Until 1906, listening to the radio was a very dull experience. The medium was used only as a way to transmit Morse code through the air — with the dots and dashes spoken as “di,” dit” and “dah.”
A scientist who saw bigger possibilities was Reginald Fessenden, an electrical engineer who was working for the United States Weather Bureau at the turn of the century. The bureau’s goal was to send forecasts using signals, like Morse code, over the airwaves. That proved to be frustrating for Fessenden.
Fessenden aimed for more, such as transmitting sound waves to carry human voices. He was able to turn those sound waves into electric waves and lay them upon existing radio waves. These were the first radio waves to carry signals for a range of sound.
After years of experimenting, a transmitter at Brant Rock, on the Massachusetts coast, sent out the first clearly heard broadcast 116 years ago tonight.
The hourlong radio program, heard by ships at sea, began at 9 p.m. Eastern time. The broadcast included seasonal Bible readings, Fessenden’s own violin rendition of “O Holy Night” and a recording of Handel’s “Largo.”
Fessenden wrapped up the night by wishing his listeners a Merry Christmas.
Thanks New York Times!