Satellite Uplink truck

[Bart1963]

For the last few years we have been contracting out any SNG feeds to a private company (he was strickly analog) and with a limited number of birds, we are located in Newfoundland, the most easterly point in North America, space on these satellites was getting harder and harder to find. We recently purchased out own truck, this time digital, and where I did most of the work with the private contractor, I was one of 3 staffers trained to use the truck.

My question is, with very limited experience, I am a tech by trade, but that was in the early 80's, been in news, shooting for most of my life, are there any decent web sites, or resource material available to brush up on my skills? We don't use the truck, much (had it for more than a month and it hasn't been out), so I am not getting much hands-on experience, and when I got to use it, I want to be prepared.

Bart

 

[marstaton4]

sngforum.com

 

[SamG]

2nd sngforum. Also, anytime you get 15+ minutes of downtime, go out to the truck. Find satellites. Call your normal booking agency and see if you can do a "test" uplink. If you didn't help design the truck, learn the audio/video signal paths... can you patch from the side of the truck to a different input on the switcher? Can you patch from the side of the truck straight to the encoder?

 

[Shootblue]

Newfoundland must have a gutsy marketing department, cause I think after all these years it would be simplified to Foundland.

 

[satop]

I third sngforum.com....feel free to ask us anything. I agree with Sam, when you have down time get in the truck and find birds, if the truck doesn't run much, try this every 2 weeks or so till you get comfortable with it. Power up the amps, and all the other equipment when you are looking for birds, just so you knwo they are still running properly. Just make yourself as fimiliar with the truck as you possibly can.