Backhaul, April 2014: the industry 25 and 10 years ago

Welcome to Backhaul, where in each issue of Critical Comms we'll take a trip down memory lane and look at the state of the industry 25 and 10 years ago.

25 YEARS AGO. The April/May 1989 issue of What's New in Radio Communications featured the Anritsu MS2601A spectrum analyser, supplied by Alcatel-STC, in its role as an EMI measuring system. Making news was the longest (100 km) fibre-optic sea cable, between the Philippine islands of Cebu and Negros; and the extension of OCT's Townsville Seaphone service by basing a repeater on a floating hotel.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Angus McKenzie discussed using a spectrum analyser for SSB and CW transmitter testing; Maurie Dobbin covered the development of the Australian cellular phone market; and Robert Reid informed us of a radar-based vessel traffic system for the Port of Melbourne. Marconi Instruments was advertising its 2956, 2957 and 2958 test units; Uniden was plugging the CP 2000 portable cellular phone with its 30-number memory; and Kenwood had its TK-810s UHF two-way radio.

10 YEARS AGO. Jumping forward to 2004, and the March/April issue of Radio Comms Asia-Pacific featured Kenwood, on the cover this time, showing off the TK-2160/3160 portable VHF/UHF FM radio - much more stylish than the TK-810s of 15 years earlier. Making news was the Malaysian Armed Forces, which had begun using a Tetrapol system that it called 'Teratai'; the then ACA dropping the Morse requirement for amateur radio licences; and Bob Horton, acting chairman of the ACA, raised the possibility of Asia-Pacific standards.

Elsewhere in the magazine were articles on BushLAN (bridging the 'last mile' to give the bush internet access) and helping irrigators protect their crops using CyNet 905UK radio transmitters connected to temperature sensors.

It was also celebration time, in the form of the 25th anniversary of RF Industries. Steve Jaques, who had been managing director for 15 years, shared his views on the future of digital communications