I posted way back with respect to an Edward G Vaughan Transceiver Type VSR-4 searching for information without success.
The newly secured Weston LM 7 is in excellent condition and requires very little restoration work but once again, no information, manuals nor schematics.
If anybody can help with any data on these two items I would be most grateful.
Apart from Phil Storr having a couple of these, there is little or no information whatsoever available on these two closely associated Sydney companies of Vaughan and Weston.
The VSR-4 has had its two octal Tubes removed but expect one to be a 6L6 and the other could be the same or a 6V6 or even a 6CA7.
Thanks.

Smokey

Try Ian O'Toole at the Kurrajong Radio Museum:

http://www.vk2bv.org/museum/

Ian is a comms radio guru and may be able to help.

GTC,
Thanks but tried there some time back.
In Australia we appear to have an information void on all of Marine, RFDS, Taxi, Police, Navy and similar low wattage RT equipment and I could probably add the Army and Airforce.
I am ex RAN and all the equipment I maintained/used from the 50s 60s is also not well documented like the 600 HF series of Transmitters from STC.
I shall be patient.

Smokey

I think this is pretty much the case with all aspects of vintage radio. There is simply not enough information publicly available.

One case in point is a number of videos I linked to from this site around a year or so ago which show the stages of manufacture of valves in a Mullard factory in England.

At the same time I put out the feelers to see if someone had filmed the AWA Radio-Electric Works in action and not only did I not receive a positive reply, I didn't get a reply at all - pretty much indicating that unless there is some footage on a dusty shelf in the National Film and Sound Archive then no such footage exists.

Whilst this is not the fault of any particular individual I do find it disappointing that historical information is either hard to obtain, illegal to redistribute due to copyright restrictions or simply unobtainable.

Sadly, very little is done to preserve our history. Unless one of the big TV networks decides to make a documentary and make a killing from it then the whole issue is seldom taken seriously. We see plenty of documentaries showing volcanoes erupting and showing lions eating zebras and buffalos but none of our own people keeping secondary industries alive and well.

Brad,
What we do have up our sleeve is the fact that Dick Smith began his career (twice) at Weston Electronics and wondering if he might have some interest in locating the lost information or becoming involved.
Think Edward G Vaughan and Weston were pretty much the same company and Traeger was also involved with his RFDS models.
Dick Smith is not easy to get to as I attempted to do earlier.
Any ideas?
Shame that neither of these companies supplied a label showing Vacuum Tube complement or frequencies or any other useful detail.
Thanks.

Smokey

Dick Smith lives in Terrey Hills as far as I know though I do not know exactly where, nor do I know his contact details.

I was going to suggest that if a member here knew someone that worked on Garden Island that they may have access to archived information that has been declassified however since GI is privately run these days I reckon they'd draw a duck egg there too.

I've read where Dick Smith is notoriously difficult to contact directly unless you are from the media. He gets involved with so many causes and issues that he uses staff to process his mail and emails.

That said, for what it's worth you could try writing to him at PO Box 418, Terrey Hills 2084.

Guys,
Thanks.
That's what I will do and send him one of those letter things.
Might be able to bring out some nostalgia or sentiment from the old guy as he is probably about my age at 70.

Another company comes to mind is RBM Long also of Sydney who were prominent in the manufacture of Geiger Counters from the 50s.
Have one of those here as well and uses a KF2595 Geiger Tube and 2 x 3S4s.

Smokey

Hello All,
Have a letter here going to Dick Smith at the address above (thanks).
Have also asked him for information on Alfred Traeger (RFDS) as he was also involved with Vaughan and Weston.
Hopefully we may receive a reply and will report back.

Smokey

Hello All,
Have a response back from Dick Smith which I have copied below:

Dear Smokey

Unfortunately, I can’t help you. I have no circuits at all, I do remember some of the type numbers, but I can’t even remember if an LM7 was an HF or VHF transceiver – I presume HF.

My first job at Weston Electronics was winding aerial loading calls for an LM18 transceiver. By the way, LM stands for Land Mobile.

The Vaughan transceivers were made sometimes by Weston Electronics and other times by a man named Tom Brownlee, who had a small manufacturing facility near the corner of Dickson Avenue and Pacific Highway, Artarmon.

Smokey, unfortunately I can’t help you. However, I will keep your address on file and if I can ever get a circuit I will send it to you.

By the way, if you ever hear of a LM18 being available – I am sure it was a HF transceiver used by the Fire Brigade in western New South Wales and other places. I would love to get hold of a copy of one for my old museum.

Regards

Dick

Good to see that you got a response. You may be able to follow-up on the Tom Brownlee reference via ham radio sites and/or the HRSA.

Ian O'Toole has links and contact with both groups.