The great blackout that paralyzed the Iberian Peninsula yesterday had an unexpected protagonist. While television and the Internet were inaccessible, It was the radio The means of communication to which millions of people resorted To receive information about what was happening. What is not so common today is to have a classic radiofrequency radiowhich is why it was common to see people who went down to their cars parked on the street to capture the radio emission from the vehicle. There was another option, more available to everyone in theory, but that has been disused due to technology advances: the smartphone.
Until almost a decade ago, any mobile brought an app to tune the radiofrequency radio called FM radio. He iPhone 7released in 2016, was the first mobile to lose one of the protagonists of this evolution, The connector Jack 3.5 mm to connect cable headphones. TO Appleas usual, other manufacturers were followed and today There are no premium mobiles with this type of connection and it is difficult to find it in the mid -range. Only in the low range is still a standard.
If you have a Jack connector, you have a treasure
It is a essential component In order to access traditional radio from the mobile, since it is necessary connect cable headphones to the mobile that also do the antenna function and without those who are not possible to capture the radio signal.
In addition, the radio electromagnetic signal does not necessarily require a network of antennasthat would have been useless by the blackout, to transmit the signal. A powerful issuer in a good location can cover on its own An area of 50 to 100 square kilometers in an area without orographic obstacles; Otherwise, repeaters are used. But a radio station that can Self -saving with energy, thanks to having generator sets, you can continue emitting and reaching a large number of citizens in a situation like yesterday. All these will need is A traditional radio receiver, the car or that of your mobile if you have a Jack connector.
This is the paradox that A mobile, for example, 100 euros was much more useful yesterday than anyone who is worth six or ten times more but that can only use wireless headphones and, therefore, lacks antenna to capture the radio signal. In this type of mobile it is possible to listen to radio stations with an app, of which there are many to choose from, but it is online radio that requires the data connection, something yesterday inoperative.
Why the expensive mobiles cannot capture the electromagnetic radio signal
The loss of this capacity is due to several reasons:
- Manufacturers and, above all, operators obtain income linked to the use of data and streaming services; Enabling a free and offline function goes against that model.
- When withdrawing the Jack connector, which allows headphones to act as an antenna, additional internal antennas are needed, something that occupies space and makes the device more expensive.
- The finest mobile tendency, major batteries, cameras systems and 5G demands every millimeter of the plate. The FM receiver module is sacrificed.
- Eliminate external holes facilitates IP certification.
- Audio consumption has gone from traditional radio to Spotify, YouTube Music, Podcasts and Radio Streaming through the Internet, something that yesterday was impossible to access.