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Southern Signals
Stories of innovation, challenge and triumph in Australia's communication history
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Southern Signals
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
From sea-stained dispatches to data sent back from deep space, Southern Signals is the story of Australia's use of communications to bridge vast distances through war and peace, exploration and growth.
Communications have been vital at every stage of Australia's history. From the time the First Fleet transport ship Prince of Wales limped back into port eight months after leaving Sydney Cove, to the breakneck rush during the 1970 Apollo 13 crisis to bring Parkes' famous radio telescope online, this book shows how adoption (or not) of emerging communication technologies has influenced key events, and formed the backbone of Australia's development as a society and relationship with the world.
Chapter topics include: dispatching mail to Britain from a convict colony, and then around a big country; the arrival of telegraph, telephone, and television; wireless radio and Antarctic exploration; wireless radio entering Australian homes; the coming of airmail; Australia's role in televising the moon landing; communications in search and rescue, Australian newspapers; the internet and the opportunities and risks of the future.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781922507563
Publisher: National Library of Australia
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 01 September 2023
Country: Australia
Imprint: National Library of Australia
Illustration: Illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 170.0mm
Height: 230.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 288
About the Author
Hugh Tranter is a Sydney-based researcher and author, who enjoys unearthing stories through old newspapers, letters and accounts. He became interested in communication technology and its history through his father's collection of old radios and records, including a bulky, antique radiogram - once cutting-edge technology - kept in the family lounge room. Hugh has studied history, law and creative writing, and written for a range of publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, the online Dictionary of Sydney, Beachcombing Magazine and History, the magazine of the Royal Australian Historical Society.
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