The PNG Coastal Radio service is responsible for providing a vital communications link to vessels travelling throughout PNG's territorial waters. The HF outstations service provides PSTN access to rural subscribers via a manual and automatic telephone interconnect service. Both services are operated by Telikom PNG. Unfortunately due to a lack of funding some of the equipment still in operation is very ancient. TE (PNG) has been heavily involved over the years in the supply of more modern equipment for the Outstations service. In 1996 TE supplied a Barrett 660 (RDD) Radio Telephone Direct Dial system, which was put into full commercial operation in Jan 1997 on 6 dedicated HF frequencies. These range from 2 to 13 Mhz and provide excellent coverage throughout the country. A second Barrett 660 was supplied in 1998 and this was used exclusively for Telikom staff. Equipped with Barrett mobile and portable HF transceivers, staff could now dial directly into the PSTN. This has proven to be a valuable asset when maintaining the numerous mountaintop repeater sites. By the end of 1998 the Commercial 660 had over 150 subscribers on the system. The recovered revenue over the previous 2 years had already paid for the equipment 6 times over, a far more profitable exercise than some of Telikom's Rural Satellite and Smart Trunk radio systems. During 1997, Wayne Wilson, then Telikom's HF supervisor , and TE (PNG) Communications Division Manager Mark Tell, travelled to Barrett Communications in Perth, Western Australia to evaluate the new 974 Multi Channel RDD Auto Interconnect. There was no other product on the market that even came close. An order was placed and the equipment was delivered in Sept 99. The system is configured with 4 x 960 interconnects, 8 remote transmitters located at Telikoms remote TX site in Boroko and 8 remote receivers located behind Jacksons international airport. The system will now cater for hundreds of new HF RDD subscribers. PNG's National Health Services Radio Network, designed by TE (PNG), now totals over 550 Barrett HF radios; all with access to the new 974 system. No matter where you are in Papua New Guinea, you can keep in touch through the Telikom's HF outstations service. A suitable base or mobile transceiver would be the Barrett 950 with full HF portable capabilites being provided by the Barrett 940 equipment.

An operator of the Telikom HF manual radiotelephone interconnect service located in Port Moresby. The consoles are over 20 years old	The HF Coastal Radio Service. This provides weather and shipping information on ITU Maritime HF frequencies
Barrett Communications, Australia and South Pacific Marketing Manager, Martin Johnson puts through a radphone call on PNG's outdated ship to shore service	Martin Johnson at the old PNG Coastal radio CW console.
Out with the old and in with the new. Mark Tell, previous TE (PNG) Comms Div Manager (1993 - Jan 2000) along side the Barrett 974 interconnect rack.	Wayne Wilson commissioning the Barrett 974 system.
Wayne Wilson conducting tests on the 2 existing Barrett 660 Interconnect systems. The new 974 TX Rack is on the left comprising 8 x Barrett 950 Tx's and 8 x Barrett Power supplies.

TE (PNG) are the exclusive distributors for Barrett HF radio systems throughout Papua New Guinea. For further information on any product, contact TE (PNG), the professionals in HF Communications in Papua New Guinea.