BY MICHELINA ANDREUCCI
In 1895 Alexander Stepanovich Popov, conducting experiments along the lines of Heinrich Rudolf Hertz’s research which became known as the “Hertzian waves” (radio waves), built his first radio receiver.
In the early 1930s, single sideband and frequency modulation were invented by amateur radio operators. By the end of the decade, they were established commercial modes. One of the first developments in the early 20th Century was the use of commercial AM radio stations for aircraft navigation, until the early 1960s when VOR systems became widespread.
In 1900, Roberto Landell de Moura, a Brazilian priest, transmitted the human voice wirelessly for a distance of approximately 8 km for the first time, and in 1901, Marconi conducted the first successful experimental trans-Atlantic radio communications. By 1907 established the first commercial trans-Atlantic radio communications service.
In the early 1920s Radio was used to transmit pictures visible as “television”. Commercial television transmissions began in the 1940s in Europe and North America.
In the 1930s, inventor Edwin H. Armstrong is credited with the invention of the “superheterodyne” frequency modulation or FM circuit, which he patented in 1933. FM frequency modulation of the radio wave to reduces static and outside interference. FM greatly increases the amplitude of radio signals received to the point where they could be heard without headphones, gives listeners better static-free sound quality and fidelity than AM.
FM radio broadcasting was introduced in Germany. After World War II (1939-1945), with a new wavelength plan set up for Europe at a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1948.
The integrated circuit also brought radio communication to new heights. The first patent was awarded in 1959, to Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce. The space program of the 1960s brought further advances to the integrated circuit. By late 1960s “Telstar”, the first radio communication satellite was launched, and the US long-distance telephone network began to convert to a digital network, employing digital radios for many of its links.
Digital radios ushered in new technologies. The US long-distance telephone networks began converting to a digital network by employing digital radios. With the improvement of technologies, the range and sophistication of domestic devices offered greater freedom and uses for consumers. Now, a radio could fit, not only in a shirt pocket, but in the frame of eyeglasses or in a pair of small stereo earphones. The frequency dial printed on the cabinet today has been replaced with light emitting diodes or liquid crystal displays.
In countless ways the electronics and digital revolution of the 1970’s, which began with the invention of transistors in the 1950’s and integrated circuits during the late 1960s, allowed products to be produced cheaper, smaller and more powerful – from pocket calculators to television sets and computers; that revolutionised our lives.
Ultimately digital basedtoys, radio clocks, car radios and stereos, etc., all contained the same basic components.
Looking back, the decade of the 1970’s, held many promises; two great conflicts come to an end; The Vietnamese War and Zimbabwean War of liberation”. Women’s rights strengthened, and though colour TV was still in its infancy, it increased the popularity of Association Football (Soccer), bringing the game to new unprecedented heights, even today in Zimbabwe. Red and Yellow Cards in football were introduced as was the first Electronic Lock access cards.
Michael Jackson released his debut solo album “Off the Wall" Sonyintroduced the “Walkman”, and the computer video game “Space Invaders” was released. Whilst NASA launched “Mariner 10” the first space craft to study Mercury, and the Space Station “Skylab”, Bill Gates and Paul Allen created Microsoft.
Other great technological innovations resulting from the simple radio during the 1970s included the introduction by Sony of the Betamax video tape system. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak formed the Apple Computer Company.
Intel began introducing the Home Computers, the first low-cost microprocessor and other integrated circuits, and the computer video game “Space Invaders” was released; all courtesy of the work done by the early pioneers through the discovery of electro- magnetism for the development of radio waves and the radio.
Other important life-changing innovations that took place during the 1970’s were: Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), the Floppy Disk, E-Mail and Barcodes; the Ink Jet Printer, MRI Scanners Laser Printers and the Personal Computer. Genetic Engineering and the "test tube baby” throughIn Vitro Fertilisation were all developed during this enlightened and productive decade, brought about by the radio! Many of us will remember the music from this decade that included Progressive Rock, which spurred a new generation of bands, including Genesis, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd.
Many other singers and bands also started or strengthened their fan base including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Slade, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Queen, Black Sabbath, including ABBA, possibly the most successful musical group in the 1970s.
In Zimbabwe many were listening to Martin Locke playing the “Lyons Maid” hits of the week every Saturday morning. Each week carried a jackpot; if the top ten hits of the week were predicted correctly the winner would win an amount of money, and free ice cream for anyone who predicted the top three correctly! At 2pm on Saturday afternoons we listened to the enjoyable radio game show “The Eyegene Jackpot” on our Philips Radiogram.
More importantly, we were listening to Chimurenga songs of liberation as they motivated us to fight for our rights and our land. We enjoyed listening to the music of bands such as the Limpopo Jazz Band, OK Success, the Vedettes, the Machipisa Band, the Black and White Band, and the Coloured Arcadia Rhythm Lads; and the new Zairean bands that brought us Rhumba, and South African influenced Simanje-Manje music. For humour we had Mhuri yaMukadota, serialised on radio, before it became a TV comedy programme.
With the invention of the microwave, technology was soon adopted to manufacture many other homes devices and kitchen appliances cheaply; this gave the housewife more leisure time to enjoy listening to the radio.
Michelina Andreucci is a Zimbabwean-Italian researcher. She is a published author in her field. For comments E-mail:linamanucci@gmail.com
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