TRANSPONDER MONITOR

Key:
D – Digital
A – Analogue

100.5 degreesE:
Asiasat-2
D – AsiaSat has ordered AsiaSat-4 from Hughes Space and Communications International. The new craft, positioned at 122 degrees East, is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2002. It will carry 28 C-Band and 20 Ku-Band transponders.

80 degreesE:
Express-6A
D – There have been some changes to the Russian package on 4173MHz RHCP, SR 20251, FEC 3/4. The new line-up is; RenTV 7 – V204, A404, RenTV 4 – V203, A403, RenTV 0 – V201, A401, RenTV 2 – V202, A402. All of the channels here are free-to-air. The Ren channels have moved here from Gorizont-31 at 40 degrees East.

68.5 degreesE:
PAS-4 & 7
D – The Indian movie channel, Bollywood 4U Movies has joined the BBC package on 3741MHz horizontal, SR 19846, FEC 7/8, VPID 2560, APID 2520 in free-to-air MPEG-2. On VPID 2260, APID 2220 on the same frequency a Tower Broadcast Centre, London animated caption is in evidence. China Central Television (CCTV) is to launch a new channel, CCTV 9, on September 25. It will be a news/cultural English language channel for domestic and overseas viewers. CCTV 9 will join CCTV’s multiplex here and their other digital packages available from a number of satellites covering the globe. A new multiplex has opened on 11525MHz vertical, SR 23000, FEC 3/4 via PAS-4’s European beam. The line-up is; Fox News Channel – V33, A34, Star News – V1057, A1058, Star Plus – V4129, A4130 and the music channel, Channel V India – V5153, A5154. This bouquet is probably used to supply the ART multiplex on Arabsat-2A at 12646MHz horizontal. All of these channels are in the clear at present but will certainly encode in the near future. Doordarshan’s DD2 Metro service has launched on 4033MHz vertical, SR 19556, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V515, A680 where it joins four other Doordarshan channels.

64 degreesE:
Intelsat-804
D – Olympic feeds from Sydney are carried over 3830MHz LHCP, SR 13330, FEC 7/8 in MPEG 4:2:2 for ITC Sydney.

62 degreesE:
Intelsat-602
A – 4166MHz RHCP carried a feed for ANI India on September 12 at 12:35 from Israel via the Reuters bureau in Jerusalem in clear Pal. On September 16 a live report from the Olympics for Doordarshan TV was relayed on 4166MHz RHCP from 1720. One hour later a report from the Philippines on the hostage situation there was fed over 4188MHz RHCP in clear NTSC with French commentary.

60 degreesE:
Intelsat-604
D – The Russian domestic radio station Radio Mayak (Lighthouse) has launched on 11554MHz vertical via APID 102 in clear MPEG-2.

A – Coverage of the Bangladesh v Thailand soccer match was fed over 4188MHz RHCP in free-to-air Pal on September 12 from 13:00. At the same time the other feed transponder, 4166MHz , was relaying a feed from Australia for Greek channel Alpha.

56 degreesE:
Most-1
D – On 12476MHz RHCP four Russian radio stations have started in free-to-air MPEG-2 to provide coverage for areas left without a terrestrial signal after the Ostankino Tower fire. They are Serebryany Dozhd (Silver Rain) – A426, Radio RDV – A427, Ekho Moscvy – A428 and Sport FM – A429.

42 degreesE:
Turksat-1C
A – Turkish radio station Radyo Kent launched on the back of Cine 5 at 11006MHz vertical via the 8.10/8.28MHz audio subcarriers. Also, up at 11568MHz vertical, TV channel Kanal D has been joined by Radyo D on the 7.02/7.20MHz subcarriers.

36 degreesE:
Eutelsat-W4 & Sesat
D – Presumably as a consequence of the recent Ostankino TV tower fire in Moscow some of the TV channels contained within the various NTV Russia packages are currently free-to- air. 12322MHz RHCP has Ostankino’s ORT1 in the clear on PIDs V325, A410, 12399MHz RHCP has NTV clear via V320, A400, TNT – V321, A402 and Kultura – V324, A408. 12456 MHzLHCP has TV Tsentr on PIDs V325, A410 and 12476MHz RHCP is carrying TV6 Moskva on PIDs V324, A406. On 12245MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 there is a new STS 8 testcard on PIDs V160, A80. An exact copy of the new audio multiplex containing four Russian radio stations occupying 12476MHz RHCP on Most-1 at 56 degrees east has launched on 12399MHz RHCP here.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra-1D/2A & 2B
D – Astra-2B was launched from Kourou on September 14 at 22:54. The new satellite will co-locate here with Astra-1D and 2A. It carries 30 Ku-Band transponders, which will operate in the range 11700-12750MHz bringing the total number of possible transponders at this geostationary slot to 56. An Extreme Sports testcard has started on 11954MHz horizontal in readiness for a regular service in the near future. The parameters are; VPID 2328, APID 2330, Channel 422 in the Sky Digital EPG. The Community Channel has launched on 12188MHz horizontal, VPID 2308, APID 2309, Ch.655 in the Sky EPG. However transmissions here are somewhat erratic with the channel absent at times for extended periods. Anjuman TV is a new Urdu language channel which has just started testing on 12402MHz vertical, VPID 2318, APID 2319, Channel 693. The channel claims, in a scrolling caption at the bottom of the screen, that it is the first global digital Urdu language channel. The Description for the Blind TV (DBTV) test transmissions appear to have left 12207MHz. Sky News Ireland has started on a new stream at 12480MHz vertical, VPID 2311, APID 2312, Channel 501. This replaces the Sky Sports Extra Angle channels which had occupied this frequency. U Direct Sport on 12324MHz vertical, VPID 2313, APID 2314, Channel 510, has been replaced by CNBC Europe. The new channel for job hunters, TV Jobshop, has started regular programming on 12032MHz horizontal, VPID 2316, APID 2318. There is a new testcard from home shopping channel QVC on 12032MHz horizontal, VPID 2326, APID 2327 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat-2A & 3A
D – 12646MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 is sporting a new multiplex of Arabic channels. The line-up is Bahrain TV, MBC, Saudi Channel 1, Saudi Channel 2, TV5 Orient, Abu Dhabi TV, Arab News Network and the Palestine Satellite Channel. All of these are available in free-to-air MPEG-2. The Lebanese channel, Tele Liban, has launched via a new stream on 12540MHz vertical. A new platform for ART has opened on 12646MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. It contains Star News – V512, A650, Star Plus – V513, A660, Channel V India – V514, A670, Fox News Channel – V515, A680 and Bloomberg TV UK – V516, A690. The channels here are encoded in Irdeto. B4U Music and the French music channel MCM have launched on 12563MHz horizontal, VPIDs 515/519, APIDs 680/720 in Irdeto encoded Irdeto. Lebanese channels Future TV and Future TV USA have opened on 3875MHz LHCP, SR 5613, FEC 2/3, VPIDs 61/63, APIDs 62/64 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The Iraq Satellite Channel has started via a SCPC carrier on 11950MHz vertical, SR 4000, FEC 3/4, VPID 4130, APID 4131 in clear MPEG- 2.

A – Al-Manar TV from Lebanon has replaced JSC (Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel from Qatar) on 11825MHz vertical in clear Pal. Subsequently, Al-Manar vacated 11938MHz vertical. This transponder has since been taken over by Iraq Satellite Channel in clear Pal with audio via the 6.60MHz subcarrier. It is accompanied by several radio stations: Al-Iraq (7.02MHz), Izaat Sawt Alshabah (7.20MHz) and Radio Iraq International (7.38MHz).

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1A-C & E-H
D – The French movie channel, Allo Cine TV, has started regular programming after a short period of test transmissions on 11739MHz, VPID 167, APID 108 in Mediaguard/Viaccess encoded MPEG-2 within the Canal Satellite Numerique digital platform. Canal festival from France has left 12012MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 162, APID 88 simulcrypt in Mediaguard and Viaccess. Also on this frequency the French domestic channels France 2 and France 3 have started via PIDs V160/161, A80/84 in Mediaguard encoded MPEG-2. A new test channel has joined the ARD digital platform on 11837MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 101, APID 102. It is identified in the EPG as “Test-R”.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat-W2
D – TV Romania International has left 11178MHz vertical from where it had been broadcasting in clear Pal for some considerable time. The channel is now available via a digital multiplex on 12715MHz vertical here and via 11623MHz vertical on Hotbird at 13 degrees East.

13 degreesE:
Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D – In the OTE package from Greece on 12188MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, Nitro, a new radio station has launched via APID 754. It replaces “TEST01”. Also, Network Satellite Radio appears to have left APID 661 in the same multiplex, or at least is suffering from some technical problems. There is a new French radio service testing within the TPS package on 10910MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC _. On APID 934 a test for MFM is being carried out prior to a full service here. The Tamil language Deepam TV on 10722MHz horizontal is once again free-to-air after a short period of encryption. Monte Carlo Sat has launched in the Italian Telespazio multiplex on 12111MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC _ via PIDs V280, A301 in clear MPEG-2. This stream was formerly occupied by Tirreno Sat. Discovery Civilisation and Discovery Sci-Trek have launched in MPEG-2/PowerVu on 11304MHz horizontal, VPIDs 1060/1960, APID 1020/1922. Italian parliamentary channel, Camera dei Deputati, has returned to 11804MHz vertical, VPID 517, APID 655. Presumably its absence was due to the Summer recess. Sicilian channel SicilSat has disappeared from 12303MHz vertical. A testcard is being displayed there in its place. Voice of Hope, Voice of Vietnam, Israel Radio International and Reshet Alef have all moved here from Eutelsat-W2 at 16 degrees East and can be found on 12220MHz horizontal in free-to-air MPEG-2. As reality quiz TV spreads throughout Europe and beyond a Grande Fratello (Big Brother) testcard appeared on 11977MHz horizontal, VPID 522, APID 755 last week. This has now been replaced by five streams encoded in Irdeto entitled Grande Fratello Scena A, Scena B etc. through to Scena E. The PIDs are; V522-526, A750-754.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat-II-F4 & W1
D – Eutelsat-W1, the newest craft in the ever increasing Eutelsat fleet, was successfully launched from Kourou aboard an Ariane 44P rocket at 2233 on September 7. W1 will enter service next month at 10 degrees East providing a mix of TV, radio, Internet and data services to Europe and South Africa via its 28 Ku-Band transponders. Monte Carlo Sat has launched on 12626MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 2/3, VPID 5121, APID 5122 in clear MPEG-2.

A – An analogue feed for TVE Catalunya from Barcelona was fed over 11615MHz vertical at 1805 on September 11 in clear Pal. The Turkish channel Samanyolu TV has been renamed Samanyolu TV World on 11603MHz horizontal in clear Pal.

5 degreesE:
Sirius-2/3
D – The Middle East version of B4U on 12453MHz horizontal is now encoded in Conax. The live shot of the Malmo, Sweden skyline which was present here for a while last year returned to 12380MHz horizontal, VPID 50, APID 51 for a brief spell last week but has now left. All of the TV 1000 channels, which started on 12034MHz horizontal recently, are now encoded in Viaccess. The Scandinavian horse racing service, TeleToto has replaced the SIS Intertrack service on 12335MHz horizontal, VPID 2360, APID 2320 in clear MPEG-2. Soccer channels Goal Show Danmark, Goal Show Sverige and Goal Show Norge have launched on 11996MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 4001/4011/4021, APIDs 4002/4012/4022. They are all currently free-to-air but will no doubt encode very soon. The UK version of the Playboy Channel has opened on 12303MHz vertical, VPID 519, APID 660 in MPEG-2 with Conax encryption.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat-707
D – Sony Entertainment TV has launched on 11174MHz horizontal, SR 22500, FEC 2/3 in clear MPEG-2. The programming is in parallel with SET’s Astra 28.2 degrees East outlet on 11973MHz vertical but is not the same as the SET service available via PAS-4 at 68.5 degrees East. SET has also launched on 11996MHz horizontal, VPID 516, APID 676 in clear MPEG-2 via Intelsat-707’s Nordic beam. At 11309MHz vertical CNBC Europe has been replaced by CNBC Nordic. A new channel has joined the Bulgarian platform on 12169MHz horizontal. It is Kanal 3, also from Bulgaria, on VPID 517, APID 660 in free-to-air MPEG-2. B4U Movies has encoded in Conax on 11174MHz horizontal.

A – Radio Télévision Gabonaise from the west African state of Gabon has launched two channels on 3800MHz LHCP and 4000MHz LHCP in clear Secam. RTG 1 is on the former frequency whilst RTG 2 can be found on the latter. These are direct relays of the country’s two terrestrial channels. Audio for both channels is available via the 6.20MHz sub-carriers.

5 degreesW:
Telecom-2B
D – A Belgian radio station, 4FM, has launched on 12711MHz horizontal, APID 2436, in clear MPEG-2. This station has also opened via a Kopernikus DFS-2 stream at 28 degrees East on 12514MHz vertical, APID 4132.

7 degreesW:
Nilesat-101 & 102
D – Nilesat-102, which was launched on August 17, has commenced in-orbit transponder soak tests now that it has arrived at this slot. Strong unmodulated carriers have been observed in the UK on 12130MHz vertical. Six of the satellites transponders have been leased which will carry more Showtime and ART channels, six Orbit channels, six Lebanese channels, Abu Dhabi and Dubai TV and radio plus more. EuroNews, Tamima Shopping Channel and Nile News will all launch via 102 on analogue transponders. Two transponders have been reserved for Internet services but no 2-way Internet capacity is available. Nilesat-102 also carries some Skyplex capacity which allows the onboard multiplexing of TV and radio signals. Showtime have launched a new digital multiplex on 11862MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 containing Showtime promo – V1100, A1101, Abu Dhabi TV testcard – V1102, A1103 and Abu Dhabi Sports – V1104, A1105. This is a test transmission in readiness for the start of operations by Nilesat-102. Once operational the multiplex will switch to the new satellite. The line-up on the Lebanese platform at 12054MHz vertical has changed. It is now Tele Liban – V2000, A3000, NBN – V2001, A3002, MTV Liban – V2002, A3004 and a promo channel – V2003, A3006. Tunisia and Libya are to join forces to launch a joint satellite TV channel based in Tunis.

A – The Iraq satellite Channel has vacated 11862MHz vertical following its move to Arabsat-3A at 26 degrees East.

8 degreesW:
Telecom-2A/D
D – The three French domestic radio stations France Bleu, France Info and Sophia remain free-to-air on 12627MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 on APIDs 943, 944 and 945 respectively. France Bleu was previously known as Radio France. France Info is a domestic all-news channel. Live coverage of the Italian F1 Grand Prix from the Monza circuit was fed over 12526MHz vertical, SR 6854, FEC 7/8 in clear MPEG-2 on September 10.

11 degreesW:
Express-3A
D – Radio Beograd 101 and 102 have been replaced by Radio Beograd 2 on APID 1538 in the Serbian multiplex on 11518MHz vertical. RTS Sat has started to use an additional stream here on PIDs V1281, A1282. Radio Beograd 101 and 202 have returned on APID 1030. Serbian TV channel VNS, which airs a mix of programmes from various independent TV channels, has launched within the RTS multiplex via PIDs V1537, A1538 in clear MPEG-2.

15 degreesW:
Telstar-12
D – The parameters for the Taiwanese channel, Tzu Chi TV on 12620MHz horizontal have altered slightly. They are now SR 2842, FEC 1/2.

18 degreesW:
Intelsat-705
A – A report from the Reuters New York bureau for an unidentified Arabic channel was fed over 4166MHz RHCP in clear NTSC at 1835 on September 14. At 11:40 on this day, a press conference attended by the Saudi Arabian leader was fed over 4188MHz RHCP in free-to-air Pal. During the evening of the same day 4166MHz RHCP carried a string of second hop live reports from the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games for an unidentified US channel, Russian Public Television RTR, ARD, Doordarshan and RTM Morocco amongst others.

21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
NSS-803 & NSS-K
D – A Hallmark Entertainment digital bouquet is testing intermittently on 11532MHz horizontal, SR 14999, FEC 3/4 in MPEG-2/PowerVu.

27.5 degreesW:
Intelsat-605
D – Sky Sports 2 was fed over one of the BT streams (BT4) on 10977MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 on September 12 at 09:20. The following day the BT5 stream on 10964MHz stream was relaying the Discovery Channel in clear MPEG-2 via PIDs V308, A256 at around 20:20. At 18:00 on September 13 the BT4 stream on 10977MHz horizontal was used to play out UK-based music channel Kiss TV.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat-1A/B/C
D – A live lottery show from Valencia was fed over 11573MHz vertical, SR 5786, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in free-to-air MPEG-2 on September 9 at 17:45.