Historical information

Type used by RAAF Radar station (RS 14) for backup communications 1942 - 1946. This one is an AT5 radio aerial coupling unit with black face and dials and switches. They functioned as a set and were manufactured in 1938 at the Ashfield, Sydney workshop of AWA (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd, later AWA Ltd), Australia’s largest electronics manufacturer and broadcaster. They are rare outside Australia as they were seldom exported to other air forces, and remained in service until the late 1950s.202 An AT5 transmitter and AT5 coupling unit are held in Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.203 The three units in the Wilsons Promontory Museum were deployed by the RAAF in WWII and represent the types of communications equipment used at the 14 Radar Station, Wilsons Promontory. It is not known, however if these particular examples were used at the lightstation and are part of the same set. They have interpretive relevance to the collection, but their significance to the lightstation is dependent on whether they have a direct historical association with the radar station that operated there.

Significance

The units will have first level contributory significance if it is confirmed they were used at the Wilsons Promontory Radar Station.

Physical description

radio aerial coupling unit grey metal face with multiple dials & switches