Radio Reception and

Transmission
Provided by TryEngineering - www.tryengineering.org

Lesson Focus
Lesson explores the electronics behind radio, and its impact on society. Students work in
teams to build and test a radio receiver and optional transmitter from either a snap or
soldering kit (depending on level and age). They review challenges encountered in the
building and testing process, evaluate their results, and share observations with their
class.

Lesson Synopsis
The "Radio Reception & Transmission" lesson
explores how radio has impacted society, and
impacted communications globally. Students work
in teams to construct a working radio receiver that
can receive FM broadcasts. An extension is to also
build a FM transmitter, or to have an older student
team build a transmitter, and partner with younger
students who build the radio receiver. Very young
students can build a snap kit. Older students will
be more challenged to build the radio receiver or
transmitter using kits of resistors, capacitors, coils,
semiconductors, a PC board, and other parts.
Teams build their radio and transmitter, test it,
reflect on the challenge, and present their
experiences to their class.

Age Levels
8-18. Note: This lesson may be shared where younger students build the radio receiver,
and partner with older students who build the radio transmitter.

Objectives
 Learn about engineering design and redesign.
 Learn about circuits and computers.
 Learn about radio receivers and transmitters.
 Learn about teamwork and problem solving.

Anticipated Learner Outcomes

As a result of this activity, students should develop an understanding of:

 engineering design
 computer engineering
 radio
 teamwork

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Lesson Activities
Students explore how advances in radio communications have impacted society. Students
work in teams to build and test a working FM radio receiver and an FM transmitter. They
review challenges encountered in the building and testing process, evaluate whether they
are able to both send and receive radio transmission, and share observations with their
class.

Resources/Materials

 Teacher Resource Documents (attached)

 Student Resource Sheet (attached)
 Student Worksheet (attached)

Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks

See curriculum alignment sheet at end of lesson.

Internet Connections
 TryEngineering (www.tryengineering.org)
 TryComputing (www.trycomputing.org)
 US National Radio and Television Museum (http://ncrtv.org/)
 History of the BBC (www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/)
 Museum of Broadcasting (www.museum.tv)
 Radio Museum (International listings and resources) (www.radiomuseum.org)
 National Science Education Standards (www.nsta.org/publications/nses.aspx)
 ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy (www.iteaconnect.org/TAA)

Recommended Reading
 Inventing the Radio (Breakthrough Inventions) (ISBN: 978-0778728399)
 Radio Tubes and Boxes of the 1920's (ISBN: 978-1886606135)
 Wireless: From Marconi's Black-Box to the Audion (Transformations: Studies in the
History of Science and Technology) (ISBN: 978-0262514194)

Optional Writing Activity

 Write an essay or a paragraph that examines who invented radio -- there is much
controversy on this topic!

Safety Regulations
 In some areas, operating even a very short range FM transmitter without a license
may conflict with applicable laws and/or regulations. Check the rules for your area -
- often schools are exempt.

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
For Teachers:
Teacher Resources
 Lesson Goal
The "Radio Reception & Transmission" lesson explores how radio has impacted society,
and impacted communications globally. Students work in teams to construct a working
radio receiver that can receive FM broadcasts. An extension is to also build a FM
transmitter, or to have an older student team build a transmitter, and partner with
younger students who build the radio receiver. Very young students can build a snap kit.
Older students will be more challenged to build the radio receiver or transmitter using kits
of resistors, capacitors, coils, semiconductors, a PC board, and other parts. Teams build
their radio and transmitter, test it, reflect on the challenge, and present their experiences
to their class.

 Lesson Objectives
 Learn about engineering design and redesign.
 Learn about circuits and computers.
 Learn about radio.
 Learn about teamwork and problem solving.
 Materials
 Student Resource Sheets
 Student Worksheets
 Classroom Materials: 25 or 30
watt soldering unit (all soldering
should be under supervision of
teacher)
 Younger Student Team Receiver
Materials: FM Radio Snap Model
Kit ($15-22) (Elenco -
www.elenco.com, Model FM88-
K; Edmund Scientifics
www.scientificsonline.com, Item
3081963; or similar).
 Older Student Team Receiver
Materials: Circuit board based
FM Radio Model Kit ($15-40)
(Elenco - www.elenco.com, Model SCP02; Edmund Scientifics
www.scientificsonline.com, Item 3042107; or similar); 9 volt battery, long nose
plier, small screwdrivers.
 Older Student Team Transmitter Materials: FM Stereo Transmitter Kit ($18-45)
(Ramsey Electronics - www.ramseyelectronics.com, Model FM10C; Carls Electronics
www.electronickits.com, Item Low Power FM Transmitter Kit; or similar); batteries,
long nose plier, small screwdrivers. Or, purchase individual items and build it all
from scratch following instructions such as those found on Jameco's website
(www.jameco.com/Jameco/workshop/diy/fmtransmitter.html).

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
For Teachers:
Teacher Resources (continued)

 Procedure
1. Show students the student reference sheets. These may be read in class or
provided as reading material for the prior night's homework.
2. To introduce the lesson, consider asking the students how radio transmission is
possible. Ask them to consider what components might be inside a radio receiver
and how they work. Prompt students to consider radio transmission as well.
3. Consider if your students will be working on the receiver only, or building both a
receiver and transmitter. Divide your class into teams of 3-4 students, and
consider partnering with an older or younger class at your school where one grade
builds the receivers, and an older grade builds the transmitters -- perhaps present
the work of both at a parent night or science fair event.
4. Teams of 3-4 students will consider their challenge, and work as a team to build a
functional FM radio receiver or transmitter based on age and experience.
5. Student teams test their radio receivers and transmitters, review challenges
encountered in the building and testing process, evaluate their results, and share
observations with their class.
 Time Needed
Two to four 45 minute sessions (some student teams may work on this outside of class).

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
Student Resource:
What is Radio
 Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by electromagnetic waves with
frequencies significantly below visible light, in the radio frequency range, from about 3
kHz to 300 GHz. These waves are called radio waves. Electromagnetic radiation travels by
means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of
space. Information, such as sound, is carried by systematically changing (modulating)
some property of the radiated waves, such as their amplitude, frequency, phase, or pulse
width. When radio waves strike an electrical conductor, the oscillating fields induce an
alternating current in the conductor. The information in the waves can be extracted and
transformed back into its original form.
 Radio Bands
Radio frequencies occupy the Name Wavelength Frequency (Hz) Photon Energy (eV)

range from a few hertz to 300 Gamma ray less than 0.01 nm more than 10 EHZ 100 keV - 300+ GeV
GHz, although commercially X-Ray 0.01 to 10 nm 30 PHz - 30 EHZ 120 eV to 120 keV
important uses of radio use only a Ultraviolet 10 nm - 400 nm 30 EHZ - 790 THz 3 eV to 124 eV
small part of this spectrum. Other Visible 390 nm - 750 nm 790 THz - 405 THz 1.7 eV - 3.3 eV
types of electromagnetic Infrared 750 nm - 1 mm 405 THz - 300 GHz 1.24 meV - 1.7 eV
radiation, with frequencies above Microwave 1 mm - 1 meter 300 GHz - 300 MHz 1.24 meV - 1.24 µeV
the RF range, are microwave, Radio 1 mm - km 300 GHz - 3 Hz 1.24 meV - 12.4 feV
infrared, visible light, ultraviolet,
X-rays and gamma rays. (See table.)
 Applications
Early uses of radio
were focused on
maritime
applications -- for
sending telegraphic
messages using
Morse code
between ships and
land. Broadcasting
began from San
Jose, California in
1909, and became
feasible in the
1920s, with the
widespread
introduction of radio
receivers,
particularly in
Europe and the United States. Today, radio takes many forms, including wireless networks
and mobile communications of all types, as well as radio broadcasting. Within the history
of radio, many people were involved in the invention of radio technology that continues to
evolve in modern wireless communication systems today.
(Note: Source for some content on this page is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio)
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 Radio Reception & Transmission
Student Resource:
How Does a Radio Work?
 How Does a Radio Work?

Radio signals are made up of two kinds of waves: “audio” (or sound) waves represent the
sounds being sent to the audience and radio frequency waves travel with these sound
waves to "carry" them to radios in homes and car, for example. All waves have three
parts: a wavelength, an amplitude and a frequency. Each of these parts can be changed
to carry information.

 What is the difference between AM radio and FM radio?

AM stands for “amplitude modulation” – a type of signal.

With AM, the amplitude of the combined audio frequency
and radio frequency waves varies to match the audio
signal. AM radio can develop problems with interference.
This makes it hard to hear the radio show. Interference can
be caused by many sources. For example, sparks discharge
when a car is started, in electric motors in all sorts of
electrical appliances, and even lightning. All of these things
can produce interference to AM radio. As you can see, there
is a lot of background noise that changes the amplitude of
the radio wave signal. This creates the random crackling noises call static.

FM stands for “frequency modulation”- a type of radio transmission, the frequency of the
combined waves change to reproduce the audio signal. For example, higher frequency is
associated with the peak amplitude in the audio wave. FM waves do not have a problem
with interference because the noise background does not modify the radio wave
frequency. In addition FM waves give better sound reproduction.

 Why do all FM radio stations end in an odd number in the United States?

FM radio stations all transmit in a band between 88 megahertz

(millions of cycles per second) and 108 megahertz. The band
is divided into 100 channels, each 200 kHz (0.2 MHz) wide.
The center frequency is located at 1/2 the bandwidth of the FM
Channel, or 100 kHz (0.1 MHz) up from the lower end of the
channel. For example, the center frequency for Channel 201
(the first FM channel) is 88.0 MHz + 0.1 MHz = 88.1 MHz. So
there can be a station at 88.1 megahertz, 88.3 megahertz,
88.5 megahertz, and so on. The 200-kilohertz spacing, and the
fact that they center on odd numbers is completely arbitrary
and was decided by the FCC. In Europe, the FM stations are
spaced 100 kilohertz apart instead of 200 kilohertz apart, and
they can end on even or odd numbers.

Note: Some content on this page provided by the Federal Communications Commission Kids Zone
(http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/kidszone/)

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
Student Resource:
Circuit Basics

 Simple Circuit

A simple circuit consists of three minimum elements that are required to complete a
functioning electric circuit: a source of electricity (battery), a path or conductor on which
electricity flows (wire) and an electrical resistor (lamp) which is any device that requires
electricity to operate. The illustration below shows a simple circuit containing, one
battery, two wires, and a bulb. The flow of electricity is caused by excess electrons on the
negative end of the battery being attracted to flow toward the positive end, or terminal, of
the battery. When the simple circuit is complete, electrons flow from the negative
terminal through the wire conductor, then through the bulb (lighting it up), and finally
back to the positive terminal - in a continual flow.

 Schematic Diagram of a Simple Circuit

The following is a schematic diagram of the simple circuit showing the electronic symbols
for the battery, switch, and bulb.

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
Student Worksheet:

 Engineering Teamwork and Planning

You are part of a team of engineers given the challenge of creating a working FM radio
receiver and transmitter and then sending and receiving your own broadcast! You'll work
as a team and divide up the work and have a
system for keeping track of parts.

 Research Phase
Read the materials provided to you by your
teacher. If you have access to the internet
ahead of the activity, visit some of the
suggested websites to get a feel for the history
of radio and its impact on global society.

 Building Phase
Follow the detailed instructions within your kit
to create your team's radio. If you are
building the advanced kit that requires
soldering, be sure to do this only under the
supervision of your teacher.

 Reflection
Complete the reflection questions below:

1. What challenges did you have, if any, in

constructing your radio? How did you resolve
any challenges you encountered?

2. Was your radio transmitter able to send FM

transmissions? If not, what troubleshooting
steps did you take to resolve the problem?

3. Was your radio receiver able to receive FM

transmissions? If not, what troubleshooting
steps did you take to resolve the problem?

4. Do you think that this activity was more

rewarding to do as a team, or would you have preferred to work alone on it? Why?

5. Were you surprised to see how complex the inner workings of a radio could be? Why or
why not?

6. What do you think engineers might do to improve how a radio works in the future?
What would you recommend?

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
For Teachers:
Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks
Note: All lesson plans in this series are aligned to the National Science Education
Standards which were produced by the National Research Council and endorsed by the
National Science Teachers Association, and if applicable, also to the International
Technology Education Association's Standards for Technological Literacy or the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.
National Science Education Standards Grades K-4 (ages 4-9)
CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
 Understanding about scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of the activities, all students should develop an understanding of
 Properties of objects and materials
 Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
 Abilities of technological design
 Understanding about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science and technology in local challenges
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science as a human endeavor
National Science Education Standards Grades 5-8 (ages 10-14)
CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
 Understandings about scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of their activities, all students should develop an understanding of
 Transfer of energy
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop
 Abilities of technological design
 Understandings about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science and technology in society
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science as a human endeavor
 Nature of science
 History of science

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 Radio Reception & Transmission
For Teachers:
Alignment to Curriculum Frameworks (cont.)
National Science Education Standards Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18)
CONTENT STANDARD A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities, all students should develop
 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
 Abilities of technological design
 Understandings about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
CONTENT STANDARD G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of activities, all students should develop understanding of
 Science as a human endeavor
 Nature of scientific knowledge
 Historical perspectives
Standards for Technological Literacy - All Ages
The Nature of Technology
 Standard 1: Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics
and scope of technology.
 Standard 2: Students will develop an understanding of the core concepts of
technology.
Technology and Society
 Standard 4: Students will develop an understanding of the cultural, social,
economic, and political effects of technology.
 Standard 7: Students will develop an understanding of the influence of
technology on history.
Design
 Standard 8: Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of
design.
 Standard 9: Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
 Standard 10: Students will develop an understanding of the role of
troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and
experimentation in problem solving.
Abilities for a Technological World
 Standard 12: Students will develop abilities to use and maintain technological
products and systems.
The Designed World
 Standard 17: Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select
and use information and communication technologies.

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