Radio Technical Officers
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Early Years
Chapter 2: The Training School
Chapter 3: Equipment Installation Records
Chapter 4: The 'Techs' in Antarctica
Chapter 5: The 'Techs' Tell Their Stories
Trevor Donald Tells It All; Life in the Bureau from 1947 to 1989
Ray Clarke Looks Back
Some Memories from Ralph Bulloch
Peter Copland Works in Meteorological Electronics
Some Titbits from Dave Grainger
A Very Modest Tale from Alf Svensson
Adrian Porter Pulls No Punches
Jack Tait Recalls
Some Stories by Colourful Freddie Soutter
Some Snippets from Noel Barrett
Stephen Courbêt Has His Penny Wworth
And a Flyspeck or Two from Lenny Dawson
Some Interesting Reminiscences from Jannes Keuken
Brief Stories from Phil Black
From Gloria West, Wife of the Late Bob West
The Life and Bureau Times of Graham Linnett
Tales Out of School from Bill Hite
Peter Copland on Cyclone Tracy
Peter Broughton Tells the Story of Maralinga
Appendix 1: 'Techs' Roll Call
Appendix 2: Trainee Intakes
Appendix 3: 'Techs' Who Have Served in the Antarctic Region
Appendix 4: Summary of Major Installation Projects
Appendix 5: Summary of Major Equipment Variously Installed at Sites and Maintained by Radio Technical Officers
Index
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The Life and Bureau Times of Graham Linnett (continued)
From December 1971 I was OIC of the Regional workshops in Brisbane, remaining there until the middle 1980s when I relieved Bruce Aubrey due to his illness. When I arrived in 1971 the workshop staff comprised Alf Svensson, Ed Davern, Ray Bates, Barry Ellis, George Decaux and Fred Soutter. Jeff Elvish joined the staff in the middle 1970s. Of those staff Alf Svensson and Jeff Elvish remain. Barry Ellis transferred to the Department of Shipping and Transport and George Decaux was sadly killed in a motor vehicle accident while on transfer to Townsville. The remainder have retired. Similarly, the field station staff included John George (Mount Isa), Jack Berry (Cairns), Peter Smith (Gladstone), Horrie Down and Jack Tait (Townsville). All have since retired. During this period the workshop was involved in maintenance of equipment in and around Brisbane. Charleville, Mount Isa, Gladstone and Mackay were all staffed until the late 1970s. The Coral Sea AWS were installed in the 1960s and early 1970s together with the Brisbane Valley radio telemetry system and WF44 radars at Mount Kanigan, Mount Stuart and Mackay. 'Techs' were eventually removed from Mount Isa, Charleville and Mackay resulting in a more centralised maintenance operation.Bruce Aubrey retired in November 1985 and passed away sometime later after a long battle with cancer. I was subsequently permanently promoted to the position of RMO. This position is now that of RESM and over the years its responsibilities have moved from 'hands on' to a purely managerial role.
It was during the early 1970s that the first of the Technicians-in-Training reached the field. These trainees were recruited in Melbourne. Among those who were transferred to Queensland were Bill McDermott, Andy Morton, Andy Alkemade and Bernie Keogh. From the later groups Glenn McAuliffe, Garth Borgelt, Andy Cramond, Matthew Gould, Andrew Delahoy and Glen Turner commenced in Queensland after completion of training. In the late 1980s trainees were recruited from the Regions on a needs basis. As a result Hoa Doan, Geoff Beitzel, Glen Lovitt, Andrew Saad, John Duncan and Paul Wright were recruited and employed in Queensland after training in Melbourne.
Also during the 1970s and 1980s the overall complexion of Bureau electronics changed markedly. The early years concentrated on valve electronics combined with mechanical concepts. With the proliferation of transistor based equipment, electronic circuitry became more complex and, with the advent of microcircuitry, the complexity increased beyond belief. The mechanical component has been reduced or refined to the point where little maintenance or repair is required. Electronic maintenance is fast becoming a throw away society.
During my time in the Bureau I have met many very dedicated people in the engineering and maintenance areas, crossed the paths of many of its characters and got in and out of some very amusing situations with some of them; but that's another story reserved for retirement and reunions.
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