116 years ago today, the airwaves sang!

On this date in 1910, radio pioneer Lee de Forest conducted the first-ever live public radio broadcast. He transmitted a performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci directly from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, featuring the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso.

Listeners at various locations in NYC, tuning in with complex crystal sets and early valve receivers, heard the faint, crackling sounds of opera over the air. It was a glimpse into the future of broadcasting.

From those early spark-gap and valve experiments to the sophisticated SDR transceivers on our desks today, the magic of wireless remains the same.