Technology & Living Standards - Radio and Television

Radio and Television

Introduction

To 1880

1880-1889

In 1887, Heinrich Hertz, a German, demonstrated the existence of radio waves. ^{How 352}

1890-1899

In 1890, Nikola Tesla invents a high-frequency electric generator used to generate radio waves. This is the beginning of radio transmission.

In 1891, Thomas Edison received a patent for a radio that transmits signals using radio waves. ^{Schles 373}

In 1894, Sir Oliver Lodge, an Englishman, demonstrated radio wave transmission over several hundred yards. ^{How 352}

In 1896, Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian, demonstrated radio wave transmission over 1 1/4 miles in southwestern England. ^{How 352}

1900-1909

In 1901, Marconi sends a radio message across the Atlantic Ocean from Cornwall to Newfoundland, a distance of about 2,000 miles. ^{How 352}

In 1906, a transatlantic radio transmission was sent from Manhattan Beach, NY, to Ireland under the direction of Lee De Forest, a distance of about 2,500 miles. This year, De Forest also invented the triode tube, important to radio operation. ^{Carruth 403} In this same year in Christmas Eve, the first American radio program was broadcast from an experimental station at Brant Rock, MA. ^{How 352}

In 1909, the first radio transmission from New York City to Chicago was made. ^{Carruth 413}

1910-1919

1920-1929

In 1921, Marconi transmits from Marconi House in London with the callsign 2LO, which soon became famous. ^{How 352}

By 1922, there were 564 American radio stations in the U.S. ^{How 352}

In 1926, J. L. Baird of Scotland produced a homemade black-and-white 30-line television of a human face. He used a patent issued in 1884. ^{How 354}

In 1927, the first national radio beacon for air control was announced. The beacon automatically tells the pilot whether or not the plane is on course. ^{Carruth 467}

In 1927, television was first demonstrated in New York City. ^{Carruth 467}

1930-1939

During the 1930s, there were about 12 experimental TV stations broadcasting in the U.S. These had no commercial advertisements. ^{How 354}

1940-1949

At the end of World War II, there were 12 VHF TV stations and by 1948, there were 20. ^{How 354}

1950-1959

1960-1969

By the early 1960s, there were at least 10,000 radio stations around the world. ^{How 353}

In 1972, the Telstar 2 satellite was launched that provided TV pictures to be trasmitted between Europe and America. This was the second satellite in orbit. ^{How 354}

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999