[NJARC] Where does "radio" begin?

[sgt88 at atlanticbb.net]

I'd like to learn as much as I can about the 'beginning' of 'radio'.

As I understand it, the production/manifestation of the Hertzian wave seems 
to be 'the' start...

But...there's the SPARK.

WHY did Hertz use a spark???

WHY did he have the spark connected to WIRE?

What was he expecting to find/measure?

Where did he get his IDEAS?

I find it most interesting that his work - EMF wave propagation - was on 2 
meters = approx 140 MEGAcycles!!!

Yet...'everybody' afterwards were playing around with LOW frequency - 
nominally 200 meters - radio experimentation....

What happened..and why... 'between' Hertz 2 meters ACTUAL transmission and 
'everyones' LOW frequency experiments????.....especially when they needed to 
erect GARGANTUAN metal structures!!!!...while he did his work in a large 
ROOM....with his metal structure about the size of a coat hanger....

Why did they not 'play around' 2 meters...and move on from there???

Would appreciate knowing the good books, sources etc for me to read about 
THINGS...and PRIOR stuff..leading to the beginning of 'radio.'

Thank you,
Steve T