Interspace’s in-depth study of European satellite activity, compiled by Mike Fallon

Key:

D – Digital
A – Analogue

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom-2&3
D – Asian Multimedia Network (AMN), which is due to launch in early October and will use Thaicom’s global and regional C-Band capacity, will be the first digital Urdu language general entertainment channel. AMN is a joint venture from the Neibal Group based in Abu Dhabi and Media Assets from the UK. Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) – as seen on Hot Bird and NSS-806 – has opened on 3550MHz horizontal via PIDs V2049, A2050 in clear MPEG-2. A new Tara channel for Bangladesh and eastern India has launched on 3554MHz vertical joining the existing three Tara channels here. Tara Bangla 4 is on PIDs V515, A643. Tara Bangla 2 and 3 have changed PIDs to V513 A641 and V514, A642 respectively. All of the channels in the multiplex are free-to-air at present.

76.5 degreesE:
Apstar-2R
D – Channel NewsAsia has launched on 4160MHz horizontal, SR 4080, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. The screen make-up looks similar to Bloomberg TV with several windows and a constant ticker tape for share prices scrolling across the bottom of the screen. The EPG date reads ‘DigiSat 98’.

64 degreesE:
Intelsat-804
D – Test broadcasts from TV Africa 4 have started at 3670MHz RHCP, VPID 311, APID 263 in clear MPEG-2. The new channel joins the existing three TV Africa channels here.

48 degreesE:
Eutelsat-II-F1
D – The independent Italian channel, Napoli International, left 11099MHz Horizontal from where it has been available in clear MPEG-2 last week, but has now returned.

42 degreesE: Turksat-1C
D – Two more interactive services have joined the StarDigital line-up on 11469MHz, SR 22500, FEC 5/6. They are named in the EPG as Uygulama 1 and Uygulama 2. At 12:05 on June 23 Turkish channel TBMM TV was noted on 11158 MHz vertical, SR 2892, FEC 3/4, V33, A34 relaying live output from the domestic channel TRT3 on some parliamentary proceedings.
A – Turkish radio station, Alem FM, which up to now was only available via Eutelsat-W3 at 7 degrees East, has started in the audio baseband of Maxi TV/SuperSport at 11683MHz vertical via the 7.74/7.92 subcarriers.

36 degreesE:
Gals-1/2, Most-1, Eutelsat-II-F3, -W4 & Sesat
D – Last week Digitaly moved to 12728MHz horizontal, SR 2498, FEC 2/3, VPID 910, APID 911 in clear MPEG-2 from 12695MHz horizontal and then a couple of days later the channel was returned to its former home at 12695MHz. Il Tirreno Sat has returned to 12691MHz horizontal, SR 2522, FEC 2/3 after a short break. A live OB from outside the Brewery Tap public house in Brentwood, Essex was fed over 11078MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 for GMTV on June 16 at 05:45. The subject of the feed was a celebration, which for some reason included Native Americans dancing, prior to the following days Euro 2000 soccer match between England and Germany. A live feed from the Glastonbury Festival was fed over 11020MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, EPG: ‘UKI 612/8M Normal’. After the feed the stream cut to colour bars overlaid with “UKI 612 BS”. Also on June 23 11063MHz horizontal was carrying colour bars overlaid with ‘SISLink 25. Swindon Dogs. SISLink 25. UKI 253. +44(0) 802659472’ in free-to-air MPEG-2. At 10:40 on June 24 11046MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, EPG: ‘SISLink 12 UKI 588′ wascarrying colour bars overlaid with “Sky News London. SIS Crew. SIS 12. UKI588. +44 (0) 802 393495’.

28.5 degreesE:
Kopernikus-DFS2
D – The new Czech channel, TV3, continues to broadcast in the clear on 11477 MHz horizontal, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPID 164, APID 96. The other TV channels in the package are all encoded in Cryptoworks.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra-1D & 2A
D – Two new erotic channels, Red Hot Film and Red Hot Euro, are testing on 12110MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPIDs 2332/2333, APIDs 2334/2335, encoded in Videoguard. The channels air from 22:00-04:00 nightly. There have been some additions to the line-up on 11934MHz vertical. New to the frequency are The Adult Channel PPV, Playboy TV PPV, Sky MovieMax 4, Sky Premier 4, Sky Digital Retail Info and Sky Sports 1 in Pubs. Kiss TV, another youth/music channel, has launched on 12266MHz horizontal, VPID 2313, APID 2314 in MPEG-2/Videoguard. TV Job Shop is due to join the Sky Digital line up in the autumn. A live ticker tape will scroll across the screen advertising job vacancies Applicants will be able to gain details of the jobs either by their remote control or the TV Job Shop website. Sky’s new interactive news service, Sky News Active, launched on the Monday of this week. Viewers will be able to choose their viewing from a selection of mini screens on the main picture. Zee TV is to launch the UK’s first Asian sports channel next month. Zee Sports, which will be a subscription based service within the Sky Digital package, will, not surprisingly, feature cricket heavily in its schedules.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat-2A & 3A
D – A new Lebanese digital package has started on 11785MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. The bouquet consists of ten streams containing Al-Manar TV – V768, A769, Future International TV – V210, A220, LBC Sat – V310, A320, Tele-Liban – V510, A520, MTV (Lebanon) testcard -V410, A420 and five Arabsat Beirut testcards on PIDs V610/710/810/910/1010, A620/720/820/920/1020. In a curious move RTM 1 from Morocco has been encoded on 11765MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Likewise, RTM’s analogue signal on Arabsat-2B at 30.5 degrees east, 3878MHz RHCP is also encrypted now.However, the channel’s analogue feed on Eutelsat-W2 at 16 degrees East, 10971 MHz vertical, remains in the clear.

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1A-C & E-H
D – Radio Antenna, which serves the Lower Saxony region of Germany, has launched a free-to-air digital service on 12148MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 257. Vacaciones TV Europa has been testing intermittently on 12442MHz vertical, VPID 4112, APID 4113 in clear MPEG-2. Sat 1 Deutschland has left 12552MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6. The channel is still available elsewhere at this orbital slot and also via Hot Bird at 13 degrees East.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat-W2
D – A Romanian package has launched on 12714MHz vertical, SR 9827, FEC 3/4 in PowerVu. The platform contains Romania 1 – VPID 1160, APID 1120, EPG: ‘R1’, Romania 2 – V1260, A1220, EPG: ‘TVR2’, and TV Romania International – V1360, A1320. Presumably the TVRI feed here is used to supply the channel’s new outlet on Hot Bird. Panorama TV continues to provide live mountain top remote camera shots of various ski resorts in Austria and Switzerland on 12520MHz vertical, SR 2169, FEC 7/8, VPID 308 (no audio) in clear MPEG-2. On June 23 at 12:45 a live piece to camera by an Arabic-speaking correspondent was fed over 11133MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 (see also Hot Bird at 13 degrees East). At 12:50 on the 23rd live coverage from a motocross meeting was fed over 12535MHz horizontal, the ENEX C stream. The EPG data read ‘5.632+3/4+ChA’. Live and recorded video of a funeral service in Italy was fed over 10969MHz horizontal, SR 6398, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34, EPG: ‘Service 1’ in clear MPEG-2. At the same time another Italian feed was being carried on 10986MHz horizontal, SR 6398, FEC 3/4, V33, A34 consisting of a fixed camera shot of the outside of a building. Interviews with supporters prior to the Italy/Romania clash in the Euro 2000 championship were fed over 11042MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, V33, A34 on June 24 at 10:57. On June 24 at 21:15 a live report from an Italian street following Italy’s win over Romania was fed over 10986MHz horizontal in clear MPEG-2. A VTM testcard from Belgium was occupying 12539MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 on June 24 at 21:25. A. RTK 1, the Kosovan TV service, has relocated to 11280MHz horizontal from 11489MHz horizontal. The channel broadcasts here in clear Pal with audio via the 6.60/7.20MHz subcarriers.

13 degreesE:
Eutelsat Hot Birds 1-5
D – The South Korean channel, Channel Sun, has launched on 11623MHz vertical, VPID 229, APID 249 in free-to-air MPEG-2 via a Globecast uplink. On the same frequency TV Romania International is testing on PIDs V227, A247 in clear MPEG-2. In September the analogue relay of TVRI on Eutelsat-W2, 11178MHz vertical, will cease as this digital feed takes over. The Swiss radio station, Radio Framboise Sud, is free-to-air on 12476MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 981. In the Iranian package on 12437MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Iranian all-news channel, INN, has launched via PIDs V164, A88 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Although the majority of the output is in the Farsi (Persian) language there is an English slot at 20:45. On June 21 several of the normally encoded channels within the Greek OTE bouquet on 12188MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 were broadcasting in the clear. These were Eurosport, ET1, ET3, OTE Plus and OTE Cinema. By the following day they had all returned to their usual encoded state. The independent Italian channel, TeleGenova Sat has launched on 11623MHz vertical, VPID 225, APID 245. On this audio PID the TV audio is available on the left channel whilst Radio Babboleo can be heard via the right channel. XNET-TV is yet another new erotic channel which has just commenced occasional test transmissions on 12520MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 510, APID 511. The channel is stream sharing with Euro Mediterraneo and is on air from 23:00-05:00 nightly.In the Slovenian package at 12303MHz vertical a new radio station has launched. It is Slovenski Turisticni Radio (Slovene Tourist Radio) which is available in free-to-air MPEG-2 via APID 253. Last week the Smau Channel, which was relaying some of the proceedings from an Italian media conference, was available on 12111MHz vertical in clear MPEG-2. The signal was uplinked from the Fucino earth station near Rome. TV Breizh is to be the first private regional TV channel in France. The new service, which is due to launch in early September, will be available via the Canal Satellite and Television par Satellite digital platforms and on some cable systems. TV Breizh output will be aimed at the Breton and Celtic world from it’s base in Lorient, Brittany. 17 hours of programming will be broadcast daily from 0530 to 0030. The Spanish channel, Canal Agro Rural, was encoded in Viaccess for a day or two last week on 12597MHz vertical but is now back in the clear. Religious broadcaster 3ABN has made a return to Hot Bird on 11623MHz vertical, VPID 221, APID 241 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The channel, which is based in the United States is also available on Thaicom at 78.5 degrees East and NSS-806 at 40.5 degrees West. The latter satellite is used to feed 3ABN’s signal eastwards to Europe. Il Tirreno Sat has returned to 12111MHz vertical, VPID 280, APID 301 after a short absence. Also on 12111MHz vertical, the Art Channel which is based in Italy has launched via PIDs V200, A201. In the Stream package on 12635MHz vertical Calcio 6 has been replaced by a dedicated Wimbledon stream. Presumably after the tennis championships are finished Calcio 6 will return. On June 14 at 13:30 live output from the news studio of Bloomberg TV Germany was fed over 11242MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 162, APID 88 in clear MPEG-2. At 13:00 on June 23 an Arabic language feed, identical to one on Eutelsat-W2 at 11133 MHz horizontal, was carried on 10722MHz horizontal, SR 29900, FEC 3/4, VPID 1002, APID 1202, EPG: ‘Newslynx’ in free-to-air MPEG-2.

7 degreesE:
Eutelsat -W3
D – Two new channels have been added to the line-up on 11492MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, the home of a Turkish digital platform. They are E! Entertainment and SinemaTurk. Isik TV from Turkey on PIDs V2109, A2211 is the only free-to-air channel in the StarDigital package on 11491MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4.

5 degreesE:
Sirius-2/3
D – The ten Music Choice Europe audio channels, which were occupying 12054MHz vertical, have moved to 11977MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. All of the channels are encoded in Viaccess. On June 14 at 13:00 a feed of an Oprah Winfrey show was relayed on 12606MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: ‘MCR TV-BYEN’ in clear MPEG-2. In the SIS Racing for betting shops multiplex on 12333MHz horizontal, SR 10367, FEC 3/4 there are ten active streams containing Intertrack, TCR Adhoc, SIS Racing Germany, Europe, Caribbean, data Only, Audio Only, SVA2 Tote Package, SIS Irish Racing and Demo Channel Sirius. All are encoded except for ‘Intertrack’ on PIDs V2360, A2320 which is sometimes free-to-air. The B4U Middle East feed on12453MHz horizontal, SR 18056, FEC 3/4, VPID 800, APID 801 has been displaying a scrolling message at the bottom of the screen advising viewers to contact ART (Arab Radio & Television) for subscription details as the channel was to encode from June 24. However this presumably applies to the signal once turned around onto Arabsat-2A for ART as the Sirius feed has remained free-to air. An unusual feed for the Kurdish channel, Medya TV which can be found on Hot Bird at 13 degrees East, was relayed on 12588MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 289, APID 290, EPG: “C-uplink ” on June 24 at 1120. The subject of the feed was a rally in support of the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan who is imprisoned in Turkey.

3 degreesE
Telecom-2C
D – Live coverage of the Norway-vs-Spain soccer match in the Euro 2000 championship was fed over 12698MHz horizontal, SR 6137, FEC 7/8, VPID 33, APID 34 in clear MPEG-2 complete with English commentary on June 19 from 1845. Canal Agro Rural on 12679MHz vertical was encoded in Viaccess for a short while last week but has now returned to clear MPEG-2. Euronews has left 12594MHz horizontal and has moved to Telecom-2D at 8 degrees West. The Globecast digital platform which was occupying 12679MHz vertical has also made the move to Telecom-2D.
A – On June 18 at 15:10 a report for the Arabic channel MBC from Brussels was fed over 12605MHz vertical in clear Pal. Perhaps surprisingly, the BBC is still using analogue technology for their feeds from Euro 2000. Several matches have been fed over 12606MHz vertical, audio 6.60MHz, in Sound-in-Sync for BBC Sport.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor I, II and III & Intelsat-707
D – The Canal+ Finland and Denmark services have merged to make one channel for the two countries on 11278MHz vertical, SR 24500, FEC 7/8.

8 degreesW:
Telecom-2A/D
D – In common with their outlets on Hot Bird and Telecom-2C Canal Agro Rural has been experimenting with Viaccess encryption on 11587MHz horizontal but is now back in the clear. EuroNews has started here after leaving Telecom-2C at 11646MHz horizontal, SR 4440, FEC 3/4, VPID 2221, APIDs 2231-2237. The Globecast platform which left Telecom-2C is here at 11587MHz horizontal, SR 13596, FEC 3/4.

11 degreesW:
Gorizont-26 & Express-3A
D Express-3A successfully lifted off aboard a proton rocket at 00:28 on June 24. The new craft will replace the ageing Gorizont-26 at this geostationary slot. Express-3A carries 12 C-Band transponders centred between 3625MHz RHCP and 4175MHz RHCP and five Ku-Band transponders at 11475MHz, 11525, 11575, 11625 and 11675MHz, all vertically polarised. A maximum EIRP of 36.5 dBW is achieved in north west Africa and southern Iberia. Overall the footprint covers from the Ural mountains in the East to the eastern seaboard of the United States

15 degreesW:
Telstar-12
D – The Maharishi Open University platform has moved from 11463MHz vertical to 11498MHz vertical, SR 6664, FEC 7/8. The three streams here continue to broadcast in free-to-air MPEG-2. In the UPC bouquet on 11124MHz, SR 18836, FEC 3/4, a new channel named EXPO 24×7 has launched on VPID 401, APID 411 in clear MPEG-2. It is an arts and design channel with programmes featuring architecture, fashion, graphic design, interior design, visual and contemporary art, sculpture and photography. After an initial period of test transmissions to enable cable headends to correctly acquire the signal the channel will encode in Cryptoworks. A Turkish soundtrack has started on the back of Hallmark Central Europe on 11534MHz horizontal, SR 15000, FEC 3/4, APID 2222.

21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
NSS-803 & NSS-K
D – Occasional feed traffic for several broadcasters from Dover in Kent following the recent Chinese immigrant tragedy has been noted on 11607MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

40.5 degreesW:
NSS-806
D – 3ABN has launched at 3847MHz RHCP, VPID 3360, APID 3320 in clear MPEG-2.The channel’s presence here is to relay its signal eastwards for downlinking and turning around onto Hotbird in Europe.

43 degreesW:
PAS-3R & PAS-6
D – RTL’s coverage of the Canadian F1 Grand prix was fed over 12545MHz horizontal, SR 20000, FEC 3/4 over the weekend of 17/18 June.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.

SR	*	Symbol Rate
FEC	*	Forward Error Correction
VPID	*	Video Programme Identifier
APID	*	Audio Programme Identifier

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