Background

In January 2003 the Scottish Seabird Centre asked Outersight to set up a long term trial of new cameras on the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth.

The cameras that were originally installed on the Bass Rock were very high quality box cameras made by Panasonic Broadcast. Although this was a very good camera it was less than ideal for the type of activity that it was being used for on the Bass Rock. Its bulky size meant that a very large camera enclosure and pan and tilt unit was required, which would vibrate violently during very strong winds, rendering the pictures useless. As the camera was intended for broadcast TV studios there were no facilities like auto focus or steady shot, which meant that the control of the camera could sometimes prove to be far from rewarding for a first time visitor to the SSC. Reliability of the cameras also proved to be a major problem, as they would malfunction occasionally requiring an engineer to visit the island. Due to the sea states and weather conditions, it would sometimes be up to three weeks before an engineer could land on the island.

Camera

From our experience with the Isle of May camera we knew that the Forward Vision Systems camera was the ideal choice for the project, as the weather conditions are very similar to the Isle of May. We then had to ensure that we could interface the camera telemetry through the Ogier Electronics microwave transmitter and into the existing AMX control equipment. We completely reprogrammed the AMX controller to use the new cameras, and at the same time added some improvements to the system to make operation by the staff easier.

We have installed 2 variations of the camera, a 25x zoom version on the pathway position and a 18x  zoom version on the lighthouse position. The 18x version has better low light capabilities, but the 25x version has much improved magnification, allowing close-up viewing of even quite distant nests and good views back to North Berwick.

One of the other benefits of the new cameras is that they use significantly less power than the old type; this is important during the winter months as the power on the Bass Rock is now generated by a bank of solar panels on the roof of the old engine room at the lighthouse.

The cameras offer 360 degree continuous rotation which allows the viewer to see parts of the island that were previously unviewable.

Visitor feedback has been extremely positive, as have the comments from the staff at the centre, who find the new cameras much easier to operate. Maintenance costs have also been reduced significantly, as the new cameras are extremely reliable and are fully equipped with washing and wiping facilities to maintain image quality.