Many thanks to Trevor Clay for alerting us to this program on Ceduna.

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/back-roads/IV1507H001S00#playing

Features the OTC Satellite Earth Station 17 minutes into the video.

It was very interesting. Enjoy!

The OTVA held its Christmas reunion in the function rooms at the Bowlers Club, 99 York Street, Sydney between midday and 3pm on Tuesday 24th November.

There were 57 attendees: Allan, Peter;Anderson, Bob; Barker, Tom; Beaton, Gary; Beckett, Ron;Bennett, John; Breeze, Bill;Bull, Peter; Callaghan, Mick; Charles, Don;Clay, Trevor; Corben, Jules;Coutts, Dave; Craig, Ross; Currie, John; Davis, Max; Dentskevich, Bob; Francis, Gregg; Game, Mike; Grant, Dennis; Gray, Steve; Hainke, Neville; Hennessy, Allan; Hinwood, Jeff; Hookway, Ray; Huddy, Graham;Hulme, Jim; Jensen, Tim; Jolly, Bill; Kelly, Col; Lions, Bob; Lloyd, Peter; Lukin, Ron; Marshall, Steve; Martyn, Greg; McCredden, Keith; McDermott, John; McDonald, Ian; Miles, Ted; Mills, Peter;O’Brien, Kevin; Oldman, Geoff; Phillips, John; Pow, Ray; Richardson, David; Simpson, Jim; Smith, Ross; Stuart, Tony; Travis, Brian; Tuckfield, Robin; Veverka, Dean; Vossen, John; Wan, Ernie;Wilden, Mick; Wills, David; Woloszuk, George; Yakalis, Neil.

There were 5 late apologies received: Emanuel, Bob; Trebeck, Peter; Hopkins, Kim; Brand, Robert; McCann, Paul; Hibbard, John.

The Buffet meal was well received by members and provided great variety catering for a wide variety of tastes. The rooms were well laid out enabling members to move around relatively easily and say Hello to everyone present.

There was probably 40 years difference between the youngest member and the most senior generating a wealth of stories both factual and exaggerated as happens after many years and a few beers.

From what I could see a great time was had by all.

Many thanks to the committee for a job well done. Events like this don’t just happen. They require a lot or planning and organisation by a dedicated few.

Special thanks to Kevin O’Brien, David Richardson and Robin Tuckfield for their work in collecting the money at the door. Nobody escaped!

Peter Bull

I was waiting for the tour guide at King Solomon’s Cave in northern Tassie on Saturday when I saw this bloke approaching at a rush so he could make the tour.

It was Ian Marshall from Eng Branch. To compound the connection, I’d bought Ian’s Land Rover from him a few years back.

Cheers,

Ron Beckett

Many thanks to Charlie Rudd for passing on this reference published in 2015.
https://www.dukeupress.edu/The-Undersea-Network

It makes interesting reading even to a person who did not have a lot to do with the introduction of undersea cables. The eBook costs $14.28 from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WO58MBI) which is an $80 saving to the actual printed book.

The reference covers the Pacific basin extensively with sections devoted to COMPAC and SEACOM. Co-axial cables with undersea repeaters are a child of the 1950’s, COMPAC was right up there with it.

The thing that Charlie found fascinating in the book is the coverage of the political machinations with USA generally and AT&T in particular trying to muscle in on COMPAC and how they were repulsed. Also the decision to use Hawaii instead of Fanning Is., the concessions that had to be made to the Americans.

If you have been involved in cables it is quite good reading. Enjoy!

Here are some pics from John’s 90th birthday celebrations, held at the Tweed Heads home of his son Mark.

The Tweed Valley sub branch of the OTVA presented  John with a suitably aged scotch, and some glasses which we promptly filled and toasted to  his continued good health.

Those of us present from Left  to Right are:

Gary Samuels, Bill Newman, Steve Marshall, Bill Daniels, John Toland, John Bennett, David Kidd, Bob Collins

cheers

John Bennett

Murwillumbah

Click to access VETS_minutes_150612_AGM.pdf