wireless regulation in australia remained under the control of the department of navy after the close of world war i and licensing was very largely limited to shipping and coastal stations. wireless telegraphy was almost universally employed for communication due to its efficiency and capacity for long distance transmission. however, there are several reports of telephony transmissions, both music and speech, from international ships visiting australian ports in the years immediately following world war i. similarly, enterprising individuals at the coastal stations from time to time provided brief periods of music transmissions. while the equipment was designed for wireless telegraphy, modification to permit telephony was possible. the wireless operators on these ships and coastal stations were often also keen wireless experimenters in private life. the ships were visited by the land-based hams while in port and their equipment viewed in awe. the us in particular was years ahead of australia in use of telephony and their wireless-equipped ships offered rare glimpses of the state of the art for australian experimenters. at first the listening audience was restricted to other ships and coastal stations, but from 1920, private experimenters were licensed (for reception only).