Most of the following text is from Lester Price, the final manager of Awarua Radio.

1970 – Sandra Mathews, first female technician, was employed. An additional farm residence was completed and a bus shelter on Bluff Road provided. Staff establishment increased to 29 10/40. ZLG Haast ceased w/t working and changed to telephone working.

1971 – ZMV/Milford Sound landline completed, r/t retained as emergency link. Ellie Ellenden retired in January. Gentex operational 21 May. JF Ryan took over as Superintendent on 24th May. The position was regraded to Class Special 3 on 1st April, and Senior Supervisor Class Special 1.

1972 – September, the area commercial QSP system ceased, through being unacceptable on defence communications network. Overseas traffic now routed through commercial cable systems.

1973 – 16 MHz watch opened 0880 to 1800 hours NZST. On 16th July discontinued HF broadcasting of outward traffic. All HF traffic (inward and outward) now centred at ZLB.

1974 – February JF Ryan, Superintendent, transferred to PO HQ. In March HJ Milne (Ex ZLD) was appointed Superintendent. On 1st April designation of Superintendent changed to Manager. In May ZLB opened up a request service on 4 & 6 MHz. In June HJ Milne retired, and was replaced by .

September saw a new ‘Small Ships’ room added with a new table designed and constructed locally. Also in September RN McVicar (Superintendent at ZLD) was appointed Senior Supervisor at Awarua, but in October he declined. In October the nightly 8 MHz sked with KFS ceased, rendered unnecessary by telex facilities.

ZLB had operating teleprinters to ZLO, ZLW, Gentex, and Telex (installed for Schmitt Ocean Towage, Rotterdam, who were engaged in tug work with Penrod 2 oil drilling rig).

1975 – On 28th January a fifth supervisor’s position was approved, and in July a third operating unit for leave relief approved. July 31st VJM Macquarie Island CW meteorological skeds discontinued when Australians installed teleprinters. From 1st May to 30 September 4 MHz HF watch opened 0700-1900 GMT daily and 12 MHz closed at these times. On October 28 Malin Head Radio (51N – 19W) heard working a distress on 2182 kHz. November 6th daily sked at 1130 with VJS discontinued. Penrod 2 now drilling in Foveaux Strait, rig working r/t for Met traffic.

Greetings from Malin Head. I read with great interest a note in the events during Awarua Radio ZLB and the following: “On October 28 Malinhead Radio (51N – 19W) heard working a distress on 2182 kHz.”

I made a point of checking the distress records for our radio station for that date and can confirm that Malin Head Radio did indeed work distress traffic. I noted that the position given was 53 North and 19 West. This is an amazing bit of watchkeeping and must be the furthest distance for our transmitters, of the time. At that time we were using Pye transmitters, with a 5CX1500B valve in the final, running compatible AM with 500 watts carrier. We later changed to USB in the following years and ran 1 KW from SPT gear, replaced by German transmitters about 5 years ago.

The antenna was, and still is, 150 foot masts, one for 2182 khz and the other usually used on our working frequency of 1677 khz. The original 500 khz Tee antenna strung between the two towers is used on Navtex on 518 khz and 490 khz these days.

Personally, I retired just over 2 years ago, having completed 34 years at EJM, and a further 7 years before that at sea as a Radio Officer.

Really enjoyed your web site. I am particularly interested in 500 khz, stories of such, and recordings also of 600m/500 khz.

Very best regards, Finbar O’Connor EI0CF and ex EJM (GMH)

1976 – Suspicion and alarm generated in coast stations at proposal by Director of Radio Services that coast stations transfer control to CPMs. JT Dudley appointed Manager in September. Takeover bid by CPM fails and proposal dropped in October. PJ Collett appointed Senior Supervisor in November.

1977 – Managers seminar held in Wellington in March. 1st June spot frequency calling began on HF, but due to lack of proper equipment common channels only guarded. In November ceiling was lowered, carpet laid and new filtered fluorescent lighting added. On 11th November HF DF facility was withdrawn and Adcock DF sent to museum. In December the old iron horse autokeyer was sent to museum and replaced with new Model 750 teleprinter/morse converter autokeyer, all electronic.

1978 – On 1st January, speaker watch commenced on 4125 kc/s. Codan fixed-tune receivers located in the back room for 2162, 2182, 2196, 4125, 4143.6, and 4414 kHz. In March a telephone service was introduced to Dog Island, and weather reports now passed by this medium. Female toilets were added to the retiring room.

1979 – The Post Office gentex network changed from tape machines to page printers. In February, was linked to the mainland by telephone. Direct circuit to Wellington was no longer necessary, traffic passed via the gentex network. Direct circuit now to Kelburn Weather Office. Later in the year Eddystone digital receivers replaced the Philips, in use since 1956. JK (Bill) Riley retired 24th December.

1980 – The technicians moved from the station to Radio Depot in Invercargill 3rd May. Leigh Hattan, (ex Navy) our first female operator began 14 May. Awarua Radio had its first direct teleprinter contact with a ship at sea via satellite to Forum New Zealand/ZFEV, 18 May.

1981 – George R Edlin retired 2nd April. Technics headphones replaced Telex type in September. James T Dudley retired 30th September. Lester J Price (Supervisor) appointed Manager ZLC in October, and in November PJ (Joe) Collett appointed Manager Awarua Radio, and CR (Dick) Bennett Senior Supervisor.

1982 – VDU installed as our terminal to the AFTN network 19th May. HF telex introduced at Wellington Radio on 1st November. Scan units introduced to HF on 29th December.

Transmitting Frequencies for Awarua Radio ZLB

The following information was supplied to Alan Gilchrist by Paul Cotter. It is undated. Further information would be most welcome.

Radiotelegraph: 500, 515 kHz

Radiotelephone: 2045, 2068, 2162, 2182, 2206 (which eventually became 2207), 2638, 4125, 4187 kHz

HF working frequencies: 8504, 12740, 17170.4, 22533 kHz

1983 – In January CR (Dick) Bennett transferred to Instructor, Radio Training School. Paul D Burke (Radio Operator) appointed Senior Supervisor 31st March. New wooden tables installed on HF watches and 500 in July. Creed teleprinters replaced by Olivetti JE 300’s in August.

1984 – Cyril W Burke completed 29 years at ZLB, retiring 29th March. WO Eales’ long awaited retirement happened 12th July. Philip Twyman ZLD (ZLB 27-10-1981 ~ 5-1982) died 15 September.

1985-1986

• PJ (Joe) Collett retired 4th May.
• Lester F Price appointed Manager 16th July.
• Sagem teleprinters introduced 18th September.
• Paul D Burke appointed Manager, Chatham Islands Radio (ZLC), 16th October.
• Electronic Air Cleaner installed in main office, December.
• Brick front entrance to Station built by Peter King, bricklayer, during December 1985 and January 1986.
• Lights erected on pillar June 1986.
• Brass sign plate scheduled for July 1986.
• Front entrance cleaned up by MOWD subcontracted November 1985 and to be replanted in shrubs 1986.
• Old shelter belt from station to hostel (about 500 metres) delimbed by contractor in September 1985, and a new fence line to the rear of this was erected in February 1986. A new Pinus Radiata shelter belt is planned to be planted in July 1986.
• All three 30,000 gals fire ponds were cleaned out for first time by ditching contractor Bill McEwan of Invercargill during July 1986. Approx 1.5km of discharge drain also cleaned out at the same time.
• New fences to be erected around these in August 1986 by fencing contractor Malcolm Wright of Kennington.
• Station Master clock retired on 9th April 1986,and new solid state quartz master clock installed by PO Electricians to drive the existing slave clocks.
• Old retiring room partitioned off by BMB during May 1986, and made into office for Senior Supervisor and as a meeting and interview room for management and staff.
• New carpet laid in manager’s office and new office next door June 1986.
• New Senior Supervisor: NW Chesney, appointed 11th Feb 1986.
• New Supervisor BJ Simpson appointed 1st March 1986.
• Individual lines to station houses put in about April 1986 to provide individual telephone service, although some residents opted to remain on the station PABX. STD cutover for Invercargill area was at 9.30pm, Friday 14th March 1986.
• The Mason/Morris report on PO services was released on poor unsuspecting PO employees on 1st May 1986. This review proposes many changes to the PO business: Postal, Banking, and Telecommunications.
• Proposal to substantially renovate the Receiving Office store/kitchen and male toilet area plus provide lean-to garage for the PO work van (Mitsubishi L300) released to Property division June 1986 for financial authorisation to proceed with the work 1988/89.

1988 –

1991 – on 30 August, and operations became remote-controlled from Wellington.