HMAS Harman
Encyclopedia
HMAS Harman is a Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) communications and logistics facility. The main base is located in the Australian capital of Canberra, and is geographically recognised as the suburb of Harman (postcode 2600). Established in the late 1930s as a wireless
transmitting and receiving station, the facility was commissioned into the RAN as a stone frigate
in 1943.
In addition to its communications and logistics roles, the base hosts reserve units from the Australian Army
and Royal Australian Air Force
, and cadet units from all three branches of the Australian Defence Force Cadets
.
(ACNB) made a recommendation that two wireless stations be provided for the Navy in Canberra and Darwin. These would be strategic stations in addition to the coastal stations. Canberra was chosen as its distance from the coast would increase its protection from attack. Planning continued in 1935, where a new Canberra station would add to the coverage area of Rugby
, and function as a fall back in the event of the destruction of submarine cables, or the Hong Kong
or Singapore
wireless telegraphy
stations. The Australian government decided to build a receiving and a transmitting station in Canberra in 1937, with the transmitting station sited at Ginninderra Creek in Belconnen
, approximately 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) north-west of the main receiving facility.
Construction of the transmission facility (Royal Australian Navy Wireless/Transmitting Station Canberra) commenced in November 1938. The facility established on 20 April 1939 and started transmitting on 22 December 1939. Work on the main facility started in early 1939, with the facility registered with the Postmaster General's Department on 20 July 1939 under the name 'Harman'. The name was derived from from the surnames of the two officers responsible for naming the new naval stations: Commander Neville Harvey of the Royal Navy
, and RAN Lieutenant Commander J.S. Newman. As the ACNB had paid little attention to the proposals for the names of previous wireless stations before implementing them, the two men proposed their combined names for the Canberra facility, which was accepted without comment.
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World War II commenced before the station was completed. Newman was promoted to Commander and assigned to command the Harman facility from when it opened until 1941, when he was replaced as Officer-in-Charge. The station was commissioned into the RAN as the stone frigate
HMAS Harman on 1 July 1943. Harman provided radio coverage of the Pacific Ocean during the war, and provided communications intercepts for the FRUMEL
signals intelligence unit. Women of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
(WRANS), formed in 1941, operated the equipment.
In addition to its communications role, HMAS Harman provides Navy administrative and logistic functions to all Navy personnel located in the Australian Capital Territory
and southern New South Wales
. The base also includes a tri-service "Multi-User Depot". This depot hosts reserve units from the Australian Army
and Royal Australian Air Force
, and cadet units of the Australian Navy Cadets
, Australian Army Cadets
, and Australian Air Force Cadets
.
hut located 1.2 kilometre (0.745647283979768 mi) away on a ridge, cottages and guard houses. Later, Number Two Receiving station was built for 'special tasks', a recreation hall was opened 27 April 1941, and a mess hall was finished around the end of 1940. In 1943, a second mess was built. The Morgan Dunbar Oval and Sir Victor Smith Oval are located in Harman. There are also tennis courts and a gymnasium. The base covers an area of 2.5 sqkm. 970 people work at Harman, and 25 families are in permanent residence.
Functions performed at HMAS Harman include:
(HF) bands. This area was designated as a radio quiet zone.
Naval Transmitting Station was a sub-unit that maintained the corresponding HF and Low Frequency
(LF) transmitting equipment, including the three 600 feet (182.9 m) masts for the 250kW
, 44kHz
transmitter. The station was equipped with 40 kW and 10 kW HF transmitters that used a variety of antennas including rhombic, vertical monopole, and log-periodic antennas. The station was initially built with small cottages flanking the eastern side of the site, housing the electrical engineer-in-charge and the sailors who maintained the transmitters and antennas. These were removed in the late 1980s, although the mess building remained, with personnel moving into housing in the growing suburbs that gradually encroached on the site. The station ended transmissions on 1 June 2005, and the remaining structures on the site were demolished in December 2006 to allow for residential development on the site, forming the new suburb of Lawson
.
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) communications and logistics facility. The main base is located in the Australian capital of Canberra, and is geographically recognised as the suburb of Harman (postcode 2600). Established in the late 1930s as a wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
transmitting and receiving station, the facility was commissioned into the RAN as a stone frigate
Stone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
in 1943.
In addition to its communications and logistics roles, the base hosts reserve units from the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
, and cadet units from all three branches of the Australian Defence Force Cadets
Australian Defence Force Cadets
The Australian Defence Force Cadets are a community-based, youth development organisation of approximately 22,000 cadets and 2,200 cadet staff in 464 units and squadrons across Australia. Coordination of the Australian Defence Force Cadets is via the Cadet Policy Branch...
.
History
In 1924, the Imperial Defence Committee's Communications Sub-Committee examined Australian coastal radio stations, and recommended the modernisation of the stations at Darwin, Perth, Rabaul, and Townsville. A year later, the Australian Commonwealth Naval BoardAustralian Commonwealth Naval Board
The Australian Commonwealth Naval Board was the governing authority over the Royal Australian Navy from its inception and through World Wars I and II. The board was established on 1 March 1911 and consisted of civilian members of the Australian government as well as naval flag officers....
(ACNB) made a recommendation that two wireless stations be provided for the Navy in Canberra and Darwin. These would be strategic stations in addition to the coastal stations. Canberra was chosen as its distance from the coast would increase its protection from attack. Planning continued in 1935, where a new Canberra station would add to the coverage area of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, and function as a fall back in the event of the destruction of submarine cables, or the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
or Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy is a historical term used today to apply to early radio telegraph communications techniques and practices, particularly those used during the first three decades of radio before the term radio came into use....
stations. The Australian government decided to build a receiving and a transmitting station in Canberra in 1937, with the transmitting station sited at Ginninderra Creek in Belconnen
Belconnen
Belconnen is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, comprising 25 suburbs with 29,900 dwellings housing 82,247 people of the 311,518 people in the Australian Capital Territory ....
, approximately 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) north-west of the main receiving facility.
Construction of the transmission facility (Royal Australian Navy Wireless/Transmitting Station Canberra) commenced in November 1938. The facility established on 20 April 1939 and started transmitting on 22 December 1939. Work on the main facility started in early 1939, with the facility registered with the Postmaster General's Department on 20 July 1939 under the name 'Harman'. The name was derived from from the surnames of the two officers responsible for naming the new naval stations: Commander Neville Harvey of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and RAN Lieutenant Commander J.S. Newman. As the ACNB had paid little attention to the proposals for the names of previous wireless stations before implementing them, the two men proposed their combined names for the Canberra facility, which was accepted without comment.
Stone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
HMAS Harman on 1 July 1943. Harman provided radio coverage of the Pacific Ocean during the war, and provided communications intercepts for the FRUMEL
FRUMEL
Fleet Radio Unit, Melbourne was a United States-Australian-British signals intelligence unit, based in Melbourne, Australia during World War II. It was one of two major Allied signals intelligence units, called Fleet Radio Units, in the Pacific theatres, the other being FRUPAC , in Hawaii...
signals intelligence unit. Women of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
The Service was established in April 1941 when the Royal Australian Navy enrolled 14 women at HMAS Harman, the wireless telegraphy station near Canberra. Two women were stewards, and 12 trained as telegraphists...
(WRANS), formed in 1941, operated the equipment.
In addition to its communications role, HMAS Harman provides Navy administrative and logistic functions to all Navy personnel located in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
and southern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. The base also includes a tri-service "Multi-User Depot". This depot hosts reserve units from the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
, and cadet units of the Australian Navy Cadets
Australian Navy Cadets
The Australian Navy Cadets is a voluntary youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Australian Navy. Together with the Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Army Cadets, it forms the Australian Defence Force Cadets. It hosts over 91 units.-History:...
, Australian Army Cadets
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
, and Australian Air Force Cadets
Australian Air Force Cadets
The Australian Air Force Cadets , known as the Air Training Corps until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force...
.
Harman
Initially, the facilities at Harman included Number One Receiving Station, which became the Communications Centre, an aerial farm behind the building, a direction findingDirection finding
Direction finding refers to the establishment of the direction from which a received signal was transmitted. This can refer to radio or other forms of wireless communication...
hut located 1.2 kilometre (0.745647283979768 mi) away on a ridge, cottages and guard houses. Later, Number Two Receiving station was built for 'special tasks', a recreation hall was opened 27 April 1941, and a mess hall was finished around the end of 1940. In 1943, a second mess was built. The Morgan Dunbar Oval and Sir Victor Smith Oval are located in Harman. There are also tennis courts and a gymnasium. The base covers an area of 2.5 sqkm. 970 people work at Harman, and 25 families are in permanent residence.
Functions performed at HMAS Harman include:
- Naval Communications Area Master Station Australia (NAVCAMSAUS); supports and tasks Navy fleet communications
- Naval Communications Station Canberra (NAVCOMMSTA Canberra); provides UHF satellite communications for the Australian Defence Force
- Defence Information Systems and Communications Establishment - ACT (DISCE-ACT)
- Defence Network Operations Centre (DNOC)
- Two units of the Army Reserve
- Administrative and personnel support
- Naval Police Coxswain's office
- Australian Naval Reserve support
Bonshaw Receiving Station
About 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the main complex was the Bonshaw Receiving Station, in which watchkeepers listened for messages from ships on the High FrequencyHigh frequency
High frequency radio frequencies are between 3 and 30 MHz. Also known as the decameter band or decameter wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decameters . Frequencies immediately below HF are denoted Medium-frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Very high frequency...
(HF) bands. This area was designated as a radio quiet zone.
Belconnen Naval Transmitting Station
About 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) north-west of Harman, the BelconnenBelconnen
Belconnen is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, comprising 25 suburbs with 29,900 dwellings housing 82,247 people of the 311,518 people in the Australian Capital Territory ....
Naval Transmitting Station was a sub-unit that maintained the corresponding HF and Low Frequency
Low frequency
Low frequency or low freq or LF refers to radio frequencies in the range of 30 kHz–300 kHz. In Europe, and parts of Northern Africa and of Asia, part of the LF spectrum is used for AM broadcasting as the longwave band. In the western hemisphere, its main use is for aircraft beacon,...
(LF) transmitting equipment, including the three 600 feet (182.9 m) masts for the 250kW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
, 44kHz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
transmitter. The station was equipped with 40 kW and 10 kW HF transmitters that used a variety of antennas including rhombic, vertical monopole, and log-periodic antennas. The station was initially built with small cottages flanking the eastern side of the site, housing the electrical engineer-in-charge and the sailors who maintained the transmitters and antennas. These were removed in the late 1980s, although the mess building remained, with personnel moving into housing in the growing suburbs that gradually encroached on the site. The station ended transmissions on 1 June 2005, and the remaining structures on the site were demolished in December 2006 to allow for residential development on the site, forming the new suburb of Lawson
Lawson, Australian Capital Territory
Lawson is a suburb in the Canberra district of Belconnen. The postcode is 2617. It does not have any suburban houses, consisting only of part of Lake Ginninderra, the Belconnen Naval Radio Station, and an open area of grassland where there is a reservoir and substation. A bicycle path runs...
.