TV repeaters and bureaucrats

bunyip · May 11, 2018

Just relate this to the tech minded electronic gurus.
Was about 15 years ago and we had done the switch to digital TV and a lot of VHF to UHF, the main transmitter is blocked by hills in some areas and one town on another side of the bay had no reception so a repeater was installed, the bay at this point is about 20km wide and a suitable hill was found to put up the repeater, all was set up and switched on and the reception was brilliant but there was a problem with interference within 10km of the repeater.
Afetr much studying and finally field visits by broadcast engineers it was found that the power output was far too great hence local interference.
The bureaucrats in their infinite wisdom engaged clerical staff to put forward distances from town A (repeater) to town B (reception) and a distance of approximately 120km was given.
The clerical staff had no idea what the request was for and in calculating distance used a road map to measure the distance from A to B around the perimeter of the bay rather than a line of sight hence a massive overload.
It appears the engineers were not allocated this task as clerical staff would be cheaper.
As a consequence of this action it costs hundreds of thousands of $$$$$ for equipment that was far more than needed, scrapped and replaced with low power gear.
Politicians saving us money in action.

oosik · May 11, 2018

Many, many years ago I was a primary participant in a study of migratory fish populations in two major rivers. The study completed - the preliminary report prepared - reviewed and NOT APPROVED for release by the "powers to be" (ie - local politicians). They had the final report prepared by biologists who had nothing to do with the initial study. There was great outcry and clamor for the final report now - it said exactly what the politicians wanted to hear. The politicians went on to glory - the fish population in one of the study rivers died and were never heard from again.

Politicians need to have a finite life. They are a known and detrimental force to Nature.

ovrszd · May 11, 2018

Bureaucrats react to society to gain votes. Thus, Urban Society ultimately has the largest detrimental impact on nature.

mddorange · May 11, 2018

When I was stationed in Alaska and was in charge of a national defense computer system that was built in the early 60's by Hughes Aircraft, it would break down regularly. To get any of the worn out parts replaced meant having something be uniquely made since those part were not available anymore. The cost was around a million dollars each.

Now, we had been trying to replace it with something newer for many years, but when the 'Quote For Bid' went out, each senator with a company in his state would fight so hard to get the bid that it would never get approved.

ovrszd · May 11, 2018

Yep. Not sure how to correct it...

Wagtail · May 11, 2018

mddorange said:
When I was stationed in Alaska and was in charge of a national defense computer system that was built in the early 60's by Hughes Aircraft, it would break down regularly. To get any of the worn out parts replaced meant having something be uniquely made since those part were not available anymore. The cost was around a million dollars each.

Now, we had been trying to replace it with something newer for many years, but when the 'Quote For Bid' went out, each senator with a company in his state would fight so hard to get the bid that it would never get approved.

My last posting prior to retirement was at RAAF Base Laverton, working at Defence Materiel... I managed a A$6M fleet of test equipment for the entire Aus Defence Force (all 3 Services + test organisations). New oscilloscopes were required due to obsolescence, so I spent months researching what was available to bring the fleet into the 21st century. The best one could do everything that the old ones could, was hand held and was multi-functional! Indeed, it would probably replace a few other 'fleets' by combining into one and it would be a cost saving.

Nobody (hierarchy) wanted it. They wanted a direct (rack mounted) replacement... so that they didn't have to re-write their various maintenance procedure manuals. <sigh>

The 'customers' got what they wanted.

bunyip · May 11, 2018

Small world, I trained at RADSCL Laverton in 1967 then shifted to 1FTS Pt Cook (remote posting

about 5km away) then got shuffled back to 1AD at Laverton then back to RADSCL and sent to Antarctica on an attachment to evaluate GPS systems in sub zero conditions, back to Pt Cook then 1AD again.
Extensive travel indeed between those two but got to do some more extensive travel later.

mddorange · May 12, 2018

Wagtail said:
My last posting prior to retirement was at RAAF Base Laverton, working at Defence Materiel... I managed a A$6M fleet of test equipment for the entire Aus Defence Force (all 3 Services + test organisations). New oscilloscopes were required due to obsolescence, so I spent months researching what was available to bring the fleet into the 21st century. The best one could do everything that the old ones could, was hand held and was multi-functional! Indeed, it would probably replace a few other 'fleets' by combining into one and it would be a cost saving.

Nobody (hierarchy) wanted it. They wanted a direct (rack mounted) replacement... so that they didn't have to re-write their various maintenance procedure manuals. <sigh>

The 'customers' got what they wanted.

It was just the opposite when a general's son hired by Northrop Grumman to win support for a contract gave the Ruskies our satellite codes, then we got anything we wanted. All we had to do was say it was needed to replace all those satellites ASAP.

Wagtail · May 12, 2018

bunyip said:
Small world, I trained at RADSCL Laverton in 1967 then shifted to 1FTS Pt Cook (remote posting about 5km away) then got shuffled back to 1AD at Laverton then back to RADSCL and sent to Antarctica on an attachment to evaluate GPS systems in sub zero conditions, back to Pt Cook then 1AD again.
Extensive travel indeed between those two but got to do some more extensive travel later.

Loved the Sgt/WO's Mess at RAAF Laverton! A great bunch of lads and I always made a point of attending every function, especially Dining In (Mess Dinner) Nights as the 'token' Navy bloke.

bunyip · May 12, 2018

Never did the Sgts Mess, Airmens Mess then got a Commission and enjoyed silver service on Mess Nights although the sword on special occasions was a pain.