41 Amazing Facts About Radio That Will Leave You Surprised

Radio is a mode of communication by electromagnetic radio waves, which happens through the transmission of music or any other means via a single broadcast station to large crowds supplied with radio receivers.

Radio was initially designed to transfer messages via a cable without wires. Eventually, radio gained more popularity by being a wireless form of two-way communication which led to the introduction of walkie-talkies, cell phones, and more.

In today's modern world, with the advancement in technology, radio is extensively used in radio communication, that is (transmission of signals through radio waves), in radar which helps to find aircraft, and missiles through radio waves transmitted at the destination point, remote sensor, radio beacon such as GPS which track the location precisely by accepting the radio signals with which the calculation of exact position can be measured.

According to the reports and research submitted by Nielson, FM Radio is considered one of the top-notch highest-ranking communication platforms that most Americans trusts and like to get reliable information when compared to watching television, cell phones, and more.

Every household in America has a radio because it comforts the receiver's mind through the music broadcast, updates every local community regarding daily weather updates and sports details, and can easily tune to different music stations available. On top of that, radios are convenient to carry during long travel and are accessible through car radios.

Even during natural calamities, people can rely on the radio's factual information rather than waiting for news channel updates. Thus, radio facts are fascinating proof that it benefits listeners who like to take up authentic information.

History

Though we are now living in a digitalized era, most of us would have listened to the radio at least once in our lifetime. Those were the precious days when there was no television and people were living in a group coming forward to listen to music and news on the radio.

Also, many inventors had put in their efforts and claimed their theories and inventions, which later got the name radio.

In 1864, James Clerk Maxwell was the first person to ascertain, based on his calculations, that radio waves or electromagnetic waves could easily penetrate through space. This proposal was most famously known as 'Maxwell Equations.'

A famous German physicist Heinrich Hertz researched and confirmed the theory that radio waves exist in 1886, which Maxwell originally started for research.

However, Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi established proper radio transmitters and receivers between 1895 and 1896. Hence, he is known as the inventor of 'wireless telegraphy,' Radios began to be used for commercial purposes from 1900 onwards.

A Canada-based inventor Reginald Fessenden 1906, was the first person to transmit music and voice-related signals through radio waves. 

The world's most popular broadcast service, which is otherwise called PCGG, began on November 6, 1919.

In July 1923, during British supremacy, the first-ever radio broadcast happened in 'Radio Club' in Mumbai.

In the '30s, companies made arrangements to support the US president by sharing messages through radio to the public about the country. The officials did this process by organizing what content had to be delivered, which was done through radio programming, and later, the broadcasting was accomplished through radio stations.

On June 8, 1938, it was an unforgettable day in Indian history as the term broadcasting was renamed 'All India Radio.'

Other notable scientists proclaimed to have developed radio transmissions are Oliver Lodge and Nikola Tesla.

Eiffel Tower survived because military personnel started to use it as a radio tower for military purposes during World War I.

Technology

Surprisingly, there are many ways radio technology is used nowadays. Technology emerges every day as per the methods people want to use it. As most of us know, people love listening to broadcast and radio programming compared to other forms of amusement. Below are the different ways radio technology is used in today's world.

During the '80s, downloading video games were done through broadcast, and then humans used to play them on their systems through videotape.

Broadcasting is one of the simplest ways people love to use radio technology as it employs computerized audio technology.

Online Radio is also one of the popular ways where using radio technology is used. The radio signals are emitted via the internet, and the recipients are connected to their WiFi to enjoy the streaming.

Radio technology can be most commonly seen in conventional radio, that is, music, weather updates, or any emergency news that travels through space as radio waves. Set up a traditional radio seen in ancient times requires an antenna and a nine-volt battery.

One of the best two-way communication radio technology is Walkie-Talkies. A Walkie-Talkie is battery-operated with a transmitter and a receiver that converts the human voice into radio waves, and later broadcasting happens.

The most common appliance in the kitchen every household has is Microwave which uses electromagnetic waves to generate heat.

Mobile phones use radio waves to send and receive signals, another form of the electromagnetic spectrum.

 Radio technology is used in the form of GPS to track a particular location.

Communication & Bandwidth

Bandwidth and communication are significant as they have surrounded us from the 18th century onwards. Below mentioned are some of the different modulations which are in use to date:

Radio communication happens through modulations, which are possible through audio or video signals.

Many modulations are available; the most common are AM (Analog Modulation) and FM (Frequency Modulation).

Digital Modulation techniques are widely used in places where more bandwidth is required, e.g., WiFi, television broadcasting, and digital audio broadcasting.

Every radio transmitter has its measuring frequency like Hertz, megahertz, gigahertz, and kilohertz.

Analog Modulations are used widely in Walkie-Talkies, personal computers, and airplane radios.

Many radio stations prefer Frequency Modulation or FM as it has more bandwidth range. It is also used in places like radar, video transmission, and video recording systems.

Bandwidth is processed in the form of bits and is usually measured in Hertz.

The maximum bandwidth of FM radio is around 101.1 Megahertz.

Applications

Radio has played a significant role since it came into existence, and it is widely used in many applications from time to time and applied in different technologies. Some of its valuable facts are mentioned below:

Radio is mainly used for broadcasting purposes, including audio and television broadcasting.

The radio application can be seen as a Satellite phone, Marine radio, and sooner it will be deployed in a 5G wireless network as the data rates are faster when compared to other networks.

Radio waves are applied in spacecraft, remote controls, flying a drone, garage door openers with the help of radio signals, wireless doorbells, and many more.

Other Miscellaneous Facts

Radio has got its unique style of attracting people by giving accurate information since the olden days. Some of the other interesting facts are mentioned below:

It is fascinating that actual weather forecasts were forbidden during World War II to prevent rival submarines from knowing the exact locations.

From 1922 until 1971, the UK government gave a license worth $0.249 to listen to any radio station.

The country of Spain decided to commemorate World Radio Ray on September 20, 2010.

During World War III, the people got to hear the radio for the first time in their life, and the monarch himself admitted the defeat of Japan over the radio.

In 2000, the song which ran most popularly on US Radio a zillion times was 'How You Remind Me.'

It is fascinating that a secretive Russian signal, 'UVB-76', has been transferring signals since 1982.

The famous Electrical Engineer Guglielmo Marconi was awarded a Nobel Prize for having contributed so much to the advancements of wireless telegraphy.

During the drowning of the ship Titanic in 1912, the radio came into the picture to contact ships close by to safeguard other passengers.

More than 92% of the people in America would love to tune in to FM radio.

NASA has a radio station wherein they play the band alt-rock.

The usage of satellite radio started in the year 1992.

According to the survey, most people who listen to the radio are 50 years old.

Radio has played a vital role in every technological advancement and has changed the whole perspective of how beautifully it has evolved over the years. Broadcasting is the primary source every citizen relies on as it only gives accurate information.

FAQs

Why is the radio called a radio?

The word radio evolved from the Latin name 'radius,' which means radiation.

What was the first radio?

The renowned inventor Marconi established the first radio in 1895, which he named 'Wireless Telegraph.'

What was the first radio station?

The first-ever radio station was KDKA which was broadcasted on November 2, 1920.

Who invented the FM radio?

Famous engineer Edwin Howard Armstrong discovered the FM radio in 1933.

How long has radio been around?

Radio has been around for commercial purposes since 1900 onwards.

Who is known as the father of radio?

Guglielmo Marconi is known to be the father of the radio.

How did radio evolve?

Radio has evolved continuously to cope with the latest technologies we use in this modern world. Radio is everywhere, from our homes to satellites and vehicles.

What is the longest-running radio station?

The USA's longest-running radio station is 'The Grand Ole Opry.'

Which came first, AM or FM?

Amplitude Modulation, or AM, was first established in 1892 by John Stone.