90 years of Televerket’s technical journal – an overview

BY HENRIK JØRGENSEN

Early beginnings, Eight issues appear in 1904, and six in 1905. Thereafter the production flow 1904 – 1909 ebbs away, with a decline in frequency to the point of only one issue in each of The first issue of TEKNISKE MED- 1908 and 1909. Thereafter the official DELELSER fra Telegrafstyrelsen mouthpiece is struck dumb for six years. (TECHNICAL INFORMATION from the Telegraph Administration) appeared in April 1904, and was introduced by a Interlude, 1916 – 1921 short statement of objectives: A new edition came out again in January “The Telegraph Administration here- 1916, with a tiny change to the title with produce the first issue of the news TEKNISKE MEDDELELSER fra sheet Technical Information. It is Telegrafstyret. intended that this will impart knowl- edge, to all personnel, of the State It is at this point that ascribed articles Telegraph technical installations, and first appear. As in the previous period, will, in short, supply the more impor- the contents are dominated by descrip- tant news in the areas of telegraphic tions of new types of equipment and and telephonic technology. As a rule, technical solutions in circuitry. the news sheet will appear once a Facsimile of the front page of the first month, at the same time as the monthly issue of Technical Information from the The idea was continued that Technical circular.” 1904 Telegraph Administration, Information should appear once a month, and indeed this frequency was main- The first Technical Information was enti- tained until 1920. The three last numbers tled ‘On the protection of telephone for this period were in fact marked up cables from power lines’, and extended This first period is characterised by an beforehand as belonging to 1921, but to two issues. Even this early in its his- anonymous strongly official production apparently were first printed in 1925 in tory there was introduced the editorial style, which occasionally has the appear- order to complete an already commenced mark of the journal that it should contain ance of technical decrees. It is only in the production run. both short and long articles concerning next stage of this organ’s life that technical matters, and small announce- ascribed articles appear. Again this journal takes a break, this time ments on technical news. for five years.

193 This design set the opments, as well as providing other trend for many years to items of interest.” come. A plaster cast of Jean Heiberg’s bakelite This objective is pursued over a consid- telephone from 1934 erable period of time, with long theoreti- cal descriptions, occasionally stuffed with mathematics, which apparently some of the Telegraph Administration’s own teaching staff enjoyed, so it seems, from an assumption that countrywide, a host of ‘starving’ engineers hunger for this schoolbook feast.

Technical Information appeared to have a certain unbalance in its coverage of the various specialist areas. At that time the three main areas of technology were: For items translated from non-Norwe- line/transmission technology, telephony, Serious production, gian sources, per column 7.50 kroner” and radio. The first mentioned was pre- 1927 – 1945 dominant, but gradually, a range of sub- In his introduction to the first issue, the jects was added, to whit, the economics Technical Information re-appeared with a editor declared that “In those intervening of technical development, and status new first issue in January 1927, under a years when Technical Information did information from the cooperative work in more obvious editorial control, even not appear, there have been significant the international though the editor is never named in the technical developments in both fixed and organisations. publication itself. and telephony”, and he goes on to say that: There was a little irregularity in produc- For the first time there is an incentive for tion frequency, and occasionally, bun- “In order to secure a common level of contributing to the publication, in the dled issues, but the journal continued knowledge within our readership, we form of payment: smoothly and sweetly through the thirties must lay the basic foundations first in and even during the war. The latter had “For original work, which is assumed order to build on them in future arti- little apparent effect on the journal to be based on the author’s own re- cles. So we must provide lengthier except that from 1943 to 1945 the name search, per column15.00 kroner explanations of developments within changed to TEKNISKE MEDDELELSER all the different branches of telegraphic For articles based on both original fra Generaldirektoratet for Telegrafver- and telephonic technology, from the work and non-Norwegian sources, ket (Technical Information from Tele- earliest beginnings to the later devel- per column10.00 kroner grafverket’s General Directorate).

The post-war years, 1945 – 1958

Until 1947 – 1948 the first years after the war are sparsely represented. Like all other professionals, those capable of technical authorship within Telegrafver- ket (the Norwegian Administration), are fully occupied with rebuilding the telecommunication net- works after the lack of maintenance and destruction of the war years.

After many years of a static and limited portfolio of services came signs of a new awakening. Technical Information wrote about a new service ‘A subscriber net- work for ’, which was later to become (teleks under the Norwe- gian spelling system.) Automation of the service began in 1957, and telex devel- oped into Telegrafverket’s prestige ser- Broken telegraph pole – a picture of the ingenuity that had to be shown with the vice through many difficult years. scarcety of resources in the reconstruction work after the Second World War, Finn- marksvidda in Northern Norway 1945 At the end of the 1940s, and into the 1950s, a new source of ready-made arti-

194 status description of the state owned cor- poration’s operations.

On 14–17 June 1956, the Third Norwe- gian Telephone Engineer’s Conference is covered, with the articles heavily indebt- ed to the lectures and follow-up discus- sions. The journal also finds the internal District Engineers’ Meetings to be a good source of material.

The reconstruction of the Northern Nor- way telecommunications network is described, also the development in the use of overhead lines and buried cables. The provision of co-axial cable in South- ern Norway is extensively documented in equal detail.

But not everything politically important Manual telex exchange, Oslo 1952 for the technology sector is reflected directly in the columns of Technical Information, for example the important cles pop onto the scene. A steady stream application of new technology. The first resolution in the Storting in 1953 con- of Telegrafverket’s employees go abroad article in 1951 talks of the principles of cerning test television transmissions, and on study tours, especially in the US. PCM (Pulse Code Modulation), the sec- the later resolution in 1957 on permanent Many articles from that time are based on ond in 1953 discusses new switching transmissions. There is no mention of information from these travels, that principles in relation to telephone these in any articles until much later. throw light on various subjects, lines of exchange ITT 8A, and the third in 1956 development and future possibilities for introduces the transistor as “a new aid in re-building and revitalising the telecom- transmission technology”. Ramping up, 1959 – 1970 munication networks. There is hesitant mention of the potential for radio link In 1952 Telegrafverket’s comprehensive It was getting to be time for a name networks in Norway, and possibly even achievements in supporting the VIth change. For many years, and especially television! Olympic Winter Games in Oslo are after the war, the publication gradually described. A large centenary issue in adapted more and more so as to come to Three extremely early articles in Techni- 1955 called ‘100 years of Telegrafverket deserve its appellation as Telegrafver- cal Information anticipate the technical – characteristic features of technical ket’s technical journal. The original lim- development which will be used in the development’, provides an exhaustive ited subject matter was retained and

195 The official opening of Norwegian television in the presence of King Olav and the Prime Minister, Einar Gerhardsen 20 August 1960

gradually extended. The need to docu- of our readership will be familiar structure organisations, research insti- ment the intense development and with.” tutes and technological universities. Also changes which were involved in Tele- invited to the meetings were foreign grafverket’s operations, were followed In the year previous to the change of experts from both research and industry up. name, the ambitious level of output of 12 and – to the Telephone Engineers’ Con- editions per year was adjusted down to 4, ferences – representatives from the other From 1959 the journal is called Telek- but it was plainly intended that these Scandinavian PTTs. tronikk, after a name competition. The should be comprehensive issues. editor pleaded This increases the areas covered, both by Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the subject and author. At the same time lec- “Yes, this is creating a new word in biennial Norwegian Telephone Engi- tures and reports from Telegrafverket’s our vocabulary, but we hope and neers’ Conferences – and also to some District Engineers’ meetings continue to believe that it will introduce the new extent those of the annual Radio Engi- provide the ‘bread and butter’ articles. concepts contained in our journal. neers – continued to be important sources But there is also a continuous stream of The new name begins with ‘tele’, for articles for Telektronikk. These meet- articles either commissioned through edi- which is beginning to gain ground here ings were used to energise the whole torial activities or spontaneously con- in Norway as a word that encompasses electronic environment in Norway by tributed, with perhaps a mixture of guilty the idea of telecommunications. cross-pollinating telecommunications, enthusiasm or dutiful inspiration. radio and television development, acous- We also have the word ‘elektronikk’ tics, etc. They provided a forum for supp- With a gradual increase in quality and (electronic) included, a word that most liers and customers, co-operating infra- subject matter throughout the 1960s, the

196 Telegrafverket suffered a considerable There are also many articles on tele- drop in prestige when Forsvarets Felles- phony automation. In one period (1962, samband (Norwegian Joint Signals 1964, 1965 and 1966) there are some Administration), a defence agency, was reports on long distance call automation, set up in 1953, in reality as a competitor which later become known as subscriber to the state monopoly. The main reason trunk dialling, and later just trunk for its construction was Telegrafverket’s dialling. Cross-bar exchanges for both unwillingness to consider the use of radio local and trunk dialling are covered in an links as a means of connecting transmis- article in 1963. Two articles on traffic sion networks, which had to be con- theory concerning Engset’s formula are structed extremely quickly using finance produced in 1966 and 1968, a subject from NATO funds. which is later developed for a doctoral thesis. Even so, the laborious task of transform- ing a decrepit Telegrafverket to the mod- New telephony systems were presented ern Televerket is now in process, and at two Telephone Engineers’ Confer- carried through with grim determination. ences. The first in 1962 (referred to in This indeed is reflected in Telektronikk. 1963) was what was later to become the The presentation of a plan to develop a ill-reputed ITT System 8B, and in 1968 a broadband network in 1959 is hailed as a very important presentation by both of saviour. Broadband radio link connec- the main suppliers tions in the telephone network are a pre- on their new SPC (Stored Program Con- condition both for speedy development trolled) telephony systems, namely Erics- of trunk dialling and for a core network son’s AKE and ITT’s 10C. for television and FM broadcasting. Early experiences with plastic insulated Telegrafverket comes in a little late, but cables were discussed in 1962. Then proceeds with an enormous deployment comes a whole series of articles on sub- of radio links. The radio technology part jects in the early stages of development of the administration regains its represen- that were later to become important to tation again through articles in Telektron- Telegrafverket: in 1962 on data transmis- ikk. The immense struggle to provide sion (early international collaboration), Norway with television is less docu- and in 1964 on satellite communications mented, but all aspects of the construc- (Scandinavian co-operation had already tion of the radio link networks are written begun in 1961), on the application of about enthusiastically in articles in 1962, PCM, and in 1967 on ‘The public land 1963, and 1967. The ‘radio men’ were based mobile VHF radio telephone ser- still allowed to be proud of their pioneer- vice’, a rigorous exposition of the manual Tryvannstårnet (the Tryvann tower), ing spirit. service which after automation was radio link HUB and TV transmitting sta- called more shortly . An tion. The tower was completed in 1961 journal builds itself up towards its golden age. However, there was one area which found no coverage in either Technical Information or Telektronikk, namely Telegrafverket’s problems and suffering public reputation.

The waiting list for a telephone line had reached its first peak of around 78,000 in 1956, and decreased for a short while before it began to climb again towards a second peak. A flawed policy called ‘the BMV plan’ (Bring down the waiting list), led to an imbalance between the connec- tion of subscribers and the development of the network. Subscribers experienced this as a lack of dialling tone, and unreli- able grade of service. The main cause of the problems was too small governmental – This one is going straight to the Telegraph Director! appropriations for a long period after the One of a series of sarcastic newspaper drawings criticising the long waiting lists and war, but there was also some speculation the poor service in the 1970s. as to Telegrafverket’s efficiency level.

197 alone. And this is indeed the case when later reviewed, for we can see that many, large projects are the result of close co- operation across many disciplines, and that many also appear at a Nordic level.

The first two prestige projects for TF in its initial phase are data transmission and PCM. Already in 1969 Telektronikk con- tained overview articles on both subjects. In the 1971 edition there is a whole stream of articles on PCM, and not all of them came from TF.

PCM is so comprehensively covered in the journal that it was extensively used as an educational handbook, not only in Norway, but by technical personnel in the other Scandinavian PTTs. Was this a Televerket’s Research Institute (TF). The first building phase of TF’s own premises little re-payment for Telegrafverket’s old near completion in September 1973 dependence on Danish and Swedish skills? It was in no small measure Danish and article in 1970 was an overview of plau- The re-organisation of Televerket basi- Swedish input to the theoretical treatment sible perspectives for telecommunication cally revitalises the company and its of traffic management that had laid the technology. internal processes, but while it continues basis for calculations for automatic tele- it demands much resource and is a strain phone exchanges. Historically, the Danes The earlier imbalance in the journal’s for many people. The re-organisation and Swedes possessed skills in these coverage of various specialisms is finally began at the top, when Televerket re- areas which we lacked, with one notable evened out. But then new integrated tech- ceived a government appointed board exception. nologies come in, blurring the traditional from 1st January 1969. At the start of the lines between disciplines. That is also 1970s, local units are reduced from Engset’s formula, however, is an interest- one of the premises that were laid down around 150 to 27, and the number of ing example of original work of interna- in the total re-organisation of Tele- regional organisations comes down to 6 tional standing that comes from Norway, grafverket in the early years of the 1970s, from 12. The traditional specialist groups and was published in 1918 in a German in which also Telegrafverket is re-named are torn apart in the head administration, journal. (An English translation: ‘The Televerket. which is strengthened in the areas of probability calculation to determine the planning and finance. number of switches in automatic tele- phone exchanges’ was printed with com- First peak period, A second factor in the new operational mentary in Telektronikk No. 1.1992.) T. 1971 – 1980 style is Televerket’s Forskningsinstitutt, Engset was promoted to Director of the TF (Televerket’s Research Institute), Telegraph Administration from 1930 to Televerket’s reputation is perhaps not which was created at the end of 1967 1935, after a long career in the company, what it should be. There are complaints after much heart-searching both in and beginning as an eighteen-year-old in 1883. about the high prices for telephony, and outside the company. By establishing a the waiting-list only seems to increase, research institute, Televerket proclaims More articles in Telektronikk bring until it peaks in 1979. At that point it its intention, both inside the company Engset’s formula forward into the lime- goes over the top, with 120,000 people and to the world at large, that it intends light. Already mentioned are those in waiting to be connected, who are for the to achieve more than just clearing the 1966 and 1968. The author, L.A. Joys, most part from the domestic sector. Busi- waiting-list for telephones and the prob- from the Telecommunications Adminis- ness customers have first priority. The lems with obsolete automation equip- tration in Bergen, in 1972 took a doctor- worst problem for these latter subscribers ment. ate based on further development of is the poor grade of service in the trunk Engset’s work. network, which is not at all satisfactory. With the benefit of hindsight as we con- sider the value of TF, it is useful to dis- One of these articles is called ‘A compar- But the size of Telektronikk’s editions tinguish between the debate as to what ison of analytical methods and simula- increases steadily, with a steadily TF qua research institute ‘added to the tions for dimensioning telephone sys- increasing in-flow of articles. Soon there agenda’, and on the other hand what the tems’. Simulation is one of the methods is no professional skill subject that is not new introduction of TF implied within that TF had just started to use in the insti- covered in one or more articles. What are the organisation. It is obvious that the tute’s third input area – switching and the reasons for the excess energy, all the influx of young, ambitious researchers teletraffic. A practical application was enthusiasm within the company, despite necessarily had to lead to a new keenness needed shortly. In a collaborative effort the problems? in all the professional operations of the between TF and technical units within company, far beyond the technical areas the Teledirectorate and the regions, an

198 offensive was launched to find a speedy almost annually including articles on solution to the problems of trunk tele- ISDN in 1977, 1978, and 1980. The phone network. The problem solutions ISDN concept (Integrated Services Digi- gave rise to many articles in Telektron- tal Network) was formulated by a study ikk, for example on grading, signalling group in CCITT in 1972 and was held up investigations and traffic measurements, by many people over the years as the all with reference to 8B exchanges. ultimate goal for all telecommunication network development. Europe is in need of traffic and O&M (Operations & Maintenance) measure- Many stages in the process, from plan- ments to serve as a basis for network ning to experimental development and on design and planning. During the 1970s to actual construction, are described in one of TF’s largest research efforts is on articles, in 1972, 1973, 1976, and 1978, this issue, putting the teletraffic research about the Nordic partnership project group at the international forefront at this NPDN (Nordic Public Data Network). time. Articles from 1978 and 1979 deal Later, datex came to mean this line with operational control systems and traf- switched connection service. A competi- fic recording, the beginning of a subject tive service, more internationally accept- that later was to become very important able, for data transfer based on packet for telecommunications administrations switching, was described in an article in Push buttons and multi frequency sig- and the object of international collabora- 1980, some years before the service was nalling was the key to a multitude of new tion under the acronym TMN (Telecom- launched as datapak. telephone services. “Tastafon” was munications Management Network). developed in the late seventies and intro- The development of NMT (Nordic duced in 1981 The external Telephone and Radio Engi- Mobile Telephone) is not as fully cov- neers’ Conferences continue to be the ered in Telektronikk as the data network sources of many articles, but the District project. As a Nordic partnership project it becomes the first country in Europe to Engineers’ meetings, an internal forum, is even more successful and had a great use satellite communications for national are discontinued after the re-organisation, following. In 1979 the first article on purposes. and so one of the sources of material for NMT appears, when the project is articles disappears. already at a late stage of development. In articles in 1978, 1979 and 1980 new telecommunications services are pre- However, there is another possible rea- There is frequent coverage of various sented, telefax, teletex and teledata, son for the increase in the flow of articles aspects of satellites and their application respectively. With hindsight, telefax is a to the journal. With an administration – already in 1967 an article on transmis- great success, teledata would never take under an appointed board, the new organ- sion delay in geostationary satellites, on off, but teletex was a regular fiasco. isation of Televerket needs a higher the influence of the troposphere beyond degree of formalisation of work propos- the 10 GHz frequency (1975), on earth- Amongst all these modern items in als, in comparison with previously. At station antennae (also 1975) and on to the Telektronikk, there was one article that the same time project work is becoming first articles on NORSAT in 1976 and harked back to a previous era, ‘Accumu- the norm in the whole company. With 1977. With the NORSAT system for lator batteries, a trusty work horse in increasing need for documentation, plan- transmission to oil-platforms in the North Televerket’s network’! ning and other proposal documentation Sea and later on to Spitzbergen, Norway may be used as a basis for articles for A review of part of the technical forum Telektronikk, even though it is not can be found in a broadly-based cente- always easy to trace this origin. nary issue in 1980 with the main leader being ‘100 years of Norwegian tele- Two examples from 1975 can be given: phony’. In the introduction to the issue One article describes the whole range of we find a paragraph “Televerket stands at the automated telephony systems in the a watershed before converting to new Norwegian network (looking forward to technology, with even more extensive 1982), and a second article describes the changes than previously. The new structure of the future digital telephone telecommunications network is growing network. The articles are based on the and displays the whole technical sector preliminary work for the long-term plan against the background of new and excit- of Televerket, which is completed by the ing possibilities and challenges.” Telek- turn of 1979. tronikk would not spend too much time on the past achievements. The development of the digital telephone network is covered in a series of articles, The journal continues its reporting back beginning in 1972 with an article based on the plenary meetings of CCITT and on a Swedish input to the Radio Engi- An NMT mobile phone in practical use CCIR, and exceptionally also from other neers’ Conference in 1971, and thereafter on board a small coasting vessel in the international telecommunication confer- covered as a subject in Telektronikk 1970s ences.

199 many articles on the theme of teletraffic modern society, and so remove all the systems. financial problems for the company – so they thought. Perspectives in teletechnology were cov- ered in overview articles in 1972, 1974 However, quite a few more premises and 1976. Right at the other end of the were to emerge, in the form of a series of scale we find lectures with highly theo- official reports initiated by the Ministry retical and in-depth discussions, not of Transport and Communications, and listed here. The overwhelming mass of inspired by the wind of liberalisation that articles deal with more or less practical was blowing in the USA and had been subjects. taken up by the European Community, which in turn was pushing hard for Euro- The time lag between important events in pean development. In Norway proposals the technical sector and the journal’s from appointed public committees comes coverage of it becomes ever shorter, be out with astonishing regularity in the that decisions, operations or actual official reports about Televerket every achievements. Telektronikk thus year over a five year period. becomes better matched as source mate- rial. Thanks to the comprehensive preparation that has gone into Televerket’s long-term Spark transmitter from 1905 But the total impression of the material is plan, the company has ready made still that of a kaleidoscope; the editing of answers to all the questions that are In the consideration of all the material in individual issues and the succession of raised in the public committees. For ex- Telektronikk’s volumes, obviously many articles over a period, is accidental and ample, there is an article in Telektronikk subject areas cannot be recorded in this mostly indicative of the date of in 1981 about utilisation and number overview article, but thorough articles manuscript production. Here is an area of capacity in automatic telephone ex- appeared on e.g. optical telecommunica- work waiting in the wings – the system- changes, based on a statement to Teleut- tions in 1975 and 1979, the grounding of atic organisation of articles in Telektron- valget (the Telecommunications Com- telecom installations in 1976, on satellite ikk by theme from early beginnings and mittee), which had been rather critical. broadcasting and on SPC telephone through stages of development till final exchanges in 1977, on aviation naviga- results. Telektronikk’s annual output now gives tional systems and on new telephones in the impression of an increasingly self- 1978, new developments in short- and confident company. A long series of arti- medium wave transmission and also Second peak period, 1981 cles describes the good results in both in 1979, and on new – 1987 well-established and new areas of expan- cable types in 1980. sion for the business. Perhaps the habit of Televerket’s long term plan was already contributing to the journal is becoming It looks as though a small attempt was completed and made public in 1980. The more established? The annual output is made to thematise the issues. In 1972 ground rules were laid for the debate maintained at a stable size. Earlier, these there is an issue on the introduction of which should provide a final clarification occasions had been sporadic, but now we colour television, and in 1974 one with of the role of telecommunications in a see more themed editions, i.e. where arti- cles relating to a theme are edited to- gether to provide the main contents. The editorial function becomes more visible.

There are two themed issues in 1981, the first containing three articles on satellite communications – one for each of INTELSAT, INMARSAT and NORSAT. Norway has a considerable share in INMARSAT because of its shipping inter- ests. The second themed issue is on telex, on the occasion of a new completely digi- tal exchange for the telex network, with coverage of the range of services and the standards for a prioritised business sector. In 1982 there is another themed issue on the expansion of the communications net- work in Northern Norway, including an article on the subscriber network in Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen.

Medium and short wave antennas at Kvitsøy transmitting station, on the air from June A themed issue in 1986 contains a thor- 1982 ough run-through of most of the planning

200 Televerket becomes involved in cable TV, which is reflected in two articles in 1983 and two in 1985. The latter two form part of the collection of articles in connection with the proposals for the telematics network.

The Telecommunications Committee defined business communications as being open to competition in the future. So the journal also has articles on this subject in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986. As a prelude to competition Televerket starts Televerket Bedriftskommu- nikasjon, TBK (Norwegian Telecom Business Communications), as a project in 1984, and in addition to providing ter- minal equipment and business communi- cations, TBK also takes over the com- pany interests in cable TV.

It is indeed the Telecommunications First in the world as a fully automatic INMARSAT coastal earth station, Eik in Committee that mapped out Televerket’s Rogaland was operational from 1982 future development, as subsequent com- mittees limit themselves mainly to for- phases for technology and finance, and the board has a policy of gradually malising and spelling out in detail what the strategies for the necessary training. becoming self-financing. After 1987 the proposals meant. The articles include fundamental policy Televerket is de facto completely self- statements at a high organisational level, financing and independent of state It was the Telecommunications Commit- right down to a run-through of practical resources. tee’s proposals that led to free competi- aids to planning. tion in terminal equipment, which in turn Many articles in Telektronikk present led to repercussions on the organisation Back to the Telecommunications Com- new services: there are two in 1983, one of the company, and also to Televerket mittee, which sets its mark on Telektron- on teleconferencing and one on a test ser- shedding some regulatory functions. The ikk. On its journeys in its deliberation vice for videoconferencing. There are Telecommunications Committee also led phase, it visited France, where it was also articles on paging (1984 and 1986), to political pressure being applied to the seduced by the idea of telematics. The two on mobile data services in 1986, and rate of replacement of automatic tele- committee touted the idea of building a a series (1984–1986) on electronic funds phone equipment. Televerket had to put broadband network, to be called a telem- transfer. out an international request for bids for atics network, with cable television completely digital exchanges. installations as one of its elements. Televerket is given a grudging order to calculate the costs of this broadly out- lined plan. In 1985 many articles give an account of the plan and its preparatory phases. In the same year, however, the Committee’s concept of a telematics net- work is written off in the Parliamentary statement on the future organisation and activities of Televerket.

Otherwise, 1985 is a memorable year for Televerket, not because of any special celebrations, but the telephone waiting list is brought down to zero, and Norway becomes fully automated. The process of fully automating the telephone network had been delayed by political considera- tions, so the date of 1985 is a little bit of embarrassing window-dressing.

Televerket’s reputation rapidly improves and soon the only criticism is of the tar- Isfjord Radio, 78° N, on the island of Spitzbergen. Telecommunications to and from the iffs, which are kept relatively high since island started in 1911. Experimental satellite communication started 1982

201 regions, one in 1985 on noise and recep- tion in satellite broadcasting, and finally in 4 more articles in 1987, two on medium wave antennae and two on polarisation methods for TV transmis- sions.

Telektronikk continues to report the ple- In 1984 Telektronikk issues a comprehen- technology and fibre cable: 3 in 1981, 2 nary committees in CCITT and CCIR, sive edition on ITT1240 – a completely in 1982, 1985, 1986, and 6 in a double and gives detailed coverage of the Tele- digital telephony system, which won the themed issue in 1987. phone Engineers’ Conferences. Many bid competition. Twenty articles, cover- more subjects are covered by the journal, ing almost 200 pages, describe a long The other theme in this latter issue is but in this article it is possible only to series of features: the system architec- GSM, the new Pan-European digital comment on the most important develop- ture, management system and software, mobile telephony system. The details of ment areas. traffic and processor capacity, mechani- the international co-operation in this area cal construction and installation, opera- are all given in the journal in 1985, fol- By the end of 1987 Televerket faces the tions and maintenance, support systems, lowed by 4 articles in 1986, and then the organisational consequences of the signalling, and so forth. However, it took double theme issue in 1987 consisting of intense public debates of the first half of two years before the first digital 10 articles. the eighties. exchange was installed in Trondheim. If we look at the subject of partnership If there is a revolution in exchange oper- work on the Nordic level, there are arti- Changing times, 1988 ation, it is no less in the transmission area cles on Tele-X in 1985, on NORDSAT in – it just takes longer. Digitalisation has the same year, and six articles on ISDN onwards rapidly increased in the local networks, in 1987. On ISDN the Nordic PTTs have Competitive operations are split off from but is held back for long distance. How- a certain degree of common policy and Televerket’s core organisation after Jan- ever, a necessary impetus comes with the strategies. Tele-X is a much discussed uary 1st 1988, and are taken over by their deployment of a new generation of radio project for launching a common Nordic wholly owned subsidiary, TBK A/S. At the link connections. Telektronikk describes satellite, and NORDSAT is an equally same time regulatory responsibilities are the new digital radio link transmission discussed proposal for common Nordic transferred to a newly created body, Statens systems, which have a capacity of up to TV transmissions via satellite. It is per- teleforvaltning, STF (The Norwegian 1920 channels, in 1983, and in 1985 haps the article in 1985 which provides Telecommunications Regulatory Author- there are a further three articles on new the final insight and burial of NORD- ity). Now begins a long-lasting period of digital radio link transmission networks. SAT, with its outstanding frankness in transformation to a new style of company. describing the project which had been Fibre cables was a new option at that driven forward by the Nordic Council. If we look at the contents of Telektronikk time, but Televerket made careful prepa- we can see a tendency for a decrease in rations, with test installations in 1980 and Many articles cover radio transmission issue size. It is difficult to point to any 1982, and a year later laid the first ordi- and broadcasting. Here are a few exam- one moment in time when this began but nary fibre cable. Thereafter it gradually ples: two in 1981 on short wave trans- a ‘slimmer’ journal seems to coincide increased in penetration, although it was missions in the Pacific Ocean, and on with the changes in Televerket’s organi- to take approximately 10 years before the short wave broadcasting, one in 1982 on sation and activities. backbone in the core network was com- the Northern lights and trans- pletely converted. Telektronikk contained mission, two in 1984, both on the prob- In 1989 three different digital telephone a series of articles on optical fibres, fibre lems of FM broadcasting in coastal systems are reviewed in three articles:

202 Siemens’ EWSD, ’s AXE, and Alcatel’s System 12. The time has come for a new round of bids for automatic telephone exchanges. The speed of digi- talisation is to be maintained, and also the image of Televerket as a company at the leading edge of technology is to be reinforced. The winner of this contract in an article in 1989, and telemedicine in 1991 on factors concerning transfer competition is Ericsson, and so the first which is covered in two articles the same techniques via broadband channels AXE exchanges are installed in 1992 in year. (ATM), and finally in 1991 an article on Gjøvik, Trondheim and Bodø. terrestrial satellite navigation (GPS). But the question of utilisation of the Also to be mentioned are articles on Cen- When it comes to the transmission sector, telecommunications network now occu- trex in 1988, TMN in 1988 and 1990, there are two articles on digital radio link pies the journal far more than previously, and a new generation mobile telephone communications in 1988, on optical trans- with a change of emphasis in the contents system (successor to GSM) in 1990. mission systems in 1988 and 1989, on of the articles from techniques and tech- There may be a considerable range of optical components in 1989, and articles nology to applications. The old service subject matter, but the size of the journal on fibre in the subscriber network in ideas and principles are too restricting, is steadily decreasing. 1989 and 1991. there is a search for new ways to attack the problems, and to provide solutions. One great item of interest is satellites and In 1991 Telektronikk publishes as a theme New acronyms continually pop up in their communications applications, and number, a series of articles on telecommu- articles – IN and UPT as well as the al- Norway was indeed one of the pioneer- nications in the Oslo Telephone District, ready well known VØT. ing nations in this area. In addition to the covering a range of topics, from forecast- afore-mentioned article on particular ing and planning to utilisation and optimi- The first appearance of the idea of the satellite applications there is another on sation in various sectors, the subscriber net- Intelligent Network (IN) is in an article cable mapping via satellite in 1988, and work, the local loop and the exchanges. in 1988, which is followed by two more in 1991 on communication satellites in There is also some discussion on the tech- in 1989 and 1990. There are articles on new orbits, and finally, two overview nical preparations for local broadcasting. each of Value-added Services (VØT) and articles. In 1990 there is a complete Universal Personal Telephone (UPT) in review, and in 1991 a review of mobile The moment of truth for ISDN is coming 1990. Information security, a subject satellite communications. nearer. A test service is set up in 1990, with a close involvement in service defi- with commercial operations planned for nitions, is covered in 1988. In 1989 there As before, Telektronikk continues its 1993. Both before and after the test ser- is a theoretical article on prime numbers, coverage of references to NTIM (the vice was established Telektronikk runs a one of the basic elements for encryption. Norwegian Telephone Engineers’ Con- series of articles covering a whole range ferences) and overviews of the work of of ISDN questions: six in 1988, four in If we consider abbreviations and CCITT and CCIR and other international 1989, six in 1990, and two in 1991. acronyms, some of the essential new telecommunication fora. Many of the articles contain food for ones are: NICAM, DAB, RDS, ATM, thought, and are a little hesitant. Similar and GPS. Telektronikk explains some of But what is the reason for the stream of questions are also raised in international these terms with an article in 1989 on manuscripts into Telektronikk’s offices circles, it is not a peculiarly Norwegian digital sound in television transmission being reduced? attitude: Is ISDN technology driven? (NICAM), articles in 1990 and 1991 on What about applications? digital audio broadcasting (DAB), in Another watershed is reached. A great 1990 on data transmission via FM trans- period of revitalisation within Televerket Norway makes two bold commitments: mitter stations (RDS), with two articles is more or less complete, and the objec- the ISDN videophone, which is discussed tives which had been formulated at the 203 1 Telektronikk shall be the leading Nor- wegian telecommunications journal. 2 Telektronikk shall, through its choice of subjects and presentation format, contribute to synchronize professionals in the Norwegian telecommunications scene with reference to the develop- ment of telecommunications tech- niques.

The thorough development of an expanded range of subjects should now be the corner-stone of the journal’s busi- ness ideal – its particular niche. Each issue will normally contain one main topic, which will allow the journal to position itself between the quickly out- dated textbooks on new professional skills, and scientific papers and articles published in a range of journals, where the exposition can be more demanding. The articles in these themed issues will be written up in an educational style, so that there is no requirement for special knowledge amongst Telektronikk’s nor- C-MAC, the new standard for transmitting sound and pictures with the use of multi- mal readership. Each issue will have a plexed analogue components (MAC) was first used in Norway in 1984 for satellite specialist editor with an international rep- transmission of television and radio to Spitzbergen utation. By limiting the contents to the selected topics, the journal can in great beginning of the 1980s are about to be ogy). This situation continued well into measure tap the reservoir of skills exist- reached, without being replaced by new the 1970s. ing among the telecommunications pro- goals which will awaken enthusiasm. fessionals both in Televerket and the rest Instead, a scenario of new threats is pre- But the dividing lines between electron- of the country – and partners internation- sented, which Televerket had to arm ics, data- and information-technology are ally. itself against. becoming blurred. The technical possibil- ities for telecommunications and infor- Telektronikk will also concentrate on The remedy of course is again to re- mation exchange open up such wide per- international co-operation and standards organise, and in addition to competition, spectives that they become areas of con- work in telecommunications. As the for- there is now a new problem within the cern for both politicians and public. mer PTTs are preparing for competition organisation: overmanning. The re- in all their services, there is no less need organisation would be a long, disturbing So how should Telektronikk proceed? for international co-operation, co-ordina- process which would affect every Should it compete in a large marketplace, tion and standardisation. The PTTs’ employee – directly or indirectly. To should it change its profile, and how transformation to competitors and opera- individuals this means less surplus should it position itself in relation to sci- tors of telecommunications services will energy, which is a prime condition to entific journals on the one hand and certainly provide some constraints, but experts finding the time to write articles. news-reporting journalism on the other international partnerships and strategies, hand, or should Telektronikk merely be research and development, must all be in an in-house circular? place, but at a pre-competition stage. The New deal in 1992 transfer of regulatory functions from the Televerket is indeed in the midst of PTTs has led to new players entering the Televerket’s technical journal began change, and as a result of this on-going arena of international co-operation. Of purely as a reporter on operations, cf. its process there is a new organisation from the international telecom organisations, original objectives, which are reviewed January 1st 1993. But that is only one some of them are reorganised, some have at the beginning of this article. Over the stage in its development. Within two disappeared and a few new ones have years the journal developed and gradu- years it was hoped to organise it as a lim- entered the arena. No longer is it an easy ally spread its coverage to include the ited liability company. What would be task to be aware of the international whole national communication technical the effect on Telektronikk in this move of developments and to stay informed. scene, and also made some inroads on Televerket from a controlled environ- Amongst the employees being assigned the international environment. The Nor- ment to market management? to different international tasks, Telektron- wegian telecommunication environment ikk has appointed a group of rapporteurs. was not of great size, chiefly because it These questions surrounding Telektron- Their reports are processed and system- was limited to the monopolistic Telever- ikk are thoroughly analysed and result in atized before appearing in the journal. ket, a few of Televerket’s suppliers and revised objectives: NTH (Norwegian Institute of Technol-

204 The journal has had a face-lift. Graphic design experts have created a new front cover of outstanding quality, which is a basic pattern of traversing lines with sophisticated use of colours, and will ensure that the journal has a well-defined image in the output of journals. The cover’s ‘graphical notation’ is used as the basis for the designer’s variations on a theme inspired by the main topic in each of the journal’s issues. The layout of the text and illustrations has also gone up in quality.

There is now more continuity in the edi- torial style, with four sections with abbreviated titles, viz.: Feature, Special, Status, and Kaleidoscope. Already dis- cussed are the Feature and Status (inter- national activities) above. The Special section is available for articles of vari- able content at different skill levels, often spontaneously written by the contribu- tors, i.e. like the articles that were con- tained in the earlier editions of Telektron- ikk. Kaleidoscope is regarded as a section The videophone developed through a joint co-operation project between TF and for series or topics which do not easily fit Tandberg Vision was completed in 1991 into the other sections, e.g. articles on historical aspects, or commenting on pio- neering scientific work in telecommuni- cations and information theory (Maxwell, Information Systems, and is limited to a No. 3.94 features a rarely covered topic, Erlang, Shannon a.o.). consideration of telecommunications sys- being a little different from the other tems software. Several articles refer to issues, namely Arctic Telecommunica- The output continues to be four issues the international recommendations and tions, and covers the experience gained per year. The first in the new style, No. extensive coverage is given to TMN. during the construction and operation of 1.92, contains tailor-made articles in all Cyberspace is the rather speculative title telecommunication systems in Spitzber- the four sections, and has optical net- for the last of the 1993 issues and con- gen and Greenland, and also the Russo- works as its theme. The Special section cerns itself with multimedia. The articles Norwegian joint project for building a contains articles on switching theory as cover the increasingly global networks of modern telecommunications system in applied to network structure, on the con- PCs and discuss possibilities and devel- North-West Russia. The last issue in its version to continuous or centralized opment trends, and also cover virtual celebration year, No. 4.94 is on Electro- charging, and a very useful article on the reality, which inhabits the borders of magnetic Compatibility, which is cov- precise use of specialist terminology in telecommunications. In that issue the ered from the points of view of both the- high-speed communications. The Status Status section discusses the logistics of ory and practice, as seen from construc- section covers two new Pan-European reporting back from international stan- tion and production to operational partnership organisations, EURESCOM dards fora, with an overview of the divi- responsibility. and ETSI. The Kaleidoscope section is sion into study areas, and the titles of all occupied by a discussion of Engset’s for- the rapporteurs in the specialist subjects. All the editions in this 90th anniversary mula. Nos. 2.92 and 4.92 contain original All the 1993 issues are produced in year contain reports and orientation from work on their chosen topics, namely English. international standards fora and joint re- Intelligent Networks, and Satellite Com- search projects, and the Status sections munications, and have been produced in Telektronikk’s 90th year begins with a consist respectively of 17, 19, 35, and 11 English. No. 3.92 is a special edition con- large edition, No. 1.94, concentrating on pages. The first and last issues contain taining a full report of the proceedings at the topic of Forecasting, and is almost a Special sections – on broadband services NTIM 1992, the 21st Norwegian Tele- textbook on the subject with 169 pages, in No. 1.94 and in No. 4.94 one article on phone Engineers Conference, which also containing practical examples on the travelling wave antennae and two articles marks the institution’s 40th anniversary. application of prognosis theory to on IT, one covering information retrieval telecommunications. The feature section and a second on database management The 1993 series opens with an exclusive is in Norwegian, but the rest in English. systems. One last article deals with a issue on Telemedicine. This application No. 2.94 is about Broadcasting, and most mathematical tool for network planning of telecommunications, based in Tromsø, of the articles talk about the changeover and routing. was an ambitious TF project which to digital technology in the different aroused considerable international inter- areas of technical radio and TV produc- est. No. 2/3.1993 is a double issue on tion.

205 What about the “In 1904 the administration started a The first three had all been leaders of the technical journal, Technical Informa- drawing office in the Technical Depart- production team? tion. This should publish the progress ment, but when a new editor was and inventions in technical fields. Sev- employed within Televerket’s Research Being editor of either Technical Informa- eral issues contained items of interest Institute (TF), naturally the TF drawing tion from the Telegraph Administration, to all and were well received, but there office took over the illustration work. The or Telektronikk (after 1959) has always was a criticism around that the person- present editor’s secretary also functions been a sideline in addition to a normal nel had received ‘stones and not in the Information section within TF. position within the company. In chrono- bread’, especially considering the lack logical order the editors have been: of textbooks on telegraphy and tele- From 1957 an editorial committee was 1904 – 1909 Hermod Petersen phony.” created to support the editor, and its members have been: 1916 – 1921 Johannes Storstrøm The second editor, Johannes Storstrøm, 1957 – 1966 Julius Ringstad 1927 – 1942 Sverre Rynning Tønnesen had no great luck in his efforts, even Nicolai Søberg though he came from the ‘right back- 1942 – 1957 Julius Ringstad ground’, and he also has a reference in 1967 – 1969 Nicolai Søberg 1957 – 1978 Nils Taranger the company history: Karsten Lagset 1978 – 1991 Bjørn Sandnes “What the journal contained was 1969 – 1973 Per Mortensen indeed excellent, but T.M. did not fulfil Karsten Lagset 1991 – Ola Espvik its promises. The new plan for 1916 to 1973 – 1986 Per Mortensen produce an issue every month, could Thumbnail sketches of each editor will Dr. Nic Knudtzon not be achieved, and the material was be found beneath their pictures, but it is not as comprehensive as could be 1986 – 1990 Dr. Nic Knudtzon interesting to note that they all have a wished.” common interest in, and dealings with, 1990 – 1991 Dr. Nic Knudtzon education and training. Ole Petter Håkonsen When the journal disappeared for another six years, in 1921, it is not hard to see the 1992 – Ole Petter Håkonsen Hermod Petersen, the first editor, only reason why if one looks at the date. 1921 Karl Klingsheim produced the journal for 6 years, as was the beginning of a serious economic Bjørn Løken explained earlier. It is likely that this had crisis in Norway, and opened an era of some connection with his work as a restrictions, strikes, lack of exports, and The directors of the Technical Depart- ‘radio man’ during the hectic pioneering bank failures. Telegrafverket itself, addi- ment sat on the editorial committee until years, when Telegrafverket embarked on tionally, had suffered a series of swinge- 1973. Then the Director of Research was radio technology. More information on ing cuts in all areas. counted as being on the ‘technical side’ that can be found in Telegrafverkets his- in the management, following a reorgani- torie (The history of Telegrafverket, When Sverre Rynning Tønnesen became sation of the head administration. 1855 – 1955) by Thorolf Rafto. the third editor and took responsibility for the journal, he got it going again in The nomenclature ‘editorial committee’ Most of the other editors were recruited 1927 and instilled some sort of order. was somewhat misleading as to the from the telegraph or transmission areas With his yen for the theoretical and inter- body’s function, and from 1992 was cor- of the business, as a consequence of the est in education, and his later ‘interna- rected to a more fitting ‘editorial board’, historical development of Telegrafver- tional inclination’, he must also take and at the same time extended to include ket’s main businesses, the telegraph ser- some responsibility for having begun the a chief of research. vice and the long distance telephone ser- long development of the journal in taking vice. In the beginning the administration it to a higher level and broadening its was indifferent as to the local loop. After subject matter. Many thought that this the private telephone companies were was at a cost to the ‘bread and meat’ for taken over, the administration proceeded Telegrafverket’s technicians, but it led to to split the telegraph and long distance the journal widening its distribution far telephone from the local loop telephone beyond the company’s limits. service in many places. In Oslo, for example, the two local administrations The drawing office in the Technical were only brought together as late as Department helped with the illustrations, 1958. a job that became an editor’s secretary’s sphere. Here is a list of them in chrono- In addition to being so busy, Hermod logical order: Petersen as a ‘radio man’ would have had problems in collecting the ‘correct’ mate- 1934 – 1963 Peder Stenseth Kleppestø rial for the journal. This is also men- 1964 – 1975 Olav Jensen Aares tioned in the History of Telegrafverket on page 398: 1975 – 1991 John Sigvald Johnsen 1992 – Gunhild Luke

206 Editor 1904 – 1909 Hermod Petersen, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from Karl- sruhe Technical University in 1900, was Headmaster at The Telegraph Administra- tion’s Training Institute in Christiania 1900 – 1913, an Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration from 1913, Senior Engineer and Head of the Radio Department (later the Radio Office) from 1920, Chief Engineer and in charge of the Technical Department from 1931, and Director of the Telegraph Administration 1935 – 1938. Hermod Petersen was a radio technology expert of international repute. He worked on the tests which allowed Telegrafverket to open a wireless connection between Røst and Sørvågen in 1906, by which Norway became the second country in the world to have radio connections as a permanent feature in its telecommunications network. In 1911 he spent the winter as installation leader when the world’s first Arc- tic radio station opened for business in Spitzbergen. In 1922 he was again busy with pioneering work building Norway’s first broadcasting transmitter.

Editor 1916 – 1921 Johannes Storstrøm, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from Han- nover Technical University in 1905, was an Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration from 1906, promoted to Senior Engineer and Head of the Construction Office, later Chief Engineer and Head of the Technical Department (later the Line Technology Department) 1935 – 1951. From circa 1930 his name was closely con- nected with the introduction of new ‘electric’ teleprinters as part of the modernisation of the telegram service. Johannes Storstrøm involved himself for many years with the education at the Telegraph College and wrote many textbooks on technical skills.

Editor 1927 – 1942 Sverre Rynning Tønnesen, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from NTH (Norwegian Technical University) in 1922, was an Operations Engineer at the Telegraph and Long Distance Telephone Station in Christiania from 1923, Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration from 1926, Senior Engineer from 1935, and Head of the Construction Office from 1939. He involved himself with education at the Telegraph College, and amongst other activities, wrote a textbook on line trans- mission. Rynning Tønnesen also actively participated in international telecommunica- tions collaboration. During the war he was called to London, in 1942, where the Nor- wegian government appointed him Director of the Telegraph Administration to secure Telegrafverket’s interests outside German-occupied territory. After the war he contin- ued in this position until he retired in 1962.

207 Editor 1942 – 1957 Julius Ringstad, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from NTH in 1924, worked for a short time at Møre district office in Molde, Operations Engineer at the Oslo Telegraph and Long Distance Telephone Station from 1926, Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration from 1939, Senior Engineer and Head of the Construction Office (later the Transmission Office) from 1945, Chief Engineer in 1956 and Director of the Line Technology Department from 1959, until he retired in 1966. Julius Ringstad was for many years a part-time teacher at the Telegraph College.

Editor 1957 – 1978 Nils Taranger, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from Dresden Technical University in 1943, served at the Drammen District Office, Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration from 1946, Senior Engineer from 1961, Chief Engineer and Head of the Transmission Office from 1967, Section Head of the Line Section from 1962 until he retired from Televerket in 1981. After the war Nils Taranger was in charge of the construction and automation of the telex network. For many years he was involved with education at the Telegraph College.

Editor 1978 – 1991 Bjørn Sandnes, with education sponsored by the company, graduated from NTH in 1963, was an Engineer in the Telegraph Headquarters Administration at the Transmis- sion Office from 1963, for two years an Instructor at the Telecom College. He became Senior Engineer and Head of the Line Transmission Office from 1972, Chief Engineer and Head of the Telex Group from 1977, Leader of the Telephony Unit, later the Trunk Network Division from 1983. He was on leave for many activities abroad, the longest duration being 1977 – 1980. From 1994 he became Director of Corporate Strategy & International Affairs.

208 Editor from 1991 Ola Espvik, graduated in physics from NTH in 1968, is a research scientist at Telever- ket’s Research Institute (TF) since 1970. He has been project leader of a series of research projects in the area of traffic and reliability dimensioning as well as opera- tional control of the telecommunications network, and has been an active participator in international research cooperation. On leave from TF he was engaged by Telever- ket’s Personnel Department from 1985 – 1988, to develop a training programme for network planning, and was Director for the Joint Technical College Centre at Kjeller in 1988 – 1989. Since 1985 he has also been a Lecturer and Study Advisor in telecom- munications and computer science at UNIK – the University of Oslo’s graduate Study Centre at Kjeller.

Has the journal achieved its aims?

In this short overview article there is not 2 Telektronikk shall through its choice the tremendous developments, with the space for more than a cursory analysis as of subjects and presentation format introduction of multi-channel systems a finale. contribute to synchronize profes- and the change from overhead lines to sionals in the Norwegian telecom- cables. The description of multi-channel The objectives for the journal were munications scene with reference to systems in Technical Information was spelled out three times: in 1904, when it the development of telecommunica- often prescribed texts in the Telegraph originated, in 1927 with its re-birth, and tions techniques. Administration’s educational courses. in 1992 when it was revised after the last change of editors. The formulations are The objectives from 1904 and 1927 were But the gradual change in the journal referred to in the examination of the published, but that of 1992 was set out in began, a change which took a long time annual publications, but the essence of it an internal memo approved by the edito- and was especially apparent with the can be gleaned from the references col- rial board. mobilisation of the technological envi- lected here for the sake of continuity: ronments in post-war Norway. The As mentioned earlier, when discussing increasing number of engineers in Tele- 1904: the editors, the evaluation seems obvious grafverket with higher education are a “...It is intended that this will impart enough for the first two periods of the target group for the journal, and with the knowledge to all personnel of the State journal’s existence, it did not perform raised level of content, the journal Telegraphs, and will, in short, supply and so disappeared. The choice of mate- becomes of interest to environments the more important news in the areas rial was too biased, according to the other than the company. It is also dis- of telegraphic and telephonic technol- company history by Thorolf Rafto. tributed abroad, where it gains a good ogy.” reputation. 1927: After the new beginning in 1927, it “In order to secure a common level of seemed as though it had got organised, Other countries’ journals have certainly knowledge within our readership, we with an unbroken production through to also been of influence, and over these must lay the basic foundations first in the present day, but its sights were set too years Telektronikk has had much in com- order to build on them in future arti- high as regards the number of issues per mon with its sister journals in the cles. So we must provide lengthier year. But having got the contents right, it Swedish and Danish PTTs. Perhaps it can explanations of developments within was sensible to adjust the production also be seen to have some relationship to all the different branches of telegraphic down from 12 to 4 each year. corresponding journals in other countries and telephonic technology, from the as well, namely the Netherlands, Switzer- earliest beginnings to the later devel- Why did people write? If we look at the land and Australia. opments, as well as providing other first series of articles for Telegrafverket’s items of interest." technicians, and especially after 1927, it Which language should be used in Telek- was with an almost idealistic desire to tronikk – Norwegian or English? The 1992: inform and improve their technical abil- gradual changeover to full production in 1 Telektronikk shall be the leading ity. The second impetus was the need for English has come about amongst the Norwegian telecommunications the local administrators and technical other changes. This changeover seems to journal. middle management to have some techni- be an inevitable consequence of the jour- cal knowledge to be able to understand nal’s development, English being the

209 Some of Telektronikk’s front covers since 1992

world language for technical matters. Reaching a wider audience with articles in English is of course an important incentive for writers.

Has the journal achieved its objective? The interest demonstrated both in Nor- way and abroad is very encouraging. Educational institutions ask for sets of copies to supplement other training mate- rial. The same goes for manufacturers working in the area covered by related themes. And serious professionals report back their use of the journal.

It is still too early to read the signs as to how the journal will succeed in the future. Producing themed issues is in accordance with its original ideal: to be educational. Now, however, that is achieved by entering a more all-embrac- ing and higher level than expected origi- nally, so the objectives of 1992 can be seen to have drawn level with Telektron- ikk’s development. The technology has come a long way. A telecommunication satellite is repaired in space June 1992

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