Who Really Invented Radio? Find Out in the August RAOTC Bulletin

The Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia (RAOTC) invites all radio amateurs and anyone with an interest in the history of wireless to tune in for its August monthly bulletin, which will be broadcast on the first Monday of the month across the Club's extensive network of HF and other transmission modes.

Along with the latest Club news, this month's feature presentation tackles one of the most enduring questions in communications history: "Who invented radio?" Originally written by the late Paul VK2APA and read by John VK2MK, the presentation explores the contributions of some of the great pioneers of radio.

Most amateurs are familiar with names such as James Clerk Maxwell, Heinrich Hertz, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi, but what about Alexander Popov? Maxwell predicted the existence of electromagnetic waves in the 1860s, Hertz demonstrated them experimentally, and Marconi turned them into practical wireless communications. Yet on 7 May 1895, Alexander Popov demonstrated a wireless receiver in Russia, a date still celebrated as "Radio Day" in several Eastern European countries. So why has Popov largely disappeared from the mainstream history of radio? This month's bulletin explores that fascinating question and the complex story behind one of the world's greatest technological achievements.

Whether you're a long-time historian of amateur radio or simply curious about how wireless communication evolved, the August bulletin promises an engaging look back at the origins of our hobby.

Everyone is welcome to listen, whether you're an RAOTC member or not. Better still, stay on frequency afterwards and join the call-back session to catch up with fellow amateurs from around Australia.

If you can't listen live, don't worry. The bulletin audio is available for download from the RAOTC website from today, allowing you to enjoy the program whenever it suits.

Full transmission schedules, frequencies and operating modes are available on the RAOTC website or simply search online for "RAOTC broadcasts."

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Page Last Updated: Sunday, 02 Aug 2026 at 22:39 hours by Justin Giles-clark

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