The first news item is the Telephone Collectors Show for 2008 will be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th July in conjunction with the Model and Hobby Show at Clarendon Showground (opposite Richmond RAAF Base). Members are urged to consider putting on a display and, rather than fill out booking forms, you should contact the Show Co-ordinator (Bob Berry) on 02 4758 6447 or email: showenquires@telephonecollecting.org. Even if you can’t display, make the effort to visit the show - there will be lots of interest besides telephones.
The annual Queensland Telephone Show will be held at Pimpana on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July in conjunction with the South Coast Restoration Society. Contact Dave Dockray for more details and booking on 07 3396 4466 or email: queensland@telephonecollecting.org.
A reminder about the Show Raffle - please make an effort to sell the tickets that accompanied the March newsletter (only $1 this year) and return the money and butts promptly (by 30th June). The raffle income is vital to our efforts to keep the Society (and the Show) up and running whilst keeping membership fees very low.
For those who attend meetings in Sydney, please note the new venue. From May, we will meet at the G E Snow Hall, at the Sefton Community Centre, Batt St (near Hector St) Sefton. See flyer for map. There is off street parking for about 10 cars so, if you are bringing items to sell or display, then park in the yard. If you have nothing to carry in, then please park in the street.
Don’t forget the “Monster Auction” at the May 10th meeting of the Brisbane Sub-Branch to sell the collection of late member Jim Toms. More details in the flyer in the March newsletter or contact Dave Dockray, 07 3396 4466 or email to queensland@telephonecollecting.org.
Well, its May again and the end of the financial year (and the ATCS membership year) is upon us. In other words - its Membership Renewal time again. A membership renewal form should accompany this newsletter. Please check it out and get your subscription in promptly. This keeps the Society in the “black” and prevents our Membership Secretary (John Nichols) from getting ulcers.
The Melbourne Society (AHTS) has informed us that they will be holding their annual Telephone Collectors Show on 3rd & 4th October at Preston Town Hall. Mark this one in your diary. We will include a flyer in the next newsletter.
For those of you who “surf the net”, the ATCS web site (http://www.telephonecollecting.org) now has a listing of the books in the Society Library that are available to borrow by members. The list resides under “Library” in the Member’s Area.
There was an email floating about in the US regarding No. 6 Dry Cells (used in old magneto phones). There was a battery supply company selling them for US$29.99 but, alas, they are now out of production and when current stock is gone - there is no more.
I recently received an email from our New Zealand correspondent, Geoff Jull. He writes that he is interested to find out if anyone has seen parts other than wet-cells made by Leclanché - He just acquired a metal cased capacitor block containing 23 x (0.25 uf + 1000^), -20 degrees C +60 degrees C, date stamped Nov. 58 2710. Case painted Grey with a mounting tab each end. Completely new & unused.
I have seen the southern most magneto telephone in Australia. I recently spent 5 days in Hobart (Tasmania) and was lucky enough to fly, in a light plane, over the southern most tip of Tasmania and to land at the shortest runway in Australia - at a place called Melaleuca in the wilderness area. There, outside a disused cabin, previously occupied by the late environmentalist, Deny King, was a complete British Ericsson 35MW with a barrel transmitter (well, minus the receiver) along side a large battery supply for lighting the hut and a 2 cylinder Southern Cross generator to supply the power. But where was the other telephone?