M a r c h 1 8 t h 1 9 9 5
N e v i l l e W i l l i a m s
" E l e c t r o n i c s A u s t r a l i a "
P . O . Box 199
Alexandria, NSW 2015
Australia.
Dear Neville,
Greetings again from Dave VK6ATE.I must congratulate you
on the booklet "Australian Radio Pioneers" which I saw today for the
first time, and immediately bought a copy. i read a few of the
original articles in "EA" and, as you may remember, contribute in part
to the ones about our VK6AG, Wally Coxon.
You mention at the beginning of the series on Wally that
you had an article sent you by Mr.Adrian M.Peterson of St.Lucia, WA.
Not to be outdone, I looked up the name in the phone book,the name was
listed, but when I enquired, no answer and the phone had
been disconnected.A bit of a long-shot anyway after such a long time
(there is no such suburb in Perth as St.Lucia, the only one I could
find mention of is in Queensland. However, there may well
have been one of that name earlier. As I said, I have only been
in Perth about 25 years!!
I think also that I told you I am busy with a History of
the
WAI(WA division) - somewhat belated I'm afraid as the 75th
Anniv.occurred last November.
Thanks for your letter some time ago, in reply to the
information I sent you. I wonder,
would it be possible for me to have a copy of that original article ?
He claims that Wally had been issued with a licence in 1907. According
to the PMG returns to the ITU(Geneva) 1910, only 3 licences had been
issued to that date, none in WA!
I quote" (PMG Dept. G 10-3359 Radio Telegraph Stations 1910)
The statistics required by the International Bureau are in respect of
(a) wireless installtaions in existance on 30 June 1908, and (b)
wireless stations installed during the period 1st July to 31st
December 1908.
- so far as the papers show, only 3 licences to use wireless telegraphy
for experimental purposes had been issued prior to 30.6.08, viz: to H.G
Robinson, E.F.G.Jolley and H.W.Jenvey. In the case of Robinson, the
experiments were conducted in halls for lecture purposes. This licence
expired in November 1906.
In the case of Jolley, Maryborough, Vic. the experimental stations were
situated at 2 houses about a mile apart. The licence, which was issued
in 1906 & was valid for 12months, lapsed at the expiration of that
period. The stations installed by Jenvey are of a somewhat larger
range, viz: between St.Kilda and Queenscliffe, a distance of about 65
miles. This install-
ation was completed in the earlier part of 1908.
No licences were granted during the period 1.7.08 to
31.12.08.(This being the only one in existance at this time)
Note that no mention is made of Calling signs,or other means of
identification!)
In 1939, Wally wrote a series of 11 episodes of
How Wireless began in
Western Australa.
which was published in "The Broadcaster" from February 25th to April
29th 1939.
How did Wally get the Calling sign XYK pre-WW1?From 1911
toJuly 1912 (According to the "Commonwealth Year Books 1925 onward,
Experimental licences were issued from 1911), Call-signs consisted of X
followed by 2 letters. often the applicant's initials, for example
Mr.C.V.Gallagher of Fitzroy, Vic. had XCG (may 1912) For others, the
last two letters appear to have been selected at random. In many cases
the information I have does not mention a Calling sign (Commonwealth
Archives) Although I have found 3 references for Western
Australians , no call for F.B.Cooke (His father was the WA Astraonomer,
transferred to Sydney soon after, son became XADW until WW1.), or
P.Kennedy.
However, W.T.Hancock had the call XXX.
In July 1912 the system of issuing Calling signs (Many
were issued with Receive only licences - why did they need a calling
sign? Still retaining the 'prefix' X, the following 2 letters
were allocated in blocks, according to the state in which the
station was located.
NSW HAD XAA -
XIZ
VICTORIA HAD XJA -
XPX QLD HAD XQA -
XQZ
SOUTH AUST. HAD XVA -
XVZ W.A HAD XYA -
XYZ AND TASMANIA HAD
XZA -
According to " BROADCASTER ANNUAL 1935" Wally and
his friend George Dean applied for their licences, Coxon was allocated
XYK, Dean XYL . Both was original members of the W.A.Radio Club
which held its first meeting on 15th November 1913, at the house
of
Mr.Sibley, North Perth, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORMING A RADIO-TELE-GRAPHIC
CLUB.
(WAS THE FIRST XYL A WESTERN AUSTRALIA ???)
Even before this, in 1912, John Moynihan ("All The News in
a Flash - Communications to Rottnest) says that Coxon used to
communicate with Lyle Pym of Rottnest - using his Spark device.
Apparently Pym's apparatus was not of an approved type.
To return to the WA Radio Club, those present included:
Messrs. McKail (A story in itself!) Coxon, Murray, Sibley(2)
and Dean.
Elected to officer were:
Chairman:
Mr.Ellison (was he missed from list,
or
elected 'in absentia'?
Vice Chairman: Mr.Coxon
Secretary: Mr.Dean.
Committee:
Messrs.McKail, Coxon, Sibley, Reid and
McCallum.
The Club was to be known as The WA Radio Club.
Subs to be 5/- p.a. in advance.
Boys attending school will not be accepted,
but JUNIOR SOCIETIES
MAY BE AFFILIATED. THE CLUB WILL ENCOURAGE THE WORK OF SUCH SOCIETIES.
At the meeting of 24th November 1913 Mr.Dewar XYE from
Kalgoorlie reported that persons in that town were interested in
forming a club - IT WAS AGREED TO FORM A BRANCH OF THE WA RADIO SOCIETY
IN THAT TOWN.
what happened to the 'Kalo" Branch? You reported that
Coxon was of the opinion that clubs grew up in the suburbs
(not only it would appear, in Perth!) But what happened to them? Did
they last long? (What was there to listen to except a few experimenters
(probably not all of THOSE transmitted) and some ships, either at sea
or in Fremanmtle Harbour. Then,of course, thers was the Coastal Radio
Station VIP. And that was all. - No
broadcasting as yet.
So far I have assumed (Dangerous word) that the only clubs
pre-war in WA (No VK6 until 1928) were the WA Radio Club, and a School
Club, The Perth Boys School Radio Club (Yet another story!) -Both clubs
meeting at PBS until 24.3.1921, when the Institute changed their
meeting place to STOTTS COLLEGE.
So may I repeat the request I made earlier?-
COULD I PLEASE HAVE A COPY OF THAT ARTICLE WRITTEN BY
MR.PETERSON RELATING TO WALLY COXON VK6AG ?
I would appreciate any other information you may be able
to pass on, with reference to Radio Amateurs in Western Australia.
So while anticipating an interesting reply, I will sit
back and enjoy your account of
AUSTRALIA's RADIO PIONEERS.
Very best wishes from Perth,
Dave Handscomb VK6A T E .
N S W h a d X A A
- X I
Z
V i c t o r i a h a d X J A
- X P Z
Q l d h a d X Q A
- X Q
Z
S o u t h A u s t . h a d X V
A - X V Z
W . A h a d X Y A
- X Y
Z a n
d T a s m a n i
a h a d X Z A - X Z Z
H o w e v e r , W . H a n c o c k h a
s t h e c a l l X X X .