This photo shows the Seymour, Vic, 33 Mc 'Lorenz' Radio Range shortly after installation in 1944. This beacon was located adjacent to the 62nd mile-post on the Hume Highway, near the junction with the Murray Valley Highway and approximately one mile north of the township of Seymour. The DCA vehicle is a Dodge, registration C903.

The 33 Mc Range system was installed on Australia's main air routes following a tour of inspection to the USA and Europe by the RAAF's Director of Signals C.S. Wiggins and DCA engineer R.M. Badenach in 1935. Wiggins and Badenach recommended the adoption of the German 'Lorenz' blind landing system as a Radio Range system for en route navigation, modified by placing the antenna system on a 25m tower for increased signal range (the antenna in this photograph is on a non-standard, shorter tower). Click here to see a photo of a standard antenna tower.

The Seymour Range transmitter with its front cover removed.

This unit was a 38 Mc Marker Beacon transmitter supplied by AWA as part of the 33 Mc Radio Range package. As this unit was much higher in power than was required for an Airways Marker Beacon, Lorenz Markers were used at AWA Radio Range installations (e.g. Sydney and Adelaide) and the AWA Marker transmitters were modified for use as 33 Mc Radio Ranges.

These units were used at Seymour, Alice Springs and Daly Waters (the latter two installed Aug. 1942).

The bottom tray was a DCA manufactured keyer and station identification unit. The transmitter power amplifier was two 807 valves in push-pull.

(Photos: CAHS/Rod Torrington collection)