Early BBC Radio mics and cameras

[David Taylor]

The BBC Archive page has the interesting video of the 1967 broadcast
covering the climb of The Old Man Of Hoy.
It can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/1967-old-man-of-hoy/603517470021287/

Now this item has been discussed on Tech-Ops before of course, but I do
find it fascinating to contemplate the difficulties involved.
In July 1967 we have:
1:"Four Radio Cameramen": Each with small portable cameras with
'back-packs'. They aren't LDK14's since they came much later, so are they
Marconi VIIIP portables, or something even earlier? I love the cameraman
'leaning' back to shoot up the rock face, even if he is being held by a
colleague.
2: The camera Radio TX kit. We see this big piece of kit being 'held on'
alongside that cameraman.
3: Radio mic from Joe Brown. The mic would be taped to his helmet I guess,
but there's the receiver and the VHF aerials to house, plus mains feed.
4: Radio ear-piece to Joe Brown. So there's the transmitter for that as
well.
5: Chris Bonnington, standing in a gale - obviously being 'boomed' . The
BBC R&D reported on the Senny 805 in 1966, so it could be that. I remember
Senny made 'windshields', but that was before the Rycote 'sheep' outer
cover (question to Chris Woolfe perhaps)?
6: Getting the signal out from The Orkneys....now that would have been fun
. Microwave for vision, plus laying the PO lines across from the nearest
connection block, to the site for the audio and comms.
7: The de-rigged gear from MCR27 - in a tented Control Room I guess. If
there are 4 Radio cameras, plus say 2 or 3 Pye MkVI's, it's quite a rig in
that tent. More camera CCU kit than MCR27 usually used. Three days of
transmissions to 'endure' in the rain.

'Merit Awards' for all I reckon!

So when did the first Radio Cameras arrive? And the first use by the BBC of
radio mics?
ATV were proud at having radio mics in use on The Palladium Shows from
1961. They had a transistor transmitter, but a whooping VHF receiver, plus
the big Yagi aerials that went with it. I guess the BBC were able to do
that as well around that time?

David T
www.postfade.co.uk
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