also liked radio since it brought them in touch with far-flung places and people. Soon a popular activity for boys was building a crystal set. An additional source of electricuty was not needed for a basic crystal set. There were exceptions. A detector with rectifier material needed additional bias voltage. Good detectors had the ability to separate transmissions and were capable of long-distance reception. The great advantage of the crystal detector was the "current-free" reception. The crustal set was, however, replaced by vacuum tubes receivers. These receivers are radio sets were much more sensitive and selective. hey also offered the advantage of greater volume. Crystal set listening was an individual experience with headsets. Radio sets with added voltage and vacuume tubes has a speaker which could be heard by the whole family. Radio became a family experience. Radio sets were large (becauseof the vacuume tubes) and very expenive. Gradually the expense and the size came down. Through the 1930s, however, many families had radio sets on their living rooms that were larger than modern televisions. Television when it came used the same vacuume tube technology. Basic radio technology did not change until the late 1950s with the appearance of the transistor. Other major changes in radio are taking place in the 2000s with digital satellite radio and computer reception.
The invention of wireless or radio was the next step in two related 19th century technological developments--the telegraph and the telephone. All three technologies involving electricity are related. And radio at first was known as wireless telegraphy because it first involving sending Morse Code telegraphic messages. The key step in radio was moving beyond the copper wire. And for this, scientists had to discover radio or electro-magbetic waves which like eletrical pulses over wivers were capable of transmitting information. The first step was taken by Scottish physicist, James Clerk Maxwell, who predicted the existence of radio waves (early-1860s). At the same time, Mahlon Loomis, an American dentist, demonstrated 'wireless telegraphy' for the first time (1866). Loomis connected a meter to a kite and was able to move a meter connctd to another kite (1866). This was the first known instance of wireless aerial communication. German physicist, Heinrich Rudolph Hertz provided the theoretical construct foe radio science. He demonstrated that very rapid variations in electric current could be projected into the air as radio waves, similar to light and heat (1886). Up to this point, radio was essentially a scientific curiosity. Italian scietist, Guglielmo Marconi, invented a practical use for radio. He demostrated the feasibility of radio communication. He was the first person to sen and receive a radio signal. He did this in Italy (1895). He then sent the first wireless signal across the English Channel (1899). At then sent the letter 'S' across the Atlantic from England to Newfoundland (1901). This was followed by the first transatlantic radiotelegraph message (1902). Others were working on radio communications. Nikola Tesla and Nathan Stufflefield took out patents for wireless radio transmitters. Tesla is now credited with being the first person to patent radio technology. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Marconi's patent in favor of Tesla (1943).
Great advances in technology often occur during or as a result of war. World War I was no exception. The need for improved communications resulted in considerable advances in telecommunications, including radio. World War I armies had a half century to adjust to the telegram. While national cable systems were relartively secure. The wireless (radio) was an entirely different matter. It had enormous military potential far beyound the telegtam. But it was very new and still being developed. Wireless first came to the public conciouness with the RMS Titanic Disaster (1912). Only modernships and naval vessels had wireless at the time. Wireless was also very insecure. Unlike telegrams. Beligerant nations could receive radio eneny messages at some distance from the battlefield. World War I armies and navies operated largely independently in World War I. This is one reason that navies formed infantry forces (marines). The codes used by combatant armies and navies were different. A naval ship could have a small easily secured wireless and coding message center. Army field units, especially mobile units, faced a more difficult challenge. And there was a need to develop new codes with the deployment of the new wireless. Telegraph codes were relarively secure. While little progress was made in battle-field commsnd and control, the appearance of radio sets just before the War did revolutionize military communications, both art sea and on land. The fact that signals naval and and army commanders were transmitted for the first time meant that interception was possible on a large scale for the first time. Wireless communications were insecure because they could be easily picked up by the enemy. It took some time for the military forces to adjust to this new reality through several years of fighting. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was unprepared for this when it arrived in France. Experimentation brought major advances. In America, AT&T developed two-way voice communication with airplanes, although this would only become practical after the War. The U.S. Army installed the first operational two-way radios in planes, prior to U.S. involvement. This development began in 1915 at San Diego, and by 1916 technicians could send a radio telegraph over a distance of 140 miles. Radio telegraph messages were also exchanged between planes in flight. And finally in 1917, a human voice was transmitted by radio from a plane in flight to an operator on the ground for the first time. These developments were, however, not incorporated in World War I combat. It did mean that the technology would be available for World War II.
Commercial radio broadcasts began before World War I, but were interupted during the War. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commsion banned all private radio broadcasts after the Uited States entered the War (1917). The fear was espionage. Thus it was only after the War that the radio industry was launched. Building on the technological advances made during World war I, coomercial radio broacasts began to create a new industry in the 1920s. The broadcasts started in America first (1919-20). Broadcasts in other countries soon followed: Australia (1921?), France (1921), England (1922), Germany (1923), New Zealand (1923), Switzerland (1923), and Austria (1924).
Early radio listerners used broadcast "detectors" (crystal sets) to receive the broadcast. The basic detector obtained its energy from the transmitted signal. Only headphone reception was possible (figure 1). Crystal set listening was an individual experience with headsets. It was possible to plug more than one headset in, but still with the headsets on, convesation and comments were difficult. Radio listening with a crystal set was sill an individual activity. Boys are always interested in technology. Boys of the period were very keen on radio as a hobby. For some reason girls were much less interested. (This has not changed greatly. In our modern age, boys show a much greater interest in computers than boys.) Boys also liked radio since it brought them in touch with far-flung places and people. Soon a popular activity for boys was building a crystal set. An additional source of electricity was not needed for a basic crystal set. There were exceptions. A detector with rectifier material needed additional bias voltage. Good detectors had the ability to separate transmissions and were capable of long-distance reception.
The great advantage of the crystal detector was the "current-free" reception. The crustal set was, however, replaced by vacuum tubes receivers. These receivers are radio sets were much more sensitive and selective. hey also offered the advantage of greater volume. Crystal set listening was an individual experience with headsets. Radio technologu affected family behavior. Radio sets with added voltage and vacuume tubes has a speaker which could be heard by the whole family. Radio became a family experience. Many American family would gather around the radio set in the evening after dinner. Presumably similar trends occurred iun Europe. Radio sets were large (because of the vacuume tubes) and very expenive. Gradually the expense and the size came down. Through the 1930s, however, many families had radio sets on their living rooms that were larger than modern televisions.
Television when it came used the same vacuume tube technology. While the technology was similar with the adition of a cathode ray tube (CRT). Even so, the impact on radio was monumental. Americans soon wanted to see their favorite programs on television rather than radio. This was especially true of the comedy and drama series. Gradually radio evolved into a medium for news and music.
Basic radio technology did not change until the late 1950s with the appearance of the transistor.
Other major changes in radio are taking place in the 2000s. Many mostly young people listen to radio bradcastede music over their computers.
Digital satellite radio became avail as a subscription service in the 2000s.
These technological developments had very powerful consequences. They had economic. military, political, social, and other consequences. The most immediate consequence was that it spawned whole new industries, both the manufacturing of radio sets and a vast expansion of the entertaiment industry. The country that seized upon the manufacturing of radio sets was the United States and as with cars, inexpensive radios within a decade were in parlors of even low-income Americans. This also created a new format for entertainers which could now project their talent into American homes. Radio (wireless) had only a minor impact on World War I. This was not the case in World War II where radio had a major impact. This began early in the War when German Panzers equipped with radios proved decisive in the battle of France. The French had excellent tanks, but they were less effective because they did not have radios. Overall, the impact of radio swing to the Allied side because of British science and the tremendous industrial base in the United States created by commercial radio. A month after the battle of France, British radar (a radio deritive) would help save the country from the Luftwaffe onslaught. There wwere also significant consequences in the Cold War. Radio had a major impact on poluitics and political figures (Churchill, Hitler, and Roosevelt) were the first to master the new media. There were also social consequences, especially the ability of a range of entertainers to become important national figures.
Wireless communications or radio was developed just before World War I, but it only played, a minor role in the land war. Te role of electronics in World War II was very different. Radio and other electonics including sonar, radar, nvigational beams, and proximity played major roles in the War. Command and control is important in any military campaign. This is true whatever the combat environment. It is especially important in mobile warfare so a commander can direct fast moving mechanized units. And of course radio gave commenmders just such a capability. Only the Germans at the onset of the war had fully thought this through and had a military force prepared to operate with modern command and control methods. Radios were an important part of that, but not the only electronic equipment which appeared on the battlefield. Radar was a key element leading to the British victory in the Battle of Britain. Part of the Battle of Britain was the less well publicized Battle of the Beams. Both radar and sonar were vital in the Battle of the Atlantic. Germany's industry, however, was not capable of fully equipping their army with needed weapons, including radios, and other electronic equipment. German scientists invented a range of weapons that the country's industry could not produce in large enough quantities to affect the War. Britain was the only country to begin the War with a fully mechanized army. And America was the only country with the industrial base and resources to produce the implements of war, including electronic equipment in the quantities required by its oen military as well as that of Allied countries. One important area was electronics. The America radio industry provided the basis for a huge output of radio equipment and other electronic equipment such as radar and sonar. Radio while it enable commanders to direct mobil units was also ingerently ensure. Thus signals intelligence became a vital aspect of the War. The Germans thought they solved this problem with their Enigma Machine. They were wrong. With signals intelligence the Allies proved much more adept than the Axis, although the Germans did have their successes as well.
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