2024.ph.879.1: A metallic grey narrow cylindrical artifact. The tapered black tip ends in a screw for attaching an antenna.
The base of the artifact is a screw cap that can be removed to insert four “C” size 1.5v alkaline batteries to power the beacon. There is a power switch in the cap.
2024.ph.879.2: A plastic pouch contains four antennas and two small Allen keys.
2024.ph.879.3: One copy of a “RF700A-1 Radio Beacon Operation & Maintenance Manual” and one undated Novatech product catalogue.
Accession Number: 2024.ph.879.1-3
Alternative Name:
Primary Materials: Iron Alloy
A label on the body of the main instrument includes the following information: “Model RF-700A1”, “S/N F01061”, “MAX. DEPTH 7300M”, “CH. A FREQ. 154.585 Mhz.”, “D/C: 2 S ON, 4 S OFF”, “DOC CERT. C9084”.
Written in blue ink on masking tape on the main instrument: “Cleared [Cleaned?] by Daniela Galea// Aug 4/ 97”
A label on the package of antennae reads as follows: “NOVATECH DESIGNS LTD. // QTD 3 PART NO. AQ-701// SPARES”
Main instrument: Length = ~47cm, Max Diam. = 4.5 cm. Antennae are ~ 45 cm long.
This radio beacon is used to locate submersible equipment returning to the surface. Applications include scientific instruments and crab pots used by king crab fishers.
The instrument is in good cosmetic condition. It has light scuffs and scratches in various areas. It contains no batteries. Labels around the removable base are worn.
Two of the four antennas are bent or otherwise damaged.
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer: NOVATECH Designs Ltd. Victoria, BC.
Date of Manufacture: c. 1990s
This artifact is part of a small collection gathered from the office of Prof. Nigel Edwards of the University of Toronto Department of Physics in March of 2022
Additional Information and References:
NOVATECH Designs Ltd. was founded in 1976 in Victoria, BC to sell radio beacons and xenon flashers for oceanographic recovery and warning. According to NOVATECH’s trade literature, its equipment has been used in a variety of applications, from the booster stage of the space shuttle, to ROVs exploring the wrecks of the Titanic and Bismarck.
In February of 2024, when this artifact was catalogued, the product line of NOVATECH Designs Ltd. belonges to MetOcean Telematics.