Sailors friend calls it a day.Mercury p2
Recognised text
Text below was produced by optical character recognition and may contain errors. Check it against the original.
Sailors’ friend
calls it day
HARRY BANKS might not hear a telephone ring @® Mr Harry Banks at
the microphone on his
but a faint “Mayday, Mayday” call on the radio last day at bart
reglsters with him immediately.
-
~hurts peoplewho were
todlstress calls after 17 involved.” Leld;e
played a b‘fixt
years as a radio oper- His sensltivity to dis-
ator with Hobart Radio, tress calls been
OTC’s coastal servi “I've had
phone calls
heightened by nine mflmfl\fidfiome at night
based on top of the Do- ears at sea on cargo
main, where a
ts when he has had lar landmark is
Mr Banks retired yes- to send Mayday calls, as fishermen have strang
terday full of praise for well as receive them. ways of describing them.
the coastal service OTC “Hearing calls is a “There are about 600
provides. subconscious thing with boats licensed to carry
The station communi- me now,” he said. “We radio working off Ta.s-
cates with fishing boats, had some techniciang up mania and every skipper
yachts and pleasure here some time ago and a different in,tona-
craft by radio telephone when I was out of the tion to his voice.
tt:k guard their za.f:ity, room they had to tell “There have been sev-
e es, and give me the phone was ring- eral occasions, some of
navigation smelp. weath- ing. them distress
ggforecasts, and warn- “Later in the day I where we have identifi
S, heard a faint Mayday the boat simply by the
It covers Bass Strait, call come in which they voice on the radio.”
all Tasmanian _waters missed completely.” Mr Banks b as a
and beyond. It has re- telegraphist in New Zea-
ceiving
Mount
stations
Rumney
on
and Two shifts la,nd and he worked as
radio communicator
Bruny Island and the & Ano'%her call he durmg World War Two
range can extend to loesn’t miss hearing is and on ships after the
New Zealand although the slightly less urgent war.
there are dead spots call — Pan,
around nia's “I grew up with Morse
coast, code and I got.a lot of
satisfactionand enjoy-
Ivlimvided a 24-hour ser-
Salvage vessel ment from that work,”
hesaid
The station is manned
Mr Banks said the in two shifts from 7.30 Banks “swallowed
service had improved am to 5.30 pm. At other th:eamhor" when he got
tremendously since he married andsettled in
@ W oty e
times Melbourne Radio
stéa.rted as a radio oper- receives and transmits Tasmania as couneil
ator calls around Tasmania clerk at Richmond.
“The equipment here by land line. He gave up that job
is completely up-to-date . Mr Banks sald the 21 years later to join
and I t think OTC service could Hobart Radio and he
get enough credit for mnot be
WO
completel operated won’t be losing contact
he service they pro- from Melbourne completely with radio in
vide,” he sald. ause
the load would be too his retirement.
“This -station is go- great through the busy He is a licensed ama-
irg on to betterthings periods and local know- teur radio operator.
all the time. It’s a very
1T®
elaborate station, as well
“equipped-~as any other
in Austral!n,o nnd it’
PR
el Rl
*uha
but a faint "lqny,
registers withhim in
hurts pedple who were
bo d15tress call.s after 17 involved.”
years as a radio oper-
ator with Hobart Radio, Hig sensitivity to dis-
OTC’s coastal service
tress callshas been
based on top of the Do- hetghm{l by nine
main, at seaoncargo
ts when he has had
Mr Banks retired yes- to send Mayday calls, as
terday full of praise for well as receive them.
the coastal service OTC
provides. o callsis a
The station eommuni-
cates with fishing boats, hadsome g
yachts and leasure
craft
byndio phone when I was
out of the tion to his voice.
to sufety, room y had to tell “There have been sev-|
gx};
the phone ‘was ring- eral occasions, some of
vigation fielp.
wuth-
erforecutl. and warn- them distress s,
ings. “Later in the day I H‘hergowe hav;lldell’zy
heard a faint Mayday &
It covers Bass Stra.it call come in which they voice on the n’ulio.”
all Tasmanian waters missed completely.”
and beyond. It has re- Mr Banks beganas a
telegraphist in New Zee,-
ceiving stations
Rumney
on
and
- Two shifts land andhe worked as
Bruny Island and the tor
range can extend to fiu’xlafiigowbmJar ar Two
1
New Zealand although and onships a the
there are dead spots war.
ar Tasmania’s “I grew up with Morse
coast. code and Ipm lot of
satisfaction andenjoy-
Salvage vessel ment from that work,”
hesa.id
Mr Banks The station is manned
said the : In “swal
service had improved two shifts from 7.30
-
® W oty
tremendously since he am to 5.30 pm. At other wi
anchor”
theBt?nrk"h hezot
st.a,rt.edt as a radio oper- times Melbourne Radio married and otk
receives and transmits Tasmanis,
is et
ator. “clerk at Ricmd.
calls around Tasmania
by land line. He gave up that job
completel -to-date - 21 later to
and I yth?nk Mr Banks sald the
et enough cred:lt -ervioe could not Hobarbyeammo and yi:::
RVROD 1
for won’t be losing contact
ghe servicethey pro- completely with radio in
vide,”he s his retirement.
“This
ing great through the busy He is a licensed ama-
N on to better th'l:g periods and local knowe teur radio operator,%
It®
bonu station, as wellf
or
don’t put us out.”
Reports of recent cuts
tgoeather service
given b{ Hobart Radio
were not entirely accur-
Wea.th.er forecasts
were still provided. The
:lnly cuts were on coast-