Playing with radio waves : radio amateurs in Russia, 1920-1930s

Abstract

The thesis is devoted to the history of radio communication in Russia, investigating how, where, and for what purposes radio enthusiasts constructed self-made devices for transmitting and receiving radio signals. It examines the processes beyond the radio waves taming in Russia with a particular focus on civic amateur radio experiments and communication practices during the 1920s and the early 1930s. It considers amateur radio practices in the context of technology and knowledge proliferation as an alternative scientific and development practice in the early Soviet context. The dissertation uncovers a story of relationships between elusive radio waves and enthusiasts in certain historical and national settings, which helps to understand how closely the activities of individuals and the interests of the state were intertwined.