H44PT: My
last operations as H44PT were March / April 2000
1983 World Communications Year (WCY)
On 19th November 1981 the United Nations General Assembly
adopted Resolution 36/40 proclaiming 1983 as "World Communications Year"
Telecommunications
In the Solomon Islands this was a period of rapid
development of communications infrastructure. Commissioned for
independence in 1978 the Honiara Intelsat Earth Station operated by
Soltel / Cable & Wireless provided links to the outside world. The
domestic telecommunications operated by Solomon Islands Government P&T
comprised a number of old Strowger switches but outside of Guadalcanal
these were linked in the main by a manual HF radio network plus a few
UHF FDM links. The early 1980s saw an EU Development Fund program to
provide a new Honiara main switch and ISC ( NEC NEAX61) plus a number of
rural switched (GEC UXD5) bringing International Direct Dialling to
Solomon Islands.
Amateur Radio
The young Solomon Islands Amateur Radio Society was keen
to become involved in World Communications Year and to publicise ham
radio in Solomon Islands. Public Amateur Radio demonstrations were given
and an attempt made to gain as much media interst as possible. As
principal Training officer at the time my job involved recruiting new
trainees. A particularly exciting rip was to Goldie College - a
Solair flight and then a trip across the lagoon from Munda. Apart from
the Telecom talks I took my ham radio and let students talked to the
world:-)
Of course it was exciting times for Ham Radio:
Solar Cycle 24 was continuing to yield exceptional
propagation conditions
The first amateur radio operation from earth orbit
took place aboard Space Shuttle Columbia STS 9
The European Space Agency launched Ariane 6 carrying
AMSAT Oscar 10 into orbit and providing global ham radio satellite
communications.
Philatelic sales are always a great way of promoting a
nations activities and aspirations and The Solomon Islands Philatelic
Bureau was ver keen and helpful to support WCY and SIRS producing three
ham radio / communications related covers: * I still have a few of these
FDCs for sale - contact me if interested
peter@g8bcg.org.uk (SORRY SPACE
SHUTTLE NOW SOLD OUT)
I have just come across an old cassette tape recording of the Solomon
Islands Broadcasting Corporation Programme "Monitor" featuring the
launch of the AMSAT Oscar 10 Satellite:-)
