Edwin Howard Armstrong

Jul 9, 2025

Discover the remarkable yet tumultuous journey of Edwin Howard Armstrong, the unsung hero behind FM radio. Delve into his early aspirations and groundbreaking inventions, like the regenerative circuit, that revolutionized radio technology. Explore the fierce battles he faced against corporate giants and the industry's initial resistance to his innovations. Uncover the poignant aspects of his legacy and the challenges that led to both his triumphs and tragedies in the world of radio communications.

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ANECDOTE

Armstrong's Early Radio Experiments

Edwin Howard Armstrong was a shy kid who turned his family attic into a lab to tinker with electrical and radio projects.
He built basic crystal set radios and was determined to amplify weak signals he could pick up.

INSIGHT

Regenerative Circuit Breakthrough

Armstrong invented the regenerative circuit by creating positive feedback in the Audion tube, drastically improving amplification.
When pushed to its highest level, his circuit became an oscillator capable of broadcasting signals.

ANECDOTE

Funding Patent Against Odds

Armstrong struggled to pay patent fees as his father refused financial support to avoid distracting him from school.
He sought funds from family and friends and even sold his bike to file his patent on the regenerative circuit.

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Edwin Howard Armstrong isn’t exactly a well-known inventor, but his work in radio literally changed communications around the globe. But his most famous invention – FM radio – became a source of constant frustration after he developed it.

Research:

Armstrong, Edwin H. “Frequency Modulation and Its Future Uses.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 213, 1941, pp. 153–61. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1024069
Armstrong, Edwin H. “Personalities in Science.” Scientific American, vol. 154, no. 1, 1936, pp. 3–3. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26144367
“First public radio broadcast.” Guinness World Records. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/381969-first-public-radio-broadcast
“FM Inventor Dies in Fall.” The Patriot News. Feb. 2, 1954. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1094174282/?match=1&terms=%22Edwin%20Howard%20Armstrong%22
Lessing, Lawrence P.. "Edwin H. Armstrong". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edwin-H-Armstrong
Lessing, Lawrence P. “Man of High Fidelity: Edwin Howard Armstrong.” Bantam. 1969.
Lessing, Lawrence P. “The Late Edwin H. Armstrong.” Scientific American, vol. 190, no. 4, 1954, pp. 64–69. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24944524
“Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, Volume 5.” Institute of Radio Engineers. 1917. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=YEASAAAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s
“Radio Broadcast.” Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1922-1930. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858044013914&view=1up&seq=277
“Telephoning Without Wires.” The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Oct. 20, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/29125618/?match=1&terms=audion%20%22de%20Forest%22
Tsividis, Yannis. “Edwin Armstrong: Pioneer of the Airwaves.” Columbia Magazine. April 1, 2002. https://magazine.columbia.edu/article/edwin-armstrong-pioneer-airwaves
Turner, H. M. “Dr. Edwin H. Armstrong, Edison Medalist.” The Scientific Monthly, vol. 56, no. 2, 1943, pp. 185–87. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/17796
“What’s the Difference Between AM and FM Radio?” National Inventors Hall of Fame. Aug, 16, 2023. https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/difference-between-am-fm

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