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ABLE downlinks
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:16 am
by JoeyC
Does anyone have any information about this technology that ABLE apparently has allowing video to be seen from the helicopter in real-time on the ground? I have heard on several occasions dispatchers ask ABLE if they could turn on the downlink. What kind of equipment is required to see that video if its even possible?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:10 pm
by SkipSanders
Standard Electronic News Gathering link transmitters on Able.
They're in the 1.99 GHz to 2.5 GHz range, normally.
There are also available link ranges from:
2.30 GHz – 2.70 GHz
6.43 GHz – 7.12 GHz
The units are low power (around 5 watts), and highly directional unless being used for very short range like from cameraman to a nearby van.
They may be either FM modulation, or digital (newer).
Exact channels (In New York, probably pretty standard) are:
01) 1999.0
02) 2016.5
03) 2033.5
04) 2050.5
05) 2067.5
06) 2084.5
07) 2101.5
08) 2458.5
09) 2475.5
10) 2492.0
All channels have 'minus', 'center', and 'plus' settings to create slight frequency offsets used to help avoid interference when multiple links are up.