Interspace’s In Depth Study of European satellite Activity, Compiled By Mike Fallon

D: Digital
A: Analogue

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom 2&3
D: Thailand’s BBTV Channel 7 has left 3765 MHz horizontal. It is, however, still available in clear Pal on 3748 MHz horizontal. The recently launched Channel Nepal appears to have left 3585 MHz vertical.

74 degreesE:
Insat 2C & 3C
D: A new Indian national satellite, Insat 3C, will lift off from Kourou aboard an Ariane 4 rocket on January 16. Insat 3C will co-locate here with Insat 2C which is nearing the end of its working life. 3C carries a payload of 25 C-Band transponders, 6 extended C-Band transponders and 2 S-Band transponders.

68.5 degreesE:
PAS 7 & 10
D: Maharishi Veda Vision, part of the Maharishi Open University Network, has vacated 3932 MHz vertical. The Maharishi channels are reportedly about to switch to Europe*Star capacity via a Ku-Band transponder. This will enable them to launch new channels within their own multiplex.

62 degreesE:
Intelsat 902
D: Alentefaza TV has launched on 11050 MHz vertical, SR 6110, FEC 3/4, VPID 289, APID 290 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

53 degreesE
Gorizont 32
D: Dushanbe based Tajik TV from the former central Asian Russian republic of Tajikistan located to the north of Afghanistan has left 3741 MHz RHCP.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1
D: Turkey’s ATV is new on 11804 MHz vertical, SR 27520, FEC 7/8, VPID 1298, APID 1299 within the StarDigital package. An Isik TV testcard has appeared on 12744 MHz vertical, SR 3500, FEC 3/4, VPID 288, APID 272.

A: The transponder share of Maxi TV and SuperSport appears to have left 11684 MHz vertical. These Turkish channels were available here in clear Pal. Both channels are still present on 11024 MHz vertical, SR 6509, FEC 5/6 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

28.5 degreesE:
Eurobird
A: On 11661 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 the three Red Hot channels have new PIDs as follows; Red Hot Euro – V2320, A2321; Red Hot Amateur – V2322, A2323 and Red Hot All Girl – V2324, A2325. All three channels are encoded in Videoguard. Channel Health+ is new on 11584 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2314, APID 2315 in clear MPEG-2. So far programming is in parallel with Channel Health. Thomas Cook TV has officially launched on 11527 MHz vertical, VPID 2306, APID 2307 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The Nigerian channel MBI Europe from Minaj Broadcasting has left 11585 MHz horizontal. A Let’s Go Shopping testcard has appeared on 11528 MHz vertical via VPID 2306, APID 2316.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 2A, 2B & 2D
A: The PIDs for UK Food on 11817 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have changed to V2329, A2330. BBC Radio Five Live is new on 11798 MHz vertical via APID 2340. Well, it had to happen – a new channel dedicated to mobile phone text messaging (SMS) entitled TXT Me TV is testing on 12344 MHz horizontal via PIDs V2340, A2341 in clear MPEG-2. The channel, which unsurprisingly is aimed at 16-24 year olds, appears in the Sky Digital EPG at Ch.841. Radio station Rampage is testing on 12324 MHz vertical via APID 665. On the same frequency Sky News Radio is carrying out test transmissions via APID 2310 in Videoguard encoded MPEG-2. Anjuman TV, Gurjari Channel and Cee (I) TV are all temporarily free-to-air on 12344 MHz horizontal. Some major changes to the Simply Shopping channels are about to happen. Simply Jewellery is to be replaced by Simply Health to compete with Channel Health and Simply Jewellery+1 will become Simply Holidays.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat 2A & 3A
A: The very popular Star Select bouquet is to exclusively join the ADD (Arab Digital Distribution) line-up. Previously Star Select was carried by the Orbit Network. The Star package includes Star movies, Star World, UKTV, Sky News, Channel V International, CNBC Europe, The History Channel, Fox Kids, Fox Sports and the National Geographic Channel. Fashion TV, which seems to crop up just about everywhere, has left the ADD package on 12563 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The Urdu language channel ARY Digital has started a stream share with Pehla Plus on 12605 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 517, APID 700 in Irdeto encoded MPEG-2 within the ART multiplex. A number of packages have moved or have been adjusted in some way. It seems that up to eight Arabsat 2A transponders failed on December 7, apparently due to a power switching failure. Many analogue channels and digital multiplexes were hurriedly relocated elsewhere. Here is the current situation in the Ku-Band; 11727 MHz horizontal, SR 24571, FEC 7/8 – Orbit package; 11747 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Sharjah TV, Saudi TV Channel 1, Kuwait Space Channel, Jamahirya Satellite Channel (Libya), Sudan TV, Saudi TV Channel 2, Oman TV, Abu Dhabi TV, Iraq Satellite Channel, Sharjah FM, Saudi Main Arabic Programme, Radio Omdurman (Sudan), Oman Radio, Al-Qu’ran Al-Kareem Radio. 11785 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Al-Manar TV (Lebanon), Future International, LBC Sat, MTV, New TV. 11856 MHz horizontal, SR 4444, FEC 7/8 – EMI Special Channel. 11919 MHz horizontal, 11958 MHz horizontal, 11996 MHz horizontal and 12073 MHz horizontal – Orbit Network. 12540 MHz vertical, SR 4340, FEC 3/4 – KTV3 (Kuwait). 12563 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – ADD package. 12620 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Ajman TV, Nile TV International, EuroNews, Orbit promo, Saudi TV Channel 2, ESC 1 (Egypt), TV5 Orient, RTM 1 (Morocco), Qatar Satellite Channel, Jam-e-Jam Network 1 (Iran), RMC Moyen-Orient and Qatar Radio. 12646 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – ADD package. 12661 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – EDTV (Dubai), Dubai Sports Channel, Dubai Business Channel, Palestinian Satellite Channel, Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel (Qatar), MBC, Jordan Satellite Channel, Arab News Network, Al-Mustaqillah TV, Syrian Satellite Channel, MBC FM, Radio Amman, Syrian Radio. 12735 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – Zen TV, RTD (Djibouti), Bahrain TV, BBC World India, Yemen TV, EDTV (Dubai), TV de Mauritanie, Sahar Universal Network 1 (Iran), TV7 (Tunisia), Algerie 3, UN Radio, Bahrain FM, BBC World Service Arabic programme, Yemen Radio, Imarat FM, Nouakchott Radio (Mauritania), Radio Bahrain, Chaine 1 (Algeria), BBC World Service English programme and Aden Radio. Fox Sports Middle East is a new addition to the ADD multiplex on 12563 MHz horizontal, VPID 522, APID 750. Also in the ADD bouquet, the French music channel MCM Europe has been replaced by National Geographic Adventure One at V518, A710. Al-Shabab TV has made way for the Iraq Satellite Channel at 12708 MHz horizontal, SR 4340, FEC 3/4, VPID 4130, APID 4131 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Two Iraqi radio services, Izaat Jomhuryat Al-Iraq and Izaat Sawt Al-Shabab have vacated 11747 MHz vertical.

A: More changes here. Abu Dhabi TV has moved from 11842 MHz horizontal to 11836 MHz horizontal with Imarat FM still available via the 7.20/7.74 MHz audio sub-carriers. Algerie TV3 has returned to 11900 MHz vertical along with RTA Chaine 1 – 7.02 MHz, RTA Chaine 2 – 7.20 MHz, RTA Chaine 3 – 7.38 MHz and Chaine Thematique El Bahdja – 7.56 MHz. Al-Manar TV has left 11823 MHz vertical, Kuwait Space Channel is no longer on 11865 MHz vertical and Arab News Network has vacated 11977 MHz vertical. The Palestinian Satellite Channel has left 12535 MHz vertical and Saudi TV Channel 1, Al Qu’ran Al Kareem, and Saudi Main Arabic programme have vacated 12661 MHz vertical. Saudi TV Channel 2, Saudi 2nd Programme and the Saudi General Overseas Service radio have left 12720 MHz horizontal. Up at 12735 MHz vertical MTV (Lebanon) has gone and on 12685 MHz horizontal Al-Manar TV is absent. There is a new radio station accompanying Sudan TV on 3905 MHz LHCP. It is called Multaqah Al-Nilayen FM and can be found on the 5.80 MHz audio sub-carrier.

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1B,C & E-H, Astra 2C
D: Budapest based Duna TV has left the Wizja bouquet at 12304 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Audio channel Easy Listening has been replaced by the festive Xmas Channel on 11798 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 384 within the German Premiere World package. The six domestic French radio stations which recently joined the Canal Satellite Digital package on 12207 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, France Musiques, FIP, France Info, France Inter, Radio Bleue and Le Mouv have all left again. Still with Canal Satellite Digital, on 12266 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Animaux, La Chaine Histoire, BBC World, RFM TV, Action and Mangas are now encoded in just Mediaguard. Previously these channels were simulcrypt in Mediaguard and Viaccess. Spain’s Canal Satélite Digital has undergone some changes too. On 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 the OK Plus promo has left. Also on this frequency the line-up for the audio channels is now; Hit List – A233, Opera – A234, Reggae – A235, Alternative Rock – 236, Classical Favourites – A237, Country – A238, Jazz – A239, Orchestral – A240, Dance Underground – A241, Blues – A242, Baroque – 243, Hip Hop/R&B – A244, Gold – A245, World Music – A246 and Film Music – A247. All of these are encoded in Mediaguard. In the Canal Satellite Numerique package on 12402 MHz vertical a Planete Future promo is being played out on VPID 166, APID 104. A Magyar ATV testcard from Hungary replaced Animal Planet Europe on 11992 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in the UPC Direct package on December 3. On December 5 Magyar ATV commenced broadcasts here. Match TV has launched on 11739 MHz vertical, V165, A100 in the Canal Satellite Digital platform.

A: Three more analogue channels bite the dust. BBC World Service Europe, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 FM have all left 10729 MHz vertical on the back of CNBC Europe. Also, BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 have left 11244 MHz horizontal from where they were audible via the 7.74 and 7.92 MHz audio sub-carriers.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2
D: After an absence of several weeks the output from the Dutch amateur television repeater PI6ALK has returned to 12731 MHz horizontal, SR 2999, FEC 5/6, VPID 4130, APID 4131 in clear MPEG-2. A copy of the CBS multiplex on PAS 3R at 43 degrees West, 12636 MHz horizontal, SR 19849, FEC 7/8 has opened here on 11190 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2/NTSC.

13 degreesE:
Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5
D: The Christmas Channel has replaced VolksMusik (Folk Music) in the Stream line-up on 12616 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 2320. TRT International has returned to 10955 MHz horizontal, SR 4339, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 once again along with The Voice of Turkey – A257 (right channel) and TRT FM – A257 (left channel). Mangas, Encyclopedia and RTL 9 have joined the ABSat multiplex at 11681 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 170/171/172, APIDs 120/124/128. These channels are simulcrypt in Viaccess and Mediaguard. The Extreme Sports Channel has left the Greek OTE package on 12188 MHz vertical. MTV 2 Europe is no longer on 11242 MHz vertical. Izaat Jomhuryat Al-Iraq and Izaat Sawt Al-Shabab have left 12654 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APIDs 1921/1922 in the Arabsat package. TV7 Tunisia has left the Television par Satellite multiplex at 10873 MHz vertical.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat W1
D: Mesaj TV International from Turkey left 11103 MHz horizontal, SR 2498, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256 some days ago but has now returned. Radyo Eksen now appears twice alongside Pop TV on 11019 MHz horizontal, SR 2168, FEC 3/4 on APIDs 34 and 35.

7 degreesE:
Eutelsat W3
D: Reuters Financial Television is to close next May. The channel, which is fed over 12638 MHz vertical, SR 2047, FEC 1/2, VPID 512, APID 640 in clear MPEG-2, blames competition from the likes of Bloomberg Television for their disappointing audience figures. There is a Fucino Earth Station testcard in evidence on 11513 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4242, APID 4243. Fucino is located near Rome.

5 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3
D: Three new data channels have joined the Viasat multiplex on 11996 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They appear in the EPG as SES DOWNLOAD, ViasatTest 5, ViasatTest 6 and ViasatTest 7. PIN 24 left this frequency for a day or two but has since returned. After a lengthy period in the clear, Russia’s NTV is now encoded in Viaccess on 12380 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 50, APID 51. Gala Radio has joined the line-up on 11766 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 6113 in clear MPEG-2. The long standing Merlin Communications bouquet which carried Studio Universal, Planet Sky, 13th Street, Tamil Broadcasting and AWR1 in addition to some occasional feed traffic has left 12111 MHz horizontal. TV1000 Baltic has moved from 12034 MHz horizontal to 11823 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 7071, APID 7072. ORT Latvia for TemTV has started on 11996 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4051, APID 4052 in clear MPEG-2. The Ticket Barker Channel and Ticket 1, 2, 3 & 4 from the Scandinavian PPV service left 11804 MHz horizontal on December 13 but had returned 24 hours later. The Danish radio stations DR P1, DR P3 and DR Klassik are all now encoded in Conax on 11823 MHz vertical after enjoying a period in the clear.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat 707
D: A new Finnish package has launched on 12399 MHz horizontal, SR 28000, FEC 7/8 containing TV Finland, Nelonen, Urheilukanava, MTV3, SubTV and radio stations YLESat1 – A676 and YLESat 2 – A680. All of these, except the two radio channels, are encoded in Conax. Two new channels entitled Elitserien 1 and Elitserien 2 have joined the Telenor digital platform on 12476 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 516/517, APIDs 660/664 in Conax encoded MPEG-2. The three Danish Big Brother streams are now silent although still present on 11677 MHz horizontal, SR 26000, FEC 3/4. From China, CCTV 9 has returned to 11174 MHz horizontal, SR 22500, FEC 2/3, VPID 522, APID 652 in free-to-air MPEG-2 after a break. Audio channel Turk Musigi (Turkish Music) has been replaced temporarily by Christmas on 12456 MHz vertical, SR 28000, FEC 7/8 in the Canal Digital package. There was a free-to-air ArtSat testcard present on 12169 MHz horizontal, VPID 519, APID 668 within the Bulgarian digital package last week but on December 15 Nova TV launched here in clear MPEG-2. A new TV channel from Bulgaria entitled Planeta, which will broadcast mostly Bulgarian music, is about to launch here within the Telenor Bulgaria package.

5 degreesW:
Telecom 2C
D: Music channel MCM Belgique is a new addition to the GlobeCast package on 12542 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 124, APID 134 in Viaccess encoded MPEG-2. Other occupants here include Radio But – A532, Radio Conforama – A533 and Radio Soleil – A535.

7 degreesW:
Nilesat 101 & 102
D: BET on Jazz has vacated 11900 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 7/8 and has been replaced by a testcard. Ajman TV and Space Toon have left 11900 MHz vertical, VPIDs 3011/3021, APIDs3012/3022 in favour of Dream TV and Dream TV 2. There is a new ADD multiplex on 11881 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 containing Star World – V3043, A3044; Channel V International – V3053, A3054; National Geographic Middle East – V3063, A3064; Star Movies Middle East – V3073, A3074; Granada UKTV – V3003, A3004; CNBC Europe – V3013, A3014; Sky News – V3023, A3024; Fox Kids/The History Channel (stream sharing) – V3033, A3034 and Fox News Channel – V3083, A3084. All are encoded in Irdeto. At 11804 MHz horizontal Eurosport News has been superseded by MCM Europe on VPID 3053, APID 3054. Fox Sports Middle East is new on 11958 MHz horizontal, V604, A605 in the ADD bouquet. EDTV, Dubai Sports Channel and Dubai Business Channel have left 11785 MHz vertical on December 10 but had returned by the 11th. Abu Dhabi TV, Zen TV and Future International vacated 11862 MHz vertical and Syria Satellite Channel, Arab News Network, Kuwait TV 3, Kuwait TV 4 and Bahrain TV all departed from 11823 MHz vertical for around 24 hours on December 10. In addition, the Iraq Satellite Channel also left 11823 MHz vertical for one day. Eurosport News is new on 11804 MHz horizontal, V2073, A2074.

8 degreesW:
Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2
D: A strange offering has been occupying 11125 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, ID:’NoName’ for several days. The channel just played out back-to-back the Charlie’s Angels movie in clear MPEG-2 around the clock. This has now ceased. Tiziana Sat has opened with a free-to-air service on 11570 MHz horizontal, SR 6510, FEC 3/4, VPID 49, APID 52.

11 degreesW:
Express 3A
D: Russian radio channels Radio Rossii and Radio Chechnja Svobodnaja have launched on 3695 MHz RHCP via APID 35 alongside RTR Russian Television. At 11525 MHz vertical Video Italia and Radio Italia have both left the frequency.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12
D: The PIDs for Pars TV and Iran TV Network on 12608 MHz horizontal, SR 19522, FEC 2/3 have changed to V4146/7233, A4147/7234 respectively. PBC Trapesh is a newcomer on 12581 MHz horizontal, SR 8700, FEC 1/2 via VPID 4160, APID 4120 in clear MPEG-2. Taiwan’s BYU TV has returned to 12081 MHz horizontal, SR 3425, FEC 3/4 via Telstar 12’s American beam which covers just about all of South America and the Eastern half of the US. The beam is centred on Panama/Colombia at 48dBW. Also via the American beam, Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel has launched on 12093 MHz vertical, SR 22500, FEC 7/8, VPID 2336, APID 2337 in clear MPEG-2.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A/B/C
D: Fox Kids Espana has officially launched in the Via Digital bouquet on 11731 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4192, APID 4193 in Nagravision encoded MPEG-2. Formula Hits is new on 11616 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 4203 in clear MPEG-2.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.

E-mail: [email protected]

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