News Helicopter Video

[AZScanner]

Has anyone here successfully intercepted and watched video from a news helicopter as it was being beamed back to the station? I've always wanted the ability to do this, but I have no idea where to begin. Would love to know if there's a way to do it...

Thanks,
-AZ

 

[CrabbyMilton]

I have not but you would have to have a microwave receiver. Probably more trouble than it's worth.

 

[chuck_e7]

In the old days of the BIG satellite dish, I had all the raw feed channels both upload and download. I even got the raw stuff from the B of A shootout in LA at the time. I don't think you can get them unless you have the TVRO setup.

 

[E-Man]

These are the full lat/lon pairs of coordinates (39° 3.86′ N, 94° 34.20′ W). Nucomm says the system enables viewing the helicopter "on a moving map system". Also, it could enable the receiving antenna to be locked onto the helicopter's position, to allow uninterrupted video downlink.

You could ask Oona:

absorptions: Mystery signal from a helicopter

 

[prcguy]

A lot of it is in the 6GHz range with tracking antennas at the receive site and steerable antennas on the helicopter pointed with GPS.
prcguy

 

[ottomatic]

Actually, much of it was in the 2Ghz BAS (Broadcast Auxillary Services) until a relocation of frequencies several years ago requested by Sprint Nextel. They paid for most stations relocation expenses including new digital microwave systems. IF you had the tracking receive system, And IF you had the COFDM digital receiver channelized properly, you'd then probably be faced with dealing with some sort of encryption to the digital stream.

My advice? move on to another project.

 

[zz0468]

It's been many many years since I've done this, but I've done it. I also used to be able to listen to point to point microwave services. It's no longer easily done, now that everything has gone digital, and helicopters are using steerable antennas.