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Transponder Monitor

By Staff Writer | January 30, 2002

      Interspace’s in-depth study of European satellite activity, compiled by Mike Fallon

      D = Digital
      A = Analogue

      93.5 degrees
      E: Insat 2B & 2C
      D: There has been a number of changes here to the Doordarshan services for India. The current line-up is; 3819 MHz horizontal, SR 4997, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 – DD9 Karnataka (Kannada language); 3870 MHz horizontal, SR 4997, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 – DD10 Maharashtra (Marathi language); 4140 MHz horizontal, SR 4997, FEC 3/4, V1211, A1110 – DD11 Gujarat (Gujarati language); 4180 MHz horizontal, SR 4997, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 – DD4 Kerala (Malayalam language).

      A: There are six active analogue transponders carrying Doordarshan services, including one in the S-Band. 2595 MHz horizontal – Doordarshan North East (Assamese language); 3802 MHz horizontal – DD9 Karnataka; 3890 MHz horizontal – DD10 Maharashtra; 4120 MHz horizontal – DD11 Gujarat; 4161 MHz horizontal – DD4 Kerala and finally 4170 MHz vertical – Doordarshan Gyandarshan (educational network).

      83 degreesE:
      Insat 2E & 3B
      D:
      Eenadu TV, southern India’s largest TV network based in Hyderabad, has launched several new regional language channels on 3485 MHz vertical, SR 27000, FEC 3/4. The new offerings are ETV Uttar Pradesh – V1160, A1120; ETV Madhya Pradesh – V1260, A1220; ETV Rajasthan – V1360, A1320 and ETV Bihar – V1460, A1420.

      78.5 degreesE:
      Thaicom 2&3
      D
      : In the Pakistani multiplex on 3608 MHz vertical, SR 3333, FEC 3/4 there are three channels stream sharing via PIDs V308, A256. These are PTV World, PTV News and Prime TV.

      75 degreesE
      LMI 1
      D:
      In common with all of their other outlets TV6 Moskva has ceased broadcasts on 12609 MHz vertical, SR 5425, FEC 3/4. NTV+ Proizvodstvo (Production) has launched on 12611 MHz vertical, SR 5426, FEC 3/4, VPID 101, APID 102 in clear MPEG-2 via the North beam. The footprint extends from Belgium in the West to Japan in the East and from central India north to the northern coast of Siberia at 45 dBW.

      74 degreesE:
      Insat 3C
      D:
      Insat 3C was successfully launched from Kourou on January 24. The new craft will be parked in geo-synchronous orbit here. It carries a payload of 30 C-Band transponders and 2 S-Band transponders. 3C is carrying 1.5 tonnes of fuel which should provide station-keeping duties for a period of some 12 years.

      64 degreesE:
      Intelsat 804
      D:
      The TVAfrica digital platform on 3668 MHz RHCP, SR 11715, FEC 3/4 in now encoded in Videoguard. The package contains TVAfrica East – V512, A650; TVAfrica West – V513, A660; TVAfrica en Francais – V514, A670 and TVAfrica South – V515, A680. UTV Uganda has left 3921 MHz RHCP, SR 4882, FEC 2/3. This channel had been present here for some time in free- to-air MPEG-2.

      62 degreesE:
      Intelsat 902
      D:
      The Iranian opposition channel, Sima-Yeh Azadi, has launched on 4005 MHz LHCP, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 via 902’s NW zone beam.

      42 degreesE:
      Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1
      D:
      On 12652 MHz horizontal, SR 22500, FEC 5/6 Kral TV has resumed the stream share with Teleon via PIDs V1000, A1001 after a short period of absence. On 12690 MHz horizontal Einstein TV is enjoying some lengthy periods in the clear. ASTV is a newcomer on 12652 MHz horizontal, SR 22500, FEC 5/6, VPID 1653, APID 1654 in the StarDigital multiplex.

      A: Kral TV and Teleon are once again transponder sharing at 11723 MHz vertical in clear Pal.

      36 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W4 & Sesat
      D:
      NTV+ Sport has replaced TV6 Moskva on 12399 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 325, APID 410 in Viaccess encoded MPEG-2. Also on this frequency the NTV+ mosaic has been replaced by NTV+ Proizvodstvo on VPID 410, APID 325 (see also LMI 1 at 75 degrees East). Udivitelniy Mir has been replaced by Nashe Muzika (National Music) on 12356 MHz LHCP, SR 7800, FEC 3/4, VPID 4706, APID 4707 in clear MPEG. CNN Radio has vacated 12476 MHz RHCP and NTV+ Info has departed from the NTV+ package on 12245 MHz RHCP

      28.5 degreesE:
      Eurobird
      D:
      There have been some changes in the CzechLink package on 12607 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The radio services have been renamed in the EPG and are now identified as CRO1 (Radiozurnal), CRO2 – Praha, CRO3 – Vltava, CRO6 – Radio Liberty/Free Europe Praha, CRO7 – Radio Liberty/Free Europe and CRO Regina – Radio Regina. The resurrection of CubaVision Internacional appears to have been short-lived. Olisat TV has once again replaced the Hispanic channel on 12561 MHz vertical, SR 2170, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195. The latest home shopping venture – Let’s Go Shopping – has officially launched on 11585 MHz horizontal, VPID 2319, APID 2320, Sky Digital channel 835 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

      28.2 degreesE:
      Astra 2A, 2B & 2D
      D:
      Last week tests for the new BBC regional streams were carried out on 12169 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3. Six streams identified as London test – V2315, A2316; South test – V2319, A2320; Midlands test – V2323, A2324; North test – V2327, A2328; Ulster test – V2331, A2332 and Scotland test – V2336, A2337 were active in readiness for the launch of the service on Monday January 28. All of the regional opt-outs are available to all viewers regardless of their location within the UK. They can be accessed by entering the Interactive menu on the Sky Digibox. Two new children’s channels from the BBC are set to launch on February 11. They are CBBC and Cbeebies that will take over the BBC Choice and BBC Knowledge streams. On March 2 BBC Four will hit the airwaves. This is to be an arts and culture channel and will use BBC Knowledge’s stream from 19:00 daily. Following on from several other soccer clubs, Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC are launching channels in time for the next football season. Also the Scottish Premier League are to launch a channel dedicated to soccer north of the border in August. It seems that ITV Sport will not be made available to Sky Digital subscribers, at least for the time being. Talks on a possible carriage deal have broken down. Discovery Channel Europe has launched on 11876 MHz horizontal in Videoguard encoded MPEG-2 via PIDs V2344, A2345. Test transmissions from Gaydar Radio have been observed in the past week on 12344 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, APID 2343. Poland’s Ale Kino and MiniMax are testing within the Cyfra+ package on 10892 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 162/160, APIDs 88/114. ITV 2 is switching in and out of encryption on 10906 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, VPID 2321, APID 2322. Sky Sports is to offer interactive access to Formula 1 motor racing in the forthcoming season which starts in March on a PPV basis. A single payment will entitle subscribers to access to three days action including qualifying practice as well as the race itself. Several camera outputs will be available which can be selected in the interactive menu.

      26 degreesE:
      Arabsat 2A & 3A
      D:
      Al-Mehwer TV has left 12620 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2260, APID 2220 allowing Nile News, which had been stream-sharing, to use the stream 24 hours a day. In the Orbit package on 11996 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 several channels have departed recently. Star World, Star Movies Middle East, Channel V and The History Channel have all left. Up at 12072 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, another Orbit frequency, Adventure One, Fox Kids, Fox Sports and Granada UKTV have vacated the multiplex. Zen TV and Future TV on 3875 MHz LHCP, SR 5610, FEC 2/3 have changed PIDs. They are now V661/97, A662/663 respectively.

      A: Nile News is now on the air around the clock on 3802 MHz RHCP in clear Pal as Al-Mehwer has ceased transponder sharing here.

      24.2 degreesE:
      Astra 1D
      D:
      PIDs have changed for the three channels in the Channel D package on 10714 MHz horizontal, SR 2170, FEC 3/4. Channel D TV is now on V309, A325; Channel D Radio – A326 and MagicStar – A327. Channel D TV is encoded but the two radio services are free-to-air.

      19.2 degreesE:
      Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C
      D:
      Golf+ has joined the Canal Digital Satellite package for Spain on 11934 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 161, APID 84 in Mediaguard encoded MPEG-2. Budapest based Duna TV has joined the Wizja package on 12303 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 168, APID 108 in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2. In the same multiplex Sport 1 has changed PIDs to V4609, A110. Canal+ Sport has launched on 11992 MHz horizontal, VPID 169, APID 110. Sat 1 Osterreich has opened on 12051 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 801, APID 802 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

      A: Unusually there is a new analogue channel to report here. PIN 24 TV Shop, the German home shopping channel, has launched a free-to-air service in Pal on 10847 MHz vertical with audio via the 7.02/7.20 MHz sub-carriers. This service is aimed at potential shoppers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

      16 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W2
      D:
      Kosovo’s RTV1 has started here on 12633 MHz vertical, SR 4883, FEC 1/2 in clear MPEG-2. It airs from 18:00 to 00:00 Friday, Saturday and Sunday and 18:00 to 22:00 the rest of the week. RTV1 has moved here from Eutelsat W1 at 10 degrees East. The PIDs for Armenia TV on 12617 MHz vertical, SR 2315, FEC 3/4 have been changed to V33, A34. Unexpectedly PI6ALK, which relays the output of the Dutch amateur television repeater known by that callsign, has returned to 12742 MHz horizontal, SR 2999, FEC 5/6, VPID 4130, APID 4131. At present it signs on at 18:00 nightly.

      A: A Kurdish radio station is occupying one of the sub-carriers on the back of Kurdistan TV at 11163 MHz horizontal. Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan is a clandestine station with transmitters in Iraq and is well known to short-wave listeners. It is run by the Kurdish Democratic Party. The station can be heard via the 7.02 MHz sub-carrier.

      13 degreesE:
      Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5
      D:
      La 7 has left the Telefonica multiplex at 12092 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4640, APID 4641 and has been replaced by a testcard. Egypt’s Al-Manar TV and ESC1 have launched within the Arabsat bouquet on 12654 MHz horizontal, VPIDs 1060/1860, A1020/1820 in clear MPEG-2. The Tamil TV Network is currently free-to-air on 12245 MHz horizontal, V124, A134. In parallel to the signal on Eurobird at 28.5 degrees East, CubaVision Internacional has been replaced by Olisat TV on 11096 MHz horizontal, VPID 33, APID 39. Swiss Music Radio is new in the RR Satellite Communications package on 12220 MHz horizontal, SR 6160, FEC 3/4 via APID 2081. Quantum 24 has been replaced by TelSell on 11642 MHz horizontal, VPID 1760, APID 1720 in clear MPEG-2. Iran’s Jaam-e-Jam network, which contains two channels Jaam-e-Jam 1 (European service) and Jaam-e-Jam 2 (USA and Canada service) is to launch a new channel, Jaam-e-Jam 3. This new service will be aimed at viewers in the Central Asian countries including the former Soviet Asian republics of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan as well as Afghanistan. There are a large number of Farsi (Persian) speakers in this area, which the new channel will hope to attract. The Jaam-e-Jam network use 12437 MHz horizontal on Hotbird and the new channel will launch here on the Islamic festival of Eid at the end of February. Jaam-e-Jam 3 will probably also be available via a more easterly satellite too. MBC Europe has joined the line-up in the Bloomberg package on 11642 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V1660, A1620 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Transmissions are intermittent at present and sometimes the stream is relaying a Sat 7 testcard. EuroMediterraneo has launched a new free-to-air service on 12303 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 248, APID 247 in the Slovenian package. Radio Spazio Aperto rsa (Open Space) has joined the line-up in the Stream digital platform on 11842 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 2319 simulcrypt in Irdeto and Videoguard.

      10 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W1
      D:
      RTV1 form Kosovo has left 11134 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 and has moved over to Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East. Coverage of the Porto-vs-Maritimo soccer match being played in Portugal was fed over 11190 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2 on January 26 at 18:00.

      7 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W3
      D:
      Playboy TV UK and The Adult Channel have left 11645 MHz horizontal for 11535 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 in the DigiTurk bouquet.

      5 degreesE:
      Sirius 2/3 & Astra 1A
      D:
      The last independent national TV network in Russia, Moscow’s TV6, has reportedly either gone into liquidation or has been forcibly switched off. The popular channel, which was available on 12380 MHz horizontal as well as terrestrially throughout a large part of Russia and the former Soviet republics, has been missing from satellite since January 22 and the terrestrial relays were switched to carry NTV+ Sport for a time. The Global Draw channel with it’s lottery type service for UK betting shops has been replaced by Global Draw Greyhounds on 12453 MHz horizontal, SR 18056, FEC 3/4, VPID 288, APID 289 within the Kingston TLI package. The Romanian channel Realitatea TV has left 12685 MHz vertical, SR 3398, FEC 3/4 and has relocated to 12699 MHz vertical with the same parameters.

      0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
      Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707
      D:
      Now that just about every European country has produced their own version of Big Brother, Sweden is about to start a new series. This appears on 12476 MHz horizontal, SR 27800, FEC 3/4, VPID 518, APID 668 and, so far, have remained free-to-air.

      4 degreesW:
      Amos 1
      D:
      Israel’s Channel 2 TV has launched a free-to-air service on 11177 MHz vertical, SR 8520, FEC 2/3. Up at 11405 MHz horizontal, SR 12660, FEC 3/4 a Ukrainian channel entitled NBM has started in clear MPEG-2 via Amos’ Hungarian beam. This beam is centred on Hungary and the Czech Republic and extends from Eastern France in the West through to Bulgaria in the East with levels of 52 dBW. The footprint does just reach the extreme south east of England at 45 dBW requiring a minimum dish size of 1.5m.

      5 degreesW:
      Telecom 2C
      D:
      The UK based Christian broadcaster Sat 7, which provides programming in the Arabic language, launched briefly on 12711 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, V513, A660 in the GlobeCast package last week but has now left.

      7 degreesW:
      Nilesat 101 & 102
      D:
      In the Showtime Network multiplex on 11862 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Sony Entertainment Middle East, Hallmark Entertainment Russia & Middle East and The Disney Channel Middle East are all temporarily free-to-air. Egypt’s ERTU 1 has been replaced by ERTU 2 on 11766 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. At 11843 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, home of the ADD (Arab Digital Distribution) package, Nile Sports, Nile Sports Super and Nile Drama are all in the clear for the time being. Tele Liban is currently free-to- air in the Lebanese package on 12129 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2006, APID 3011.

      8 degreesW:
      Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2
      D:
      The Spanish channel La 7 has left 11562 MHz horizontal, SR 1983, FEC 7/8 to be replaced by a testcard. On January 26 at 16:15 live coverage of the Stade-vs-Munster rugby match was carried on two streams here, 11647 MHz vertical, SR 6283, FEC 7/8, ID:’GCR/F.34/1′ and 11655 MHz vertical, SR 6283, FEC 7/8, ID:’FTR/F.34/11MB S’, both in free-to-air MPEG-2.

      15 degreesW:
      Telstar 12
      D:
      A UPC Info Channel has opened on 11150 MHz, SR 18390, FEC 3/4, VPID 2601, APID 2610 in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2. At 11060 MHz horizontal, SR 18390, FEC 3/4 Extreme Sports Channel UK is a newcomer in MPEG-2/Cryptoworks. A live relay of a female correspondent in Rwanda covering the recent volcanic eruption there was carried on 11520 MHz horizontal, SR 5348, FEC 7/8, ID:’MSNBC’ on January 20 at 23:25. Interestingly the video was a direct relay from a satellite video phone with the said correspondent grappling with the controls in an effort to improve the signal.

      21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
      NSS 803 & NSS K
      D:
      Live shots from Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center in New York, are carried regularly over the Reuters Washington feed stream on 11465 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, ID:’DC’. On January 16 at 01:00 recorded video footage featuring US actor Robin Williams’ new movie was fed over the same frequency in clear MPEG-2 under the ID ‘REUTERS TV LA – 818-953-4146’. Live coverage of ‘Prime Minister’s Question Time’ from the House of Commons was carried on 11563 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, ID:’SR1′ on January 16 at 15:15. US wrestling featuring the WWF Livewire event was fed over the BT Washington feed stream at 11559 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, ID:’BT W’ on January 18 at 06:40. This spectacle is carried by Sky Box Office as a PPV event.

      30 degreesW:
      Hispasat 1A/B/C
      D:
      BCP TV has joined the Portuguese TV Cabo line-up on 11811 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in Nagravision encoded MPEG-2.

      37.5 degreesW:
      Telstar 11 & Columbia 515
      D:
      The Spanish language version of the children’s channel Nickelodeon was fed over the Viacom feed stream at 11542 MHz horizontal, SR 5998, FEC 3/4 at 01:00 on January 16.

      43 degreesW:
      PAS 3R & PAS 6
      D:
      A new US game show entitled ‘The Chair’ hosted, curiously, by former tennis star John McEnroe and produced by ABC was relayed on 12636 MHz horizontal, SR 19846, FEC 7/8, ID:’Adhoc’ in clear MPEG_2/NTSC on January 16 at 01:20.

      SR – Symbol Rate
      FEC
      – Forward Error Correction
      VPID
      – Video Programme Identifier
      APID
      – Audio Programme Identifier