How does a radio work?

It's nice to see that television hasn't completely taken over from the radio. Actually, a lot of people use radios in their hobbies. These people talk to other people all over the world with HAM radios. They are able to broadcast using frequencies that are reserved for amateur radio operators. Richard Ferch, ab351@freenet.carleton.ca, has a HAM radio and so offered to answer your question.

We'll try and bring a radio to school to put on the wall. In the meantime, take a look at the computer parts in the library. The disk controller, and the video controller are both made with lots of integrated circuits, or chips, on a printed circuit board (the green board that the chips are fastened to).

A modern radio looks pretty much the same inside. A ten-year old radio looks a little bit different. It also has a printed circuit board, but instead of chips it has little pieces called transistors, resistors, capacitors and coils.

Your school library has some books that explain in more detail how a radio works. Take a look at these ones to begin with and then see if you can find more.

How Things Work

Time Life

602 HOW

How Does It work

Jack Long

600 LON