Volunteer Assignments

Principal of ABSI, Ron Ehrke, is a registered volunteer with an Australian organisation known as Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) who has undertaken three volunteer assignments since 2001.

ABV is a non-government, not-for-profit international development agency, contributing to sustainable growth in developing communities through transfer of knowledge and workplace skills through using experience and expertise of highly skilled volunteers.

Practical work skills training enables ABV clients to run their organisations more effectively and efficiently as volunteers on assignment focus on capacity building within the organisations’ to whom they are assigned.

It is in this context that Ron carried out assignments in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2001, and Republic of Kiribati in 2003 and 2004 for two different organizations.

Porgera, Enga Province, PNG

In 2001 Ron provided technical assistance & operational training to staff operating a community radio station (IpiliFM) established by Paiam Management Company in the Porgera Valley, PNG.

The community radio station, established by a local provider, did not provide adequate transmission to effectively broadcast radio programs to much of the Paiam community and the quality of radio transmission was sub-standard. Two main reasons weer identified for these technical problems – incorrect antennae not suited for FM radio broadcast and a transmitter considered to not satisfy all radio broadcast specifications.

Paiam radio station announcers from local communities had not received adequate operational training when the radio station was established and therefore during the assignment, Ron provided basic operational training to assist in better production and presentation of radio programs.

Ron returned to Porgera in late 2002, under contract through Alpha Broadcast Services International, to Paiam Management Company, to undertake replacement of transmission equipment (to overcome technical problems outlined above) – see report under the ‘Projects’ Section. (maybe there could be a link here to ‘Community Radio in Papua New Guinea Highlands).

Tarawa, Kiribati

In 2003 Ron provided technical assistance and operational training to staff maintaining and operating a community radio station (FM101) established on Tarawa, Kiribati.

As with the Paiam radio station assignment (outlined above) the FM101 community radio station, established by a local provider, did not broadcast adequate radio transmission to the various communities on South Tarawa where most of the people live. The main reason identified for the inadequate radio coverage was that the antennae radiation characteristics were not appropriate for a long narrow island – most of the signal was being transmitted north into the sea instead of east and west across the narrow Island. Ron recommended replacement of the 500 watt transmitter and antennae with a lower power transmitter with directional antennae that would effectively broadcast FM101 radio programs throughout the long narrow Island from the centre of the Island where the station was located. The radio station owner subsequently implemented my recommendations.

FM101 radio station announcers from local communities had not received adequate operational training when the radio station was established and therefore during the assignment, Ron provided basic operational training to assist in better production and presentation of radio programs.

Tarawa, Kiribati

In 2004 Ron provided technical assistance to Broadcasting and Publications Authority (BPA) on Tarawa, Kiribati in plans to upgrade radio broadcast systems for computer-assisted operations.

BPA, the Kiribati Government Radio broadcast station, was planning to replace outdated studio equipment with modern radio broadcast equipment and they also wanted to provide automation systems to assist and enhance BPA radio operations.

The main objective of this assignment was to assess BPA program and operational requirements and capability and capacity of BPA program and technical staff before determining specific technical equipment needs to satisfy BPA plans. Ron also assessed capacity and skills of local computer service providers who could provide adequate back-up support to BPA after automation systems were introduced.

Following the assessment, the main task for the assignment was to assist senior engineering staff in preparation of technical specifications and a tender schedule as the basis for a public tender to supply new studio and automation equipment for BPA.