Mysterious truck in Soho London.

December 25, 2008 5:06 AM

What is this device? And what was this truck doing in Central London (Soho) today?

I'm not sure what the device is. Looks like its gathering something? The dish on top is marked 'holkirk' which on quick Google seems to be for satellite uplinks?

There was nobody that I saw around or outside the truck. The truck is completely white and unmarked. There may have been someone inside. Anybody know what this truck was doing?

posted by vacapinta to Grab Bag (7 answers total)

Best answer: Husband says it's a TV link transmitter on an ENG (electronic news gathering) van. (So, it's what transmits the broadcast when the "on-the-scene" live-news reporter is reporting... live... on the scene.)
posted by taz at 5:32 AM on December 25, 2008

Notice the license plate. Isn't Sky a television network in the UK?
posted by ryanrs at 5:33 AM on December 25, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks taz! But what is the device? It wasn't a camera and didn't seem to be a microphone.
Also, as I mentioned, nobody was around - although I suppose they could have gone off looking for coffee.

Finally, this was in a non-descript alley. Nothing really around that I saw worth reporting on...

ryanrs: Don't know why I didn't see the SKY before! But still..why arent there markings on the van? Also, same questions as above.
posted by vacapinta at 5:40 AM on December 25, 2008

The device on the backn (first photo) is the link transmitter.
posted by taz at 5:58 AM on December 25, 2008

back
posted by taz at 5:58 AM on December 25, 2008

Holkirk Communications
posted by netbros at 6:18 AM on December 25, 2008

Best answer: The thing on the tripod is a Gigawave PTV-D. It's a point-to-point video link, probably from the camera to the truck.
posted by ryanrs at 6:23 AM on December 25, 2008 [1 favorite]