The history of radio technology is remarkable – development of the field faster than ever

Wireless technology is one of the areas where Finland is one of the top in the world. This is largely due to the fact that the first professor of radio technology in Finland, Viljo Ylöstalo, started working at the Radio Laboratory of the Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) back in 1924. The Radiolaboratorio became particularly famous when the Radio Engineers' Association founded a television club, which carried out the first public television broadcast in the Radiolaboratorio premises in May 1955.

"Radio technology in Finland has already come a long and impressive way. Our Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering today represents teaching and research in the whole field of radio science, from microchips to nanosatellites in the sky. Although some of our research and teaching is very theoretical, our cooperation with companies has been very close for decades," says Ville Viikari, Head of the Department.

Millimetre waves changed the world and the direction of research

The radio laboratory really took off in the 1960s under the leadership of Martti Tiuri, Member of Parliament and Professor. The teaching of radio engineering was extended to include radio equipment systems and information technology.

Moments often have a big meaning in people's lives, and this was also the case for Professor Emeritus Antti Räisänen.

"Martti Tiuri was appointed research professor and I attended his lecture in the autumn of 1970. I was very impressed by his talk about radio waves and in particular how millimetre waves can be used to study the universe. From that moment on, I knew that radio technology was my interest."

The Metsähovi Radio Observatory was born along the same path, when it received its first millimetre-wave telescope in 1974. Today, the observatory's largest instrument is still a 13.7-metre radio telescope, and millimetre-wave radio astronomy is an emerging field of the future.

Radio engineers are much needed in an electrifying world, where almost all devices are wireless and need antennas and radio technology. It's not just phones or TV, but anything connected to the internet. Space also plays a big role, as Finland's first Aalto-1 satellite launched in 2017 was a student-initiated project.

"I remember well the so-called crazy years at the turn of the millennium, when students were taken to work for various telecommunications companies even before graduation and many of our teachers were fast-tracking engineers and graduate engineers for industry," says Professor Ari Sihvola.

Ville Viikari, Head of Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, what is the situation in industry today and why should you study radio engineering?

"Radio technology is developing perhaps faster than ever before, its importance in society is growing and experts are needed. A good example of this is ICEYE, a radar satellite company that has grown exponentially."

The professors and research and teaching staff of the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering look back fondly on 100 years of radio engineering. We welcome alumni, staff, students and all those interested in the subject to hear interesting talks and network "100 years of radio technology in Finland" as part of the Winter Satellite Workshop on 22 January 2025 from 9.00 to 11.30 am.