Storm-chaser truck with radar built for KXAS in Dallas-Fort Worth
ALEXANDRIA, VA. There has been a revolution in television acquisition gear in the past 10 years, as equipment has become smaller, faster and more capable. In the meantime, there are more ways than ever to report news stories from the field, including cellular 4G systems that are available in places that even microwave can't reach.
What has this equipment revolution meant in terms of ENG trucks? Like other equipment categories, can trucks do more than ever, or are they shrinking to mirror the size of the gear fitted into them?
To find out, BE Extra talked to Tom Jennings, president and co-founder of Accelerated Media Technologies in Auburn, Mass. Jennings has more than 25 years of ENG/SNG truck design and manufacturing experience, and has been at the heart of all the recent changes in truck design and technology.
BE Extra: As gear gets smaller, does that mean trucks get smaller as well? Is the typical news truck today any different size-wise than it was 15 or 20 years ago? What accounts for the difference/similarity?
Jennings: Yes, trucks are getting significantly smaller. Gone are the days of large box trucks in 90 percent of the markets, replaced by smaller van-sized units based on the new Ram ProMaster and full-size Ford Transit trucks. There is also a revolution of smaller SUV-based trucks that support microwave, cell bonding and Ka-band satellite on platform ranging from Jeep Wranglers to Ford Explorers up to GM Suburbans.
BE Extra: When the BAS relocation happened a few years ago, truck microwave gear was switched from analog to digital COFDM. This made reception in difficult locations generally easier, and a telescoping mast was discussed as no longer necessary in many cases. Is there still a case for a telescoping mast? If so, why?
ENG/weather truck for WFSB in Hartford, Conn.
Jennings: Masts are still vital to ENG. In urban applications, the thought around the BAS transition was the new COFDM modulation would eliminate the need for masts due its ability to thrive in city canyons using the bounce shot technique. The fact is you still need to get your transmit antenna above obstructions to hit your receive site both in urban and rural applications. We are still using line-of-sight technology.
BE Extra: Is it standard today for news trucks to have a means of handling cellular/4G signals? What are one or two ways that cellular/4G is integrated into trucks?
Jennings: AMT uses all brands of cellular bonding gear but both LiveU and Dejero have advanced dynamic encoders that aggregate to Viasat's Ka-band satellite service making for extremely robust and low-cost connectivity. Two out of three trucks we are building have this transmission mode onboard.
BE Extra: With 4G cellular bonding systems so simple, relatively cheap and license free, do news organizations need to bother with microwave anymore?
Jennings: Don't count microwave out quite yet. Although cellular technology and Ka-band satellite have added flexibility to news departments, microwave is a licensed asset that TV stations own. At NAB 2015, AMT won Best of Show with our partners General Dynamics and Immedia for our ENGenesis system that allows up to 10 trucks to transmit in the same channel simultaneously and bi-directionally. Additionally, ENGenesis can have a cellular layer to allow private cellular networks to be deployed. Although mast sizes may come down on some trucks, microwave is not going away any time soon.
BE Extra: With a lot of heavy gear installed in a truck (such as racks, roof-mount antennas, masts, etc.), what's done to the truck itself to ensure safety and drivability?
Jennings: With technology getting smaller, the tendency of some groups is to try and build trucks internally or by smaller truck vendors. In reality, the interface between new technology and the OEM chassis is more complex than ever. Power systems, tracking systems, high-idle systems and higher centers of gravity for conventional passenger vehicles require special skills and OEM certifications, as well as an intimate knowledge of the OEM ECM systems. The conversions are less expensive overall but take a definite skillset to implement. Fortification to springs and structure is only one part of the problem. Often times specific pull tests, crash tests and ECM programming must be adjusted to accomplish a safe platform.
Storm-chaser truck with radar built for WVIT in New Britain-Hartford, Conn.
BE Extra: What are a couple of unusual or special requests you've received for a truck? What was done to meet the request? Did it involve any special engineering or design on AMT's part?
Jennings: Trucks are far more than ENG or SNG trucks anymore. They are being built for special applications. Storm Trackers, Fire Chasers and various other weather vehicles are being fashioned in Jeep Wranglers, Subaru Foresters, stretched pickup trucks, etc. The trucks themselves become an extension of the newsroom personified, if you will. They are used for both promotional and news events to connect the stations to their audiences. WVIT and KXAS (Both NBC O&O stations) recently designed a stretch Ford E250 and Jeep Wrangler as storm chasers. Both contained industry-first mobile radar, weather telemetrics, Ka-band satellite, microwave and cellular bonding (LiveU and Dejero) for hyper-local reporting of weather.
BE Extra: Is there anything else that we should know about building a modern news truck?
Jennings: Our advice to anyone that is building a new truck is to be well informed. Keep the trucks as low as possible and as small as possible to achieve the mission. There will always be a need for full-size trucks, but smaller trucks allow greater mobility, greater design flexibility and can be operated by less-experienced operators.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Storm-chaser truck with radar built for KXAS in Dallas-Fort Worth 
