Key:
D – Digital
A – Analogue

78.58E:
Thaicom-2&3
D – Tara, a new Bangla language channel, has launched on 3555MHz vertical, SR 13333, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 640 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The channel, which is based in Calcutta, is targeted at Bengalis living in West Bengal, Bangladesh and further afield. It will carry news and current affairs programmes, movies and programmes for children. Makedonska TV from Macedonia has opened here at 3640MHz horizontal, SR 14346, FEC 1/2, VPID 512, APID 640 in parallel to the channel’s Eutelsat Hot Bird outlet. Thaicom is being used to feed the signal to Australia where there is a large Macedonian population.

76.5 degreesE
Apstar-2R
A – Madagascar’s TV Malagasy has started here on 3780MHz vertical in clear Secam with audio at 5.80MHz. The channel is still available from LMI-1, which is located “next door” at 75 degrees East. The signal from Apstar is many dBs down on the LMI-1 signal in Europe.

68.58E:
PAS-4 & 7
D – Bollywood 4U Music has joined the BBC digital platform at 3741MHz, SR 19846, FEC 7/8. The channel is listed in the EPG as “Sig2Enc4” and is broadcasting in free-to-air MPEG-2. Presumably this outlet for B4U Music is used to supply the channel’s new relay via Astra at 28.2 degrees East.
A – The audio of India’s Doordarshan TV moved from 6.30MHz to 5.80MHz on 4155MHz vertical for a few days recently but has now returned to the former subcarrier so this was probably a switching error at the MCR. Doordarshan broadcasts in clear Pal on 4155MHz vertical.

648E:
Intelsat-804
D – An additional stream has joined TV Africa 1 on 3662MHz horizontal, SR 5741, FEC 2/3 on PIDs V258, A8190. It is identified in the EPG as Africa 2. Both the TV Africa 1 and TV Africa 2 streams were running identical programming at first but the second channel is now airing it’s own output.

628E:
Intelsat 602
A – Motorcycle racing from Italy was fed over 4188MHz RHCP on April 29 at 1215 in clear NTSC. This was likely to be an eastbound feed destined for Japan as NTSC is used there extensively.

57 degreesE:
NSS 703
A – RTNC from the Democratic Republic of Congo was experimenting with encryption recently on 3780MHz RHCP. The channel, which makes for some interesting viewing, can be well received in Europe with a dish size of 1.5 metres plus.

48 degreesE
Eutelsat II F1
D – Three new channels have appeared here. Countdown TV has launched on 11090MHz horizontal, SR 1665, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195. Magic TV is new on 11095MHz horizontal, SR 2359, FEC 2/3, VPID 4194, APID 4195 and SicilSat has started on 11105MHz horizontal, SR 1627, FEC 1/2, VPID 4194, APID 4195. All of these are available in free-to-air MPEG-2.

368E:
Gals 1/2, Most 1, Eutelsat II F3
D – Eutelsat’s Sesat was successfully launched on board a Proton launcher on April 17 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The new craft is expected to enter service at this geostationary slot in June. Sesat carries a payload of 18 Ku-Band transponders, which are configured for either widebeam for Europe, western Siberia, North Africa and the Middle East or a steerable spotbeam, which can reach right down to the Indian subcontinent. Eutelsat’s W4 craft, which is slated for a launch from Cape Canaveral this month, will also be located at 36 degrees East. KurdSat briefly moved from 11013MHz horizontal to 11555MHz vertical two weeks ago but has now returned to the former frequency. The PIDs for KurdSat have changed to V308, A256. On April 18 at 17:35 this caption was noted on 11022MHz horizontal, SR 5206, FEC 5/6, VPID 33, APID 34, “INTRAX HOL42 NOS JOURNAAL. Locatie: Rotterdam, Onderwerp: Sacha, Verslag: Banen, Editor: Derk, Operator: Manfred” over colour bars. At 17:40 the stream cut to video from a Dutch job centre.

28.58E:
Kopernikus DFS2
D – On April 23 several F1 Grand Prix feeds from Silverstone were in evidence here. 11546MHz vertical, SR27500,FEC 3/4 and 11592MHz vertical, SR 20150, FEC3/4 carried unilateral feed trafic from the circuit. Premier Sport used 12647MHz vertical, SR6111.FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 andRTL’s coverage was fed over its standby feed at 12606MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4.

28.28E:
Astra 1D & 2A
D – World Radio Network’s European service, WRN 1, has launched on 12111MHz horizontal, APID 2331 in clear MPEG-2. Heart 106.2 FM, the London station owned by the Crysallis group, has launched on 12324MHz vertical, APID 648. Sky Sports 2 has vacated 12324MHz vertical. Hallmark UK launched officially on May 1 at 12362MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 518, APID 656 after several weeks of tests. Bollywood 4U Music has started test transmissions on 12032MHz horizontal, VPID 2306, APID 2308 in clear MPEG-2 (see also PAS-4/7 at 68.5 degrees East).

19.28E:
Astra 1A-C & E-H
D – The German home shopping channel, HOT, has launched a service in the French language for Belgium on 12148MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 767, APID 768 in free-to- air MPEG-2. The ARD package has moved to 12110MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 from its former home at 12722MHz horizontal. The multiplex contains B1, Eins Extra, Eins Festival, Eins MuX, ORF and N3. Both RTL4 and RTL5 have left 12344MHz horizontal.
A – Bloomberg TV UK has left 10744MHz horizontal and launched on 10818MHz vertical, one of the transponders recently vacated by Sky’s analogue service. The channel airs from 05:00-18:00 daily.

168E:
Eutelsat W2
D – Formula 1 feeds from Silverstone occupied 11133MHz horizontal, SR 6854, FEC 7/8 in free-to-air MPEG-2 and 11166MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC _ in encoded MPEG-2 on April 22 and 23. The latter frequency carried the primary feed for Canal+. An interview with the Leeds United manager on the eve of the Northern England team’s controversial home game with the Turkish side Galatasary was fed over 11005MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “APTN UKI 94”, at 18:15 on April 19 in clear MPEG-2. Five minutes later a live interview with the Galatasaray manager was aired on 11013MHz, SR 5613, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “ntl SNG Coder 1”.. Unusually for an ntl feed on this frequency it was free-to-air. The Italian channel Cinquestelle can sometimes be found in amongst the data channels on 12610MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2.

138E:
Eutelsat Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D – Both of the new Japanese channels, JSTV and NHK World Premium, on 12597MHz vertical are now encoded in both Viaccess and Cryptoworks. Eternal Word Television Network continues to broadcast free-to-air on 10722MHz horizontal, SR 29900, FEC 3/4, VPID 1001, APID 1201 within the BT multiplex. Polsat Info 2 has vacated 11330MHz horizontal. Movie channel Cine Stream has joined the Italian Stream digital platform at 11977MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 651. It is encoded in Irdeto. S-TV have started regular programming on 11265MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in Conax encoded MPEG-2. The soft porn channel Babylon Blue appears to have left 12597MHz vertical, VPID 161, APID 84. The stream is displaying colour bars. Babylon Blue has been in trouble recently with the ITC for screening material which apparently overstepped the mark. Germany’s NRW1 has left 11604MHz horizontal where it had been broadcasting in clear MPEG-2 for around one month. There is a new Olisat TV promo on 12111MHz vertical, VPID 230, APID 231 in free-to- air MPEG-2. National Iranian TV (see Transponder Monitor April 19) has disappeared from 12460MHz vertical. According to the Los Angeles based channel its presence on Hot Bird was apparently due to an error. It has also vacated their slot on Telstar-12. RTL7, the Polish language service, has joined the Cyfra+ platform at 10719MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 VPID 168, APID 116 in clear MPEG-2. Macedonia is the latest Balkan state to start a satellite DTH service. Following hot on the heels of Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia Makedonska TV has launched on 12380MHz vertical via PIDs V3022, A3032 in clear MPEG-2. The channel airs for 24 hours a day but the output is repeated every 12 hours. Programmes include news, political discussions and documentaries. Game One has commenced test transmissions on 12380MHz vertical, VPID 3027, APID 3037 in clear MPEG-2. The audio line-up within the Cyfra+ package on 10892MHz horizontal has changed. This is the current situation; Polskie Radio 1 – APID 116, Polskie Radio 3 – A118, RFM FM – A119, Jazz Radio – A120 and Tok FM – A121. Pro TV International from Romania has opened on 12203MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in clear MPEG-2. The channel, which is stream sharing with Acasa TV, airs from 22:00-08:00 nightly (see Transponder Monitor April 19).

108E:
Eutelsat II F4
D – Discovery Channel Turkey has moved from 11124MHz horizontal to 11042MHz vertical, SR 2895, FEC 5/6. On April 19 at 1835 a feed in MPEG-2 4:2:2 with the EPG ID “ETS TVG-1” was noted on 10964MHz vertical, SR 9997, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. At the same time live coverage from a religious procession in Spain to celebrate Easter was fed over 10977MHz vertical, SR 6109, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. The EPG entry was “TSA M-54 ANDALUCIA”. On 10994MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, EPG: “FTR/F9/8 mbits/1/2”, also on the 19th, recorded video footage from the Rallye du Tunisie was fed in clear MPEG-2 from 18:40.

58E:
Sirius 2/3
D – Sirius-1 has been renamed Sirius-W and is in the process of being drifted slowly westwards. After a long absence TV Globo Internacional from Brazil has returned to use Sirius capacity. It can be found on 12380MHz horizontal, VPID 55, APID 56 in free-to-air MPEG-2, 24 hours a day. As expected, Viasat has launched its new digital platform. 12054MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 is carrying TV3 Sverige (V1101, A1102), TV3 Norge (V1111, A1112), TV3 Danmark (V1121, A1122) and Z-TV (V1161, A1162). Down at 11977MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 you can find Travel/Viasat Sport stream share (V2101, A2102), BBC World (V2121, A2122), 3+ (V2131, A2132), Hallmark Nordic (V2141, A2142), MTV Nordic (V2151, A2152) and Viasat Plus (V2161, A2162). All of these channels are currently free-to-air but will become encoded later. A new stream has been added to the Kingston Satellite Services multiplex at 12453MHz horizontal, SR 18051, FEC 3/4. On PIDs V800, A801 a caption is being displayed stating” KTL4 KINGSTON-TLI” over colour bars. The existing streams here are identified in the EPG as KSS1, KSS+ and GLOBAL.

38E:
Telecom 2C
D – EuroNews has started to use 12593MHz horizontal, SR 4440, FEC 3/4, VPID 2221, APIDs 2231-2237 in clear MPEG-2. Also, Eurosport is new on 12570MHz horizontal, SR 6800, FEC 5/6, VPID 721, APID 731. Tele 24 has opened on 12588MHz horizontal, SR 2888, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4197 in clear MPEG-2 following their departure from Telecom 2D at 5 degrees West. TV Lux, not surprisingly from Luxembourg, has started a part time free-to-air service on 12721MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 31, APID 34

0.88/18W:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707
D – On April 19 at 15:15 the Telenor UK3 stream at 11227MHz horizontal, SR 24494, FEC 7/8, VPID 1200, APID 1201 was airing this caption “TELENOR DATA TOTE” over a black screen. At the same time live trap racing from Finland was being fed over 11526MHz horizontal, SR 4201, FEC2/3, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “MAXISAT” in free-to-air MPEG-2.

58W:
Telecom 2B/D
D – Occasional feeds from Zurich under the EPG banner “CNCT ZRCH” can be seen on 11510MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4. At 18:55 on April 19 live MTV audio was being played out over the Globecast Espana testcard on 11598MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1822, APID 1832. The Swiss channel, Tele 24, has left 11671MHz vertical from where it had been available for a considerable time in free-to-air MPEG-2. On April 26 11554MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 carried action from the Germany-versus- Norway soccer friendly in free-to-air MPEG-2.
All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.

78W:
Nilesat 101
D – Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel from Qatar has launched on 11881MHz horizontal, VPID 1012, APID 2019 in clear MPEG-2. On 12073MHz horizontal via PIDs V3142, APID 3143 a “Euro 2000” testcard is being displayed. This is in readiness for complete live coverage of the European Football Championships which will be available, on pay-per-view, to Showtime and ART viewers from May 15. At 11747MHz vertical the new Egyptian health channel named Nerfertiti (see Transponder Monitor April 5) officially launched on April 20. The channel is something of a breakthrough as it is devoted almost entirely to matters concerning family planning as well as family health. Of course family planning is not normally discussed openly in an Islamic country such as Egypt. The channel is named after one of the queens of Ancient Egypt.

12 degreesW:
Eutelsat II F2
D – The feed of the US channel PBS X was replaced by a relay of TV Land on 11185MHz vertical, SR 9164, FEC 1/2, VPID 32, APID 33 last week. However, TV Land has now been superseded by a relay of the US version of MTV.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12
D – Tune to 11463MHz vertical, SR 6664, FEC 7/8 for no less than three Maharishi Open University channels. Maharishi Open Europe is on PIDs V42, A43, the service for Asia can be found via PIDs V47, A33 and a promo channel is occupying V52, A37 all in glorious free-to-air MPEG-2.

18 degreesW:
Intelsat 705
A. A basketball match between two Italian teams was fed over 11134MHz vertical in clear Pal on April 19 at 18:30. However, no audio was apparent in the baseband. A pre-feed caption read “EST 1 PA” over colour bars.

21.38/21.58W:
NSS 803 & NSS K
D – There are three active streams on 11621MHz vertical, SR 12996, FEC 3/4 carrying action from the ATP tennis tournament in Monte Carlo. Two of the streams are encoded and the other is in MPEG-2 4:2:2. The weekly feed of WorldNet/C-Span has switched from Pal to free-to-air MPEG-2 at 11606MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. The channel is relayed here every Sunday from 12:00-15:00. As the situation in Zimbabwe remains tense feed traffic from the region has been using 11625MHz vertical, SR 5698, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120. Between feeds a caption is displayed with “News Force Harare”. Also, some feeds from Zimbabwe have been using 11670MHz vertical, SR 5698, FEC 3/4, still displaying ‘Maxat’ , some years after France Telecom opted for the Globecast brand. At 18:00 on April 18 11464MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 640 carried live output from US TV station WDIV as a gunman was occupying Lincoln Park Towers, a residential complex for the elderly in Detroit, after shooting several people. This is one of the Reuters Washington streams. On the April 19 at 14:50 11550MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, was used for a live feed from outside an unidentified soccer stadium. The EPG entry was “Reuters SNG UKI 419”. At the same time 11557MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, was displaying this caption “Bruxelles I.N.S. Instant News Service. Production Tel: (32 2) 230.36.50. Fax: (32 2) 230.76.11. IFB Studio 1: (32 2) 286.93.01. Studio 2: (32 2) 280.03.96. Studio 3: (32 2) 230.76.11” over colour bars. Live coverage of an NBA match between Miami and Toronto was fed over 11557MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 at 01:00 on April 19 in clear MPEG-2/NTSC. Coverage of the football friendly between Scotland and France was fed over 11627MHz vertical, SR 6074, FEC 7/8, VPID 33, APID 34 in clear MPEG-2 during the afternoon of April 26. Live action from the US PGA Tour golf from the Shell Houston Open was fed over Globecast Channel 3, 11590MHz vertical, SR 20145, FEC 3/4 last week in clear MPEG-2/NTSC. Still with golf, the PGA Peugeot Open from Spain was relayed on 11488MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4

27.58W:
Intelsat 605
D – In the Canal+ Nederland package on 11476MHz horizontal, SR 17982, FEC 3/4 Radio S&SI has been replaced by Radio Roxy on APID 651. The Adult Channel, Playboy TV and Rapture TV, which have been free-to-air here for some time, are all now encoded on 11665MHz horizontal.

308W:
Hispasat1A/B/C
D – Puma TV has launched via an SCPC carrier on 12106MHz horizontal, SR 4298, FEC 3/4, VPID 771, APID 781 in free-to-air MPEG-2. However, the EPG entry reads “TV AZTECA”.

31.58W:
Intelsat 801
D – At 1745 on April 18 11024MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC _ was active with this caption “Label Info Lyon – Montage Reportage TF1”. The EPG info read “8 M/bit 3/4 “. Live coverage of the Birmingham versus Walsall soccer game for Sky Sports was fed over 10975MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 on April 24 at 14:00.