South Island radio links being improved

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 11

South Island radio links being improved

The Ministry of Works and Development is improving its radio communication system throughout the South Island to give better reception. especially in remote areas. At present, the Ministry is in the last stages of improving radio links from Christchurch across the Southern Alps and down to the more isolated areas of South Westband. Mr J. Fulton, the engineer responsible for tele-com-munications. said the network was an essential management tool. "The overseer in charge of field staff virtually uses his vehicle as his office and the radio is the link with his men should he want to deploy

them urgently, or with his district office should there be a hold-up in road sealing; or plant is required, or for many other reasons. “If highways are knocked out through floods, slips, or snow it is more necessarv than ever to be able to communicate from one end to the other.” he said. Mr Fulton said work in the South Island had involved installing repeater stations high up on ridge tops so that their accompanying aerials were in line-of-sight communication. The repeater equipment is housed in octagonal fibreglass structures about two metres in diameter in which servicing technicians can stay if they get caught in bad

weather. The equipment is powered by batteries charged by solar panels. Initially"keas took a liking to the silicon rubber coating on the panels and picked it off. The problem has nowbeen solved by manufacturers replacing silicon rubber with polycarbonate glass. Installing the equipment is largely dictated by the weather which has to be good enough to allow- helicopters to work safely and to allow the men to complete the installation and be lifted down again. The only remaining areas in New Zealand where communication coverage has still to be extended and reception improved are in the Dunedin and Napier districts.