Internal Technical
PublicationsHistory of the Telstra Research Laboratories
Publications
Internal Technical
Publications
The primary publication that reported work undertaken in the Laboratories was known as a "Research Laboratories Report" (RLR). These reports were numbered sequentially.
The first (No. 1) RLR was produced in 1931 and titled "Ringing Efficiency of Two Siemens Neophone Handset C. B. Telephones" by G.N. Smith. Early RLR's were single page documents and known as "Test Reports".
When TRL closed in 2005, the last RLR no 8587 was printed. Around 115 reports were produced each year. A few RLR's were cancelled and never issued. From about 1975, RLR's were given a security classification - one of Proprietary, In-Confidence or Confidential.
"Telstra Proprietary"
"In-Confidence"
"Telstra confidential"
Copies of all RLR's are held at the National Archives in Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
>Research Laboratory Report Number 1 (jpeg)
Note that the above report is signed by S. H. Witt, the first Director of the Laboratories.
>Listings of Research Laboratories Reports
The most prolific publisher of Research Laboratories Report was John Semple with a total of 110 reports.
The last Research Laboratories Report by
Steven Spicer
The report was assigned an official number of 8587 and
printed. A copy was also added to the complete set of RLR's that were archived
at the
National Archives of Australia.
A "Branch Paper" was another publication reporting Laboratories work and used from the late 1960's to the mid 1990's. The concept of a Branch Paper was to "fast track" the reporting process because production of RLR's had a long lead time.
>List
of Branch Papers in htm format
>List
of Branch Papers in Excel
Copies of all Branch Papers are held at the National Archives in Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Review of Activities and New Horizons
A yearly glossy magazine entitled "Review of Activities" was published from 1971 to 1992 when it was replaced by an even glossier publication entitled "New Horizons". Both magazines were targeted at the general public.
The "Telecom Researcher" was published on an ad hoc basis from 1988 to 1991. The publication was intended to make the important work of TRL understandable to both informed and lay readers.
>First
Edition of Telecom Researcher - 1988 
Published from 1992 to 1994. Took over from the "Telecom Researcher".
Published in the early 1960's.
>Information
Bulletin No 1 (1961)
Laboratory Notes and Short Reports
Used for a period in the early 1960's to quickly document work performed within the Laboratories that may be of interest to others.
Published from 1975 to the early 1980's. Summarised the Laboratories work on a quarterly basis. It is thought that the Review of Activities and New Horizons publications took over the role of the Research Quarterly.
Laboratories staff regularly contributed articles to Australian and overseas professional and technical journals as well as presenting papers to learned societies.
One of the earliest TRL staff publications was the "Research Lab Reporter". It was produced from 1966 to 1982 at two monthly intervals.
>First
issue of Research Lab reporter - 1966
Produced fortnightly in the mid 1990's for TRL staff.
Many other TRL, Branch and Section staff publications were produced from time to time.
>Broadsheet
produced for 1969 Open Day
>AIRBORNE
TV Relay, 1963
>Research
Labs - Function and Organisation 1968
>Humenet
(a satirical proposal for a packet switched network between Melbourne & Sydney)
Last Updated: Aug 2011
