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Transponder Monitor

By Staff Writer | August 28, 2002

      Key:
      D – Digital
      A – Analogue

      90 degreesE:
      Yamal 102
      D Russia’s Radio Yunost (Youth Channel) has launched on 3530 MHz LHCP via APID 257 in clear MPEG-2.

      83 degreesE:
      Insat 2E & 3B
      D Doordarshan’s Telegu language service has replaced DD Metro on 3910 MHz vertical, SR 5000, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 650. This service is for the Andhra Pradesh region.
      A. The Doordarshan National service (DD1) on 3855 MHz vertical with audio via the 5.50 MHz sub-carrier which up to now has emanated from Delhi has been renamed DD1 Kolkata (Calcutta). At 3930 MHz vertical DD Metro has been replaced by DD Telegu.

      75 degreesE:
      LMI 1
      D Radio Vlaanderen International has replaced Radio Nederland Wereldomroep International in the Russian multiplex at 12605 MHz vertical, SR999, FEC 3/4, APID 4102, ID: ‘ResurS’. Note the exceptionally low Symbol Rate which some receivers will not be able to cope with.

      68.5 degreesE:
      PAS 7 & 10
      D China Radio International has joined the China Central Television CTV bouquet on 4090 MHz horizontal, SR 13240, FEC 3/4, APIDs 1122/1222 with programmes in various languages.
      From Dubai, Middle East Television (MET) is to launch a Malayalam language general entertainment TV channel for Kerala. The new channel will start on 1 November and will use PAS 10 capacity. Some programmes will be broadcast in the Tamil and Kannada languages to reach a wider audience in southern India.

      50 degreesE:
      Anatolia 1
      D The two Sky Racing streams continue here on 11129 MHz vertical, SR 4998, FEC 5/6 via VPIDs 512/513, APIDs 650/660. Unfortunately they are encoded on Irdeto 2. The only other regular occupants are SkyVision Ukraine on 11160 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 and the Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2 at 11118 MHz vertical, SR 3615, FEC 3/4.

      45 degreesE:
      Europe*Star 1
      D The Satvision Mediaport caption is now free-to-air on 11618 MHz vertical, SR 3320, FEC 5/6. A feed in MPEG 4:2:2 was observed at 06:55 on 19 August on 11521 MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘UKI-685 ISRAEL’.

      42 degreesE:
      Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1
      D Ulusal Kanal left 12581 MHz horizontal briefly last week though it could still be viewed on 12744 MHz horizontal, SR 2284, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256. However, it has since returned to the former frequency. A new-to-satellite horse racing channel from Turkey has appeared on 11485 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘Istanbul TJK’ in clear MPEG-2. Its called Turkiye Jokey Klubu (Turkish Jockey Club) which airs from 13:00-16:00 only. The Serbian TV channel, BK063, which can be found on Eutelsat Sesat at 36 degrees East and Hotbird at 13 degrees East, has launched here at 12590 MHz vertical, SR 3002, FEC 2/3, VPID 4194, APID 4195 in clear MPEG-2. ETV Anatalya and Eyilik FM are new on 12747 MHz horizontal, SR 2398, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APIDs 256/257 in parallel to their other outlets on 12548 MHz horizontal. In addition to 12739 MHz horizontal Ege TV and Radyo Ege can be found on 12553 MHz horizontal, SR 2400, FEC 7/8. Radyo Cool has been replaced by Radyo 24 on 10982 MHz horizontal, APID 35 in clear MPEG-2. The Eurasiasat promo channel which had been occupying 12047 MHz vertical has re-located to 12134 MHz vertical, SR 13020, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in free-to-air MPEG-2 via the Western beam.
      A Two Turkish radio stations are sharing the 7.74/7.92 MHz audio sub-carriers on the back of TRT3/Gap at 11465 MHz horizontal. They are TRT Radyo 4 (17:00-06:00) and TRT Gap Radyosu (06:00-17:00).

      40 degreesE:
      Express A1R
      A Strong signals have been received from this new craft on several frequencies as in-orbit transponder testing is carried out. 11475 MHz, 11525 MHz, 11575 MHz, 11625 MHz and 11675 MHz, all vertically polarised, have been active at various times over the past week.

      39 degreesE:
      Hellas Sat 1
      D The testcard continues to be displayed on 12658 MHz vertical, SR 5499, FEC 1/2, VPID 514, APID 670. Regular TV and radio transmissions from this satellite are not expected to commence until Spring, 2003.

      36 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W4 & Sesat
      D Motors TV has launched on 12610 MHz vertical, SR 2670, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APIDs 256/257 with audio in French and English.

      30.5 degreesE:
      Arabsat 2B
      A RTM Chaine Nationale from Morocco has launched via the 7.02 MHz audio sub-carrier on the back of RTM 1 at 3880 MHz RHCP.

      28.5 degreesE:
      Eurobird
      D The Chart Show Channel is testing on 11585 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2334, APID 2335 in clear MPEG-2. Another radio station, Stanice 0, is expected to join the CzechLink package at 12606 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 on 30 September. The existing radio services here are; Radiozurnal – A177; Radio Praha – A178; Vltava – A179; Radio Proglas – A180; Radio Praha – A181; Radio Svoboda Europe – A181 and Radio Regina – A182. All are free-to-air.

      28.2 degreesE:
      Astra 2A, 2B & 2D
      D BBC Radio 1Xtra has launched as expected on 11798 MHz horizontal via APID 2347, Sky Ch.919 in clear MPEG-2. Several channels in the UKTV package on 11817 MHz vertical have new PIDs. They are; UK Horizons – V2311, A2313; UK Drama – V2315, A2317; UK Gold – A2319, A2321; Play UK – V2323, A2325; UK Gold 2 – V2327, A2329 and UK Horizons+1 – V2331, A2333. The Sky Pub Channel has left 12266 MHz horizontal but continues on 12480 MHz vertical. The Mean Fiddler organisation had planned to launch a Country Music radio station via Sky Digital in the near future. It appears that the station, Ritz 1035, has serious financial difficulties so the launch is doubtful now. There are obviously not enough shopping channels for UK viewers! Another one, Yes (the name of the channel) is testing on 12343 MHz horizontal. No launch date has been announced. The channel does not appear in the Sky EPG yet but can be accessed via the ‘Other Channels’ option. The bingo channel Avago is to bow to public demand and extend its broadcasting hours to 12 hours a day. The channel will air from midday to midnight seven days a week. The ‘Simply TV’ group is expanding. The company has bought Einstein.tv, the science and technology channel which departed from the Sky line-up several weeks ago. Simply Einstein will arrive on our screens in the near future with programming sourced from Einstein-tv which continues to broadcast elsewhere in Europe. Also, Simply Nostalgia is due to launch on 9 September. As yet there are no details on this new channel available. Wonderful TV, aimed at Black and African viewers, has joined the Sky EPG at Ch.675.

      26 degreesE:
      Arabsat 2A & 3A
      D The Kuwaiti Main Arabic radio stream has been replaced by Modern Arabic Music 103.7FM in the Kuwait Television multiplex at 12549 MHz vertical, SR 8000, FEC 3/4, APID 405. MBC (Middle East Broadcasting) which until recently was based in London but now hails from Dubai is to launch an all-news channel next year. The channel is expected to use Arabsat, Hotbird and Nilesat capacity.
      A. Syria’s Radio Sout Al-Sha’ab has opened via the 7.20 MHz audio sub-carrier alongside Syria TV at 4085 MHz RHCP.

      21.5E:
      Eutelsat II-F3
      D EuroMed has launched on 11614 MHz horizontal, SR 3255, FEC 2/3, VPID 3105, APID 3106 in clear MPEG-2. As the tragic events in Soham, Cambridgeshire unfolded most UK broadcasters used Eutelsat II-F3 capacity for feed traffic from the area. On 18 August at 05:30 the BBC’s primary feed circuit from Soham was active on 12514 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, V4194, A4195, ID: ‘BBC UKI-777 P1’ in MPEG 4:2:2. At 06:05 on the same day 12534 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, V4194, A4195, ID: ‘BBC UKI613 P1’ was displaying this caption; ‘BBC UKI-613 +32475295174 DRESDEN’ over colour bars. At 07:00 a live report from Dresden for BBC World was relayed on this stream. A live feed from Soham church used 11087 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, V308, A256, ID: ‘5.632 Msym’ on the 18th at 06:50 for ITN. A caption here stated; ‘ITN LINKS UKI 506 +07801 641344’. A live shot of an unidentified Middle East location was fed over 12542 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195, ID: ‘DIGIT VIDEO’ for some considerable time on 19 August from 05:40. Also on the 19th, 11071 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, V308, A256, ID: ‘4.2.2 TX 8Mbits’ was active with colour bars and tone. 12514 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195, ID: ‘BBC UKI-777 P1’ carried a live report from Cambridgeshire Police HQ in Huntingdon for BBC Breakfast on the 19th at 06:40.

      19.2 degreesE:
      Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C
      D A promo channel for Veronica/Kindernet has launched on 12574 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, VPID 166, APID 104. Fox News Channel has joined the Canal Satelite Digital package at 10876 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 160, APID 80. CNN+ is new on 11686 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 169, APID 116 in Mediaguard encoded MPEG-2.

      16 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W2
      D NTV Hayat, a Sarajevo based TV channel, is to launch a satellite DTH service on 1 November. The channels airs a mix of news and current affairs, music, drama and games shows. Some of the output will be free-to-air at first but from 1 January, 2003 the channel will be completely encrypted which will cost subscribers *130 per year. On 17 August at 08:50 11051 MHz vertical, SR 6100, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘LINX 1’ was carrying a ‘CNN ROMA’ caption which cut to a relay of recorded video footage on the Pope’s visit to Krakow, Poland in MPEG-2/NTSC. Following the feed the stream was switched to colour bars overlaid with ‘VIDEO LOCK ERROR. LINX 1’. This was followed at 09:00 by a live piece to camera from Krakow which was aired in real time on CNN Europe. A live feed of the Pope in Gdansk where a Mass was being celebrated was carried on 11108 MHz horizontal, SR 5226, FEC 3/4, V308, A256, ID: ‘TVN24’ for the Polish channel TVN on 17 August at 09:15. Live aerial shots of the flooded River Elbe in south east Germany were fed over 12516 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V4194, A4195, ID: ‘RTL OFFROAD D220’ for RTL at 09:20 on the 17th. Recorded video footage from the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix was relayed on 12542 MHz horizontal, SR 11261, FEC 3/4, V33, A34, ID: ‘Service 1’ for RTL at 09:25, also on 17 August. RTL’s secondary feed from the Budapest circuit was at 12557 MHz horizontal, SR 11261, FEC 3/4. On 18 August at 09:45 a live report from Lakenheath for Sky News was carried on 12523 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘8 MHz SIS UKI 716 SIS8’. On the following day this stream was active once again, this time from Cambridgeshire Police HQ in Huntingdon for Sky News. A live shot of the makeshift flood defences in Budapest was fed over 12545 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, V4194, A4195, ID: ‘MCS SNG1’ at 06:50 on 19 August.

      13 degreesE:
      Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5
      D Hotbird 6 has been launched successfully. The new satellite, which will join the Hotbird constellation here, was carried into orbit by an Atlas launches following the launch from Cape Canaveral at 23:05 on 21 August. Hotbird is expected to be fully operational by late September. Hotbird 7, also destined for this slot, is set to lift-off in October. TGN Radio from Myanmar can be found within the Telespazio package at 12673 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APID 247. This station also broadcasts from Thaicom at 78.5 degrees East, 3600 MHz horizontal, SR 26000, FEC 3/4 with parallel programming. TGN Radio is an Army run station which is available in Bangkok on FM. Roman catholic station, Radio Vaticana Telepace, has joined the RAI package on 11804 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, APID 662 in free-to-air MPEG-2. A new Greek radio station has joined the NetMed line-up at 11823 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 721 entitled Strathmos 100.3FM. Asianet has joined the Iranian package on 12436 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 172, APID 179 in clear MPEG-2. This is the Malayalam language service for Kerala in south west India and carries local commercials for that region. This service is also available via Insat at 83 degrees East, 3645 MHz vertical, SR 19530, FEC 3/4. Bangla TV, which has been free-to-air in the GlobeCast package at 12380 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V3301, A3311, is encoded once again. TRT Tamil Oli radio has returned to this multiplex via APID 3532 following an absence of several weeks. Balkania TV is a newcomer in the Greek OTE digital platform at 12188 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 3969, FEC 3970. In the Deutsche Welle TV bouquet at 11196 MHz vertical, SR 9100, FEC 1/2 a new stream carrying DW programmes in the Dari and Pashtu languages for viewers in Afghanistan has launched via PIDs V111, A112. Deutsche Welle has an agreement with Afghanistan Television to provide programming for terrestrial viewing as homegrown output is virtually non-existent.

      10 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W1
      D The Turkish channels Samanyolu TV and Burc FM Xezer have returned to 11598 MHz vertical, SR 2200, FEC 5/6, VPID 308, APIDs 256/257 after a short break. At 10:05 on 18 August a feed was carried on 11003 MHz horizontal, SR 3101, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34, ID: ‘Service 1’. No video was present but background audio of a crowd was relayed on the stream.

      7 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W3
      D The EBU’s unilateral feed from Soham, Cambridgeshire was relayed on 10959 MHz horizontal, SR 6664, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘UKI 185 Path 1 IFB: +873762017433 EBU SOHAM’ in MPEG 4:2:0, not 4:2:2 as is usually employed by the EBU. Live coverage from a dressage event in Germany was fed over 10995 MHz vertical, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195, ID: ‘NDR U2’ in clear MPEG-2. This was aired live on NDR Fernsehen on Astra at 19.2 degrees East, 12110 MHz horizontal.

      5.2 degreesE:
      Sirius 2/3 & Astra 1A
      D Viasat Xtra 1-5, all PPV channels, have left 11996 MHz horizontal for 11785 MHz vertical, VPIDs 8000/8010/8020/8030/8040, APIDs 8001/8011/8021/8031/8041.

      4 degreesE:
      Eutelsat II-F2
      This satellite has now left the 4 degrees East slot and is drifting slowly eastwards. At present it is at approximately 15 degrees East.

      7 degreesW:
      Nilesat 101 & 102
      D The Blue Nile Channel has launched regular programming within the ADD package at 11804 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Unlike most of the other channels here, which are encoded in Irdeto, Blue Nile is currently free-to-air.

      21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
      NSS K & NSS 7
      D NSS 803 has now left this orbital slot and is moving slowly eastwards. In common with many streams TRI International has switched from NSS K to NSS 7 capacity. The channel is now using 11556 MHz vertical, SR 3330, FEC 3/4, VPID 352, APID 353, ID:’TRNI A’ in clear MPEG-2 via the European beam. The two stream package of African TV channels (Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal) has moved from 11685 MHz horizontal to 11003 MHz horizontal, SR 6509, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 4194/4226, APIDs 4195/4227, IDs:’Nations 1′ and ‘Nations 2’. Both channels remain free-to-air. In fact, on or around 20th August NSS K was devoid of any activity as all of its occupants decamped to the new NSS 7. The current situation regarding regular feed transponders is; 11012 MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4 – Digital Space Dublin; 11490 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – BT Washington/Reuters WNS; 11563 MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4 – Service 1; 11573 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – Reuters Washington; 11590 MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4 – Service 1; 11597 MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4 – n-tv Berlin/Channel 1; 11606 MHz horizontal, SR 4000, FEC 3/4 – Reuters WNS; 11616 MHz horizontal, SR 2665, FEC 3/4 – BT15; 11630 MHz horizontal, SR 9997, FEC 3/4 – BTNA Washington Stream 1; 11658 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – BTNA Washington Stream 1; 11670 MHz horizontal, SR 9998, FEC 3/4 – BTNA Washington Stream 1; 11675 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – SatCom Services BE; 11684 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – BTNA Washington Stream 3/BrightStar London; 11694 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 – Reuters Television Moscow 4/BTNA Washington Stream 1. Signal levels in the UK are slightly up compared to NSS K.

      27.5 degreesW:
      Intelsat 605
      D Intelsat 605 will be replaced by Intelsat 906 next month as this new craft is due to lift off from Kourou on 6 September. 906 will carry a payload of 42 C-Band and 14 Ku-Band transponders.

      30 degreesW:
      Hispasat 1A/B/C
      D Academia de Estrelas (Academy of the Stars) has left the Portuguese Cabo package at 12012 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4269, APID 4370 and has been replaced by a TVI Especial promo. Bloomberg TV UK has joined the Via Digital line-up at 11851 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4416, APID 4417 in Nagravision encoded MPEG-2.

      37.5 degreesW:
      Telstar 11 & Columbia 515
      D The racing/bookmakers channel TRN International has moved here from the 21 degrees West slot and can be seen in free-to-air MPEG-2 on 11568 MHz horizontal, SR 3329, FEC 3/4, VPID 352, APID 353, ID:’TRNI 1′.