A major figure in the history of electrical engineering due to his contributions to the development of electronic circuitry used in. Electrical engineer who created the modern frequency modulated fm radio. Edwin howard armstrong, a biography lawrence lessing on. Man of high fidelity edwin howard armstrong new jersey. By the end of his career he had been awarded 42 patents and was the recipient of the french legion of honor, the 1941 franklin medal and the 1942 edison medal, among other awards. Negotiations between armstrong and rca for use of his fm system patents. Edwin howard armstrong 18901954 find a grave memorial.
Edwin howard armstrong 18 december 1890 31 march 1954 was an american engineer and the inventor of fm radio. The legecies of edwin howard armstrong by the radio club. Edwin howard armstrong was born on 18 december 1890 born in the chelsea district of new york city. Oct 24, 2007 the general electric phasitron fm transmitter in the early 1950s, many saw the emergence of fm on a new band 88108 mhz as a waste of time and money. A5 louis armstrong and his orchestra swing you cats. Armstrong, edwin howard, 18901954, american engineer and radio inventor, b. This would drive an amplifier right to the edge of oscillation and then kill the gain to avoid a squeal.
Rather than increasing the strength or amplitude of his radio waves, armstrong changes only the frequency on which they are transmitted. No full account exists of the life of edwin howard armstrong, considered by many to be one of the great. West even among the collectors and completists for whom its intended, a ninecd box set is not for listening to en masse. He had read of guglielmo marconi and became very interested in wireless radio communication. In despair, he had thrown himself out the window of his thirteenthfloor new york city apartment sometime during the night. Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890february 1, 1954 was an american inventor and one of the great engineers of the 20th century. Many people cannot explain how the signals reach their radios or why the fm. Louis armstrong in the 30s in the 40s vinyl discogs. Following rca chairman david sarnoffs successful campaign to have the fcc abandon the 50mhz fm band, a move intended to destroy major edwin armstrongs hold on the fm patents and spectrum, rca began to produce a line of high quality amfm receivers that utilized the. Edwin howard armstrong was an american electrical engineer and inventor, who developed. Armstrong patented three important inventions that made todays radio possible.
Edwin armstrong 18901954 on february 1, 1954, armstrongs body was discovered on the roof of a threestory wing of his apartment building. Edwin howard armstrong was born on december 18, 1890, in the chelsea district. Armstrong, edwin howard 1890 1954millions of radio listeners each day tune in their favorite fm i. Bambi 1942, song of the south 1946, cinderella 1950, alice in wonderland 1951. Radios greatest inventorengineer and tragic victim of his own success and the patent system. The major armstrong award, named after the inventor of fm radio, edwin howard armstrong, is presented to am and fm stations for excellence and originality in radio broadcasting by the armstrong memorial research foundation at columbia university the institute of electrical and electronics engineers communications society also has an award named after edwin armstrong, as does radio. Thats what we have in the infobox and thats how hes most often known. Edwin armstrong discovered feedback and invented the basic electronic circuits that made radio, radar and television possible, but his life was consumed by the battle to protect his patents and few people today know anything at all about him or his contributions. Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 was an american electrical engineer and inventor, best known for developing fm frequency modulation radio and the superheterodyne receiver system. Jan 19, 2016 the reference here is edwin howard armstrong man of high fidelity by lawrence lessing, 1956. Although an experimental 40mile 64 km microwave telecommunication link across the english channel was demonstrated in 1931, the development of radar in world war ii provided the technology for practical exploitation of microwave communication. He was a columbia university professor of physics, but he preferred to be addressed as major armstrong he. Following rca chairman david sarnoffs successful campaign to have the fcc abandon the 50mhz fm band, a move intended to destroy major edwin armstrongs hold on the fm patents and spectrum, rca began to produce a line of high quality amfm receivers that utilized the newly allocated 88108mhz. Edwin howard armstrong was born on december 18, 1890, in the chelsea district of manhattan.
Edwin howard armstrong, a biography paperback january 1, 1969 by lawrence lessing author 5. His father worked for the american branch of the british publishing organisation, oxford university press which. In this period he sold patent rights on his circuits to the major corporations, including rca. Armstrongs father, john armstrong, was a publisher who became vicepresident in charge of the american branch of oxford university press. This made armstrong rcas largest shareholder, and he noted that the sale of that invention was. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Hello fellow wikipedians, i have just added archive links to 2 external links on edwin howard armstrong. Edwin howard armstrong is one of americas forgotten inventor geniuses.
Edwin howard armstrong bio, facts, family famous birthdays. But there were years of legal battles between armstrong and his former employer rca, which saw it. Armstrongs big paydays would come in the early 1920s, when he licensed his patents to westinghouse and to the radio corporation of america r. He held 42 patents and received numerous awards, including the first medal of honor awarded by the institute of radio engineers now ieee, the french legion of honor, the 1941.
Rca marketed the superheterodyne beginning in 1924, and soon licensed the invention to other manufacturers. Choose from 500 different sets of technology and american society flashcards on quizlet. Radio was armstrong s passion, and about a year before he graduated in 19, he devised a circuit that revolutionized the radio art. Edwin howard armstrong 18 grudnia 1890 01 lutego 1954, amerykanski inzynier i.
Armstrong, in full edwin howard armstrong, born december 18. He was the first child of john and emily smith armstrong. He was born on december 18, 1890 in new york city and died on february 1, 1954, alone and in disgrace. This breakthrough innovation would become known as armstrongs regenerative circuit, an essential component of most all subsequent radios. To sprawilo, ze najwiekszy udzialowiec armstrong rca, a on zauwazyl. Fm radio offers clarity and a dynamic range that cannot be matched by am i. This made armstrong rcas largest shareholder, and he noted that the sale of that. Edwin howard armstrong is one of americas greatest inventors and scientists. On the next page is a picture of an old version of my adobe ebook reader. The purposes of the equalization are to permit greater recording times by decreasing the mean width of each groove, to improve sound quality, and to reduce the groove damage that would otherwise arise during playback. Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 was an. The major armstrong award, named after the inventor of fm radio, edwin howard armstrong, is presented to am and fm stations for excellence and originality in radio broadcasting by the armstrong memorial research foundation at columbia university. The documentary features interviews and recollections of radio with noted radio dramatist norman corwin 19102011, sports commentator red barber 19081992, jeanne hammond niece of edwin howard armstrong, broadcast historian erik barnouw 19082001 and garrison keillor, writer and host of public radios a prairie home companion.
Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 february 1, 1954 was an american electrical engineer and inventor, who developed fm frequency modulation radio and. Born on december 18, 1890, armstrong decided he was going to be an inventor by age fourteen. He was born in new york city on december 18, 1890 and died there on january 31, 1954. Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 february 1, 1954 was an american electrical engineer and inventor, who developed fm frequency modulation radio and the superheterodyne receiver system. A case study of edwin howard armstrongs public relations. See all 3 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The first was a new regenerative circuit, based on the audion.
Born in manhattan, new york, he was one of the most important electrical engineers of the 20th century. He died believing he was a failure, and that fm radio would never become accepted. Edwin howard armstrong s niece, jeanne hammond, who represented the family in the ken burns documentary empire of the air, died on may 1, 2019 in scarborough, maine. He is best known for developing the technology for fm frequency modulation radio. Edwin howard armstrong 1890 1954 invented most of radio. Inventor edwin howard armstrong is credited with developing many of the features of radio as it is known today. In 1922, armstrong sold his superregeneration patent to rca for. Armstrong also made a deal with rca for a similarly innovative circuit, the superregenerative receiver.
Riaa equalization is a specification for the recording and playback of phonograph records, established by the recording industry association of america riaa. In 1933, he invented the first working fm radio, super regeneration and superheterodyne. An extremely innovative inventor, edwin armstrong unfortunately spent as muchtime in court fighting lawsuits as he did in the laboratory. A major figure in the history of electrical engineering due to his contributions to the development of electronic circuitry used in radio, radar and television. Rcas president, david sarnoff, a friend of armstrongs, was eager that. While his influence on radio has been profound, few people today know who edwin howard armstrong was or how his inventions affected their lives.
For radio and electrical engineers who know the history, edwin howard armstrong is the tragic hero of early wireless and a victim of the radio empire which he helped to create. The rca corporation was a major american electronics company, which was founded as the radio corporation of america in 1919. Edwin howard armstrong was born in new york city on 18 december. A1 louis armstrong and his orchestra sweet sue just you. Armstrong, edwin howard article about armstrong, edwin. As a young boy armstrong was stricken with rheumatic fever. Only a few visionaries, people who were ready to try different paths, create new audiences and serve new needs, succeeded with fm. Radio was armstrongs passion, and about a year before he graduated in 19, he devised a. Edwin howard armstrong edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 was an american electrical engineer and inventor. Edwin howard armstrong wikipedia republished wiki 2. This article about an engineer, inventor or industrial designer is a stub. Buy the legecies of edwin howard armstrong by the radio club of america, inc.
Celebrating 100 years of edwin armstrongs regenerative. Jan 22, 2016 edwin howard armstrong edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 was an american electrical engineer and inventor. A3 louis armstrong and his orchestra ive got the world on a string. Edwin howard armstrong develops frequency modulation, or fm, radio as a solution to the static interference problem that plagues am radio transmission, especially in summer when electrical storms are prevalent. Hammond worked in her uncles radio laboratory at columbia university for several years following her graduation from wellesley college in 1943. Of the three men, edwin howard armstrong was by far the most inventive in the field of radio technology, yet he is the least remembered. By the end of his career he had been awarded 42 patents and was the recipient of the. The most prolific and influential inventor in radio history december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 by. Most of his fm patents had expired in 1950, and though royalty payments. Gift of the armstrong memorial research foundation, 1977. Edwin howard armstrong december 18, 1890 january 31, 1954 was an american.
John worked as vice president of the american branch of oxford press, while emily, a graduate of hunter college, taught in the new york city public schools. His father worked for the american branch of the british publishing organisation, oxford university press which published a variety of books including bibles and classical works. Edwin howard armstrong is commonly remembered as the inventor of frequency modulation. Armstrong studied electrical engineering at columbia university. Radio was armstrong s passion, and about a year before he graduated in 19, he devised a.
Lessing was a personal friend, and saw in armstrongs suicide the triumph of blind corporate power over individual achievment. The first was a new regenerative circuit, based on the audion tube, which eventually yielded the first radio amplifier. Aug 10, 2006 rca s greater financial resources crushed armstrongs legal defences, and he was left penniless, alone, and distraught. For radio and electrical engineers who know the history, edwin howard armstrong is the tragic hero of early wireless and a. This saturday marks the 100 year anniversary of edwin howard armstrongs first successful use of feedback to electrically amplify sound. Columbia and rca victor live recordings of louis armstrong and the all stars updated april 25, 2019 by michael j. Fm broadcasts have less static and a shorter range than am, so they are a purely local but higherquality broadcast. Hello fellow wikipedians, i have just added archive links to 2. He has been called the most prolific and influential. And in the 1920s, the radio corporation of america rca was the major company developing radio and later television systems.
It was initially a wholly owned subsidiary of general electric ge. If done at more than 20 khz, the ear couldnt pick up the variation. Then, writes broadcast historian erik barnouw, in april 1935 the inventor was politely asked to remove his equipment. The untold history of fcc regulation cato institute. The rca corporation offered armstrong a million dollars for his. It uses the same radio waves as am but in a different way. Armstrong read every book he could find on the subject of wireless communication. Later, he lost a vicious legal battle with his former employer, rca. Regeneration, the superheterodyne circuit and wideband frequency modulation or fm. In the 1950s, large transcontinental microwave relay. Edwin howard armstrong is the father of fm radio and the grandfather of radar and a great grandfather of space communication, but he never reaped the full reward of his genius. Armstrong invented three of the electronic circuits fundamental to modern radio, television, and radar. Microwave transmission is the transmission of information by microwave radio waves.
Since he had to be home he listened to a lot of radio programs, and became increasingly interested in the work of marconi. He held 42 patents and received numerous awards, including the first medal of honor awarded by the institute of radio engineers now ieee, the french legion of honor, the 1941 franklin medal and. Rca decided to test it, and in march 1934 invited armstrong to set up his equipment at the companys empire state building facilities. The term terrestrial is more common in europe and latin america, while in the united states it is called broadcast or overtheair television ota. Armstrong, in full edwin howard armstrong, born december 18, 1890, new york, new york, u. Edwin howard armstrong 18901954 inventor engineering 19 faculty 1954. In the early 1950s, many saw the emergence of fm on a new band 88108 mhz as a waste of time and money. From invention to patent litigation university, seoul, korea pdf. Learn technology and american society with free interactive flashcards. I actually came here to propose it be moved to edwin h. Called the major by his friends and howard by his relatives, he was one of early broadcastings pioneers. Fm broadcasting had been developed by edwin howard armstrong as a way to broadcast without the interference that am was susceptible to and with better fidelity. Terrestrial television is a type of television broadcasting in which the television signal is transmitted by radio waves from the terrestrial earthbased transmitter of a television station to a tv receiver having an antenna.