Satellites....put things into perspective.....

[ramblingboy42]

Well we have cars in the flight threads, why not satellites?

Voyager 1 & Voyager 2....

Launched August and September 1977 on a space probe , both heading in different directions.

Flying at approximately 61,000kmh it would take about 70,000yrs just to reach the sun.....but they are flying out of our solar system and have actually escaped the gravitational pull.

They are free spirits now but are still operational and in contact and able to send and receive data and be controlled by NASA , even if it currently takes 17-21hrs for radio signals to be received.

This kind of information can be readily sourced from www.heavensabove.com

[4bee]

Well we have cars in the flight threads, why not satellites?

Voyager 1 & Voyager 2....

Launched August and September 1977 on a space probe , both heading in different directions.

Flying at approximately 61,000kmh it would take about 70,000yrs just to reach the sun.....but they are flying out of our solar system and have actually escaped the gravitational pull.

They are free spirits now but are still operational and in contact and able to send and receive data and be controlled by NASA , even if it currently takes 17-21hrs for radio signals to be received.

This kind of information can be readily sourced from www.heavensabove.com (http://www.heavensabove.com)


No good waiting for a quick response to one's email to seal a contract then when Time is of the Essence"?[bigrolf]

Of course you could follow that one up with a query "Did you receive my latest?" but that would take 17-21 hours to get there as well, ad infinitum.


NAAAAHH. ****it.

[ramblingboy42]

I don't think Hal is aboard either of those spacecraft.

just imagine if you needed to make a quick diversion in case of a collision with something out there ....42 hours to complete the order may be a bit late.

[4bee]

I don't think Hal is aboard either of those spacecraft.

just imagine if you needed to make a quick diversion in case of a collision with something out there ....42 hours to complete the order may be a bit late.



At those speeds one probably couldn't see anything coming & by that time it'd be curtains anyway. Even with RADAR.

[p38arover]

They are a bit further away than the communication satellites I “worked” with in the early Seventies which were in a geosynchronous orbit. I worked for a while at a TTC&M (Telemetry, Tracking, Control, and Monitoring) at OTC Carnarvon where we did just that on Intelsat birds both just after launch and beyond.

[Hugh Jars]

They are a bit further away than the communication satellites I “worked” with in the early Seventies which were in a geosynchronous orbit. I worked for a while at a TTC&M (Telemetry, Tracking, Control, and Monitoring) at OTC Carnarvon where we did just that on Intelsat birds both just after launch and beyond.

A friend of mine worked at HSK at the end of Apollo. He did Skylab and the deep space missions. He was a USB specialist (ex RAN). RIP

[p38arover]

I worked at Moree at the time of Apollo 11, we were the telecomms interconnection between the USA and Honeysuckle Creek.

We had a number of ex-navy guys working there, they were well trained and skllled.

[Hugh Jars]

Pete worked A16-17. He was at HMAS Harmon prior.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201111/595e81514b67d3ab2619452ea76e6711.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201111/f5ea9e054d06bdca03101c8044d969e8.jpg

These were taken during the Deep Space era, hence not many crew.
Pete is in the background of the b&w photo at the USB radios.

[ramblingboy42]

I worked at Moree at the time of Apollo 11, we were the telecomms interconnection between the USA and Honeysuckle Creek.

We had a number of ex-navy guys working there, they were well trained and skllled.

What facility is at Moree?

[4bee]

Pete worked A16-17. He was at HMAS Harmon prior.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201111/595e81514b67d3ab2619452ea76e6711.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201111/f5ea9e054d06bdca03101c8044d969e8.jpg

These were taken during the Deep Space era, hence not many crew.
Pete is in the background of the b&w photo at the USB radios.


He 's thinking: "Bugger , which knob do I have to twiddle? Back to the Op. Instructions.

If I pull this wire will it bugger up the whole system & send the bird around the sun instead?"

[p38arover]

Pretty impressive stuff. I'd be able to work my way around it to a degree.

This was Ceduna Satellite Earth Station (now a radio telescope) - that's me at the desk in 1970.

Ceduna Earth Station 1969-70.jpg | Ron Beckett | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/32028719052/in/photolist-QQVLBt-QNgyj1-PMLbXR-R2nyyx)


What facility is at Moree?

Only the building. The two antennae were relocated, one to Sydney (Oxford Falls), the other to Gnangara (Perth) about 30 years ago. This is what it was like when I was there in 1968-69 (single antenna back then).

Moree ES Jan 1968.jpg | From the entrance driveway Pentax Sp… | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/40058326805/in/album-72157664932185827/)

Me up in the antenna low noise receiver room.

Moree Ron Beckett Aug 1968.jpg | A young Ron Beckett (20yo) … | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/27081316248/in/album-72157664932185827/)

[Hugh Jars]

Brilliant photos, Ron!

[Saitch]

Thanks, Ron. I love the P.P.E. [smilebigeye]

[Old Farang]

Moree ES Jan 1968.jpg | From the entrance driveway Pentax Sp… | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/40058326805/in/album-72157664932185827/)

Ah, the old Pentax Spotmatic! What a camera, definitely a man of good taste!

[p38arover]

Ah, the old Pentax Spotmatic! What a camera, definitely a man of good taste!

A lot of money to a 20yo, too! I recall it cost me $180 - about 2 weeks wages at the time. I used it until it was replaced with a Pentax SFx autofocus camera I bought whilst working in Saudi Arabia in 1989 (I still have the SFx plus a lot of other Pentax cameras, digital and film). The Spotmatic was eventually stolen about 10 years ago.

[Old Farang]

A lot of money to a 20yo, too! I recall it cost me $180 - about 2 weeks wages at the time. I used it until it was replaced with a Pentax SFx autofocus camera I bought whilst working in Saudi Arabia in 1989 (I still have the SFx plus a lot of other Pentax cameras, digital and film). The Spotmatic was eventually stolen about 10 years ago.

I bought mine duty free around 1971-2, cannot recall what it cost. I still have it, although it too was stolen but I was able to get it back! It has a strange battery voltage which are evidently no longer made. The wrong voltage affects the light meter, but can be allowed for if you remember how!
It also has screw mounted lens, which are also pretty much obsolete.

I now have a Pentax Kr digital with an assortment of bayonet mount lens. It is a good camera but a bit heavy to lug around for an old grump! It has a white body, which is a bit unusual. Cheers

[4bee]

Pretty impressive stuff. I'd be able to work my way around it to a degree.

This was Ceduna Satellite Earth Station (now a radio telescope) - that's me at the desk in 1970.

Ceduna Earth Station 1969-70.jpg | Ron Beckett | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/32028719052/in/photolist-QQVLBt-QNgyj1-PMLbXR-R2nyyx)



Only the building. The two antennae were relocated, one to Sydney (Oxford Falls), the other to Gnangara (Perth) about 30 years ago. This is what it was like when I was there in 1968-69 (single antenna back then).

Moree ES Jan 1968.jpg | From the entrance driveway Pentax Sp… | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/40058326805/in/album-72157664932185827/)

Me up in the antenna low noise receiver room.

Moree Ron Beckett Aug 1968.jpg | A young Ron Beckett (20yo) … | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/27081316248/in/album-72157664932185827/)


GEEEZ! That was a bit of a shock Ron. I thought it was Daniel Andrews climbing through the steel-work.:Thump::Rolling:

Maybe it is time I visited Specsavers again.



Thanks for the images Ron, it is good to see what other people have achieved in their earlier lives.:TakeABow:

[rick130]

Moree ES Jan 1968.jpg | From the entrance driveway Pentax Sp… | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/40058326805/in/album-72157664932185827/)

Ah, the old Pentax Spotmatic! What a camera, definitely a man of good taste!
A lot of money to a 20yo, too! I recall it cost me $180 - about 2 weeks wages at the time. I used it until it was replaced with a Pentax SFx autofocus camera I bought whilst working in Saudi Arabia in 1989 (I still have the SFx plus a lot of other Pentax cameras, digital and film). The Spotmatic was eventually stolen about 10 years ago.Dear old dad gave me his Spotmatic (SP500) when I turned 16 as I borrowed it more than he used it.
I was taking photos all the time at school as the 'official' school photog. So many of the photos in the annual school magazine were mine and developed in the school dark room

I've treasured that camera and still have it, acquiring a few Super Takumar lenses to go with it, too.
And it still takes great photos, even though I mostly use my Fujifilm digi camera these days.

[4bee]

Ron, meant to ask yesterday.
You mentioned the Dishes were transferred about 30 years a go.
Also about 30 years ago & very large dish was removed from the Telstra Site up the hill from here on Mount Bonython, a Co-axe cable was laid ( "for Govt Use" only I was told) through here (through our front Paddock actually) from Brisbane to Perth & not long after, the dish disappeared from the Mount. Was this relocation tied up with your work, do you know? From memory the dish generally faced sort of North but sort of a bit hard to tell as it was surrounded by Pine Trees up there.. The Cable could have gone as far as Cairns for all I know.