Name: | Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd. (AWA); Sydney (AUS) | |||||||||||||||
Abbreviation: | amalgamate | |||||||||||||||
Products: | Model types Tube manufacturer | |||||||||||||||
Summary: |
Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd. (AWA); Sydney, New South Wales, was established on July 11th, 1913 by the merger of interests of Marconi and Telefunken. First technical manager was Ernest Thomas Fisk. Later manufacturer of professionel communication equipment. (source Fred Osterman, Reynoldsburg, OH) Early subsidiary companies set up by AWA. Australectric Co. was set up by the Directors in September 1918 due to the demand for “Expanse” radio equipment. The company later expanded to importing and manufacturing electrical and X-ray equipment but was voluntary liquidated on September 30, 1926. Amalgamated Wireless Valve Co., Ltd. was set up by the Directors in April 1932 to acquire the licenses from RCA of America, International General electric, Westinghouse & AWA to manufacture and sell valves in Australia. Manufacturers Special Products Pty. Ltd. (MSP) set up in August 1938 to manufacturer components for the Australian electronic industry. |
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Founded: | 1913 | |||||||||||||||
Production: | 1924 - | |||||||||||||||
Documents about this manufacturer/brand |
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History: |
The Early Years 1923 The first Radiola was released in December 1923. It was a two valve receiver with an optional two valve amplifier. There was a comprehensive three month newspaper advertising campaign prior to the release of the Radiola. Broadcasting and Media The AWA Tower Manufacturing The Television Years Through the research done in the AWA Research Laboratories, AWA was an early entrant into the design and development of optical fibre technology in Australia. In 1984, AWA, in partnership with Corning of the USA and Metal Manufactures, established Optical Waveguides Australia Pty Ltd (OWA). AWA later sold its interest in OWA, which was eventually purchased fully by Corning to become Corning Noble Park, but closed in 2003.
1987 AWA reported $49 million in foreign exchange losses due to unauthorised trading in 1986 and 1987. Over the next ten years this became a landmark legal case in Australia. There were legal proceedings against the auditors for failing to identify the trading, as well as cross claims against the company’s directors, the foreign exchange trader and the banks involved. In May 2010 the employee at the centre of the foreign exchange losses, Andrew Koval, was extradited from the United States to face criminal charges. He had previously defended a civil suit in relation to this matter. 1988 AWA was renamed AWA Limited and in August 1988 the telephone manufacturing and related businesses were sold to Exicom Ltd. Computer Technology Services In the late 1980s AWA established AWASCo Pty Ltd, a joint venture with Serco Group plc of the UK. The company provided facilities management services to Federal and State agencies and Serco went on to purchase AWA’s share and formed Serco Australia. 1989 AWA Computer Support Services became an independent business unit. In the early 1990s unable to compete with cheaper imported appliances, AWA exited the field of domestic appliances and consumer electronics and focused on information technology services. 1991 AWA acquired Smorgon Technologies, a world leader in totalisator systems. The company developed and operated state-of-art wagering systems that were installed around the world. Communications The AWA Communications Division was a developer and vendor of telephone and radio communications systems, in particular microwave radio. The division merged with Plessey Communications to form AWA Plessey Communications Division. 2001 AWA share in the group was sold to Plessey Corporation and became Plessey Asia Pacific Communications Division; this was then sold and renamed Longreach Wireless. AWA was acquired by Jupiters Limited, who were then acquired by Tabcorp. ICT Solutions and Services. 2004 AWA was spun off, and once again become an independent company, AWA Limited. 2006 AWA acquired Telefix Sales Pty Ltd, a successful service business for home entertainment products. 2013 AWA is proud to celebrate over 100 years in the technology business. 2014 AWA went into administration in February, 2014 and was bought by not-for-profit Catholic healthcare provider Cabrini Health Limited. Today, AWA provides independent technology service solutions for large organisations, ICT and AV vendors, resellers, distributors and outsourcers. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Newcastle plus a national network of more than 700 service agents AWA provides a truly national service network. |
This manufacturer was suggested by Peter Hughes.
Country | Year | Name | 1st Tube | Notes |
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AUS | 50 | Radiola 809GZ | X61M | This radiogram uses an "Oak" record changer. See also Hotpoint-Bandmaster Model... |
AUS | 32 | Radiolette C87 | 235 | The C87 was the first Australian radio to use a bakelite cabinet. There were two knobs at ... |
AUS | 33 | Radiolette 110 Ch= C104 | 57 | This radio used an autodyne (self-oscillating) frequency changer. Chassis was also used... |
AUS | 33/34 | Radiolette 24 Ch=C124 [AWA Drawing CD255] | 78 | 5 valve, reflexed superhet with an IF of 175 kHz. Chassis: This was the first AWA radi... |
AUS | 34 | Radiolette 27 | 78 | The Radiolette 27 is a 5 valve reflexed superhet with IF 175 kHz: 78 as RF amp, 6A7 as osc... |
AUS | 34/35 | Radiolette (Empire State) 28 | 6D6 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite Empire State radios between 1934 and 1938. Radiolette... |
AUS | 35 | Radiolette (Empire State) 29 | 6D6 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite Empire State radios between 1934 and 1938. Radiolette... |
AUS | 36 | Radiolette (Fret and Foot) 33 | 6A7 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite, Fret and Foot radios in 1936 and 1937. Radiolette mo... |
AUS | 37 | Radiolette (Fret and Foot) 38A | 6A7 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite, Fret and Foot radios in 1936 and 1937. Radiolette mo... |
AUS | 37 | Radiolette (Empire State) 37 | 6D6 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite Empire State radios between 1934 and 1938. Radiolette... |
AUS | 37/38 | Radiola (Empire State) 48 | 6A7 | AWA produced a series of Bakelite Empire State radios between 1934 and 1938. Radiolette... |
AUS | 46 | Radiolette (Egg Crate) 509M | 6A8G | From 1939 till 1941, AWA produced a range of Radiola radios with a simple, low decoration,... |
Further details for this manufacturer by the members (rmfiorg):
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AWA - Splendid War Record.
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Gary Cowans
19.Oct.21 |
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AWA - Splendid War Record. The Annual Report of the Chairman of the Board and the Managing Director of A.W.A. given at the 37th Ordinary General Meeting of the Company on October 22, 1945, gave many interesting facts concerning the Company’s wartime achievements which previously it had not been possible to reveal. Radio Communications. The Beam Wireless telegraph service was called upon to handle more than three times its pre-war volume and new radio circuits to the United States, lndia, Ceylon, China, and Barbados were opened at short notice, as well as special wireless provided for the Australian, Royal and United States Navies. The Coastal Station at Darwin, which was subject to direct Japanese bombing attacks, renderedvaluable assistance to the forces. Messages to the Troops. In conjunction with Cable and Wireless, special cheap rates were introduced to assist war personnel, and in this respect over 25,000 free messages were despatched between British evacuated children and their parents, and over 1,500,000 messages to the troops were handled for an inclusive charge of 2/6 per message, irrespective of the destination. One of the circuits installed included the latest seven-unit Multiplex printing equipment, which is not only capable of providing four channels on the one circuit, but gives secrecy and an error proof method of printing. This type of equipment had never before been used over such a long distance and has proved remarkably successful. The circuits with the United Kingdom, New Zealand and North America are again open to the public and a new system of radio transmission known as single side band will soon be installed, the whole of the necessary equipment being made in the Company’s Radio-Electric works at Ashfield. Marconi School. The Company’s Marconi school has trained thousands of operators and technicians for the Fighting Services and the Merchant Navy, while the Marine Department has equipped a large number of vessels with apparatus of all types and has supplied operating staff for Australian and other Allied ships. Special instructional classes in radio technique and operating for officers and men of the A.I.F. and R.A.A.F. were instituted, and more than 4,000 personnel passed through this school. As was to be expected the company’s radar work was outstanding and ranks with the world’s best. The manufacture of the equipment supplied to the American and British Services involved continuous investigation by the staff of the research laboratories. Aircraft Instruments. Aircraft Navigational and Engine instruments, such as gyroscopic compasses, artificial horizons,altimeters, airspeed indicators and other instruments were produced and fitted to Australian bomber and fighter aircraft, in all, 70,000 instruments being supplied. The Amalgamated Wireless Valve Company, a subsidiary, produced some 4,000,000 valves of more than 100 types and set up a special section for the development of radar valves. The Company’s ammunition annexe, erected at its own expense for the manufacturing of gun ammunition, produced many millions of shell fuses armour piercing cores and aircraft shells. This section alone employed about 800 people. Important work was carried out in the field of tropic proofing, the company setting up a special mycological laboratory, which did remarkable work in developing materials suitable for the New Guinea conditions. Building & Engineering January 24, 1946, Pages 53-54. |
Hits: 312 Replies: 0
AWA aircraft instrument manufacturing during WW2.
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Gary Cowans
15.Oct.21 |
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Aircraft instruments were not made in Australia before the war, and one of the important tasks of the new industry was to provide ample supplies of these instruments. Their manufacture was spread over three firms. At the works of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd a whole factory was devoted to making compasses, the Sperry gyro horizon, Sperry directional gyro, rate-of-climb indicator, pressure gauges and altimeters. Warburton Franki Ltd of Melbourne concentrated on such equipment as ammeters, voltmeters, and air temperature indicators, while H. A. Chivers of Melbourne made tachometer generators, tachometer indicators and turn-and-bank indicators. In selecting the directional gyro for special mention two considerations have been uppermost: it was then the only device affording fixed directional reference in the cockpit of an aircraft in flight; and its manufacture called for considerable skill. The instrument was introduced into the manufacturing program at A.W.A. in January 1942. The greatest care had to be exercised in keeping the premises where it was made free from dust. Traditional watch-making anti-dust practices were not good enough; even the type of clothing worn by the employees concerned was carefully regulated. The gyroscopic movement of the instrument had a speed of 11,500 revolutions per minute (an ordinary electric fan made 2,000 a t the most) and being delicately poised could be irreparably damaged if small specks of dust were allowed to enter the pivots or ball races. Operatives were trained to establish by a sense of touch the permissible "play " of 0.0005 of an inch in dynamically balancing the unit. The permissible THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY 393 machining tolerance in making the parts of the gyroscope was one ten - thousandth of an inch. Difficulties caused by the unusual features of its castings held up production for several months, but by September 1942 the target of 30 instruments a week was reached. A.W.A's contract ended in May 1945, by which time more than 2,000 instruments had been made. Coupled with the directional gyro was the gyro-horizon, a device which created for pilots an artificial horizon so that the orientation of an aircraft with respect to the earth's horizon could be indicated accurately without the earth's horizon being visible. Like the directional gyro it consisted of a spinning wheel (15,000 revolutions a minute) supported by gimbals, but it was also fitted with a pendulum and vanes which automatically corrected any drift error caused by friction in the bearings. More than 2,000 of these instruments were made. The Aircraft Industry Soon after the war, Ch 18, Page 392 & 393 |
Hits: 2484 Replies: 2
AWA Model Numbers - Significance of a suffix
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Brian Wilson
17.Feb.14 |
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I noticed on the site for the AWA 208PY that an AWA 208P that I have just obtained differs in minor ways from the later 208PY. In fact, the suffix indicates a MINOR revision of the circuit/schematic. The order is Original ----- No Suffix. First revision ----- Suffix = "Z". Second revision ------ Suffix = "Y". Third revision ------- Suffix = "X". I have not seen a Suffix "W" but that is not absolute proof of anything. The suffix does not seem to appear in advertising in anything that I have seen between 1956 and 1975. ALSO This "Suffix System" flows on into radios made by AWA for Email Pty Ltd and others. In the period from 1957 to 1975, Westinghouse, Hotpoint, Airzone are all re-branded AWA models. It may that there are others as well where this system was used - particularly for "Store Brand" radios and car radios made by AWA for various car manufacturers and assemblers in Australia. |
Gary Cowans
13.Jan.19 |
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Explanation from John McIlwaine, AWA Historian and long term employee of AWA on the model number suffix revisions; He states the AWA first model number for say a model is 208 P, (P) being for portable, for modifications to the first model only three engineering changes could be made and the letter suffixes X, first change, Y second change and finally Z were used and added to the original 208P thus 208PX, 208PY and 208PZ .No more changes could be made to the model after three changes, and a new model number would be required. This system was vital to rationalise service manuals and spare parts ordering in the field. |
Martin Kent
13.Jan.19 |
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Brian Wilsons observation is correct: In this example 805GY is the second change (after Z). In this case the T & R suffix indicate that those versions use a 3-speed automatic changer as opposed to Y & W versions single speed changer. The differences between the T & R version could be simply just a different brand or type of record changer. Also some suffixes such as S or U may not have been used in this system. In the case of the 805G a X version is currently not known. |