History of the Telstra Research Laboratories
|
Introduction |
|
Introduction
Telstra
and its predecessors, the PostMaster Generals Department and Telecom Australia,
have pioneered the provision of many telecommunication services in Australia.
Many would not have occurred without the ideas and assistance from staff at the
Telstra Research Laboratories. Two notable pioneering efforts are the Digital
Radio Concentrator System (DRCS) and the Priority™ One3 system. Both these
systems are highlighted in the Introduction to the
History of the Telstra Research Laboratories.
Achievements
A chronological listing of Notable Events and Technical
Achievements since the inception of the Research Laboratories in 1923.
Directors
Sidney Herbert Witt (1923-1945)
Eric Percival Wright (1945-1953)
Norman James McCay (1953-1960)
Leonard Michael Harris O.B.E. (1960-1964)
Percy Rollo Brett O.B.E. (1964-1975)
Edward F Sandbach (1975-1985)
Harry S Wragge (1985 -Dec 1992)
Ray Liggett (Dec 1992 - Sept 1993)
Bruno Sorrentino (Sept 1993 - Oct 1993)
James Park (Oct 1993 - March 1995)
Noel Teede (March 1995 - June 1995)
Graham Shepherd (June 1995 - Feb 1997)
Hugh Bradlow (Feb 1997 - June 2000)
Paul Kirton (June 2000 - June 2001)
Hugh Bradlow (July 2001 - Dec 2005)
Video
Clips
None of the video or audio clips are available on any internet video/audio
streaming service such as YouTube because many are long, may be copyright,
controversial and the people shown in the clips or their relatives may get
upset. The links below only provide details about the clip.
If you really want to see them, a set of 7 DVD size data discs is available
at no cost. The discs contain a copy of the internet site “History of the TRL
Research Labs” including all the video and audio clips. For details on how to
obtain the DVD's email me (address is on first page of www.coxhill.com)
Propagation Section
(1966 and early 1970's) (8 videos)
Andre Domjan Lecture (1972)
Tomorrow is Now (1973)
Revolt of the Instruments (1973)
Open Days (1973)
1930's Electronic Laboratory (1973)
Training Annex (1974)
Digital Telephony in Australia
(1978)
API Children's Christmas
Parties (1978)
The Busy Ray (c1979/1980)
Rings Of Fire (1981)
Lightning Research (1983)
Caldermeade Construction (1983)
Engineering Equipment Section (1985)
ISDN Tutorial (1985)
Cockatoo Feeder Damage
(1985)
Telecom and You (1986)
Rathdowne St Move (1986) (5 videos)
Hec Ruddell (1987)
The Telecom Report (1988) (8 videos)
Information Age (1989)
Recruitment (1989)
Telecom Today (1989)
Lightning Lab (1990)
Speaking Clock (1990)
Laserlink (1991)
IST Shutdown (1991)
Leap Second (1992)
Blattnerphone (1992)
Videophone (1992)
Antenna Calibrations (1992)
OATS Building Construction (1992)
Caldermeade (1993)
Telstra Song (1994)
Wombat & Cockatoo Damage
(1994)
Multimedia Lab (1996)
Human Factors (1997)
Internet Fridge (1999ish)
Laboratories 75 Year (1999)
Lightning Lab Demonstration
(2000)
Telstra Values (2000) (3 videos)
Testing New Technology
(2000ish)
BigTV (2001)
Science In Schools project (2001)
Showcase Opening (2001)
TRL Seminars (2001) (15 Videos)
Interactive TV (2001 - 2003) (13
Videos)
TRL Seminars (2002) (38 Videos)
Catalyst featuring Geoff Huston (2002)
Various non-TRL (19??)
Lyrebird (2003)
80th Year Anniversary
(2003) (4 videos)
Telstra/Samsung
Announcement (2004)
Various TRL (2004) (3 videos)
Various TRL Promotional Videos (2004) (2 videos)
Various TRL (2003/04/05) (6 videos)
Telstra Innovations
Promotion (2004)
Customer Focused Design
(2004)
TTIP Conference (2004) ((11 Videos)
Telstra Promotion (2004)
Audio Clips
Albert Syler (1975) (why lasers won't
work) (8 Mins)
iRadio Transmission #2 (2000) (5
audio tracks 1 Min, 21 Mins, 9 Mins, 10 Mins & 1 Min)
Hugh Bradlow on KissFm (2002) (21 Mins)
Telstra New Wave & Telstra
Research Labs Collaboration Pt 1 (2003) (03:53 Mins)
Telstra New Wave & Telstra
Research Labs Collaboration Pt 2 (2003) (06:32 Mins)
Hugh Bradlow at National Press
Club (2006) (55 Mins)
See also TRL Christmas Carols below.
Accommodation
The Research Laboratories staff and equipment were accommodated in a variety of
buildings over the years. From about 1940 to 1988, accommodation was scattered
in buildings around the Melbourne Central Business District. In 1988, all
Sections of TRL was finally located on one site in Clayton. The History of Laboratories Accommodation over the
years is detailed in this section.
Computing
The Research Laboratories have utilised a wide variety of Computing devices
over the years. A brief History of Laboratories
Computing is given in this section.
Publications
The Research Laboratories were a prolific source of publications. A brief History of Laboratories Publications is
given in this section.
Media Items
Media
items about TRL.
Official Staff Photos
(click on
photo for larger view)
Applied Science
Branch (March 1987)
Switched
Networks Branch (February 1992)
Telecommunication
Science & Technology Branch (March 1995)
Networks Branch
(May 1996)
Information
Networking Section (June 1996)
Unofficial Staff Photos
Unofficial Staff Photos, Buildings
& Equipment
Links to other Australian Telecommunication History Sites
Australasian Telephone Collectors Society
Historical Radio Society of
Australia
Australian Computer Society
Victorian Telecommunications Museum Inc
Telecommunications
and the Digital Economy (TelSoc)
Old
Australian Telephones
Photographs
and information about the Old Port Kembla Exchange
Photographs related to old Microwave Installations
That Exchange Project (A
tribute to the craftsmanship of heritage telecommunications equipment, and an
era when telephone exchanges were home to communities of people who spent their
lives living and breathing with the equipment, so that the rest of us could be
connected)
History of Telephone
Communication
Overseas Telecommunications
Veterans Association Founded by a group of like-minded veterans with a
desire to maintain valuable friendships forged while working in the
telecommunications industry
Miscellaneous Items
Memories of TRL
Some memories from Rick Coxhill who worked at TRL for 39 years.
A Day in
the Life of a Section Head Some stories from Gavan Rosman.
Skeletons
in the Cupboard The dark side of TRL.
Tool
Kit Numbers A 1968 list of staff and their Tool Kit Numbers. When a
person joined the Laboratories, they were issued with a set of tools with a
unique number engraved on the tool. Discontinued in the 1970's.
Chronicles of Trel Satirical look
at events in TRL from 2001 to 2005. Only meaningful to those who worked at TRL
since about 1990. The chronicles were supplied to me anonymously.
Keeping in Contact A mailing
list/newsgroup to keep in contact with xTRLer's.
Madonna A tasteless posting to
the aus.flame newsgroup in 1991 that nearly got the TRL internet connection cut
off and resulted in internal newsgroup censorship.
The Big Walk
The story and pictures of three intrepid staff who, on their first day at the
new Clayton site in 1978, walked to Clayton from their old building in the
Melbourne CBD carrying the old buildings name plate.
The
Telecom Australia Research Laboratories Xmas Card
The
Scientists Poster No 5 Featuring Albert Syler.
The TRL Christmas Carols
In 1991, and for a few years afterwards, a group of TRL staff sang Christmas
carols to entertain the staff. Some recordings of the presentations are
supplied here.
Copy of a plaque
presented to TRL by NASA for technical assistance with the first moon landing
Anecdotes.
Anecdotes about TRL from "Alan", who worked in other areas of the
PMG/Telecom.
Vale Fred Symons.
An address presented by Peter Gerrand at Fred’s funeral.
Internal Telephone Directory. May
1983.
Internal Telephone Directory. May
2003.
Technician in Training Exam Instructions 1966
List of Successful Technicians in Training 1966
List of Successful
Technicians in Training 1967. Handwritten list.
Technician
Pay Rates 1967
Technology Dispute Discussion Paper. The technology
dispute in the 1970s between unions and management was a bitter and protracted
affair. This document discusses some of the issues. Don't know where this came
from.
Historical Study of Telecom And Its
Antecedents. Some early history of Telecommunications in Tasmania
(1981).
History of Telecom Australia Research Laboratories.
Early history of the Research Labs (1984)
Bibliography of History of Telecommunications in Australia
(1980).
Web
Services. Telstra poster (2000?).
PTTA Reference Book (1960). Conditions Of
Employment As Contained In Public Service Act, Regulations, General Orders,
Public Service Board Instructions And Related Determinations.
Obituary for Jim Fisher It appeared in the Dec 1992
edition of Electronics Australia. Jim was known as the father of TV. He worked
in the Research Laboratories for a while.
Closure
of TRL
TRL
Closes TRL officially closed its operations in December 2005.
About 80% of the staff accepted redundancies and the rest obtained positions in
other areas of Telstra. Unofficially, the last light was turned off on 7th
September 2007. The buildings were demolished a few years later.
· Rick Coxhill for initiating the concept of documenting TRL History and on-going updates.
· Paul Howell - for recovering the "Tomorrow is Now" film from the dump master and arranging conversion to MPEG format.
· Michael Wilkins - for initial MPEG conversions.
· Katinka Emmer - for site design, initial creation, and on-going updates whilst TRL was active.
· Joe Briganti - for on-going updates, MPEG conversions and lots of information.
· PMG, TRL and Telstra staff - for historical material and information relating to computing and accommodation.
Last updated: Jan 2021