Write the Wave [w. Roel Roscam Abbing]

The word radio, which translates from latin to 'I beam/radiate', seems to hint at a potential of radio that was never realized. Radio could have been developed in such a way that as many would transmit as would listen, so that we could all be both broadcasters of information as well as listeners. A combination of state regulation, accessibility of technology, and high demand in the frequency spectrum always prevented this.

But as major public and commercial broadcasters are slowly moving away from the AM and FM range to 'digital' frequencies with greater bandwidth, there's an opportunity to turn this range into a new commons.

During the Write the Wave workshop, participants will get some technical insights into how radio works by building small FM radio transmitters. We will use these transmitters to prototype an open system for broadcasting data, and begin to explore the potentials of a new commons that exists in the airwaves.