How the polar bear cam works:

Video of polar bears is sent from our cameras on Buggy One to the world through a pretty neat process. It required a bunch of really talented and committed people to get all the pieces together, and it takes almost as many people to keep it functioning.

First, there is Buggy One itself and the many features that are installed in it to help us produce the live show. Then there is a network of digital radio links that connect the roving buggy to the town of Churchill. And finally, there is the amazing, mind-boggling fiber optic network that links the world together—the Internet. Each step is infinitely interesting and almost as complex. Much of the Internet part is described on the National Geographic Tundra Tech page. Some of the behind-the-scenes story, along with pictures of those who helped, is what we discuss here.

The wireless link:

WildlifeHD and SeeMore Wildlife Systems first learned of the PolarbearCam through the work of a man named Dennis Compayre. He, along with a group of dedicated Canadians figured out the early versions of a polar bear camera system. These were satellite-linked and successful projects. During the early seasons, bandwidth in Churchill was limited, and satellite was the only viable option. Recently, however, a fiber optic link has been installed, and this opened the door for other options that could provide a better link to the world. This is when SeeMore and WildlifeHD became involved.

Our background at SeeMore and WildlifeHD is in setting up terrestrial wireless radio links for wildlife monitoring. As we studied the topography in Churchill, we learned that with three repeaters, we could help create a good quality digital link to the tundra—both to Gordon Point and to Cape Churchill.

Working with Sheldon Pollichuk in Winnipeg, we installed a 45mb all-digital link that provided enough flexibility to serve our needs on the moving buggy, and it also provides the bandwidth to serve future production goals. These include streaming live, HD video from Buggy One to the world.

We have three cameras on Buggy One. Two are small Sony PTZ cameras, and one is a Sony F900 HDCAM. We routinely switch between the two small cameras depending on which side of the buggy has the best polar bear activity. When things are really good, we take out the HDCAM which has a Miranda down-converter attached.

Video from our cameras goes to three places. The first is to a Real Networks encoder, which sends the compressed streaming video to Seattle and from there to the rest of the world. The second is to an encoder that is talking to a decoder in Churchill. This provides live video to the town of Churchill via the L &D cable television building. Finally, we encode still images and provide these to PBI.

The link from Buggy One into Churchill supports all of our video/still needs plus it provides Internet and phone bandwidth. In the evening, we edit the HDCAM footage on Buggy One, and after compressing it, the H.264 video files get uploaded via the radio link to Apple. We can deliver as much as 30 minutes of new HD footage each day.

Getting the link installed required three outstanding people. Sheldon Pollichuk, Konrad Schaad, and John Bykerk. Dozens of others were involved, include Hudson Bay Helicopters and the folks at the Northern Studies Center. But it was Sheldon, Konrad and John who did the real physical and mental work necessary to install the system.

Two days before going live on National Geographic, a wind and snow storm damaged the network, and we were completely shut down. The trouble was near the top of a 197 foot tower where we deduced electric cables had been damaged. The storm was fierce and blowing snow prevented us from seeing the top of the tower. Sensible people don’t climb towers in these conditions, but waiting for the storm to end would have resulted in disappointing an audience waiting to see the bears.

Both Konrad and Sheldon suited up and climbed the tower. In total, they spent over eight hours at the top of the tower and with frozen hands they made permanent repairs. Thanks to them, we went online on October 16th, as scheduled.

At the same time that the data link was getting repaired, a crew of mechanics, welders, and electricians were scrambling to complete Buggy One. They worked overtime because other commitments at Tundra Buggies prevented work on the filming buggy until early October. In fact, when we arrived to begin installing electronics in Buggy One during late September, the buggy’s cabin and frame were not yet connected.

Led by Rob Mollard, the mechanics and welders worked with amazing speed to complete Buggy One. The things they accomplished are every bit as impressive as anything on American Chopper.

During the end of the first week in October, the Tundra Buggy shop crew set out to build the electric jib arm. Designed by SeeMore, this arm would allow Buggy One’s driver to raise and lower the camera—an addition that allows us to get the camera lens-to-nose with the bears (and then raise it as the bears get too curious). The actuator that drives the system is a motor used for adjusting hospital beds.

Around 10PM the day before we launched, Jason Slavuta built a human-cage on the underside of the buggy. In a few hours, he created what would otherwise take a crew of five to do in a week. Simply amazing. This new camera cage allows the camera operator to climb below-deck of Buggy One with the HD camera for the same lens-to-nose view of the bears that we get with the electric jib arm.

At 10AM on the morning of October 16 th, with some of the welds still hot and calking still wet, Buggy One rolled out of the shop. A few hours later, it was at Gordon Point and streaming live video to National Geographic.

The crew that worked on Buggy One, and who don’t often get credit for their amazing work includes:
Rob Mollard
Jason Parsonson
Jason Slavuta
Brian Gullick
Lorne Compayre

Back to Polar Bear Cam Page

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Daniel Zatz