Batboard

Took these pictures today of POLAIR 1 at Batemans Bay NSW taking part in a S & R operation. Look closely at the twin beams located underneath the fuselage. Enjoy!

Interesting read here describing what the twin antennas are:

http://trollsystems.com/products_skylinkhd.htm

Yes, very high gain microwave to beam the vidlink down. Real popular with broadcast news as well. Real cool how with the gyros and all they are able to keep the antenna pointed at the site without almost no regard for the helicopter's actual orientation. Real expensive too. Though a drop in the bucket with the cost of the HD cam

Too bad no pics of the cockpit, probably has technisonics TDFMs?

Wulfsberg C-5000 control heads hooked up to whatever in the previous Polair 1 (a since retired Jetranger.) No idea about this helo.

Boy they love pissing money away!!!!

That's why the state government has no money

I do have images of the majority of the cockpit - althought its taken through the cabins glass windows creating reflections. If you would like them, PM me and Ill put them up when I get the chance!

FYI - The pilot would not allow me to take pictures from inside the cockpit, he claimed it was a security issue.

Yeah no kidding about breaking the bank on these newer radios.

The two dildo antennas on the bottom tail boom are Cobham AT-560's.

Pin diode tuned from 29.7 to 399.9875 and passive from 400 to 960.

They are a sure sign that this helo is using dual Cobham, Wulfsberg doesn't exist anymore, RT5000's, probably the RT5000D model in one slot and maybe an RT5000SAR in the 2nd slot or just 2 of the D models.

We sold a lot of the RT5000D models and some of the RT5000SAR models to NSW back in 2008 to 2010.


Someone sure had a lot of money to piss away down there or a rich uncle paying for it all.


Mike

Wow- can't believe an LEO is using a Troll system!

We have the same setup on our news chopper- always pointing at the farthest receiver available to minimize the arc. There are three cameras on the chopper; one gyrostabilized nose camera in the FLIR unit, a small POV camera on the tailrotor and a small POV camera in the cockpit for the pilot or reporter.

Comms are:
MCS2000 800mhz on our simulcast system. PTT is done via foot pedal.
CM300 VHF - PTT is done via footpedal
Uniden BCD996T



FLIR camera.


Interior:




Tail rotor cam:

Mike,

Is that a Shure automixer in the rack? When I was selling stuff it was their SCM-810. Just curious.

Regards,

Mike - appears that's a 407? Sharp looking helicopter. I'm surprised you've managed to keep it... here in DFW, all stations except one have gotten in bed with each other, contracting their helicopter coverage to a crew in a Robinson R-44 using a gyro mount for a standard camera. Sigh...

I like the LEDs on the POLAIR1 ship - do they need to run code 3 in the air?

Tom in D.C. wrote:Mike,

Is that a Shure automixer in the rack? When I was selling stuff it was their SCM-810. Just curious.

Regards,

It "Shure" it is. Good eye!

You can see our "interesting" DTV antenna solution on the upper right. Also, a GPS application running on the laptop, which is piped back to the station so they know how far out we are from a location.


Note the lights and POV cam for Clark Stahl (our pilot/reporter)

tvsjr wrote:Mike - appears that's a 407? Sharp looking helicopter. I'm surprised you've managed to keep it... here in DFW, all stations except one have gotten in bed with each other, contracting their helicopter coverage to a crew in a Robinson R-44 using a gyro mount for a standard camera. Sigh...

A pooled R-44 for news duty? Ugh- I hate to see that. They're doing the same thing in Phoenix now (after the crash) The 407 is one of my favorite choppers- love the sound of the 4-bladed rotor. Luckily the big three up here (we're CBS) all have their own choppers:

KOMO's 407 (love the color scheme):




KING's has two A-Stars!:






We borrowed KTVT-dallas' 407 a few months back:

KTVT is one of the ones that's gone to the pool R44, along with KDAF and KXAS. WFAA is the only remaining station with their own ship. Sad...

N69F is a sharp looking bird. That's a beautiful install and it doesn't look like it's seen much wear.

In one of the photos I see a cell phone. Has the FCC finally allowed cell phones in aircraft?

FCC doesn't have anything to do with it but the FAA does. I can't remember the actual CFR's but there are two sets of regulations, one for commercial flights that are for the public and one for commercial flights that are private so to speak. Cell phones are allowed at the discretion of the captain on the latter. So is allowing people into the cockpit which isn't allowed on public flights.