Transponder Monitor

90 degreesE:
Yamal 102

D The Russian channel GTRK Dalnevostochnaya from the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk has launched on 3725 MHz LHCP, SR 3200, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 in clear MPEG-2

80 degreesE:
Express 6A

D All of the channels in the Russian TV Centr package at 4125 MHz RHCP, SR 22908, FEC 3/4 are temporarily free-to-air. The occupants here are; TV Centr – V160, A80; TV XXI Filmu Kanal – V163, A92; TV7 – V164, A96 plus some feed streams. Also in this multiplex, Radio Arsenal is new via APID 101 and Nashe Muzika [National Music] has been replaced by ART TeleNet.

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom 2&3

D TV Moda has joined the RR Satellite Communications package at 3551 MHz horizontal, SR 13333, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V2529, A2530 in clear MPEG-2. The Iranian channel Jaam-e-Jam TV Network 3 has been replaced by Sahar Universal Network 1 on 3460 MHz horizontal, VPID 523, APID 651. Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd [VSNL] have signed a contract with Shin Satellite in Thailand to provide a new digital platform offering up to 30 TV channels to the Indian sub-continent. The new package will be uplinked to Thaicom from VSNL’s own uplink facilities in Mumbai and Delhi thus satisfying India’s forthcoming law requiring that all indigenous Indian channels must be uplinked from Indian soil.

76.5 degreesE:
Apstar 2R

D Mysteriously the Mumbai based MAK package which offered initially five TV channels has disappeared from 4107 MHz vertical, SR 14200, FEC 3/4 before reaching its full capacity. The package, which had been testing here for two weeks, was to have increased in size with several more channels about to come on line.

68.5 degreesE:
PAS 7 & 10

D A channel rarely seen in Europe is CCTV-5, the state sports channel from China Central Television. However, on 17 September CCTV-5 was present in the CCTV package for several hours at 4090 MHz horizontal, SR 13240, FEC 3/4 in free-to-air MPEG-2 via PIDs V1460, A1420. A new multiplex has opened on 4184 MHz horizontal, SR 19846, FEC 3/4 containing 5 active streams which currently contain testcards. These are Encoder 1 – V1160, A1120; Encoder 2 – V1260, A1220; Encoder 3 – V1360, A1320; Encoder 4 – V1460, A1420 and Encoder 5 – V1560, A1520. The testcards indicate that this mini-bouquet is uplinked from the Swiss Telecom Earth Station at Leuk, Switzerland. Three of the channels in the Doordarshan package for India on 4035 MHz vertical, SR 19560, FEC 3/4 are sporting new logos [DOGS]. They are DD India – V514, A670, DD Metro – V515, A680 and DD National – V520, A730.

A BBC World India and BBC World Service radio have returned to the 6.60 and 7.20 MHz audio sub-carriers on 4182 MHz vertical after a short break.

64 degreesE:
Intelsat 804

D Channel 5 in the Tanzanian bouquet at 3641 MHz RHCP, SR 9164, FEC 1/2, VPID 513, APID 514 is temporarily off air.

58.5 degreesE:
Intelsat 906

Intelsat 906 is currently at this slot enroute to 64 degrees East where it will replace Intelsat 804.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1

D Genc Radyo and Radyo Cool are new on 10982 MHz horizontal via APID 35. Kiss FM, Sik FM, Cem Radyo and RadioSport have all vacated 10956 MHz vertical.

39 degreesE:
Hellas Sat 1

D Hellas Sat 1 is to be joined at this slot by Hellas Sat 2 early next year. The new satellite is due to lift off on 1 February.

36 degreesE:
Eutelsat W4 & Sesat

D Motors TV is dual-illuminating here, on 12610 MHz vertical, SR 2999, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 and 12615 MHz vertical, SR 2999, FEC 3/4, V308, A256. Both streams are encoded in Viaccess.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 2A, 2B & 2D & Eurobird

D The PIDs for UK Gold+1 on 11954 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have been changed to V2317, A2324. ESPN Classic Sport Italia has been replaced by ESPN Classic Sport France on 12344 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3.Simply Nostalgia has entered a stream share with Simply Health & Fitness on 12129 MHz vertical. The new channel airs from 19:00- 00:00 daily. The PIDs for Chart Show TV on 11584 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have been changed to V2331, A2333. The channel is still free-to-air here for the time being. Following the success of the recently launched Avago, the interactive bingo channel, there are reports of a forthcoming casino channel soon to be launched via the Sky Digital platform. The launch of the UK’s first pay-per-view music channel, MX Sky Box Office, has been put on hold because of problems relating to ‘the sourcing of videos’. The new channel was to have enjoyed a September launch to cash in on the build up to Christmas but now looks set to appear some time in the first quarter of 2003. Transponder Monitor would not be complete without news of another home shopping channel launch within the Sky Digital line-up. So as not to disappoint, JML Direct is carrying out test transmissions on 12343 MHz horizontal prior to their 1 October launch. The channel will occupy Ch.664 in the EPG. There is a new men’s lifestyle channel on its way next month from Turner Broadcasting for Sky Digital viewers. The channel, provisionally named CNX, will offer a blend of sport, martial arts, news and general entertainment. It is currently testing intermittently on 12051 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, ID:’7103′. 1 October will see the launch of STC Europe [Soundtrack Europe], which will provide a selection of movie and TV soundtrack videos 24 hours a day. Sky News is switching to widescreen 16:9 format from 16 October. In the CzechLink package on 12607 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Stanice O is a newcomer via PIDs V164, A96 in clear MPEG-2 and TV Markiza has left this frequency but can still be found on 12643 MHz horizontal. Most of the channels on 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have undergone PID changes over the last few days. The current parameters are; VH-1 – V2314, A2316; MTV2 – V2319, A2320; Sci-Fi – V2323, A2325; MTV Hits – V2326, A2327; MTV Base – V2336, A2337; VH-1 Classic – V2340, A2341; Paramount – V2344, A2346 and MTV Dance – V2331, A2327. Teletext Holidays is testing on 112421 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 in clear MPEG-2. The PIDs for Travel Deals and the Travel Channel and on 12051 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 have changed to V2307/2318, A2309/2320.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat 2A & 3A

D There is a new Al-Majd promo channel on 11747 MHz horizontal, VPID 4760, APID 4720 in clear MPEG-2.

A A new radio station entitled Moltaqah Al-Nielayen FM has launched on the back of Sudan TV at 3906 MHz LHCP via the 5.80 MHz audio sub-carrier.

23.5 degreesE:
Astra 3A

D The MediaVision package, which contained RAI Uno, RAI Due, RAI Tre, Show TV and TGRT, has left 12565 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 and has relocated to Eutelsat Hotbird at 13 degrees East, 11262 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.

21.5 degreesE:
Eutelsat II-F3

D EuroMed has replaced TeleAcras at 11616 MHz horizontal, SR 3055, FEC 2/3, VPID 3105, APID 3106 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

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

D CanalSatellite France have been undergoing some major changes to their multiplexes. The Canal Satellite Digital bouquets on 11895 MHz vertical and 11934 MHz vertical have been replaced by CanalSatellite France packages. The current line-ups for both frequencies is as follows: 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 – CinéCinema Auteur – V177, A104; MCM France – V178, A84; KTO-TV Catholique – V172, A92; MCM 2 – V173, A96; Match TV – V175, A100; Allo Ciné Info – V179, A108; TiJi – V176, A112; National Geographic Channel France – V180, A116; Gourmet TV – V181, A120. Up at 11934 MHz vertical the line-up is; Eurosport France – V160, A80; TMC – V161, A84; Planete – V162, A88 [French] & A89 [Portuguese]; Paris Premiere – V163, A92 [French] & A93 [natural sound]; Voyage – V164, A96; LCI – La Chaine Info – V166, A104; Canal J – V167, A108; Santé Vie – V168, A112 and Cuisine.TV – V165, A100. Both bouquets are simulcrypt in Mediaguard and Viaccess 1. In addition Canal Satellite Digital have left 12246 MHz, 12285 MHz, 12441 MHz, 12522 MHz and 12581 MHz vertical. A new multiplex has opened on 11568 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 relaying nine active streams. These contain RTM 1 Europe – V162, A96; ESC 1 – V163, A104; TV5 FBS – V164, A112; TV7 Tunisia – V166, A128; Arte Francais – V167, A136 [French] & A137 [German]; Canal Algérie – V168, A138; RAI Uno – V289, A290; RTP Internacional – V300, A301 and Deutsche Welle TV – V305, A306. All are free-to-air at present.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2

D Radio Kosovo has joined RTK1 TV [Kosovo TV] on 12631 MHz vertical, SR 4882, FEC 1/2 via APID 257.

13 degreesE:
Hotbird 1/2/3/4/5

D Hotbird 6 has now reached this slot following the test period at 1.7 degrees East. Eurosport has left the Television par Satellite package at 10834 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Newcomers here are France 5 – V220, A320, TV 5 Europe – V420, A430 and Paris Premiere – V620, A630. The Arabic language ART Children’s Channel is free-to-air at times on 12015 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via VPID 513, APID 660. Cartoon Network Polska and TCM Central Europe have joined the line-up in the Polish Cyfra+ package on 11283 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Both channels are sharing PIDs V169, A116. Cartoon Network airs from 05:00-20:00 with TCM filling in the night time slot. The Pakistani channel Prime TV has launched in the Antenna Hungaria bouquet at 12149 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V96, A97, ID: ‘AH-EDP1’ in clear MPEG-2. Prime TV is also part of the Sky Digital platform via Astra at 28.2 degrees East. In the Radio Television Espana multiplex at 11785 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, Canal Clasico, Grandes Documantales, Tele Deporte and Canal Nostalgia are all encoded in Nagravision again after a brief free-to-air spell. Both B4U Movies UK and ARY Digital were free-to-air last week on 12476 MHz horizontal but have now returned to their usual encoded state. Music channel TMF Nederland has left the Viacom bouquet at 11242 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4

A The Telefonica promo channel on 11224 MHz horizontal, which was previously broadcast in NTSC, has switched to PAL.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat W1

D Radyo Eksen has launched on the back of NTV at 10987 MHz horizontal via the 7.38/7.74 MHz audio sub-carriers in clear PAL. On 18 September at 15:10 a live piece to camera from the Gaza Strip in Israel for an Arabic TV channel was fed over 11045 MHz vertical, SR 3125, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID:’Gaza 1′ in clear MPEG-2.

A The Serbian channels TVL Sat and Juzni Vetar have left 11163 MHz horizontal where they were available part time in clear PAL.

7 degreesE:
Eutelsat W3

D A new Turkish TV channel, Levent Kirca TV, has joined the DigiTurk line-up on 11617 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPID 2106, APID 2208 in Cryptoworks encoded MPEG-2. Levent Kirca is the name of a controversial chat show host in Turkey.

5.2 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3 & Astra 1A

D The data stream Gjensidige NOR has left the Viasat package on 11881 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.

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

D TV 2001 has joined the Bulgarian digital platform on 12169 MHz horizontal, SR 28000, FEC 7/8, VPID 522, APID 720 in clear MPEG-2. Also new here is Radio Contact via APID 704. In the same package Channel 8 has changed PIDs to V521, A716.

5 degreesW:
Atlantic Bird 3

D Atlantic Bird 3 [the renamed Stellat 5], which has now replaced Telecom 2C, has sprung into action with a new multiplex at 3727 MHz vertical, SR 29950, FEC 7/8 containing 7 active streams. These are Serte Test 1 – V721, A731; Serte Test 2 – V722, A732; Serte Test 5 – V725, A735, Serte Test 6 – V726, A736 plus Reuters World News Service – V728, A738. So far the Serte streams have been airing testcards only. This multiplex uses the PanAtlantic beam.

7 degreesW:
Nilesat 101 & 102

D The PIDs for MTV India on 11861 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 have been changed to V3031, A3032. The lively music channel continues to be free-to-air here. Khalifa Radio is new on 11900 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APID 3111 in clear MPEG-2. A free-to-air Al-Majd promo channel has launched on 11900 MHz vertical, VPID 1303, APID 1304 in parallel with 11747 MHz vertical on Arabsat 3A at 26 degrees East. The Dubai Business Channel and EDTV Channel Europe on 11785 MHz vertical have changed PIDs to V2280/2290, A2281/2291 respectively. Also, MTV India – which is still free-to-air here – has new PIDs, V3031, A3032 on 11862 MHz vertical. ART Music has launched a free-to-air outlet on 12034 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V3084, A3085. However, catch it will you can as encryption is just around the corner.

8 degreesW:
Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2

D In-store radio service, Homebase FM, has launched on 11477 MHz horizontal, SR 5698, FEC 2/3 via APID 900 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

11 degreesW:
Express 3A

D The Bulgarian channel TV 7 Dni [7 Days] appears to have left the package at 3975 MHz RHCP, SR 27730, FEC 7/8, VPID 36, APID 37.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12

D The US based Farsi language channel NITV is now encoded in Irdeto on 12595 MHz horizontal. Also on this frequency, Radio Sedaye Melli Iran is new via APID 34. This Iranian opposition station has a mailing address in Santa Monica, California. In the UPC Direct cable package at 11124 MHz horizontal, SR 18386, FEC 3/4 there is a new Extreme Events Channel promo in evidence via PIDs V2901, A2910 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

21.5 degreesW:
NSS 7

D RTNC 1 from the Democratic Republic of Congo left 11003 MHz horizontal, SR 6510, FEC 3/4 for several days but has since returned. New on this frequency is Radiodiffusion Télévision de Mali [ORTM] from this central African country’s capital city Bamako which until now was only available to international viewers via a C-Band feed on Intelsat 801 at 31.5 degrees West. ORTM can be found on PIDs V34, A46 and Radio Mali is here also via APID 45. Also new here is Radio Senegal Chaine Nationale on APID 42. The PIDs for RTS1 [Radiodiffusion Télévision du Sénégal] have been changed to V33, A43. All of the streams in this African mini-package are free-to-air.

27.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 605

D MBI Africa from Nigeria has returned to 3873 MHz RHCP, SR 4000, FEC 1/2, VPID 33, APID 32 following their recent technical difficulties.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A/B/C

D Hispasat 1D was successfully launched on 18 September. The new craft, which will take over from Hispasat 1a and 1B here, carries 28 Ku-Band transponders. Another Big Brother spin-off, this time from Portugal, has launched within the TV Cabo package at 12012 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 4369, APID 4370, ID: ‘TVI …special’ in Nagravision encoded MPEG-2. Flaix FM and Cadena Energia have left the Retevision package on 11771 MHz horizontal. Two new occasional feed streams have opened in the Retevision bouquet at 11731 MHz horizontal, SR 28120, FEC 5/6. They are ‘Ocasional 1’ – V1101, A1102 and ‘Ocasional 2’ – V1201, A1202. When not in traffic they broadcast a T.I.A.R. Retevision testcard.

A Canal+ Espana, Ema RTV, COM Radio and Onda Cero Radio have all vacated 12711 MHz horizontal and have relocated to 12590 MHz horizontal in PAL.

31.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 801

D On 18 September at 09:05 a live feed from a memorial service for five firefighters who lost their lives tackling a blaze in Neuilly-sur-Seine, north of Paris was fed over 11007 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, ID:’801 8 Mbits F10′ in MPEG 4.2.2.

37.5 degreesW:
Telstar 11, Columbia 515 & Satcom C1

D The Viacom feed stream on 11542 MHz horizontal, SR 5998, FEC 3/4, VPID 167, APID 108 has been very active recently with some interesting feed traffic. This stream is often used to relay new TV and cinema commercials to end users.

40.5 degreesW:
NSS 806

D There have been some changes in the Argentinian package on 3636 MHz RHCP, SR 13800, FEC 5/6. Canal rural Satelital, FM Millennium 106, FM Red 92 and FM HRG have all left the multiplex. New here are La Red Deportiva – A3225; Radio FM Show – A3235; Radio 10 – A3256; Radio Mega – A3255, Radio Rivadavia – A3245 and Radio Uno – A3246.

58 degreesW:
PAS 9

A On 13 September there was a flurry of activity on this western Atlantic satellite. On 11630 MHz horizontal, SR 13070, FEC 3/4 at around 12:10 a feed in MPEG 4.2.2 was spotted via VPID 308, APID 256, ID: ‘Speed Channel’. At the same time a temporary multiplex appeared on 11677 MHz horizontal, SR 13239, FEC 3/4 with BBC 1 on VPID 1160, APID 1120; Deutsche Welle TV – V1560, A1520; Deutsche Welle Radio German service – A1522, RTP Internacional – V1760, A1720, RDP Antena 1 – A1721 plus Radio Renascenca. All of these were available in free-to-air MPEG-2/NTSC. For the recent IBC show in Amsterdam a multiplex opened on 11477 MHz horizontal, SR 26465, FEC 3/4 containing Doordarshan India – V1160, A1120; SIS-IBC Trade Show – V1260, A1220; ARY Digital – IBC Trade Show – V1360, A1320; EWTN – IBC Trade Show – V1460, A1420 and B4U Music – IBC Trade Show – V1560, A1520. All were encoded. CubaVision Internacional continues to use 11568 MHz horizontal, SR 6620, FEC 2/3, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in clear MPEG-2/NTSC intermittently.