An external view of a typical Australian, or 'Domestic', DME installation. This one is at Melbourne/Essendon, photographed in the mid 1960s - an Ansett-ANA Boeing 727-100 is taking off in the background.

The Australian DME system was the first operational civil DME network in the world and gave good service to the Australian industry for forty years, between 1955 and 1995. Australian DME beacons began to be installed from the early 1950s and the network was fully operational from 1955. Also, from 1955 all Regular Public Transport (RPT) aircraft were required to be fitted with airborne DME equipment, so equippage in the Australian airline fleet was virtually universal.

The red and white painted hut contained the actual transmitters and receivers, as well as power supplies and other ancillary equipment. Click here to see a photo inside the hut.

Click here to see a detail photo of the antenna unit.

Click here to read the Operational Notes on DME.

(Photo: CAHS collection)

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