History of the Radio

  • First radio signal

    Marconi is the first to send and receive a radio signal, though some think he stole credit for it.
  • Audion tube is invented

    Lee Deforest "borrowed" the idea for the audion tube from Reginald Fessendon. Audion tube was used to amplify signals.
  • Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcats

    The Metropolitan Opera is one of the first musical performances aired on radio and becomes a weekly show for nearly 90 years
  • The RMS Titanic sinks

    As the Titanic sank, many distress signals were went out using radio. Afterwards, spark gap transmitters became universal on large ships.
  • KDKA - first radio station

    The first radio station, KDKA, is opened by Frank Conrad.
  • Radio commercials

    WEAF aired a ten minute long commercial advertising an apartment complex which cost 50 dollars. Radio stations begin to make money off airing commercials.
  • Uncle Charlies

    Personal radio stations called Uncle Charlies led to the creation of the FRC which later became the FCC. The FCC regulates what is bridcast on the radio.
  • FM Radio

    FM radio was patented by Edwin H. Armstrong.
  • George Gershwin

    Popular songwriter George Gershwin, composer of Rhapsody in Blue, gets his own Radio program
  • First news story airs on radio

    BBC airs first news story -- fire at London's Crystal Palace
  • War of the Worlds

    CBS broadcasts Orson Welles' "Invasion From Mars" from H.G. Wells's "War of the Worlds"
  • Elvis records his first

    Elvis records his first record at Sun Records
  • Portable Radio

    Regency introduced a pocket transistor radio, the TR-1, powered by a standard 22.5V Battery.
  • Moon Landing

    Radio is used to communicate with the astronaughts on the moon
  • XM satellite radio

    XM satelite radio is invented