Television and Radio |

“Radio waves” transmit music, conversations, pictures and data invisibly through the air, often over millions of miles — it happens every day in thousands of different ways! Even though radio waves are invisible and completely undetectable to humans, they have totally changed society. Whether we are talking about a cell phone, a baby monitor, a cordless phone or any one of the thousands of other wireless technologies, all of them use radio waves to communicate.

Here are just a few of the everyday technologies that depend on radio waves:

• AM and FM radio broadcasts
• Cordless phones
• Garage door openers
• Wireless networks
• Radio-controlled toys
• Television broadcasts
• Cell phones
• GPS receivers
• Ham radios
• Satellite communications
• Police radios
• Wireless clocks

The list goes on and on… Even things like radar and microwave ovens depend on radio waves. Things like communication and navigation satellites would be impossible without radio waves, as would modern aviation — an airplane depends on a dozen different radio systems. The current trend toward wireless Internet access uses radio as well, and that means a lot more convenience in the future!

­The funny thing is that, at its core, radio is an incredibly simple technology. With just a couple of electronic components that cost at most a d­ollar or two, you can build simple radio transmitters and receivers. The story of how something so simple has become a bedrock technology of the modern world is fascinating!

Howard Stern revealed to Sirius listeners on Thursday that he’s been approached by terrestrial radio about a possible return.

Stern is in the final year of a five-year, $500 million contract with the satellite radio giant.

In an interview with “Bubba The Love Sponge” – a fellow shock jock who moved to Sirius and has since returned to terrestrial airwaves — Stern said he’s been contacted by several “regular” radio executives, but has not received a “bona fide” offer yet.

“I actually have an offer,” Stern said. “Well, not a bona fide offer, but people have been making them.”

It doesn’t sound like he’s ruling a return to terrestrial radio out, although it might also be pure shock jock posturing in a contract year. Late last year, Sirius chief executive Mel Karmazin said he expected as much from Stern in 2010.

Stern did not reveal which terrestrial radio stations had approached him, but said, “I can’t ever imagine the day where I’d work for Clear Channel.”

The nation’s largest radio conglomerate once dropped Stern’s terrestrial radio broadcast in six markets because of “indecency.”