Latest News

Transponder Monitor

By Staff Writer | August 27, 2003

      110.5ºE:
      Sinosat 1

      D Followers of the banned Falun Gong cult are being blamed for another satellite jamming incident in China. On 12 and 13 August programmes from the state TV channel CCTV plus China Education TV and some provincial stations, all on Sinosat, were badly interfered with by a suspected jamming signal. The Falun Gong were blamed for several similar occurrences between June and November last year.

      90ºE:
      Yamal 102

      D A TVS Urals testcard has opened on 3595 MHz LHCP, SR 4275, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. STS+7 [for far eastern Russia] on 3954 MHz RHCP, SR 5100, FEC 3/4, VPID 2160, APID 2120 is now in the clear.

      72ºE:
      PAS 4

      D The Italian channel RTB International has left 12674 MHz vertical and has relocated to NSS 7 at 22 degrees West.

      68.5ºE:
      PAS 7 & 10

      D Adventist TV Network has left 3496 MHz vertical, SR 6620, FEC 2/3. The Portuguese channels Mana Africa, Mana 2 and Radio Viva have launched on 12577 MHz vertical, SR 3378, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V1062/2062, APIDs 1063/2063/1065 in clear MPEG-2. Presumably they are present here to serve Mozambique and Angola, both Portuguese-speaking countries within Africa. The Mana channels can also be found on Hispasat at 30 degrees west. MENA, the Middle East News Agency, from Cairo has returned to 12716 MHz horizontal, SR 19255, FEC 3/4. This data service used to be available on shortwave before making the switch to satellite. Bop TV, which was originally founded to serve what was the independent state of Boputhatswana and is now part of South Africa, has closed down. The channel has left 11674 MHz vertical after being closed by its owners, SABC.

      64ºE:
      Intelsat 906

      D TVT from Tanzania has launched on 3890 MHz LHCP, SR 4445, FEC 1/2, VPID 4194, APID 4195 using 906’s South West Zone beam.

      62ºE:
      Intelsat 902

      D In common with their PAS 7 signal, Bop TV has left 3996 MHz LHCP.

      60ºE:
      Intelsat 904

      D A Russian TV channel, Nika TV, has launched on 10956 MHz vertical, SR 3665, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 in clear MPEG-2 via a Moscow beam.

      57ºE:
      NSS 703

      D The Star package containing Star Sport, Star World, Star Movies Middle East, CNBC, Viva Cinema and Granada UKTV has left 3822 MHz LHCP, SR 2600, FEC 3/4. Star Plus UK, Star News UK and Fox Sports Middle East can still be found on 11185 MHz vertical, SR 14000, FEC 3/4. This is the feeder service for Sky Digital at 28.2 degrees East.

      48ºE:
      Eutelsat II-F2

      D Gruppo EuroMedia, the radio package for Italy, has left 12525 MHz vertical, SR 1628, FEC 2/3. 102.5 hit Channel and RTL 102.5 have both vacated 12528 MHz vertical.

      45 degreesE:
      Europe*Star 1

      D The horse racing channel, Hipika TV, on 11617 MHz vertical, SR 1878, FEC 7/8 has changed PIDs to V100, A200.

      42ºE:
      Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1

      D Turkey’s Marmara TV has left 12633 MHz horizontal, SR 4800, FEC 5/6. Radyo King and Radyo Gold have left 11728 MHz vertical and Kiss FM has vacated 10956 MHz vertical. Lokum FM on 11728 MHz vertical is now encoded but on the other hand at 12652 MHz horizontal Joy FM is now in the clear. My Radyo and Istanbul FM appear to have left 12744 MHz. Radio station FG 93.7 has joined the line-up at 11858 MHz vertical, SR 2400, FEC 7/8, APID 259. Radyo Blue has left 12652 MHz horizontal and moved to 11728 MHz vertical, SR 27520, FEC 3/4 via APID 2050. In the DigiFunClub multiplex at 12652 MHz horizontal, SR 22500, FEC 5/6 Joy FM and Radyo Alaturka are encoded in Nagravision once again after a spell in the clear.

      36ºE:
      Eutelsat W4 & Sesat

      D The Russian channel, NTV, has been spending some time in the clear recently on 12399 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V320, A400. CaspioNet from Kazakhstan has moved to 12510 MHz horizontal, SR 4339, FEC 1/2 from 11141 MHz vertical, SR 2892, FEC 3/4.Teve Pika has left 11136 MHz vertical and has relocated to 12614 MHz horizontal, SR 2440, FEC 2/3, VPID 257, APID 258. Radio Bulgar 107.8 FM has joined Radio Bulgar 91.5 FM and Tartarstan Novy Vek Television on 12214 MHz LHCP, SR 4340, FEC 3/4 via APID 403 in free-to-air MPEG- 2. TV Damskii Klub has vacated 12233 MHz LHCP. Moscow-based Muz TV has launched on 12380 MHz LHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 326, APID 412 within the NTV+ bouquet. Up at 12399 MHz RHCP, SR 26480, FEC 1/2 – home of one of the MultiChoice Africa multiplexes – Radio Trojka is a new arrival via APID 427.

      33ºE:
      E-Bird

      The launch of E-Bird is set to take place between 8 and 15 September from Kourou. The payload is 33 Ku-Band transponders. E-Bird has four spot beams – Beam A delivers 52dBW to most of NW Europe, Beam B is centred on southern England, central Europe and Italy, Beam C covers northern Germany, Poland, southern Scandinavia and the Baltic States and Beam D centres on Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria. Insat E is also to launch at the same time and will be located at 55.1 degrees East.

      28.2ºE:
      Astra 2A, 2B & 2D & Eurobird 1

      D At the time of writing Zee Cinema is still free-to-air on 11973 MHz vertical despite the channel stating that they would encode again on 18 August. Gay TV has returned to 12510 MHz vertical, SR 2894, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 after a short break. BSkyB have completed a carriage deal with TV Espana International. From October Sky Digital Basic package subscribers will be able to watch TVE International on their set top boxes. TVE is only the second foreign language channel to join the bouquet. TV5 Europe from France joined in October, 2002. Bengali Radio has launched here and appears at Ch.907 in the Sky EPG. Paramount 2 is to launch next month and will not be a time-shifted version of Paramount. The channel is expected to occupy Ch.128. Sky News have re-introduced their on-screen news ticker for the duration of the Hutton Inquiry. The ticker was first seen during Gulf War 2. POP, the kids music and cartoon channel from Chart Show TV, are to launch a time-shifted version, POP Plus in early September. Classic video channel, The Vault, which currently airs between the hours of 20:00 and 06:00, is to go 24 hours from next month. Sky Digital’s first true African channel, NSAT [New South African Television] is set to launch on 22 September. The new channel will air soaps, dramas, movies, documentaries and comedy programmes targeted at African viewers in the UK. The Arrow, a rock radio station from the Chrysalis Group which is currently only available on DAB, is to launch here on 8 September.

      26ºE:
      Arabsat 2A, 2C & 3A

      D In the Arabsat package at 11746 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Holy Qur’an Radio via APID 4322 has been switched off and has been replaced with Main Arabic Programme and on APID 4330 Kuwait Radio 2 has been replaced by Arabic Music 103.7FM. Radio Sawa 3 has joined the Arabsat bouquet at 11938 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. This is one of the stations run by the US for the Middle East and the Gulf area. The Orbit Network is testing on 11727 MHz horizontal, SR 17420, FEC 3/4.

      25.8ºE:
      Arabsat 2D

      D As with Arabsat at 26 degrees East, Holy Qur’an Radio has been replaced by Arabic Music 103.7FM on 11559 MHz horizontal, SR 3000, FEC 3/4, APID 1151. The Arabic language home shopping channel, Thane Xpress Shop has been replaced by Thane International on 11585 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2460, APID 2420. Kuwait’s Space Channel has launched on 11000 MHz horizontal, SR 3500, FEC 3/4, VPID 300, APID 200 in free-to-air MPEG-2. A new multiplex has opened on 10971 MHz horizontal, SR 17775, FEC 3/4 containing al-Jazeera Satellite Channel – V512, A650; al-Jazeera testcard – V513, A660; al-Jazeera Sports testcard – V514, A670; al-Jazeera Documentary testcard – V515, A680; al-Jazeera Childrens testcard – V516, A690; Qatar TV – V517, A800; Sout al-Khaleej Radio 100.8 FM [Qatar] – A 51 and Qatar Radio – A701.

      A Qatar TV and Qatar Radio have left 10971 MHz horizontal where they had been available in clear PAL.

      21.5ºE:
      Eutelsat II-F3

      D Oasi TV has started test transmissions on 12726 MHz vertical, SR 3720, FEC 3/4, VPID 32, APID 33. Sardegna Uno Sat left 12706 MHz vertical for 12701 MHz vertical, SR 2196, FEC 2/3, VPID 3601, APID 3604 briefly last week but has now returnen

      19.2ºE:
      Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C

      D From Germany, an Otto Shopping testcard has appeared on 12670 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, VPID 1118 [no audio] in free-to-air MPEG-2. In the CanalSatellite France multiplex at 12402 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Fox Kids France is currently free-to-air. There are some new arrivals in the Deutsche Telekom package at 12633 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6. They are Hit Radio FFH Rhein-Main – A702; Planet Radio – A703 and Harmony FM – A704. All three are free-to-air.

      A Deutschland Radio Berlin has launched on 11494 MHz horizontal, 6.60 MHz in ADR mode.

      13ºE:
      Hotbird 1/2/3/4/6

      D Four new Asian channels are testing in the GlobeCast NE package on 10949 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They are Vectone Urdu – V6201, A6211; Vectone Bangla – V6301, A6311; Vectone Tamil – V6801, A6811 and Vectone Hindi – V6901, A6911. All are currently free-to-air. On the same frequency Babe TV/Friendly TV is in the clear via PIDs V6701, A6711. TV5 [Poland] has joined the PolSat bouquet at 12322 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V353, A354. TV Moda, the Italian fashion channel, has left the Telespazio package at 12673 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Oasi TV has started tests on 12303 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – home of the RTV Slovenija package. The output here is in parallel with the channel’s outlet on Eutelsat II-F3 at 21.5 degrees East. Ceylon TV is switching in and out of encryption in the BT package at 11137 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The Satisfaction Channel promo has vacated 11221 MHz horizontal. The prize for this issues silliest genre goes to Ceramicanda, a channel aimed at cementing the bond between the ceramic industries in Italy and Spain, has started test transmissions on 12111 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 260, APID 261 within the Telespazio package. RAI International and RAI International SatelRadio are new on 11381 MHz vertical, SR 4400, FEC 7/8, VPID 100, APIDs 36/37 in NTL-RAS encoded MPEG-2. MTV Hits and MTV Brand New testcards have appeared in the SkyItalia package at 11900 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 160/161, APIDs 70/74. These channels are to join the basic SkyItalia package along with Italian Teen TV, Games Portal, Fox XS, The Biography Channel and Sky Sports 3. Noello Sat has been replaced by Noello Gold on 11200 MHz vertical, VPID 392, APID 393. The four Vectone test streams which have just started on Astra at 28.2 degrees East for Asian viewers have also launched here, on 10949 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 7453/7454/7459/7460, APIDs 6211/6311/6811/6911 in the GlobeCast package. DAN Cinema from the Jaya TV Group is about to launch on 11137 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via VPID 526, APID 646. The channel will air non-stop movies from Southern India in the Tamil and Malayalam languages. A new radio station from Algeria entitled al-Salam [The Peace] has been heard testing on 12597 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in the GlobeCast package. The station’s stance is decidedly anti the current Algerian regime. RTB International has moved from 12303 MHz vertical to 11137 MHz horizontal. TV Nacional de Chile has launched on 12111 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 230, APID 231 in clear MPEG-2. Tamil TV Network is encoded again in the GlobeCast package at 12245 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The Network Teleport Italia promo channel has been replaced by an Iride testcard on 11200 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 5/6 via PIDs V388, A389. In the same multiplex a Roma Sat testcard has appeared via PIDs V405, A406. The Mediaset channel Italia 1 has launched on 11387 MHz horizontal, SR 26180, FEC 1/2, VPID 512, APID 640.

      A The transponder share of CTV, Mezopotamya TV and Medya TV has left 10853 MHz horizontal where it had been available in clear PAL.

      10ºE:
      Eutelsat W1

      D The Iraqi broadcasts from IMN continue to be seen on 11103 MHz horizontal, SR 2790, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. The channel airs daily from 11:00-21:00. IMN Radio can be heard via APID 257.

      7ºE:
      Eutelsat W3

      D Sky Turk has opened on 11673 MHz horizontal, SR 2500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V288, A304 in clear MPEG-2. Expo Channel TV, Pro Sieben Schweiz, Sat 1 Osterreich and the 25 audio channels left 11688 MHz horizontal for a day or two last week but have now returnen This frequency is also used for occasional feed traffic with the parameters; SR 4444, FEC 5/6. ElmaVision has joined the DigiTurk package at 11534 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPID 2106, APID 2206 in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2.

      5ºE:
      Sirius 2 & 3, Astra 1A

      D UK radio station, Capital Gold 1548 joined the Kingston Inmedia line-up last week on 12111 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 5/6 via APID 4657. However, their stay was short- lived and very soon afterwards the station was removed from the multiplex. On the same frequency, Smash Hits has launched via APID 4659 in clear MPEG-2. BizarNet, a Romanian IP data stream, has opened on 11721 MHz horizontal, SR 17140, FEC 3/4. TV 1000 2 is currently free-to-air in the Viasat package at 12034 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 3101, APIDs 3102 [Swedish]/3103 [Norwegian]/3104 [Danish]/3105 [Finnish].

      0.8º/1ºW:
      Thor 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707

      D A testcard has appeared on 10987 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPID 300, APID 200, ID:’24Nordjysk’ in free-to-air MPEG-2. Diema 2 has joined the Bulgarian bouquet on 12169 MHz horizontal, SR 28000, FEC 7/8, VPID 523, APID 724 in clear MPEG-2.

      5ºW:
      Telecom 2C & Atlantic Bird 3

      D Several of the US-based Iranian channels here have changed PIDs. On 12668 MHz horizontal, SR 30000, FEC 5/6 Jaam-e-Jam International has now V264, A265; Tapesh – V262, A263; Tamasha promo – V258, A259 and Iran Television Network – V256, A257. All are free-to-air.

      7ºW:
      Nilesat 101 & 102

      D Shopping channel Thane International has been replaced by al-Thurayah on 11823 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1020, APID 1023. Radio Oman FM and Oman Youth Programme have launched on 11823 MHz vertical via APIDs 1124/1026. Radio Sawa 3 has joined the Egyptian ERTU package at 11843 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APID 2012.

      8ºW:
      Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2

      D IP service D-Star has launched on 12651 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 5/6. RTNC, Radio Télévision Nationale Congolaise, has returned to 12553 MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in clear MPEG-2 following a short break. An ABS-CBN multiplex opened on 12711 MHz horizontal, SR 26250, FEC 2/3 last week but then promptly disappearen It contained The Filipino Channel Middle East, ABS-CBN News Channel, Cinema One, Pinoy Central TV, DZMM-Radyo Patrol and WRR 101.9 For Life. Ethiopia’s ETV has returned to 12553 MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 1260, APID 1220 after a brief absence.

      15ºW:
      Telstar 12

      D i-Net Radio has joined the line-up within the ESPN cable package on 12525 MHz vertical, SR 26465, FEC 3/4 via APID 1830. This package is encoded in MPEG-2/PowerVu. National Geographic Channel Romania has left the UPC bouquet at 11124 MHz horizontal, SR 18382, FEC 3/4. According to Iranian and Cuban sources the recent alleged jamming incidents involving some of the US-based Iranian channels which use Telstar 12 capacity are the work of Iranian activists who work out of the diplomatic missions in and around Havana. There is a new Loral Skynet testcard in evidence on 11505 MHz horizontal, SR 6620, FEC 2/3, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in clear MPEG-2.

      22ºW:
      NSS 7

      D Radio Congo has returned to 4055 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 7/8 via APID 147 within the GlobeCast package. In the CFI digital platform an Africa Direct testcard has appeared in free-to-air MPEG.2 at 3756 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 921, APID 931. RTB International has launched on 11621 MHz horizontal, SR 2000, FEC 7/8, VPID 3105, APID 3106 in free- to-air MPEG-2. During the afternoon of 22 August The History Channel was fed over the BT Washington feed stream at 11684 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. Although the programming carried the original English language soundtrack the commercials were in Arabic.

      58ºW:
      PAS 9

      D Bloomberg TV USA has launched on 11505 MHz horizontal, SR 5698, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in clear MPEG-2/NTSC under the ID:’Maxat’. However the signal is intermittent and is not available for long periods of time.