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June 30
Quote on Blogsite of John66235
Picture of Leslie Caron, 1966.
French actress Leslie Caron turns 76.
Yesterday (July1, 2007), French actress Leslie Caron turned 76.
She was born in France on July 1, 1931, and has co-starred in
movies such as "An American in Paris" (1951), "The Glass Slipper"
(1955), "Daddy Long Legs" (1955), and "Gigi" (1958).
She has also appeared in a large number of movies including
"Is Paris Burning ?" (1966).
The picture below is from 1966.
Leslie Caron 1966
Leslie Caron, 1966.
June 28
Quote on John20747's Place
Photo of suburban Mt. Isa, Queensland, 1969.
This photo of suburban Mount Isa in Queensland was taken in 1969.
The Selwyn Ranges can be seen in the background.
Photo copyright ©1969 John Barnes
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Mt.Isa 1969
Mount Isa, Queensland, 1969.
| June 27
Quote on John B1_B5's Place
Parliament House Melbourne, 1926.
In 1901, six British colonies federated to form the COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA,
and the first Federal Parliament assembled at Parliament House in Melbourne.
The Australian Parliament consists of 2 houses - a House of Representatives and
the Senate. ( The American Congress also has a House of Representatives and a Senate ).
Construction of this classic building was begun in the 1850's, and it was the seat of
Federal Parliament from 1901 to 1927.
In May of 1927, Federal Parliament moved to the newly completed 'temporary'
Parliament House in Canberra (the capital of Australia ), and sat there until May
of 1988, when the new Parliament House was opened.
After May 1927, the original Federal Parliament House became the Victorian
State Parliament House. ( Each Australian State has its own Parliament House ) .
Parl. House Melbourne 1926
Parliament House Melbourne, 1926.
June 22
Quote on John B1_B5's Place
V2 Rocket attack on the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen
On the 17th of March, 1945, eleven V2 rockets were fired at
the Ludendorff Railway Bridge, made famous by the book (and
movie) The Bridge at Remagen.
The rockets were launched from the Hellendoorn area of Holland,
about 130 miles north of Remagen.
Remagen is situated on the Rhine River, just south of Bonn.
The purpose of the V2 launches was to destroy the bridge, but
not one of the rockets hit the intended target.
A number of buildings in the vicinity of the Ludendorff Bridge
were destroyed, and at least 6 American soldiers were killed
during the rocket bombardment.
The railway bridge was named after General Erich Ludendorff
of World War I fame, and provided a railway crossing over the
Rhine. It was supposed to have been blown up by the Germans
before the Allies arrived at Remagen, but the demolition plan
failed, allowing the Americans to cross the bridge on March 7
and establish a bridgehead on the other side.
Between March 8 and March 15, a number of methods to destroy
the bridge were employed by the Germans. These included bombing
from the air and bombardment with field artillery.
By March 17, the Remagen railway brigde was still standing, and
in desperation, Hitler ordered the V2 attack, to destroy the bridge
once and for all .
Incredibly, just after 3pm on that same day, the bridge suddenly
collapsed into the Rhine.
It was not caused by a direct hit from a V2, as the nearest 'strike'
was 300 yards away, but the bridge had been substantially weakened
by the earlier bombing attacks, and that, combined with the vibrations
produced when a V2 slammed into the earth at 3000 miles per hour, was
enough to bring about the collapse of the bridge.
(Some of the rockets plunged into the Rhine).
The following day, Hitler sent a congratulatory telegram to the officer
in charge of the V2 Rocket launching team at Hellendoorn.
It's unclear whether Hitler was aware that there had been no direct hit by a
V2 rocket, but the fact that the bridge collapsed on the same day as the
attack, was probably enough to link the collapse directly with the V2
bombardment.
The pictures below show the Ludendorff Bridge in an undamaged state, and
the remains of the bridge as seen in 2006. ( Photo taken by KnightLago) .
The two towers now house a Peace Musuem, and entry costs 3.50 Euros.
The third picture shows a simplified diagram of a V2 rocket.
Ludendorff Bridge
The Ludendorff railway bridge at Remagen.
Remains of the Ludendorff Bridge, 2006. (Photo by KnightLago of Florida).
The two towers contain a Peace Museum, and are connected by a passage at the base
called the Passage of The Victims.
diagram of a V-2
Simplified diagram of a V2 rocket.
June 18
It's hard to believe that the actual form of the 'Colossus of Rhodes'
is still unknown today, despite it having been declared as one of
the seven wonders of the ancient world !
One would have thought that a smaller statue, a carving in stone,
a drawing, or even some sort of painting would have been made
--- but apparentely not.
We don't even know if the 'Colossus' was holding a torch in his
right hand, shading his face, or holding his arm out in a "hail
Hitler" type salute !
So, the artist's rendition depicted here, is just as valid as any
other (similar ) depiction.
We can rule out pictures that show the legs of 'Colossus'
straddling the entrance to the harbour.
There's been talk recently of rebuilding the colossus on the
Island of Rhodes . Let's hope they do a bit more research on
what the original bronze statue looked like before they start
construction !
( If they opt for the pose shown here, it might be a good idea
to put a torch in the hand of the outstretched arm ).
June 16
Quote on John20747's Place
A brief history of Radio Australia Cox Peninsula (near Darwin)
A brief history of Radio Australia Cox Peninsula, 1967-1997.
Receiver Site entrance. Copyright © 1968 John Barnes.
Entrance to the Receiving Site (Radio Receiving Station), Cox Peninsula, 1968.
A brief history of Radio Australia Cox Peninsula (near Darwin) 1967 - 1997.
Click here to visit the site -
June 15
Quote on John20747's Place
Picture of Harry Chan, Mayor of Darwin, 1969.
This photo shows the Mayor of Darwin, Harry Chan (left),
laying a wreath at a public ceremony in Darwin in 1969.
The plaque on the rock says -
In memory of J.W.0. Bennett
Died May 28, 1869
Age .........
The rest of the writing is obscured by the flowers.
J.W.O. Bennett was a Draftsman who was killed by natives at Fred's Pass
near Adelaide River in 1869.
He was buried on the top of Fort Hill, and a monument was erected there.
It's possible that the street in the background is Bennett Street.
Photo copyright © 1969 John Barnes
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Harry Chan (left), the Mayor of Darwin, lays a wreath at the foot of a plaque in remembrance
of J.W.O. Bennett, in May 1969.
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Footnote - Harry Chan passed away in August 1969.
Harry Chan Avenue was named after him.
Quote on John20747's Place
Old Darwin Hospital at Larrakia, in 1969.
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This photo shows the old Darwin Hospital at Larrakia in 1969.
I had my appendix removed here in 1969 by surgeon Dr. Hilton Selby.
My GP at the time was Dr.Ella Stack ( who later became mayor of Darwin ).
When this photo was taken, Harry Chan was the Mayor of Darwin. ( He
died in August, 1969 ).
Today, a new hospital called the Royal Darwin Hospital located in Tiwi,
has replaced the hospital seen here.
copyright © 1969 John Barnes.
Darwin Hospital, Larrakia, 1969
The old Darwin Hospital at Larrakia in 1969.
| June 13
Quote on John20747's Place
Computer control panel for Collins 250Kw Transmitters
The photo shows the control panel for the computer that
controlled the 250 Kilowatt Collins shortwave transmitters
at Radio Australia, Cox Peninsula.
The photo was taken in 1969, and two transmitters were
carrying out test transmissions at that time.
The computer controlled all transmitter functions including
switching and frequency control.
It also monitored transmitter parameters.
Photo copyright © 1969 John Barnes.
Transmitter computer control panel
Computer control panel for Collins 250 Kilowatt transmitters at Cox Peninsula.
June 12
Quote on John20747's Place
ABC Canberra AM Radio transmitting station Gungahlin
ABC Canberra AM Radio Transmitting Station at Gungahlin.
Below are photos of the Gungahlin Transmitting Site for ABC Radio in Canberra .
The two AM stations were originally designated "2CN" and "2CY", but are now
called "ABC 666" and "Radio National" respectively.
Both transmitters are connected to a single 'dual operation' antenna . The
antenna is a guyed mast, and is approximately 550 feet high (see photos ) .
The transmitter site is now maintained by "Broadcast Australia", but it was
originally operated by the old Postmaster General's Department
( see photo of front entrance ) .
Broadcast Australia own the transmitters and antenna, but the ACT Government
owns the land. (It was originally Commonwealth land).
The Postmaster General's Department was broken up into Telecom Australia
( now Telstra ) and Australia Post in 1975.
Photos copyright © 2005 John Barnes. All rights reserved.
Sign on fence of Transmitting Station.
Broadcast Australia now maintain the site.
Station building and satellite dish in front yard .
Close-up of front entrance to transmitter building . Note the "Postmaster General's Department " sign
above the door, and the old station designations of "2CY" and "2CN" . The ABC "National Broadcasting
Service" still operates Australia wide, but the term is rarely heard these days .
(This building should be put on the ACT heritage listing ).
This guyed mast transmits both programs from a single antenna .
June 11
Quote on John20747's Place
Darwin Town Hall, Smith Street, 1969
This photo shows the Darwin Town Hall as it appeared in early 1969.
The sign on the front clearly says "Darwin Town Hall".
The building has a corrugated iron roof, and the front section appears
to be constructed of 'fibro'.
It was situated on the corner of Mitchell St. and McLachlan St, Darwin.
Overall, the structure gives the appearance of a 'budget' Town Hall.
The building was destroyed by cyclone Tracy in 1974.
Photo copyright © 1969 John Barnes. All rights reserved.
Darwin Town Hall 1969
Darwin Town Hall 1969
Quote on John_W_Barnes Blogsite
ABC AM Radio Station, 4MI Mount Isa (1969)
The photo shows the old ABC AM Radio transmitter site for 4MI
Mount Isa, in western Queensland, as it appeared in 1969.
4MI began transmitting in 1960 on a frequency of 1080 Khz.
It was still operating in 1995, but is no longer operational
today (2007).
Photos of the 4MI transmitter building are relatively rare.
Photo copyright © 1969 John Barnes
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4MI Mount Isa
Transmitter building for 4MI Mount Isa in 1969.
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June 08
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite.
The forced closure of radio stations owned by Jehovah's Witnesses
On the 8th of January, 1941, the Australian Government ordered
the closure of 4 radio stations owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses
church.
The stations involved were 5KA Adelaide, 5AU Port Agusta, 2HD
Newcastle, and 4AT Atherton in North Queensland.
They were closed down for allegedly "not supporting the war effort".
4AT Atherton was taken over by the ABC, and reopened in late January 1941.
5KA and 5AU in South Australia resumed transmission in 1943 under new
licences.
2HD Newcastle had its licence revoked, and did not resume transmission
until 1945.
Jehovah's Witnesses took the case to the High Court of Australia, but lost
the appeal, making a mockery of the concept of "religious freedom" in
this country.
Footnote - The cost of the licence for the new owner of 5KA in 1943
was a massive 8,500 pounds ! (The average wage at that
time was only 5 pounds per week).
(no images were available for this posting).
June 07
Quote on John20747's Place
Radio Australia Transmitter Site Cox Peninsula 1969.
Updated October 4, 2008.
The picture below shows the Radio Australia Transmitting Site
at Cox Peninsula in early 1969.
At this point in time, only 2 of the three 250 Kilowatt Collins transmitters
were operational, but not on a full-time basis.
The third transmitter was completed in 1970, but due to teething problems
with the transmitters, transmission lines, and antennas, regular and reliable
transmissions using the full 250 Kilowatts output power from each of the 3
transmitters did not commence until late 1971.
The transmitters were operated and maintained by the Radio Division of
the Postmaster General's Department (PMG).
In December 1974, the Transmitter Site was severely damaged by Cyclone
Tracy, and was off air for 10 years before the site was fully restored.
During that period, a 'temporary' transmitter site was established at the
site of the former NASA tracking station at Canarvon in Western Australia.
Two transmitters were in use at Carnarvon - a 100 Kilowatt Harris/Gates
transmitter, and a 300 Kilowatt Thomson transmitter ( which was
subsequently transferred to Cox Peninsula).
The 250 Kilowatt Collins transmitters at Cox Peninsula (type 821A-2), were
computer controlled, and could change transmission frequency in about
12 seconds.
The RF Power Amplifier tubes consisted of two 4CV100000C power tetrodes
in parallel, giving an output power of 250 Kilowatts via a 300 ohm balanced
transmission line to a log periodic antenna.
It wasn't until late 1984 that transmissions from Cox Peninsula resumed.
By then, new antennas, transmission lines, and switching facilities had been
installed, and damage to buildings and other infrastructure had been repaired.
Ten years later, in 1994, two new transmitters commenced operation at
Cox Peninsula.
They were Thomson-CSF (type TRE2326) 250 Kilowatt transmitters, and
came at a cost of $7.6 million for the pair.
The single output tube in each transmitter was a Thomson-CSF TH558.
In 1996, the 'temporary' transmitting site at Carnarvon closed down, and
the 300 Kilowatt transmitter was relocated to Cox Peninsula, giving a total
of six transmitters.
This was great news for Cox Peninsula, but unfortunately, the Commonwealth
Government decided to axe the Cox Peninsula site as it was "no longer required"
for the Radio Australia service.
The site was closed down in June 1997, and was leased to a private broadcasting
company, Christian Vision, in 2000, on a 10 year contract.
(Christian Vision owns the transmitters, but is only leasing the site).
As of 2007, the following transmitters are in use at Cox Peninsula -
1 x Collins 250 Kilowatt transmitter.
2 x Continental 100 Kilowatt transmitters.
2 x Thomson 250 Kilowatt transmitters. Type TRE 2326.
1 x Thomson 300 Kilowatt transmitter (from Carnarvon). Type TRE 2320.
(Thanks to Aub McKibben (VK3QD) of Swan Hill for the
info. on the transmitters).
The photos.
The photos show the Radio Australia Transmitting Site at Cox Peninsula
in early 1969.
The transmitter building is on the left.
The building in the centre(end-on view) was the administration
building, and included a small PABX exchange, lecture rooms,
lunch room, and rest rooms.
The building on the far right is the emergency Power House.
Power to the Transmitter Site was supplied from Darwin via an
undersea cable.
The single dish on the microwave tower on the left, points towards the Receiver
Site 10 miles away.
The photo was taken from the antenna paddock looking back towards the station.
The second photo shows a side-on view of the administration and facilities
building.
Photos copyright © 1969 John Barnes.
Radio Australia Transmitter Site 1969
An overall view of the Transmitter Site buildings. The admin. and facilities building is in the middle (end-
on view). The large building on the right is the emergency 'Power House'.
The transmitter building is on the left.
Transmitter Site - Admin. & facilities building.
Side-on view of the administration and facilities building.
The next photo shows a warning sign at the Transmitter Site in 1969. Two transmitters were
undergoing test transmissions at that time -
Sign - Transmitter Site Cox Peninsula
Warning sign at Transmitter Site in English, Greek, and Italian.
Today, the site is being leased by Christian Vision, a private broadcasting company.
The six short-wave transmitters now broadcast religious programmes to Asia.
The programme material is beamed to the transmitter site by satellite from the Christian
Vision studio complex at Maroochydore in Queensland.
Some Radio Australia programs are being transmitted by Christian Vision on behalf
of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The present schedule is as follows -
0000-0030 15180 KHz
0400-0430 15180 KHz
0500-0530 15180 KHz
0600-0630 15180 KHz
2200-2330 9785 KHz
2200-0000 11840 KHz
0000-0130 17775 KHz
As you can see from the above, Radio Australia programs are being
broadcast from Cox Peninsula in the 9, 11, 15, and 17 Mhz bands.
Thanks to Aub McKibben (VK3QD) for the schedule.
The final picture is an aerial view of the Transmitter Site.
It was taken by Alan Darlison in 1970.
Transmitter Site aerial view, 1970.
Aerial view of the Cox Peninsula Transmitter Site in 1970. Photo by Alan Darlison.
June 04
Quote on John B1_B5's Place
Lisa Ridgley & Jeff Garner at Wanniassa SupaBarn
The photo below shows Jeff Garner & Lisa Ridgley from Mix
106.3 at the official opening of the Wanniassa Supabarn
store on March 11, 2006 .
Photo copyright © 2006 John B1_B5 ( John Barnes).
Lisa Ridgley and Jeff Garner at Wanniassa, 2006.
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