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TRANSPONDER MONITOR

By Staff Writer | June 6, 2001

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

      D = Digital
      A = Analog

      100.5 degreesE:
      AsiaSat 2

      D AsiaSat 2 capacity is to be used by Iris Gateway Satellite Services for a feeder service for Christian Voice International, a religious broadcaster based in the English Midlands to feed its terrestrial short wave transmitter site in Darwin, Australia. In the first instance material is uplinked from the UK to Intelsat 804 at 64 degrees East. From here it is downlinked at the Makarios earth station in Cyprus and turned around on to AsiaSat 2.

      78.5 degreesE:
      Thaicom 2&3

      D The three Reminiscent TV channels, Gurjari, Lashkara and Anjuman have left 3472MHz horizontal, SR 13330, FEC 2/3 and have moved to 3600MHz horizontal, SR 26667, FEC 3/4, PIDs V514/515/520, A670/680/730 respectively. The EPG entries have also altered to “Gurjari – ++Gujurati”, “Lashkara – ++Punjabi” and Anjuman – ++Urdu”. They are all available in free- to-air MPEG-2.

      72 degreesE:
      PAS-10

      D The recently launched PAS-10 is temporarily parked at this slot for in-orbit transponder tests prior to repositioning to 68.5 degrees East to take over from PAS 4.

      68.5 degreesE:
      PAS-4 & 7

      D There have been some subtle changes to the BBC package on 3742MHz horizontal, SR 19850, FEC 7/8. There are six active streams here containing BBC World (encoded) – V2160, A2120 ID: “BBC PAS 4”, Sig2Enc2 (feed stream) – V2260, A2220, Sig2Enc3 (feed stream) – V2360, A2320, B4U Music – V2460, A2420 and B4U Entertainment – V2560, A2520 (this replaces B4U Movies Middle East).

      42 degreesE:
      Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1

      D On May 24 at 20:05 a feed featuring scenes from a medical operation for Show TV by Dalman Productions was relayed on 12715MHz vertical, SR 4399, FEC 5/6, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. At the same time an encoded feed was carried on 12626MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID: “DEFAULT SERVICE”. On 11663MHz vertical, the home of the Turkish Cine+ package, the Symbol Rate has been changed to 6102. On this frequency The Medical Channel has been replaced by The Travel Channel on PIDs V512, A650. National Geographic Channel and Adventure 1 have left the bouquet. The Star bouquet on 11469MHz vertical, SR 22500, FEC 5/6 seems to be in a constant state of flux as channels come and go at a rapid rate. The current line-up is; TV8 – V4688, A4689, TRT1 (test transmissions) – V4690, A4691, Star 1 – V4692, A4693, TGRT – V4696, A4697, CNBC-e – V4704, A4705, Star TV – V4712, A4713, CNN Turk – V4710, A4711, Kanal D (test transmissions) – V4722, A4723, Lokum FM – A2030, Ritmo Latino – A2031, Uygulama 1 (data) and Uygulama 2 (data). What appears to be the Turkish version of Big Brother is being fed over 12746MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 5/6, VPID 33, APID 34, ID: “DEFAULT SERVICE” in clear MPEG-2. The contestants are marooned on a yacht moored in a Turkish bay. There have been some changes on 12652MHz horizontal. TV8 has left and been replaced by Kanal 6 and Sky News has vacated its stream here. A new multiplex with ProSieben Schweiz, .tv – The Technology Channel and 26 Music Choice audio channels has launched on 12721MHz vertical, SR 19996, FEC 5/6. This mux was previously available via Eutelsat W3 at 7 degrees East. Two new channels have joined the line-up at 12676MHz horizontal, SR 7797, FEC 5/6. They are TRT4 (test transmissions) – V4726, A4727 and Eylik TV – V4737, A4739. Both channels are currently free-to-air.

      A Kral TV and Teleon are sharing a transponder at 12695MHz horizontal in Pal with audio at 6.65MHz. Kral TV is available in the clear but the majority of the Teleon output is encrypted.

      40 degreesE:
      Gorizont 31

      A On 3675MHz RHCP, the home of RTR, Voice of Russia has left the 7.92 and 8.10MHz audio subcarriers.

      36 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W4 & Sesat

      D A TuscanySat promo is being played out over 12700MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 1/2, VPID 33, APID 34, ID: “EXATEL” in free-to-air MPEG-2. Presumably this independent Italian channel is to launch here soon. Radiolina is a new audio service alongside Videolina at 12705MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 1/2, APID 4197. The data service VsatNet.com has moved from 11043MHz vertical to 11628MHz vertical, SR 6008, FEC 3/4. 2M National is new on 12685MHz vertical, SR 4339, FEC 1/2 in encoded MPEG-2. Studio Europa has left 12684MHz horizontal. At 12512MHz horizontal the Italian Sitcom multiplex has been moved to 12567MHz horizontal, SR 17365, FEC 3/4.

      30.5 degreesE:
      Arabsat 2B

      D Tele Liban has returned to 12540MHz vertical, SR 3036, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34, Middle East beam in clear MPEG-2 after a break of three months. The channel was taken off air on February 28 due to financial problems.

      28.5 degrees/28.2 degreesE:
      Eurobird & Astra 2A, 2B & 2D

      D There is a new interactive service testing on 12525MHz horizontal entitled DSL Announcement Channel. GoBarkingMad, a new dog racing channel bringing greyhound racing from around the World to Sky Digital subscribers, has joined the GOD package on 11680MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2332, A2333. BSkyB has taken a further transponder here, at 11507MHz horizontal. It contains Smash Hits!, Tas (showing a testcard), Animal Planet+1, Discovery Home & Leisure and 309-5 (as stated in the EPG). The GOD Channel, Worship Network and Revival Channel are sporting a new teletext service entitled “GODTEXT”. On 12382MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 Fox Kids and The Box have changed PIDs to V2305, A2306 and V2308, A2309. Up at 12402MHz vertical Whereits.at TV can now be found on PIDs V2316, A2317. Sky Sports Extra has been replaced by Smash Hits! on 11758MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2314, APID 2315. The Automotive Channel has left 11836MHz horizontal. This specialist closed service for the motor trade is to concentrate on individual programmes for car dealerships. Two of the Reminiscent Television channels, Lashkara on 12032MHz horizontal and Bangla TV on 11973MHz vertical are now encoded in VideoGuard. Following its move to Eurobird capacity Smash Hits TV! has been replaced on 11758MHz horizontal by Sky Sports Extra via PIDs V2314, A2315. A new interactive service entitled Travel City Direct has launched on 12422MHz horizontal. A Big Brother mosaic for E4 has launched on 12168MHz vertical via PIDs V2354, A2355 in VideoGuard encoded MPEG-2. On 12460MHz horizontal six BBC Sport testcards have appeared. It is not clear at present what these streams are to be used for but it may be a test run for the forthcoming Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships when the BBC will be running multiple interactive streams from the event. U-Direct Films Channels 8, 9, 10 & 11 have moved to 12402MHz from 12110MHz. Sky Box Office 30 and Sky Box Office 46 have left 12090MHz vertical and 12382MHz horizontal for 10876MHz vertical. Fashion TV has launched on 11585MHz horizontal, a Eurobird transponder, and has joined the Sky Digital EPG at Channel 220. It broadcasts 24 hours a day and will remain free-to-air. Also on this frequency, MBI from Nigeria is testing via PIDs V2310, A2311. MBI could be found previously on 11973MHz vertical but has now left here. Sky has announced two more channels to join their line-up. They are Classical Music TV, which is expected to launch this month with a subscription cost of GBP4.99 per month and Taste TV. A Taste testcard has already appeared on 11508MHz horizontal. The Community Channel has left 12188MHz horizontal for 12382MHz horizontal. Asian Air Radio is new on 12344MHz horizontal, APID 2317 in clear MPEG-2.

      26 degreesE:
      Arabsat 2A & 3A

      D BBC World has joined the line-up on 12015MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2460, APID 2420 in clear MPEG-2. TV7 Tunisia has been replaced by the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel on 12605MHz horizontal, VPID 520, APID 730 in Irdeto encoded MPEG-2.

      24.2 degreesE:
      Astra 1D

      D The Castle trailer is still airing on 11914MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 100, APID 101 in clear MPEG-2. The only other activity here is the analogue Astra testcard.

      19.2 degreesE:
      Astra 1A-C & E-H

      D In the Spanish Canal Satelite package Discovery Channel Espana has moved from 12522MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 to 11973MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 166, APID 104. A Portuguese soundtrack is available via APID 105. The two Polish domestic TV channels, TVP 1 and TVP 2 have joined the Wizja packages on 11992MHz horizontal and 12304MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. TVP 1 is on PIDs V160, A80 on 12304MHz and TVP 2 can be seen on 11992MHz via VPID 168, APID 108. Both channels are encoded in Cryptoworks. New on 12363MHz vertical, VPID 161, APID 84 is a CSat promo, simulcrypt in MediaGuard and Viaccess. A Fox Television promo has launched on 12522MHz vertical, VPID 167, APID 108, encoded in MediaGuard.

      16 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W2

      D Sic International from Portugal on 12568MHz horizontal, SR 2892, FEC 3/4 has changed PIDs to V33, A35. After a long presence here the live relays from the Dutch amateur television repeater, PI6ALK, on 12729MHz horizontal, SR 2000, FEC 3/4 have ceased. RadioTelevizija Srbije (RTS) from Serbia has announced plans to launch a new digital package via Eutelsat W2 later this year. The platform will include a range of state run and independent TV and radio channels from the region.

      13 degreesE:
      Hot Bird 1/2/3/4/5

      D The Pakistani Channel has left the Croatian bouquet at 12520MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 406, APID 405 and has been replaced by a TuscanySat promo which arrives here via Eutelsat Sesat at 36 degrees East. Also in this package Smile Radio has vacated its stream on APID 702. South Asian radio station Tamil Alai has launched on 12380MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 3539 in the Globecast multiplex. New to satellite is Radio San Marino from the tiny principality of the same name in Italy. The station is available terrestrially on 102.7MHz within San Marino. It has joined the Spanish bouquet on 12092MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 4602 in free-to-air MPEG-2 where it can be heard 24 hours a day. Equidia International, which had been simulcrypt in Viaccess and MediaGuard on 12380MHz vertical is now encoded in just MediaGuard. The Dubai Sports Channel and UAE Radio Dubai have become very intermittent of late on 12654MHz horizontal. CineNova 2 has launched via VPID 1002, APID 1202 on 10723MHz horizontal. Arte Deutschland and Arte France have returned to 11060MHz vertical, SR 6510, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 98/99, APIDs 4451/4452 after a short break. Deejay TV has launched on 10992MHz vertical, V523, A751, simulcrypt in Irdeto and VideoGuard.

      A Now that Eurosport News has left 11388MHz horizontal RAI News 24 is able to broadcast 24 hours a day here in clear Pal.

      10 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W1

      A The Turkish TV channel Star TV, or InterStar as it was previously known, has left 11181MHz vertical where it had been available in clear Pal for some considerable time. It can still be found on Turksat 1C at 42 degrees in analogue and digital formats. A new radio station Morale has joined Burc FM, Dunya Radyo, Akra FM and Marmara RFM on the back of Samanyolu TV World at 11625MHz vertical via the 7.56MHz audio sub-carrier in clear Pal. Also new here is Karadeniz FM via 8.10MHz. TGRT has ceased analogue transmissions on 11095MHz horizontal. The channel is still available in MPEG-2 from this orbital slot.

      7 degreesE:
      Eutelsat W3

      D TV Festival from Cannes has left the Turkish package on 11658MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4. ProSieben Schweiz, .tv – The Technology Channel and 26 Music Choice audio channels have all vacated 11672MHz horizontal and relocated to Eurasiasat 1 at 42 degrees East. Both American Farsi Netlink (AFN) and Euronews have left 11387MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.

      5 degreesE:
      Sirius 2/3

      D The Symbol Rate for TV Puls on 12639MHz vertical has changed to 3617. Travel Deals Direct has left the Viasat package on 11977MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. ICTV seems to have stopped regular transmissions on 12634MHz vertical, SR 2479, FEC 7/8 in favour of occasional feed traffic for the channel.

      A TV4 Sweden left 11938MHz LHCP on June 4. This channel is still available in analogue format via Thor at 0.8 degrees West at 11338MHz horizontal.

      3 degreesE:
      Telecom 2B

      D Feed traffic is starting to return here. On May 27 live coverage of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix was carried on 12678MHz vertical, SR 6284, FEC 7/8, VPID 512, APID 4112, ID: “FTR/F.39/1/11MB SDI” in clear MPEG-2 for one of the French networks.

      0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
      Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707

      D TV Festival has left the Telenor bouquet at 11014MHz horizontal, SR 26000, FEC 3/4. The Norwegian Big Brother feeds on the Telenor streams at 11246MHz vertical, SR 24500, FEC 7/8 have now finished.

      5 degreesW:
      Telecom 2C

      A French radio station Beur FM has left the 6.85MHz audio subcarrier on the back of France 2 at 12562MHz vertical.

      7 degreesW:
      Nilesat 101 & 102

      D The PIDs for Eurosport on 11597MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 have changed to V351, A353. It is encoded in Irdeto. The Cannes Film Festival has finished for another year and TV Festival, which brought news from the event, has left 11804MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Animal Planet also appears to have left 11804MHz horizontal. At 11958MHz horizontal TV7 Tunisia is new on PIDs V3043, A3044 in Irdeto encoded MPEG-2. The Jordan Satellite Channel on 12034MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 has undergone a PID change. They are now V3002, A3003.

      8 degreesW:
      Telecom 2A/D

      D Live coverage of the qualifying session from the Monaco F1 Grand Prix was fed over 11517MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, ID: “WWG F1” in MPEG-2 4:2:2 during the afternoon of May 25 via PIDs V308, A256. Eurosport has moved from 11625MHz horizontal to 11640MHz horizontal, SR 6800, FEC 5/6 in clear MPEG-2. Tele 24 from Switzerland which was occupying 11640MHz horizontal has moved down slightly in frequency to 11633MHz horizontal, SR 2889, FEC 3/4

      11 degreesW:
      Express 3A

      D At last some digital activity here after the departure of Serbia’s RTS bouquet several months ago. A new multiplex containing four OpenSky data streams, EuroNews and American Farsi Netlink has launched on 11630MHz RHCP, SR 16996, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. Both EuroNews and AFN recently left Eutelsat W3 at 7 degrees East.

      A Russia’s external foreign language service, Voice of Russia, is using the 8.60MHz audio sub-carrier behind Ostankino TV on 3675MHz RHCP. Radio Rossii is available here via the 7.50MHz sub-carrier.

      15 degreesW:
      Telstar 12

      D A new TV channel for Iranian expatriates, Pars TV, has launched on 12618MHz vertical, SR 1952, FEC 3/4, VPID 81, APID 82 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The channel hails from the US. Still with Iran, the issue of Iran’s first telecommunications satellite has reared its ugly head again. After numerous false starts it appears that the Zohreh (translates from Farsi as Venus) satellite may actually be built after all by a Russian consortium and launched in 2003. First muted 23 years ago, Zohreh 1 will be the first of six satellites. The remaining five will be manufactured by Russia, France and China. Iran has six orbital slots reserved at 26, 34, 41, 47, 59 and61.5 degrees East.

      18 degreesW:
      Intelsat 705

      D On May 31 at 19:30 tennis action from the French Open Championship was fed over 11515MHz horizontal, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 4112, ID: “GCI/F.42/1/6111” in free-to- air MPEG-2. Italian commentary was carried on the audio stream.

      A An unusual feed was observed on May 21 at 11:25 when a series of greetings were uplinked from an oil tanker in the Red Sea to the crew’s families in Winnipeg, Canada. This took place on 4188MHz RHCP in clear NTSC with audio via the 6.65MHz subcarrier.

      27.5 degreesW:
      Intelsat 605

      D The RR Communications multiplex on 10979MHz, SR 8264, FEC 3/4 containing IBA from Israel, Thai TV5, VTV4 and TRT International appears to have significantly dropped power again or there has been a beam change. The signal now requires a dish size of around 1.8-2.0 metres for reasonable reception in the south of the UK.

      30 degreesW:
      Hispasat 1A/B/C

      D On 11771MHz horizontal, SR 28121, FEC 5/6 Canal 47 Sevilla has changed PIDs to V 4201, A4202. ATEI and the relays of the two Spanish terrestrial channel TVE La Primera and TVE La 2 have all left this frequency. The PIDs for Via Local on 11931MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 have changed to V4112, A4113.

      31.5 degreesW:
      Intelsat 801

      D AITV from Nigeria has returned to 3827MHz RHCP, SR 4338, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34, ID “TADIRAN SCOPUS” in free-to-air MPEG-2.