Personal UpdateBy Robert Brand
Sorry for the lack of posts – it has been 5 months, but life has gone to being extremely ridiculous workload-wise.
The OTVA has their Autumn Social event on Friday 5th April at the Bowlers Club located at 95-97 York St Sydney. RVSP to Peter Bull so that he can submit the numbers to the Functions Coordinator prior to the day. Respond early to avoid disappointment. Continue reading
This chat was on the ex-OTC group on Facebook. It is great when some of the pictures appear and names are not known by all. This exchange was a community effort to name those in the picture.
Reunion: 9 November 2012Level 2, 95-97 York St Sydney – RSVP Closed, but check with Peter Bull anyway
Below is a list of responses that I have received thus far:
WILL ATTEND
This gallery contains 33 photos.
Wireless Hill Museum On 30th September 2012 former OTC staff & family attended the Centenary celebrations. They were Brian Woods, Des Kinnersley & his wife Betty, Ronni Keane, Ron Crocker & daughter Julie, Kevan Bourke & Doreen Hanson (wife of … Continue reading
Toyota Car Swapby Neil Yakalis
For 2 weeks I swapped my 1970 Corolla for this new Hybrid Camry. My Corolla KE20 was on display at the Sydney Motor Show! My 42 year old Corolla was been selected to represent the 2nd Generation of Corollas at the Motor Show. Continue reading
Bill Jolly will be Our DriverWednesday is our big Tram Museum outing. The outing is broadly in 3 parts.
Walter Pearce to assist me at exOTC.orgWalter kindly sent this offer of help and I will be taking it up immediately on recommendation from Neil Yakalis.
I am ex OTC and have been visiting your website. I previously worked for Maritime (MS & RS) at Auburn with Neil Yakalis before I retired in 2001.
I would like to submit a story with a few photos and comment on posts
etc. Can you grant me publishing access at your convenience. Continue reading
Neil Yakalis Asks:
Many of us remember Jack Creswick. He was the OTC Training School in its original form long before Paddo got its formal training setup. I would love to hear some of the stories about Jack as he was a unique character.
Jack always liked to do things differently and he worked out that he could bypass a lot of traffic riding his bike to work through the storm water canals and a few drains. This worked like a treat until one day his front wheel jammed in an expansion joint in the concrete catapulting jack over the handlebars and onto a mess in the storm water drain! I’m not sure whether Jack continued the drain shortcuts and just took more care, but it was one hell of a scare for him! Sydney water never really structured their drains for bikes. Continue reading
The Great Repeater HuntThe story so far: Peter Burgess told Robert Brand that when he recently visited the site of OTC’s Cairns Cable Station he noted that it was up for sale/lease. Peter Burgess & Bruce Boler told Robert Brand that they recalled land based cable repeaters being buried behind the station. They considered that if this is true it might be a good idea to approach Telstra to retrieve these items which may be of historical significance so that they can be displayed in the Powerhouse or Telstra Museums Continue reading
Possible Fire Ban for Sydney Meet-Up
Sunday 14 October Nurragingy Reserve. Lorikeet Picnic Area
Maree Giddins says:
Hi
For all the people who are planning to go to the “Catch Up” at Nurragingy Reserve on Sunday 14 October, if there is a Total Fire Ban on the day that will mean that you will not be able to use the BBQs so you will need to bring a picnic which will not need to be BBQed. I have checked the 7 day forecast and it looks like there will be a cool change later today (Friday 5 Oct) followed by Continue reading
THE SECRET SUBMARINE CABLE THAT NEVER EVENTUATEDby Cyril Vahtrick
[Ed: This fabulous story of what might have been is from Cyril Vahtrick and permission to reprint from the OTVA. Thanks to both]
The 1956 Olympic Games had finished in Melbourne and OTC was still trying to come back to normal, with new equipment such as T.E.D. (Teleprinter Error Detection) and T.O.C. (Teleprinter on Cable) to be brought into service. Christmas was approaching when Chief Engineer Bob Long summoned me into his office with some excitement. He had on the table a pink covered document marked “Secret”. I hadn’t seen an official secret document since my Radar days with the Air Force during WW2 and was intrigued at what this might be about. Continue reading
Neil Yakalisby Neil Yakalis
My Corolla KE20 will be in the Sydney Motor Show!
My 42 year old Corolla has been selected to represent the 2nd Generation of Corollas at the coming Sydney Motor Show. Toyota are picking it up on Friday & are giving me a new loan car.
Toyota will then launch the 11th generation Corolla next month at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney’s Darling Harbour. Continue reading
Robert Brand Part 4by Robert Brand
So far I have not had anyone else telling me what they are up to after OTC so I will update you on some very new developments in my life. Yes, new in the last few weeks.
Life takes some pretty interesting turns and my headlong rush into the space sector only started 3 years ago as mentioned. We all had something to do with Space missions for NASA or ESA, whether you were in Accounts or Ops. It was what OTC did, but it was the terrestrial and satellite side. Continue reading
Cairns Cable Station for LeaseIt seems that if you live in Cairns, you can lease the old OTC cable station.
This discussion on the ex-OTC group on Facebook:
Peter Burgess says: I must say, I was quite disappointed to drive past the old Cairns Cable Station today, and see it was all covered in Graffiti and also up for Lease !!! Continue reading
Australia’s WRESAT 1967Weapons Research Establishment Project: WRESAT
Some Australian Space history for those interested.
On 29 November 1967, Australia became only the fourth country – after the USA, Soviet Union and France – to launch its own satellite from its own territory.
The battery-powered WRESAT weighed about 45 kilograms and was designed in the form of a cone. Three cones (two test and one actual) were constructed in the development phase, and a range of tests were carried out to ensure the satellite’s durability. Continue reading
Compac NZby Ray Henshaw (NZ)
Ed: Ray lives in New Zealand and he noticed the exOTC stories and has been so kind to post me some images and stories about the early days of Compac.
I have located these pictures of me posing for a photographers. The first was taken in 1962 and I am checking the workings of a Brazing machine in one image and the other taken in 1971 is of me checking an xray. They might not be of interest. Continue reading
Applecross 1912 – 1966
by Neil Yakalis
These are my 1995 pictures of Applecross Radio Station (1912 – 1966) See how similar the building is to Pennant Hills as they were built from the same plans.
The 2nd photo shows the Swan River with Perth CBD buildings in the distance. Both photos were taken from the lookout tower which was one of the three 400 foot mast guy anchors. The brown stains on the buildings are from irrigation underground water being used for the grass. Continue reading
Sister Station to Applecrossby Neil Yakalis
Applecross, on the Swan River in Perth, is about to celebrate their Centenary on 30th September 2012. With this in mind I decided to research its sister station Pennant Hills.
With the help of Brian Woods, who worked at Applecross, I was able to locate & visit the exact site of this land mark radio station. Both stations were built from similar building plans. Pennant Hills was officially opened on 19th August 1912 with Telefunken contracted to supply the equipment & the PMG operating it. It boasted a 400 foot mast with ten 120 foot masts circling it connected in an umbrella formation. Continue reading
Another Catch UpSunday 14 October Nurragingy Reserve. Lorikeet Picnic Area
by Peter Bull
Maree Giddins is arranging for another catch up for ex-OTC and ex-Reach staff. Thank you, Maree.
If it is half as good as the last one it will be great. I really enjoying catching up with people that I had not seen for years.
Please RVSP as to whether you are able to attend and I will keep a running list of those who can attend so as to better inform the larger group on who will be attending. This may result in greater interest and a larger roll up. Continue reading
UpLift-2 Payload Recoveredby Robert Brand
As I mentioned previously I was flying a weather balloon on Sept 25th. I cannot tell you too much about the helium filled weather balloon flight other than it was a success, because of a “Non Disclosure Agreement” (NDA). Since it was also carrying a Mars Mission Payload I can tell you that all objectives were met. It carried an amateur radio APRS tracker that sent back GPS details every 20 seconds. Continue reading
