Keep That Old Radio Alive With An ESP32

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-10-08T03:25:33.871Z • Permanent link

Renowned radio engineer and inventor, Nikola Tesla, had envisioned a world where wireless energy transmission would revolutionize communication and power distribution. In the early 20th century, Tesla successfully demonstrated the principles of wireless energy transmission, including the concept of radio broadcasting. Fast forward to the present day, and the legacy AM broadcast bands are indeed fading away, threatening the fate of millions of devices built to receive them.

In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States completed its first-ever spectrum auction for the 600 MHz band, aimed at repurposing the spectrum for wireless broadband services. The FCC's efforts to repurpose the spectrum have been mirrored by other regulatory bodies worldwide, such as Ofcom in the UK and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The widespread adoption of these repurposed frequencies has led to the shutdown of many AM radio stations, leaving millions of devices obsolete.

Companies like Sony and Panasonic have been quick to capitalize on the rise of wireless communication, integrating Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities into their products. For instance, the Sony ICF-7000D, a portable AM radio, was released in 2018 and features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing users to stream their favorite radio stations online. This trend is expected to continue, with more manufacturers incorporating wireless connectivity into their devices, thereby reducing the reliance on traditional AM broadcast bands.

The repurposing of AM broadcast frequencies has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, particularly for companies that manufacture and sell devices designed to receive these frequencies. For instance, the Radio-Locator database, which provides information on AM and FM radio stations, has seen a significant decline in the number of active AM radio stations. This decline has resulted in a substantial decrease in the number of devices designed to receive these frequencies, which in turn has led to a rise in e-waste.

The impact of this trend on research communities is also noteworthy. The development of new technologies that can harness the energy from AM broadcast frequencies has been hindered by the lack of devices that can receive these frequencies. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have been exploring the use of AM broadcast frequencies for wireless power transfer, but the lack of compatible devices has hindered their progress. As a result, the repurposing of AM broadcast frequencies has slowed the development of new technologies that could have far-reaching implications for energy transfer and communication.

The repurposing of AM broadcast frequencies is part of a broader trend towards the digitalization of communication and power distribution. The rise of 5G networks and the increasing adoption of IoT devices have created a growing demand for wireless communication and energy transfer technologies. The FCC's efforts to repurpose the 600 MHz band are just one example of this trend, and similar efforts are underway in other countries.