Transponder Monitor

Key:
D – Digital
A – Analogue

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom 2&3
D – It appears the Thailand’s Travel TV has left 3572 MHz horizontal, SR 6310, FEC 1/2 where it had been available in free-to-air MPEG-2.

75 degreesE:
LMI 1
A – A new analogue signal has started here. Super TV Canal Numerique/Canal 61 can be found on 3860 MHz vertical in clear Pal with audio via the 5.80 MHz sub-carrier. It originates from Antananarivo, Madagascar. Also here is local radio station Antananarivo 100.4 FM via the 6.80 MHz sub-carrier. Both channels are free-to-air. Of course, TV Malagasy also hailing from Madagascar, has been present here for some considerable time on 3988 MHz vertical. The Super TV signal is very much stronger than TV Malagasy in the south east tip of the UK.

68.5 degreesE:
PAS 7 & 10
D – NASA TV is being carried in the MultiChoice Africa package on 3716 MHz vertical, SR 20600, FEC 3/4, VPID 518, APID 646 in clear MPEG-2. The channel’s temporary presence here is courtesy of Mark Shuttleworth, the South African multi-millionaire who is at present circling the Earth in the International Space Station. NASA TV is being fed down to South Africa to provide his fellow countrymen with live coverage of his historic trip. The US space channel is also available via AtlanticBird at 8 degrees West for the duration of Mr Shuttleworth’s flight. On 3835 MHz vertical, SR 20600, FEC 3/4 – another MultiChoice Africa multiplex – China Radio International from Beijing is new on APID 667 in Irdeto encoded MPEG-2. 4064 MHz horizontal, SR 19850, FEC 7/8 is hosting a new bouquet, which is currently in the test phase. Three streams carry identification in the EPG – VPID 1160, APID 1120 – B4U and VPID 1660, VPID 1560, APID 1520 – EWTN and APID 1620 – EWTN2. However there is not any sign of programming from these channels yet. Yunnan TV, a regional channel which hails from the city of Kunming in the province of Yunnan located in the south west of China, has been testing on 4090 MHz horizontal, SR 1460, APID 1420 in clear MPEG-2 although it does appear that the tests have ceased in the last few days. Yunnan TV is already available via two other satellites, Apstar 1A at 134 degrees East and Sinosat 1 at 110.5 degrees East.

64 degreesE:
Intelsat 804
D – Once again all of the channels in the TV Africa package on 3665 MHz horizontal, SR 11716, FEC 3/4 are free-to-air. The line-up here is; TV Africa East – V512, A650; TV Africa West – V513, A660; TV Africa en Francaise – V514, A670 and TV Africa South – V515, A680. This transponder is configured for a West Hemi beam which delivers 39 dBW of signal down the central spine of Africa and into Italy and Greece dropping to 37 dBW over East and West Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, the Black Sea area and north to the UK where a 3 metre dish is adequate for reasonable reception.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1
D – Tatlises TV is testing on 12557 MHz horizontal, SR 2284, FEC 5/6, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 under the EPG ID: ‘DOOR 039’ using Turksat’s East beam. After some time in the clear Star 7 is now encoded in Nagravision once again within the StarDigital bouquet at 12652 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, VPID 1536, APID 1537. A new-to-satellite Turkish channel, M1 TV, has launched on 10980 MHz vertical, SR 2344, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in clear MPEG-2 via Turksat’s westerly beam.

36 degreesE:
Eutelsat W4 & Sesat
D – The PIDs for the Azerbaijani channel Lider TV have been changed to V308, A256 on 12520 MHz horizontal, SR 4399, FEC 1/2. MKTV has opened on 12601 MHz vertical, SR 3200, FEC 2/3, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2.

28.5 degreesE:
Eurobird
D – There are now three AtTheRaces streams on 11507 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3. They appear in the EPG as; ‘atr’, ‘atr5014d’ and ‘atr508d’. there have been several PID changes at 11681 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3. The new figures are; EuroNews – V2308, A2309-2316; GOD Channel – V2318, A2319; God Revival – V2321, A2322; The Dream – A2325; D- Classics TV – V2327, A2328; TBN Europe – V2330, A2331; gobarkingmad – V2332, A2333 and Bangla TV – 2324, A2325. The Sailing Channel is currently free-to-air on 12563 MHz vertical, SR 2169, FEC 3/4, VPID 4210, APID 4211. Romantica has been replaced by ShopSmart on 11546 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Despite Romantica’s disappearance the Spanish language channel which serves up a daily helping of soap operas is expected to join the Sky Digital line-up in the near future.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 2A, 2B & 2D
D – Manchester United TV (MUTV) was in the clear around April 25 on 12324 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 3329, APID 3330 but switched to encryption shortly after. MUTV on 12480 MHz vertical remains encoded. The PID for the BBC’s Welsh language radio service, Radio Cymru, has changed to A2338 on 11719 MHz horizontal. The TV channel for expatriate Chinese living in the UK, Phoenix CNE has moved in the Sky Digital EPG from channel number 673 to 805. The Irish RT… channels have been added to the Sky digital EPG, but only if you reside in Ireland. They occupy the 101-104 slots which are used for BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4 in Britain. The Racing Channel is including some free-to-air windows at 12226 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat 2A & 3A
D – Cine TV has joined the Orbit Network package on two transponders. It is carried on 11804 MHz horizontal, SR 24571, FEC 7/8 in MPEG-2/PowerVu and on 12073 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in MPEG-2 encoded in Mediaguard.

25.5 degreesE:
Eutelsat II-F4
D – Tele Acras has been replaced by Euromed at 11187 MHz horizontal, SR 2498, FEC 2/3, VPID 3105, APID 3106. Tele Acras can now be found on 11194 MHz horizontal, SR 2498, FEC 2/3, VPID 3105, APID 3106. A testcard is occupying 11191 MHz horizontal, SR 2498, FEC 2/3.

23.5 degreesE:
Astra 3A
D – Astra 3A has now officially replaced Kopernikus 3 here. Signal strengths into southern England appear to be greatly improved. Several multiplexes have been fired up in the past few days. MediaVision are using three, at 11592 MHz vertical, 11632 MHz horizontal and 11672 MHz horizontal. 11592 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 is carrying Extreme Sports Channel – V801, A802; Bloomberg TV Deutschland – V811, A812; Fashion TV – V821, A822; Landscape Channel – V831, A832; Single TV – V525, A526 and Einstein TV – V623, A624. At 11632 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 there is: Zee TV UK – V517, A773; NTV International – V514, A515 and the MultiMusic audio channels All Jazz – A535; Cristal New Age – A536; Movie Sounds – A537; Sinfonica – A538; OperaFestival – A539; Baroque Fantasie – A540; Musica Camerata – A541, Musica Antica – A542; Adaggio – A543 and Jazz Legends – A544. At 11672 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 you can find ATV – V631, A632; TV Polonia – V641, A642; Kanal D Fun – V651, A652; RTP Internacional – V661, A662, PCNE Chinese Network – V681, A682 and ERT Sat – V691, A692. All are encoded in Betacrypt. A Premiere package at 11672 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 offers Studio Universal – V1030, A1100; Disney Channel – V1031, A1101 and Planete – V1034, A1104. Feratel Wetterstation has opened on 12508 MHz vertical, SR 2170, FEC 7/8, VPID 4352 having vacated Kopernikus 3.

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C
D – The OK Plus promo which had been running in the Spanish Canal Satelite package at 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 8191, APID 401 has been switched off. Several PID changes have taken place in the Spanish Canal Satelite Digital package on 12441 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The new PIDs are; Canal Canarias – V160, A80; TV de Catalunya Internacional – V161, A84; Andalucia TV – V162, A88; ETB Sat – V163, A92; Tele Madrid/La Otra – V164, A96; Fashion TV – V165, A100, Fox Kids Espana – V167, A108 and finally the pay-per-view channel Taquilla 0 – V166, A104. Five new data channels have joined the SES Multimedia line-up at 12603 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, named in the EPG as; ‘thomsonmm’, ‘FT Unique’, ‘FT Unique Old’, ‘FT Espresso’ and ‘FT JSAT’. Dutch language channels Yorin, SBS6 and RTL 4 have all started testing within the Canal Digitaal package at 12344 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.The German digital platform Premiere has undergone a major shake-up where many channels have changed frequency from May 1. The current situation is: Hundert 6, Sky News, Fox News, Fox Kids Turkye and N24 have all left the bouquet. The remaining channels appear as follows: 11720 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Premiere Sport, Premiere Direkt 1, Premiere Direkt 2, Premiere Direkt 3, MCE audio channels; Country, Jazz, Volksmusik, Filmmusik, Musicals. 11758 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – K-Toon, Junior, Classica, Fox kids, Beate Uhse TV, 13th Street, Goldstar TV, Radio Goldstar. 11798 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Premiere Start, Premiere 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, MCE audio channels; Hitliste, Alternative Rock, Dance, Classic Rock, Deutsche Hits, Soul Classics, Gold, Easy Listening, Love Songs, Old Gold, Schlager. 12032 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Discovery Channel Deutschland, Premiere Nostalgie, Premiere Serie, Krimi & Co, Premiere Sport 2, Premiere Direkt 1, Premiere Direkt 2, Premiere Direkt 4, Premiere Erotik 1, MCE audio channels; Opera, Orchestrale Werke, Baroque, Turk Musiqi. 12070 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Premiere Direkt 4. 12090 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Planete, Disney Channel, Studio Universal, Sonneklar promo. Premiere has vacated 11914 MHz horizontal.
A – Tele5 launched on 11553 MHz horizontal in clear Pal with audio via the 7.02/7.20 MHz sub-carriers on 28 April. This is the German Tele 5 not to be confused with the Polish channel which goes by the same name. Radio Osterreich International has left 11141 MHz horizontal, home of Bayerisches Fernsehen, where it had been available in ADR mode on the 8.10 MHz sub-carrier.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2
D – There are two Israeli radio channels accompanying Canal 26 TV on 12628 MHz horizontal, SR 2221, FEC 1/2. They are Kol Hahesed – A4211 and Kol Hasimha – A4213. The Portuguese channel SIC International is providing some lengthy free-to-air spells on 12568 MHz horizontal, SR 2892, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. Liguria Sat was absent from 12704 MHz vertical, SR 3543, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 on 26 April but had returned by the following day. On 25-27th April RTL used 12541 and 12571 MHz horizontal, SR 11262, FEC 3/4 for their two feed streams from the Spanish F1 Grand Prix in Barcelona. Both streams were free-to-air on PIDs V308/33, A256/34 respectively.

13 degreesE:
Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5
D – Yet another Italian independent regional TV channel is about to appear on satellite. Calabria Sat is testing within the Croatian HRT package on 12520 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 52, APID 53. A free-to-air testcard has been present here for some days in readiness for an imminent launch. The American home shopping channel Telsell has joined the Slovenian package on 12303 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 205, APID 206 in clear MPEG-2. EuroMediterraneo is now free-to-air in this package via PIDs V248, A247. Vietnam’s VTV4 has left the RR Satellite Communications bouquet at 12220 MHz horizontal, SR 6159, FEC 3/4. New to Hotbird is the Syrian Satellite Channel, which has joined the GlobeCast package on 12380 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 3022, APID 3032 in free-to-air MPEG-2. MKTV is a newcomer to the Greek OTE bouquet at 12188 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via VPID 518, APID 656 replacing the stream share with CNBC Europe and National Geographic UK. Urdu language ARY Digital is free-to-air at times on 12476 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 650, APID 651 within the Belgacom multiplex. For the rest of the time it is encoded in Irdeto. MTV Nordic has joined the Viacom bouquet at 11242 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 163, APID 92 in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2. On the same frequency TMF (The Music Factory) Nederland has launched in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2 via VPID 161, APID 84. TMF is still available free-to-air via Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East, 11043 MHz horizontal, SR 4338, FEC 3/4. Purple Radio was replaced briefly by a new free-to-air service from Jazz FM 102.2 on 11642 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 1722 last week but Jazz FM had succumbed to BBC6 Music by last weekend. The Russian terrestrial TV channel RTV has joined the NTV package at 11938 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 163, APID 86. The channel, which is in the test phase at present and is airing old black and white movies, is free-to-air now but is very likely to encode in Viaccess in the near future. STN Radio, based in Mogadishu, Somalia, has opened in the GlobeCast package at 12597 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 2130 with programmes in the Somali language.
A – TVE Internacional is to cease analogue transmissions on 31 May. TVE was one of the first analogue TV channels to appear on satellite many years ago. The Spanish broadcaster is advising viewers to switch to their digital signal on Hotbird before the switch off date.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat W1
D – German horse racing was fed over 11183 MHz vertical, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195, ID:’D-169 GER’ in free-to-air MPEG-2 on 27 April at 15:25

5.2 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3 & Astra 1A
D – In the BT multiplex at 12150 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 there are now 10 active streams relaying BSTV testcards. The VPIDs are 101/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/110, APIDs 201/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/210, all in free-to-air MPEG-2. Three new Viasat sports channels have launched on 11785 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They are Hockey Xtra 1 – V8001, A8003; Hockey Xtra 2 – V8011, A8012 and Hockey Xtra 3 – V8021, A8022. All three are currently free-to-air but are likely to encode later. Channel D is free-to-air at times on 11375 MHz vertical, SR 2170, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 325 in MPEG-2/NTSC. B4U Movies Middle East is now encoded in Conax on 12453 MHz horizontal, SR 18056, FEC 3/4, VPID 800, APID 801in the Kingston/TLI multiplex after enjoying a considerable time in the clear.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707
D – The Norwegian all-news channel NRK Alltid Nyheter has joined the Telenor line-up on 12322 MHz horizontal, SR 27800, FEC 3/4, APID 660. Sarajevo based Mreza Plus has moved from 11618 MHz vertical to 11539 MHz vertical, SR 26000, FEC 3/4, VPID 513, APID 644 in clear MPEG-2. The English language Chinese TV channel, CCTV9, has launched on 11014 MHz horizontal, SR 26000, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 640 in clear MPEG-2 in the Canal Digital package.

4 degreesW:
Amos 1
D – Romania’s Bucuresti 1 TV has started regular programming on 11431 MHz horizontal, SR 9647, FEC 3/4, VPID 420, APID 421 in clear MPEG-2.

7 degreesW:
Nilesat 101 & 102
D – Libya’s Jamahiriya Satellite Channel has launched on 11785 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1005, APID 1006 in clear MPEG-2.

8 degreesW:
Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2
D – MBC from Middle East Broadcasting can be found on 12680 MHz horizontal, SR 2891, FEC 3/4 alongside MBC FM on APID 257. Both services are free-to-air. MBC has just completed a move from London to Dubai where the channel is to be based from now on. In parallel with PAS 10 at 68.5 degrees East, NASA TV is being temporarily relayed on 11147 MHz horizontal, SR 3220, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12
D – Radio Tangra appears to have left the UPD Direct multiplex at 11060 MHz horizontal, SR 18382, FEC 3/4. It is however still available alongside bTV at 10989 MHz vertical, SR 4031, FEC 5/6 via APID 81. Incidentally, bTV from Sofia, Bulgaria has started to encrypt some of it’s output where copyright restrictions apply. Farsi language Liberty TV has vacated 12600 MHz vertical.

23 degreesW:
NSS 7 (Temporary Position)
NSS 7 is temporarily parked here for in-orbit transponder soak tests prior to moving to its permanent slot at 21.5 degrees West where it will take over duties from both NSS K and Intelsat 803.

24.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 603
On the night of 4/5 June Intelsat 905 is set to blast off from Kourou aboard an Ariane 4 rocket. 905, which will replace 603 at this slot, carries 44 C-Band and 12 Ku-Band transponders.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A/B/C
D – Tribunal TV, Palomitas and Gran Via 3 have all left the Via Digital package at 11731 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. New arrivals here are Estudio de Actores – V4240, A4241 and CanalStar – V4176, A4177. Unfortunately these are encoded in Nagravision. Nueva Era has replaced the ‘Ocasional 1’ stream at 11771 MHz horizontal, SR 28121, FEC 5/6, VPID 1201, APID 1202 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

37.5 degreesW:
Telstar 11 & Columbia 515
D – Maharishi Open University USS has left the Maharishi package at 11535 MHz horizontal, SR 3123, FEC 7/8.

40.5 degreesW:
NSS 806
D – The Brazilian TV channel for tourists, Canal do Turista, has left the SerSat package on 3973 MHz RHCP, SR 26661, FEC 5/6, VPID 522, APID 760

58 degreesW:
PAS 9
D – The Mexican channel XHDF-Azteca 13 briefly left the package on 3840 MHz horizontal, SR 27690, FEC 7/8, VPID 1160, APID 1120 on or around 24 April but had returned by the 26th. This multiplex uses the American beam, which in addition to all of the U.S. and South America also covers Western Europe at a signal level of 32 dBW requiring a dish size of around 4.5-5 metres.