Some Snippets from Noel Barrett (continued)

Since I wished to stay in Melbourne for a short while after getting married I was posted to the Melbourne radar, the RC33 made by Mitsubishi, situated at the University of Melbourne. What a heap! The story goes that it was designed by RCA and sold to the Japanese for a geisha girl. Still, it was rather interesting to work on despite its hazards, one in particular being the receipt of a few volts when working alone on the transmitter at the top of the lift well, as many a 'tech' can testify.

In early 1968 I managed once again to get a field posting back to Carnarvon where I relieved Russ Henry. We had a great time in Carnarvon and I was back on the AA3 Mk VII radar again; I had a thing with these radars since they were great for tweaking to get that bit more. Following a bit of study on transistor theory I was selected to go on a short WF44 radar course which started in Melbourne in February 1969. As this was only a temporary transfer I was expected to find accommodation for my wife and leave her in the West as the house was required for my relief at Carnarvon. I complained; once again this was short notice and my wife was expecting our first child. Anyway, George Mackey, the Regional Director allowed me to use the travel warrant to get two tourist air fares to Melbourne on the first class voucher providing I paid the difference. We were asked to store our effects and vehicles, etc, in Carnarvon as we expected to go to Port Hedland after my training. All our gear was stored in a DCA hangar. We drove one car to Perth and returned to Melbourne by air with only me on travelling allowance and stayed in the Domain Motel in South Yarra. The WF44 radar course was completed in April 1969 and I was to take two weeks leave, however, it was decided to also run a WF3 radar course so the leave was cancelled and we stayed another two weeks.

In May 1969 we returned to Perth, picked up a our VW Karmann Ghia and drove to Carnarvon. In Carnarvon we discovered there had been cyclone while we were away and the gear in the hanger including our other car, a VW Country Buggy, was a bit suspect. We picked up the vehicle and set off for Port Hedland, me in the Ghia and my five month pregnant wife in the Country Buggy. We travelled up the then unsealed road via Onslow and Roebourne to relieve Dave Digweed and move into 49 Kingsmill Street. Our effects arrived before us and as a result we did the unpacking as the carrier had gone. Claims were made for damage. We settled in and despite the heat and iron ore dust had a great time in Port Hedland; our son was born there. We still correspond with friends made there both in the Bureau and outside. At this time the Bureau was looking at transferring Observer (Radio)s and Senior Observer (Radio)s to the technical grades.

Bureau of Meteorology