Sky News is purchasing three wireless transmitters from Link Research for use on its Upod satellite newsgathering vehicles. The systems are to be used primarily in the UK and will be supplied with one-watt clip-on amplifiers which allow the cameras to cover a much larger area.
“We have chosen Link Research this time because the equipment is so small and light,” says Richard Westwood, head of links at Sky News. “It is going into a small vehicle so the weight is a huge issue. The other important factor for us is delay and the Link equipment has no visible transmission delay.”
The transmitter weighs approximately one kilo and the clip-on amplifier weighs a further 650 grammes. The signal delay from a Link wireless transmitter is 40 milliseconds, equal to about one frame. Sky will be conducting tests in Central London to assess exactly how far the cameras will be able to roam using this facility.
Link Research will also supply the new clip on control panels for LinkXP, which will make Sky the first broadcaster to use these.
“Our kit is designed to be very easy to use and deploy,” says John Mulcahy, general manager of Link Research. “Sky is at the forefront of news and they are investing for the future. This equipment will give their cameras much more flexibility to move around as they work, especially in cities.”
