A.S. Popov is the inventor of radio, which our country can rightfully be proud of. He was the first to study electromagnetic waves, and was even a teacher of the appropriate courses for officers. It was Popov who found practical application for the electric waves discovered by Hertz. The scientist began his first experiments by repeating the experiments of the famous discoverer. But over time, Popov invented his own, more sensitive and reliable way to detect electromagnetic waves. The device that he invented for these purposes was called the "coherer", and looked like a glass tube filled with metal shavings. Two electrodes were placed inside it. The interaction of the electricity and metal created by them was the whole principle of the invention. True, to enhance the effect, it was necessary to periodically shake the tube so that the sawdust did not solder together. In order not to constantly perform this process manually, A.S. Popov began to use the bell device. Subsequently, there was a need to strengthen the action of the coherer. The scientist grounded one of the electrodes, and the second lifted and attached to a piece of wire. So the first antenna for wireless reception was invented. Current electrical appliances faintly resemble a scientist’s invention, but the principle of their operation has not changed much since then. Except for the way energy sources are controlled: now semiconductor devices are used for such purposes .
Few people know that the famous inventor of radio Popov is considered a pioneer only with us. In America, for example, they call another name - G. Marconi. The latter really was the father for the radio, but in a commercial sense. He was the first to set up production of radio receivers and capture a large part of the market, while our domestic scientist worked more carefully and was in no hurry to display the "raw" invention in circulation for general use. Obviously, Popov, unlike an enterprising colleague, pursued non-personal commercial goals. The scientist wanted to make radio accessible, put his invention at the service of all mankind. The debate on the primacy of inventors has not stopped for more than a century. Although, in reality, it would be fair to consider Heinrich Hertz to be a real pioneer in this field , who discovered electromagnetic waves and the method of their transmission over a distance.
The inventor of the radio officially became such in 1895. As for the date, two numbers are called here. It will be more correct to say that a significant event occurred on May 7 in a new style. Moreover, it is this number that many textbooks and encyclopedias call. On this day, our inventor of radio for the first time showed his brainchild to fellow scientists at a meeting in St. Petersburg. Then the first public transmission of the signal was made, with a distance of 60 meters. Since then, May 7 is annually celebrated in Russia as Radio Day, a holiday for everyone who works in the communications industry.
Popov is the inventor of the radio, on whose work military engineers relied in their work. Those people who, above all, appreciated not the speed in achieving results, but the quality and reliability of the final invention. Signaling in the military industry has always been an important and, to some extent, priority task, which further increased the value of the work of our scientist. Initially, however, the signal range left much to be desired. But A.S. Popov constantly worked on this, improving his invention. The first long-range broadcast was able to overcome the threshold of 250 meters. Soon, after persistent manipulations, the scientist achieved even greater success - 600 meters. During the maneuvers conducted by the Black Sea Fleet, the scientist again conducted an experiment for the public. The results for that time were stunning - 20 km. This demonstration was held in 1899. Two years later, Popov was able to bring his invention to a radio transmission range of 150 km. It was found out that it is possible to receive a signal using telephone communications. Around the same time, thanks to the work of the scientist, fishermen were found who were lost on an ice floe in the Gulf of Finland. So, with the salvation of people, the practical work of the remarkable invention of Popov began. Soon, the introduction of radio communications in all spheres of life began, including for military purposes - for the Navy and the Russian army.