The 2010 General Elections saw Britain have its first inconclusive result since 1974, with a voter turnout of 65.1%.   The Conservatives won 36% of the vote, Labour 29% and the Lib Dems 23%, however following Gordon Browns resignation from the Labour party David Cameron and Nick Clegg have formed a coalition Government for the first time since 1945.

Broadcast RF were assigned to provide Globecast with 27 wireless camera systems for the BBC News coverage around the UK.  These were the radio cameras for all of the SNG news trucks coming over from Europe, so not only was this a task within itself for supplying such a number of RF systems, but the logistics of such a task was immense.  Broadcast RF set up a collection point at Folkestone and simply handed out the wireless cameras to the European trucks on their way through to their final destination.  The wireless cameras were collected from the same point, and their return to mainland Europe.  Every single radio camera performed as expected, with some very satisfied SNG truck engineers.

Wireless cameras were also supplied for the poll counts at some rather important constituencies including David Camerons (Witney), Nick Cleggs (Sheffield) and Gordon Browns (Kirkcaldy).

A helicopter camera RF downlink systems was also supplied for the first poll count of the evening in Sunderland.  The helicopter then flew to Edinburgh to follow Mr Brown from his house in North Queensferry to his Kirkcaldy constituency.  The helicopter then followed Mr Brown from Kirkcaldy, to Edinburgh Airport where he boarded the plane down to London.  The helicopter was transmitting constantly and Broadcast RF had receivers based at Kirkcaldy and North Queensferry only.  This signal remained unbroken for the whole route.

UK general election coverage commonly means that Broadcast RF’s warehouse is empty, but this year was the first year we had to refuse jobs, simply as we did not have the kit.