Satellite Van?

Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would be
operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last week.
Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

When I drove past the equipment was being operated. The dish was
pointing very approximately 210 degrees, SSW(ish). Probably a complete
red herring, this is the same bearing as the Bluebell Hill transmitter.


--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Alan wrote:


Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would be
operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last week.
Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is terrestrial
microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might indicate amateur
radio.

When I drove past the equipment was being operated. The dish was
pointing very approximately 210 degrees, SSW(ish). Probably a complete
red herring, this is the same bearing as the Bluebell Hill transmitter.

Yes lots of field days etc, going on in ham land during the summer, though
in a back street seems a bit strange, maybe they were just testing it out.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"David Woolley" wrote in message
...
Alan wrote:


Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would be
operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last week.
Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is terrestrial
microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might indicate amateur
radio.

When I drove past the equipment was being operated. The dish was pointing
very approximately 210 degrees, SSW(ish). Probably a complete red
herring, this is the same bearing as the Bluebell Hill transmitter.

In message , David Woolley
wrote
Alan wrote:
Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would be
operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last week.
Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is terrestrial
microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might indicate amateur
radio.

Doesn't microwave require a line of site? The van was operating in a
road with terrace housing on both sides and so would be blocking any
terrestrial signal.

When I drove past the side and back doors were open and the van was
jammed packed with racks of equipment with hardly any room for the two
people operating the equipment.

--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Alan wrote:

In message , David Woolley
wrote
Alan wrote:
Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would
be operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last
week. Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is
terrestrial microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might
indicate amateur radio.

Doesn't microwave require a line of site? The van was operating in a
road with terrace housing on both sides and so would be blocking any
terrestrial signal.

When I drove past the side and back doors were open and the van was
jammed packed with racks of equipment with hardly any room for the
two people operating the equipment.

It's a satellite (SNG) van. A lot of these have no logos on them
because they can become targets in riot situations. (or even football
matches!)

Ashley
SNG Engineer

--

Alan wrote:

Doesn't microwave require a line of site? The van was operating in a
road with terrace housing on both sides and so would be blocking any
terrestrial signal.

When I drove past the side and back doors were open and the van was
jammed packed with racks of equipment with hardly any room for the two
people operating the equipment.

Looks and sounds like an SNG truck to me, the elevation of the dish could be a
red herring, it may not have been fully deployed to its operational position.

Was the equipment on as you passed by ?

Could you hear a genny running ?

Not all are plastered in logos either, (not necessarily a good idea to have
them if you're covering a riot etc)


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

www.paras.org.uk

On Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:34:24 +0100, David Woolley
wrote:

Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would be
operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last week.
Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is terrestrial
microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might indicate amateur
radio.

Complete and utter bull****.
Intelsat 905 and 907 are around that bearing, very much used by UK
broadcasting organisations.

Ashley wrote:

Alan wrote:

In message , David Woolley
wrote
Alan wrote:
Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would
be operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last
week. Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is
terrestrial microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might
indicate amateur radio.

Doesn't microwave require a line of site? The van was operating in a
road with terrace housing on both sides and so would be blocking any
terrestrial signal.

When I drove past the side and back doors were open and the van was
jammed packed with racks of equipment with hardly any room for the
two people operating the equipment.

It's a satellite (SNG) van. A lot of these have no logos on them
because they can become targets in riot situations. (or even football
matches!)

Ashley
SNG Engineer

Here are some SNG trucks without logos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snglink...57600002638080

--

On 21/08/2011 12:21, Ashley wrote:
Alan wrote:

In , David Woolley
wrote
Alan wrote:
Anyone got any ideas why a van with a large satellite dish would
be operating in a back street of Southend-on-Sea (SE Essex) last
week. Picture (poor quality):
http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/satvan/

The feed position and dish alignment indicate that this is
terrestrial microwave, not satellite. The absence of logos might
indicate amateur radio.

It's a satellite (SNG) van. A lot of these have no logos on them
because they can become targets in riot situations. (or even football
matches!)

That great big dish on the roof is a bit of a give-away though!

The lack of a logo is a benefit if you want to hire the thing to another
TV company though.

--
Phil Cook

Phil Cook wrote:
On 21/08/2011 12:21, Ashley wrote:

It's a satellite (SNG) van. A lot of these have no logos on them
because they can become targets in riot situations. (or even football
matches!)

That great big dish on the roof is a bit of a give-away though!

The lack of a logo is a benefit if you want to hire the thing to another
TV company though.

Indeed, and most in the UK are indeed hired out. I don't know how many are
currently active in the UK, but AIUI well over a thousand have been registered ?


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

www.paras.org.uk