Some Stories by Colourful Freddie Soutter (continued)

When the sferics equipment was installed at Charleville, Eagle Farm and Townsville, apart from its great use for the location of thunderstorms, it was a great network for keeping in touch with other meteorological staff and keeping abreast of transfers etc.

During my five years at Townsville I had a number of Observer (Radio)s off course who stayed for a short time only to be transferred to a location with a newly installed radar. I appreciated my friendship and companionship with George Khan whose technical knowledge and workmanship was well above par. Unfortunately, George passed away in the late 1970s; he was sadly missed in the Bureau. I have estimated that for half of my time at Townsville I was the sole Observer (Radio) with equipment like the seismograph, UV recorder, sky brightness sensors and air sampling detectors for atomic fallout to operate and maintain along with the radar and radiosonde equipment. Also, there wasn't a cleaning contract in those days and the Observer (Radio) was responsible for cleaning the building.

I transferred to Cairns/Kuranda in 1961 after working with the Head Office installation party installing the SNW51 radar on Saddle Mountain near Kuranda, and the WF1 wind-finding radar at Cairns Airport. I resigned in March 1962 due to problems caused by an injury received at Townsville in May 1957 from a hydrogen explosion, plus incompatibility with the then OIC Cairns meteorological office over rostering me for electronic observations without allowing time for any maintenance work on the equipment. That action, without any compromise, I found hurtful and unacceptable at the time. My replacement at Cairns/Kuranda was Raymond W. Clarke.

I rejoined the Bureau from Cairns in October 1966 and transferred to Charleville where, on arrival and after a brief look at the equipment and meteorological office, I started at 2.30 am the next morning on a dual shift with Peter Copland. I found the sferics network still operative and I caught up with many of the old time staff. Also, I became acquainted by voice and name with new staff including four 'techs' at Eagle Farm who I later worked with in Brisbane on the establishment of the Regional Maintenance Centre at Eagle Farm in 1971 after the union had battled long and hard to have the 'techs' divorced from observational duties, which transpired, I think, in 1973.

Bureau of Meteorology