Transponder Monitor

Key:

D – Digital
A – Analogue

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom 2&3
D – A new-to-satellite channel, Travel Thailand TV, has launched on 3574 MHz, SR 6310, FEC 1/2, VPID 512, APID 640 via Thaicom’s Regional beam. The footprint reaches from Indonesia in the East at 31dBW to eastern Iran. The beam is centred on Thailand at an EIRP of 37dBW.

75 degreesE:
LMI 1
A – Test transmissions are being carried out on 3860 MHz vertical in clear Pal. Some of the output carries the MCM logo from the French music channel. Audio is available via the 5.80 MHz sub-carrier. The five Israeli radio stations have returned to the audio baseband on the back of IBA Channel 3 at 12670 MHz horizontal. They are Reshet Bet – 7.38 MHz, Reshet Aleph – 7.56 MHz, Kol Hamusica – 7.74 MHz, Reshet Dalet – 7.92 MHz and Reshet Gimme – 8.10 MHz.

68.5 degreesE:
PAS 7 & 10
D – The new sports channel Ten Sports International from Taj Television based in Dubai (see Transponder Monitor 9 April) and aimed at an audience in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives is now encoded in Irdeto on 3808 MHz vertical, SR 12587, FEC 7/8, V32, A33 after an initial period in the clear. A curious promo channel entitled ‘The First African in Space’ has joined the MultiChoice Africa package at 3716 MHz vertical, SR 20600, FEC 3/4, VPID 518, APID 646 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

60 degreesE:
Intelsat 904
D – The Russian multiplex containing Radio Mayak 24, NTV and some occasional feed streams has moved from 11519 MHz vertical to 11524 MHz vertical, SR 10000, FEC 3/4. Kuban RTV, Radio Roks and Radio Mayak Kuban have left 11554 MHz vertical for 11490 MHz vertical, SR 5788, FEC 3/4, VPID 100, APIDs 101/102 in clear MPEG-2. Intelsat have signed a carriage deal with Katelco, a DTH provider in Kazakhstan, to provide up to 20 PPV channels in a new digital platform plus high speed Internet services. Intelsat 904 will be utilised for the new package.

50 degreesE:
Anatolia
D – SkyVision Ukraine has launched on 11168 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 8191. The channel appears to be in MPEG 4:2:2 with extensive pixelation of the picture.

45 degreesE:
Europe*Star 1
D – On 10 April at 17:05 11513 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID:’GLOBECAST AFRICA’ was relaying a caption stating ‘GLOBECAST MASTER CONTROL. GLOBECAST IFB 27(0)11 4824045. GLOBECAST CO-ORD 27 (0)11 4828224’ in clear MPEG-2.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1
D – A live feed of the Turkish version of Big Brother was fed over 12615 MHz horizontal, SR 3054, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in clear MPEG-2 on 10 April at 17:10 for Kanal 6. At the same time 12620 MHz horizontal, SR 3053, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID:’STAR7 SNG A’ was active with feed traffic in MPEG 4:2:2. and 12629 MHz horizontal, SR 2598, FEC 5/6, VPID 4194, APID 4195 was carrying colour bars without any ID in the EPG.
A – Turkish radio station Yon FM, which is available terrestrially in Istanbul on 96.6 MHz FM, has started on the 7.74 MHz audio sub-carrier via the Show TV transponder at 11048 MHz vertical in clear Pal.

36 degreesE:
Eutelsat W4 & Sesat
D – Morocco’s 2M National TV channel on 12685 MHz vertical, SR 4339, FEC 1/2, VPID 333, APID 800 which up to now has been encoded in MPEG-2/PowerVu is now free-to-air alongside Radio 2M Maroc on APID 801.

28.5 degreesE:
Eurobird
D – ‘At the Races’ has launched on 11508 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2321, APID 2333 in Videoguard encoded MPEG-2. The travel channel Thomas Cook TV has opened on 11546 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, Sky Digital Ch.652 in clear MPEG-2.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 2A, 2B & 2D
D – Jazz FM will be familiar to Band II FM listeners in the London area on 102.2 MHz. The station has just joined the Sky Digital line-up on 12324 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, APID 652. During the current test phase the station is free-to-air. The PIDs for Manchester United TV, also on 12324 MHz vertical, have been changed to V6144, A6145. National Geographic and National Geographic+ on 11856 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have changed their PIDs to V2308/2311, A2309/2312. Several channels in the Simply Shopping group have new PIDs on 12421 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3. The new parameters are; Simply Jewellery – V2306, A2307; Simply Music – V2308, A2309; HSE Shopping – V2310, A2312 and Simply Shop – V2317, A2318. BBC Radio Five Live has opened on 12441 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 in Videoguard encoded MPEG-2. BBC Sport are to set up a standalone interactive round- the-clock TV channel for the duration of the World Cup finals being held in Japan and South Korea in the Summer. The channel will be included in the Sky Digital line-up. As mentioned last time, Ireland’s RT… network has been carrying out test transmissions on 10744 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6. Unfortunately, although the contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has been finalised and full time transmissions have commenced, because of copyright issues RT…’s television services will not be made available to viewers outside Ireland. Only Sky Digital cards assigned to Irish postal addresses will be activated to receive the channels. RT… One, RT… Network 2, TV3 and TG4 are all up and running. However there is some good news for the large Irish population in the UK. RT…’s four radio services, Radio 1, 2FM, Lyric FM and the Gaelic language service Raidio Na Gaeltachta are all free-to-air.

23.5 degreesE:
Astra 3A
D – Astra 3A was initially parked at 24.2 degrees East for transponder test before being moved to its final position at 23.5 degrees east. Several regional opt-outs for the German network Sat 1 can be found here in the early evening as local news is fed into the network. 12606 MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, V33, A34 carries Sat 1 Rhineland- Palatinate; 12632 MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4 – Sat 1 Lower Saxony; 12683 MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4 – Sat 1 Schleswig-Holstein and 12707 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V512, A640 – Sat 1 Hesse. All are free-to-air. On 17 April for a few hours in the morning three encoded streams were fired up at 12572 MHz horizontal, SR 6108, FEC 1/2 carrying ‘ROW – English’ – V1160, A1120, ‘ROW – Spanish’ – V1160, A1122 and ‘ROW – ++Portuguese’ – V1160, A1123.

21.5E:
Eutelsat II-F3
D – The Albanian channel RTV21 has left 11106 MHz vertical, SR 4338, FEC 1/2 and has moved to Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East.
A – The sole analogue signal here came from Albania’s TV Shqiptar on 11593 MHz horizontal. Sadly this has now left Eutelsat II-F3.

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C
D – Two streams have been activated on 11596 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4 carrying testcards for Tele 5 and Polonia 1 via VPIDs 58/54, APIDs 65/57 in clear MPEG-2. Germany’s Sat 1 Osterreich service for Austria has opened on 12148 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1279, APID 1280 in Betacrypt encoded MPEG-2 within the Premiere package.
A – A promo for the Polish Tele 5 is being played out on 11552 MHz horizontal in readiness for the channel’s launch on 28 April. Tele 5 is also available via cable in a large number of Polish and German cities.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2
D – RTV21 has opened here on 11010 MHz horizontal, SR 3123, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 following their departure from Eutelsat II-F3 at 21.5 degrees East. Parameters for the Israeli TV channel Canal 26 on 12627 MHz vertical have been altered. The current numbers are; SR 2221, FEC 1/2, VPID 4194, APID 4195. The channel is free-to-air. Radio 10 can also be heard here on APID 4197 with Hebrew programming. Kurdistan TV is a newcomer at 11184 MHz horizontal, SR 2665, FEC 3/4, VPID 101, APID 102 in free-to-air MPEG-2. At 11016 MHz horizontal, SR 3125, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 Koha Vision has launched a new free-to-air service.

13 degreesE:
Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5
D – Two new Hotbird replacement craft are set to lift off this Summer. Hotbird 7, which will take over from Hotbird 3, takes to the skies on June 2 carrying 40 Ku-Band transponders. On 8 July Hotbird 6 is launched to replace Hotbird 5. The Tamil language Deepam TV is once again encoded in Viaccess following a brief period in the clear within the BT multiplex at 10722 MHz horizontal, SR 29900, FEC 3/4, VPID 1005, APID 1205. TRT Dish Asia, also aimed at Tamil speakers, is now encoded in Viaccess in the GlobeCast package at 11623 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 228, APID 248. A new financial channel is testing in the Greek NetMed bouquet at 12169 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 513, APID 660. A caption states ‘NOVA digital channel. The most valid financial analysis given by experts on the Greek and European economy as well as the best advice for investments – only on GBC and NOVA’. In the RR Satellite Communications line-up at 12220 MHz horizontal, SR 6160, FEC 3/4 Shofar Network from Israel is temporarily free-to-air via VPID 1057, APID 1058. A new erotic channel has joined the Spanish Telefonica package at 12092 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4660, APID 4661. It appears in the EPG as ‘Live Sex’ and carries free-to-air promos during the day. In the Italian Telespazio package on 12673 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Radio Juke Box has been replaced by Radio Sport Network via APID 408. Zee TV and Zee Cinema continue to have free weekends for viewers on 12476 MHz horizontal before returning to Irdeto encryption on Monday mornings. VTV4 has joined the RR Satellite Communications line-up at 12220 MHz horizontal, SR 6160, FEC 3/4, VPID 1057, APID 1058. The channel airs here from 16:00-00:00 nightly. The Urdu language channel ARY Digital UK is now encoded on 12476 MHz horizontal after a long period in the clear. B4U Movies UK on this frequency, which had been in the clear for a while, is now encoded on Irdeto. RAI Uno has launched via an additional stream on 11766 MHz, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 163, APID 92 in Mediaguard encoded MPEG-2.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat W1
D – On the STV Hazar stream at 11599 MHz vertical, SR 2199, FEC 5/6, VPID 308, APID 256 a caption for STV Xezer is in evidence. Alongside the video signal here Burc FM is present on APID 257 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Galaxie TV is encoded in Irdeto again on 12702 MHz vertical, SR 2963, FEC 3/4 after some time in the clear. The Turkish station NTV Radyo has replaced Radyo Eksen on 11015 MHz horizontal, SR 4268, FEC 3/4, APID 257.

7 degreesE:
Eutelsat W3
D – There have been a large number of changes in the BFBS multiplex for British forces overseas on 11323 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 1/2 – these are just some of them. ‘BFBS Radio 14’ has been replaced by ‘BFBS Radio 2′ on APID 464. ’19BELZ 20 BATUS’ for Belize has been replaced by ‘BFBS Radio 17′ on APID 467. ’02 M East’ replaces ’03 Cyprus stereo’ via APID 451. ‘Germany’ replaces ’03 Cyprus’ on APID 452. ’04 Germany’ has been replaced by ‘Contribution’ – A453. ’05 Europe’ has been superseded by ‘M.East’ – A454. On APID 456 ‘Bosnia’ can be heard on the left channel whilst ‘BFBS Radio 2’ occupies the right channel. ‘Navy’ has replaced ’11 G.Britain’ on A459. ‘Falk’ has been replaced by ‘G.Britain’ on APID 462. Also, BFBS Radio Brunei is new via APID 463. The Polish state TV channels, TVP 1, TVP 2 and TVP 3 Regionalna were free-to-air for a few days last week on 11175 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 bur have now returned to their normal encrypted state in Videoguard.

5 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3
D – TV3 Latvia is new on 11843 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 6231, APID 6232 within the TEM TV package for the Baltic states. Test transmissions from Sport Extra2 and Sport Extra 3 have been observed on 11785 MHz vertical, VPIDs 8011/8021, APIDs 8012/8022 in Viaccess encoded MPEG-2.

3 degreesE:
Telecom 2A
D – Although it is very quiet here now there is a little feed traffic to be found from time to time. GlobeCast occasional feed traffic (usually originating in France) can be seen on 12509 MHz vertical, SR 6283, FEC 7/8; 12518 MHz vertical, SR 6283, FEC 7/8 and on 12528 MHz vertical, SR 6283, FEC 7/8 in clear MPEG-2.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707
D – A new channel entitled Mediteve is testing on 12476 MHz horizontal, SR 27800, FEC 3/4, VPID 515, APID 648 in the Canal Digital package. It is encoded in Conax. Mediteve is a new interactive TV channel from Sweden’s TV4 with a heavy emphasis on SMS texting. On 11247 MHz vertical, SR 24500, FEC 7/8, VPID 523, APID 660 (Swedish audio), home of a Telenor package, a new stream entitled ‘WC Demo’ is testing accompanied by two additional language streams – Norwegian on A661 and Danish on A662. This would appear to be in readiness for the forthcoming soccer World Cup competition.
A – Some more D2 MAC channels are to bite the dust in the next few months. TV Norge are to close their outlet on 11421 MHz horizontal on 2 May and on 15 October NRK1 (11357 MHz horizontal), NRK2 (11325 MHz horizontal) and TV2 Norge (11727 MHz vertical) are all to closedown their D2 MAC services.

4 degreesW:
Amos 1
D – In the Romanian bouquet on 11432 MHz horizontal, SR 9650, FEC 3/4 a Bucuresti 1 TV testcard is new on VPID 420, APID 421 in Conax encoded MPEG-2. TMT has launched on 11347 MHz horizontal, SR 2800, FEC 7/8, VPID 4194, APID 4195 in clear MPEG-2. In the HBO package for cable headends on 11224 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 HBO Bulgaria has launched via VPID 1960, APID 1920 in MPEG-2/PowerVu

7 degreesW:
Nilesat 101 & 102
D – The Palestinian Satellite Channel on 11823 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 has changed PIDs to V3092, A3093.

11 degreesW:
Express 3A
D – The two Mediaset feed streams which moved here from Intelsat 901 at 18 degrees West recently have moved from 11585 MHz vertical to 11486 MHz vertical, SR 12853, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12
D – The Bulgarian channel BTV has launched on 10989 MHz vertical, SR 4031, FEC 5/6, VPID 862, APID 861 in clear MPEG-2. Also here is Radio Tangra on APID 81.

21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
NSS 803 & NSS K
D – NSS 7 blasted off from Kourou during the night of 16 April. It is heading for this geostationary slot where it will eventually take over from both NSS 803 and NSS K. It carries 36 C-Band and 36 Ku-Band transponders. A number of full time channels have appeared here in the Ku-Band of late. Some have stayed and some have gone. 11627 MHz horizontal, SR 2892, FEC 3/4 is the home of Sima-Yeh Azadi via PIDs V308, A256. APID 257 carries Radio Mohajed. Sat 7, Bangla TV, TransWorld Radio and The Storm occupy 11618 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 3001/3301, APIDs 3011/3311/3111/3211, all in clear MPEG-2. Incidentally, Sat 7 is a Christian Arabic language channel based in the UK. They are about to launch some Farsi language programming aimed at Iranian viewers. Still with Iran, what is probably one of the longest projects in history, the production and launch or Iran’s own broadcast satellite Zohreh (Venus) looks like it may finally happen. It appears that Iran is on the verge of signing an agreement with an unnamed Russian company to launch the craft in 2-3 years time. Possible geostationary slots for the satellite could be 26, 34, 41, 47, 59 or 61.5 degrees East, all of which Iran has reserved with the ITU although some of these reservations may have expired by now. Two Brazilian channels, Rede Gospel and Manchete Gospel FM were fired up very briefly on 12654 MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APIDs 4195 (left channel) & 4195 (right Channel) around 17 April but promptly left very soon after. However, on 13 April both channels returned are now running a full service.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A/B/C
D – The music channel Sol Musica Portugal is temporarily free-to-air in the Via Digital package on 11851 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4368, APID 4369. NTV has been replaced by BCP TV2 on 11811 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 5216, APID 5217 in the Portuguese TV Cabo package. On 12012 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, another TV Cabo multiplex, Canal Academia de Estralles (Star Academy) has launched in Nagravision encoded MPEG-2 via VPID 4369, APID 4370. In the Retevision bouquet at 11771 MHz horizontal, SR 28120, FEC 5/6 Barcelona based Flaix FM is carrying out occasional test transmissions via APID 2203 in clear MPEG-2. Programmes are in the Catalan language in addition to Spanish.

34.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 601
D – CBC-AM Francais has joined the Canadian Forces multiplex on 3721 MHz RHCP, SR 7898, FEC 1/2, APID 38. The Canadian Forces service is run on similar lines to the UK’s BFBS and supplies TV and radio services to Canadian military personnel stationed overseas.