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The Edison Effect
The Edison Effect is discovered while Thomas Edison was trying to find a way to keep the inside of his electric lights free of soot. He actually placed a metal plate inside the bulb and connected a wire to it creating a diode! Unfortunately, he did not realize the implications or did not take time to pursue them because of other interests at the time. Edison patents the Fuse. -
Marconi
Marconi was an italian inventor. He sent and received the first radio signal. -
Radio History
Marconi transports his wireless invention to England. Upon entry to the country, nervous customs officials smash his apparatus under suspicion that it may be part of an Italian anarchist plot.Nikola Tesla introduces the use of a rotary gap for his spark transmitter .Marconi takes out patents in England for 'wireless telegraphy'. -
Valdemar Pouslen
Valdemar Poulsen patents an arc transmission that generates continuous radio waves, producing a frequency of 100 kHz and receivable over 150 miles. -
Audion Tube
Lee De Forest, created or "borrowed" the audion tube, a vacuum tube that amplified signals. It's widely believed that a Canadian inventor actually came up with the idea, but he didn't make it in the history books. -
Edwin Armstrong
Edwin Armstrong patents a radio receiver circuit with positive feedback. Part of the amplified high-frequency signal is fed back to the tuning circuit to enhance selectivity and sensitivity. -
Radio Receiver
Armstrong develops the superheterodyne radio receiver. The principle for this receiver is the basis for all radio receivers now in use.A 200 kW alternator starts operating at Station NFF, the Naval station in New Brunswick NJ, which was the most powerful radio transmitter of the time. -
Radio History
UM's Professor Dreese submits a proposal for several UM operated stations. His proposal was tabled by the Regents, who were not concerned with radio at the time. -
Television
Television is born. FM is moved from its original home of 42-50 Mhz to 88-108 Mhz to make room for TV. -
First Radio Commercial
Marconi installs the worlds first commercial radio service on Rathlin Island off the coast of Ireland.
