Person

Allsop, Raymond Cottam (1898 - 1972)

OBE

Born
11 March 1898
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died
19 March 1972
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Inventor, Naval officer and Radio engineer

Summary

Raymond Cottam Allsop was an inventor and pioneer radio engineer. He was involved with radio in Australia from its earliest incarnation and later in life was a vocal advocate for the introduction of television.

Details

In the early 1920s he conducted experimental transmission work for 2BL in the lead up to their launch as Australia's first live radio station.

On his private station 2YL Allsop conducted bold experiments, such as the broadcast of the Big Ben live from London in 1927 and the charting of (Sir) Charles Kingsford Smith's historic flight in the Southern Cross in 1928.

In 1929, Allsop demonstrated his 'Raycophone' sound synchronisation system for movie theatres which, at a tenth of the price, beat the American competition out of the market and was installed in 375 cinemas across Australia.

During both World Wars Allsop served as a naval radio engineer, first as senior wireless telegraph operator in transports (1916-18) and then as engineer lieutenant (1940-43).

Chronology

1911
Career event - Received experimental licence from the Wireless Institute of Australia
1913 - 1916
Education - Apprentice at Shaw's Maritime Wireless Co.
1916 - 1918
Career position - Senior wireless telegraph operator in transports, Naval Wireless Works
1923 - 1925
Career position - Radio engineer at New Systems Telephones Pty Ltd
1925 - 1929
Career position - Engineer-in-charge at New Systems Telephones Pty Ltd
1927
Career event - Broadcast Big Ben live from London to Australian audiences for the first time on his private station 2YG
1928
Career event - Charted the progress of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's journey in the Southern Cross live to air on 2YG.
1929
Career event - Demonstrated his invention, the sound synchronisation system Raycophone
1930
Career event - Raycophone Ltd. was acquired by Harringtons Ltd.
1930 - 1945
Career position - Director and Chief Engineer, Raycophone Ltd.
1932
Career event - Foundation member of the Institution of Radio Engineers, Australia
1933
Career event - Harringtons Ltd. was acquired by Kodak Pty. Ltd.
1934
Award - Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, United States of America
1940
Award - Fellow, Institution of Radio Engineers, Australia
1940 - 1943
Career position - Engineer lieutenant Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, at the Anti-Submarine School, H.M.A.S. Rushcutter
1941
Career position - Acting Lieutenant Commander, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, at the Anti-Submarine School, H.M.A.S. Rushcutter
1945
Life event - Retirement from Raycophone
1945 - 1957
Career position - Private consultant in radio engineering
1946
Award - Member of the American Institution of Radio Engineers
1947
Award - Member of the British Institution of Radio Engineers
1953 - 1954
Career position - Member of the Australian Broadcasting Control Board
1971
Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), in recognition of service to the development of radio.

Published resources

Book Sections

Resources

Rebecca Rigby

EOAS ID: biogs/P004935b.htm

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