Extracted from the VK7 Sunday broadcast 24/7/02

    The big show on the ABC on Shackelton's
    expedition reminded me of a note I had made
    from an old Film Weekly a few years ago.

    A well known Tasmanian amateur for many years
    was Rupert Barker, then VK7RM.

    Rupe, as he was known, was Western Electric
    service engineer in Hobart in the days when most
    major city and regional city theatres were
    equipped with Western Electric or Westrex sound
    equipment. The article in Film Weekly of 30th June
    1949 noted that Rupe had been with WE for 20
    years, having come to Australia in 1908 from his
    native London. He then travelled to the USA and
    South America, where he worked in South America
    during World War 1 erecting wireless stations for
    the Marconi Company. He was a member of the
    crew of the relief ship which sailed from Chile to
    find Shackelton at South Georgia in 1916.

    Before joining Western Electric in Sydney in 1929
    Rupe worked at RCA's central office in New York,
    and his last posting was at an RCA receiving
    station at Lujon, 4 miles outside Buenos Aires.
    After a stint in Adelaide Rupe came to Tasmania in
    1936, and remained here with the company until it
    closed.

    I can't remember when he died, but I think it may
    have been in the mid 70's. It is maybe a tenuous
    connection as Shackelton seems to have sailed to
    Antarctica by way of South America, not Tasmania
    as some other Polar explorers did.

    (Phil Corby)


    see also Radio in Australia and New Zealand (ex Robert VK7ZAL)

    2/9/25	Rev Flynn goes to try radio in outback - worked 5RM (who
		later was 7RM Rupe Barker)


    Alan O'Halloran (7OH) said that Rupe Barker, late VK7RB, ex VK5RM,
    spent five days installing equipment on Marconi's yacht when he was
    in Adelaide.