In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Edwin Howard Armstrong, the engineer whose inventions became the foundation of modern radio, radar, and wireless communication. From building dangerous antenna towers as a teenager to revolutionizing radio technology while still a college student, Armstrong helped create the invisible infrastructure behind nearly every modern communication system.

This episode traces Armstrong’s groundbreaking inventions, including the regenerative circuit, the superheterodyne receiver, and wideband FM radio. We examine how his relentless obsession with engineering perfection transformed broadcasting, improved signal clarity, and made high-fidelity radio possible. Along the way, we follow his complicated relationship with RCA executive David Sarnoff, the brutal patent wars surrounding radio tec ...