Cooby Creek Extended Operation

PMG and DCA experiments, 1970

 


After Cooby Creek completed its mission in late 1969, the station was loaned to Australia for an additional year.

This was to allow two Australian government agencies, the Postmaster-General’s Department and the Department of Civil Aviation, to conduct experiments.

The PMG experiments involved multiple access to the ATS-1 satellite, to investigate the use of satellites for telephony to remote outstations across Australia. A 15 foot (4.5 metre) fixed dish was installed at Cooby for this purpose.

The DCA experiments involved communications with aircraft (including by VHF which was installed on ATS-1), and also ranging, using transponder installed on aircraft.

During this extended operation, the station was run by a skeleton crew.

Neil Sandford speaks about the Extended Operation in part 4 of this 2013 interview.


Cooby Creek

The PMG 15 foot dish, rear view, temporary mount. January 1970.

Photo: Neil Sandford. Copy and enhancement: Colin Mackellar.

Cooby Creek

The PMG 15 foot dish being installed on its permanent mount. March 1970.

Photo: Neil Sandford. Copy and enhancement: Colin Mackellar.

Cooby Creek

The PMG 15 foot dish, elevation adjustment. March 1970.

Photo: Neil Sandford. Copy and enhancement: Colin Mackellar.

Cooby Creek

The PMG 15 foot dish, dual feed 4GhHz Rec and 6GHz TX on a temporary mount. March 1970. 40 foot ATS dish is in the background.

Photo: Neil Sandford. Copy and enhancement: Colin Mackellar.

Cooby Creek

From left to right: PMG 15 foot dish, the Cooby Creek 40 foot dish (for ATS), and the 20 foot VHF antenna (for ATS). March 1970.

Photo: Neil Sandford. Copy and enhancement: Colin Mackellar.

Cooby Creek

Guy Morgan and Veda Finlay in OCC Van at MCC Control Panel on one 24 hour Sim for Station Ranging, 1970.

Veda writes, “When the PMG took over the station for their tests Joy & I were kept on and worked with Neil Sandford and Guy Morgan.”

Photo from Veda Finlay.