After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission Victoria invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the war, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The advent of solid-state electronics in the 1960s replaced the more delicate valve sets which enabled greater use of vehicle mounted radios. The Commission continued to research, develop and build new radios at its many workshops around Victoria. The network was supported by a large team of skilled radio technicians. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 5G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s. Radio line controllerDunns Hill and South Morang (fire towers)bushfire, radios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Set of two Report - carbon copy typed foolscap blue sheets, giving reports on tenders received from the Controller of Stores to the Deputy Chairman. .1 - "Tender 2161 - manufacture of two tramway tower waggon bodies" - dated 12/9/1960, proposed to award to Ansair Pty Ltd. (Did this occur - about the time the Sydney system closed and two tower wagon bodies without towers were obtained?) .2 - "Tender 2167 - reconditioning of ten tramcar roofs with plastic coating of "Nyolac" - Liquid Polyurethane. Only one tender received from Austral Floors. Dated 5/10/1960.trams, tramways, tower wagon, tramcar bodies, maintenance, overhead