I visited Laverton and had a look at the installation of the radar for which DCA had been responsible. I prepared a work-flow diagram of how the job could be accomplished. Tom Sleath, Roger Catchpool and one instrument maker worked with me on the proposals for two weeks and were very keen to put theory into practice. With three technicians it took us three weeks to put the radar, radiosonde and full meteorological equipment into Charleville. This included airborne flights and computations, transmission of messages back to Melbourne on the Bureau's Intermet communication system. We received congratulatory telegrams from Len Dwyer, Bill Brann, Geoff Goodman and staff.

We then flew to Brisbane Airport and from there to Townsville. In nine weeks we completed the installation of radars and facilities (at three stations) in the same time that DCA had taken to make one installation.

With the passage of time there was a turnover of staff. Ray Clarke came into the section (about March 1960 1 think) along with Lex Patterson. I divided Installation and Planning into two teams. Later I had George Khan, Bob West, Adrian Porter and Bob Lazdins. These men were former Senior Observers (Radio) and very dedicated towards meteorology. I trained them in my favourite pattern. Give them the theory and have them put it into practice (just like a football coach).

I believe the toughest project I had to handle was the Saddle Mountain weather watch radar, which was installed on a mountain range eight miles from Cairns Airport in October 1962.

Reg Stout and Jack Byrnes make final checks on the Cossar weather watch radar transmitter installed on Saddle Mountain near Cairns, Queensland, October 1962.

Reg Stout at Saddle Mountain near Cairns, Queensland, October 1962.

Bureau of Meteorology