International Marconi Day

International Marconi Day (or IMD in abbreviation) is celebrated on the Saturday closest to 25th April every year because Marconi’s birthday was on April 25th 1874.

Amateur walkie-talkie, point-to-point communication, high-frequency switching, mysterious but fascinating solution for the station with the most connections…. All of this sounds like the prologue to a quirky but endearing B-movie.

But don't be fooled! The subject is not a sci-fi movie. This is all about International Marconi Day. No, not macaroni day (that's another day entirely).

This is International Marconi Day. An important date may be new to many people, but is actually a really fun day to find out!

History of International Marconi Day

International Marconi Day (IMD) is celebrated every year by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club. Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian-British inventor and electrical engineer is famous for his outstanding work on long-distance radio transmissions. Marconi was the first person who achieved the ability to transmit and receive radio waves through long distances. Originally, one of his most important achievements was his transatlantic communication in 1901 between Lizard, south Cornwall and St. Johns, a city in Newfoundland, Canada. Guglielmo Marconi patented a system that could transmit and receive telegraphs using Hertzian waves. Marconi is often considered as the inventor of radio.

How to celebrate International Marconi Day

• Try out HF radio

To congratulate the Nobel laureate's achievement, almost fans use HF radio for direct communication between stations, based on the same technology that Marconi developed and used in his day. This device can be a bit difficult to locate, but the best bet is to find a local collector who is willing to showcase what they have and let them know what they know.

• Listen to Online Radio

For people living in the 21st century, they can agree with the invention of radio, even without the exact matching equipment. Just log in to the radio station's website and listen. They can be accessed with the Radio Garden website worldwide freely.

When he invented the radio, Marconi probably couldn't even imagine this kind of reach!

• Visit a Radio Museum

Remember the past by visiting a museum dedicated to educating and enlightening people about how radio (and telecommunications) was born.

• Invent, Create and Innovate

For the creative and innovator, spend this day building, inventing, or coming up with something exciting the world might need. Let spend time on looking around, find the best solution for all problems that make the world a better place, and then work to find those solutions.