P004935 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2012-01-31 human Rebecca Rigby; Ken McInnes updated 2025-03-12 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P004935b.htm person Allsop Raymond Cottam OBE AACR2 11 March 1898 19 March 1972 Place of Birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Inventor Radio engineer Naval officer Raymond Cottam Allsop was an inventor and pioneer sound and radio engineer. He was involved with the experimentation and introduction of radio in Australia, experimental stereophonic sound systems, and a sound synchronisation system for movie projection that was successfully developed and used throughout Australia. Later in life he was a vocal advocate for the introduction of television.

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).

1911 1911 Career event - Received experimental licence from the Wireless Institute of Australia 1913 1916 Education - Apprentice at Shaw's Maritime Wireless Co. 1916 1918 Military service - Senior wireless telegraph operator in transports, Naval Wireless Works 1923 1925 Career position - Radio engineer, New Systems Telephones Pty Ltd 1925 1929 Career position - Engineer-in-charge, New Systems Telephones Pty Ltd 1927 1927 Career event - Broadcast Big Ben live from London to Australian audiences for the first time on his private station 2YG 1928 1928 Career event - Charted the progress of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's journey in the Southern Cross live to air on 2YG. 1929 1929 Career event - Demonstrated his invention, the sound synchronisation system Raycophone 1930 1930 Career event - Raycophone Ltd. was acquired by Harringtons Ltd. 1930 1945 Career position - Director and Chief Engineer, Raycophone Ltd. 1932 1932 Career event - Foundation member, Institution of Radio Engineers, Australia 1933 1933 Career event - Harringtons Ltd. was acquired by Kodak Pty. Ltd. 1934 1934 Award - Fellow, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, United States of America 1940 1940 Award - Fellow, Institution of Radio Engineers, Australia 1940 1941 Military service - Engineer Lieutenant, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, at the Anti-Submarine School, H.M.A.S. Rushcutter 1941 1943 Military service - Engineer Lieutenant Commander, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, at the Anti-Submarine School, H.M.A.S. Rushcutter 1945 1945 Life event - Retirement from Raycophone 1945 1957 Career position - Private consultant in radio engineering 1946 1946 Award - Member, American Institution of Radio Engineers 1947 1947 Award - Member, British Institution of Radio Engineers 1953 1954 Career position - Member, Australian Broadcasting Control Board 1971 1971 Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - in recognition of service to the development of radio. Raycophone Ltd (1929 - 1950)

Founder, Director and Chief engineer 1930 - 1945

Wikidata

 Allsop, Raymond Cottam (18980311-19720319)

Trove

 'Allsop, Raymond Cottam', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Allsop, Raymond Cottam Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Australian Patent search database IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Australian Patent search database Commonwealth of Australia 2015 Book Section: Allsop, Raymond Cottam (1898-1972), radio pioneer and engineer Brazier, Jan Allsop, Raymond Cottam (1898-1972), radio pioneer and engineer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1993 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De John Ritchie 38-39 Resource: A6769 Service Cards for Navy Officers, 1911-1970 CA 38, Navy Office [IV], Department of the Navy [II]; CA 46, Department of Defence [III], Central Office A6769 Service Cards for Navy Officers, 1911-1970 National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch