History

In 1926,over 74 years ago, a lone figure was working on his Radio receiver which was one of the first cummunication items . The Radio was our first mass medium. From that, the radio changed the world!

1920's

In 1923 radio; broadcasting began. The radio was a great importance to many people. A big imoprtace in Australia because it and the word spread very fast. They had battery powered radio were they had no electricity. The first demo of the radio was in 1920 in Melbourne. In November 1923 , the first station, aired. The station 3AR started to transmit music, news, and race results. Also that year, Edwin Armstrong, invented the first portable radio because it was a wedding present for his wife. The first radios were sets, which only had one station because the owner picked one ( limited to one wavelength per radio). In 1924 they were able to receive more stations. At that time, 3 million radio sets were in use in the United States. Also Baseball games were also being broadcasted at that time.

1930’s

In 1931,RCA ( a radio company today) , made one of the most famous receivers at that time. Also the first midget radio sets were sold. Then from that, people were buying complete sets than kits. Then in 1933, the phonograph( the record player), was invented and bands were making records ; but they didn’t want the radio companies to play their songs because they thought that that people wouldn’t buy their records. But that would make them but them because they liked the song and could listen to them any time. In 1934,Edwin Armstrong developed his theory for the use of FM. Also in that year, All-Wave receivers were invented and that caused the use for foreign broadcasters

1940’s

1940,13 million sets were sold in this year and 130 million tubes. Now , 30 commercial FM stations are airing. Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and so they used Radios to tell the nation what was going on in the War. Then in 1942, the stopped manufacturing radios because of the war. 1944, over 30 million homes in the US., had 57 million radio sets total and the receivers are still not being manufactured, but some parts are still being made, just in case of repairs.

1950’s

In 1951, 5 million auto radio sets were sold and produced, and over 13 million radio receivers. Now, the t.v. is really cutting into the radios popularity. In 1951 Sony produced and put the miniature transistor radio in the market.

1960’s

In 1960, people were buying AM/FM and FM more than ever right then and between 1960 and 1965 , the percentage of growth was 750. Also that year an echo reflected radio signals back to earth from the satellites. In 1962 the A/M portable receiver was ahead in production and over 6 million were made in this year. In 1963, they started the Emergency Broadcasting System. In 1964, table and clock radios were made with over 3 million per year, which held through 1965.

1970’s

In 1977 there are 205 million F/M receivers were in use in U.S. and 95% of the people had a home F/M receiver. In 1979 there were 4,549 A/M and 4,102 F/M stations on the air.

1980’s

In 1985, Sony built a radio the size of a credit card.

1990’s

In 1992 there was a total of 11,312 radio stations on the air. In 1994 they started Rock music,Oldies,Spanish/Ethnic and Adult standards. In 1995 the average U.S. home has about 5.6 radio receivers and there also an estimate of 584,900,000 radio receivers.

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