D = Digital
A = Analog

95 degreesE:
NSS 6

NSS 6, which was due to lift off from Kourou aboard an Ariane 4 rocket, has been delayed until 12 December. The satellite will carry a payload of 12 Ka-Band and 50 Ku-Band transponders. The Ku-Band footprints will cover all of Asia and Australasia west to Central Europe and Libya.

78.5 degreesE:
Thaicom 2&3

D Radio Catania from Sicily has launched on 3551 MHz vertical, SR 13333, FEC 3/4 via APID 2529 in clear MPEG-2.

76.5 degreesE:
Apstar 2R

D TVB Xing He TV has joined the Hong Kong package on 3850 MHz horizontal, SR 13280, FEC 3/4, VPID 210, APID 212.

75 degreesE:
LMI 1

D The parameters for the Russian radio bouquet at 12604 MHz vertical have changed to SR 1239, FEC 7/8. Available here in clear MPEG-2 are Radio Retro – A4097, Radio Dinamit FM – A4098, Radio Novaya Zhizn – A4099, Radio 2 – A4100, Radio Tango – A4101 and RVI 1 – A4102.

64 degreesE:
Intelsat 906

D There is a new occasional feed stream on 4100 MHz RHCP, SR 5732, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 650, In ‘NEWS INDIA FEED’ in free-to-air MPEG-2.

50 degreesE:
Anatolia 1

D The Georgian channel Rustavi 2 has left 11116 MHz vertical, SR 3618, FEC 3/4 as expected and has moved to Eurasiasat at 42 degrees East.

48 degreesE:
Eutelsat II-F2

D Italian channel TeleCampione has returned to 12538 MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 2/3, VPID 4194, APID 4195 and ProSat is back on 12533 MHz vertical, SR 3254, FEC 2/3, V33, A36. Eutelsat II-F2 is inclined by 2.5 degrees.

47.5 degreesE:
Europe*Star B

Correction: Europe*Star B is not drifting eastwards as stated in Transponder Monitor 19 November and is still in geostationary orbit at 47.5 degrees East.

45 degreesE:
Europe*Star 1

D The SatVision stream on 11618 MHz vertical, SR 3319, FEC 5/6 has left this frequency. In its place on 23 November for a short while were three audio streams [Radio 1 – A4195, Radio 2 – A4197 and Radio 3 – A4211]. These streams appeared to be devoid of any active audio. These streams are somewhat intermittent and come and go frequently. On 30 November the ‘Radio 1’ stream was relaying what is thought to be One Stop Shop Radio.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C & Eurasiasat 1

D The Turkish music channel M1 TV has joined the Cine+ package on 11026 MHz vertical, SR 6510, FEC 5/6 via PIDs V518, A710 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Lig TV, which had been available in clear MPEG-2, is now encoded in Cryptoworks on 12534 MHz horizontal, SR 3598, FEC 5/6, VPID 2109, APID 2210. Rustavi 2 has arrived here from Anatolia 1 at 50 degrees East. The Georgian TV channel is using 12595 MHz vertical, SR 2500, FEC 5/6, VPID 1360, APID 1320 in clear MPEG-2. Following the move the channel is now easily receivable in the UK with a dish size of 80cm plus. The Big Brother Turkey feed stream on 12622 MHz horizontal, SR 3055, FEC 3/4 has now left the frequency.

40 degreesE:
Express A1R

D Telekanal Rossiya has officially launched on 3675 MHz RHCP, SR 29775, FEC 7/8, VPID 513, APID 660 in clear MPEG-2.

36 degreesE:
Eutelsat W4 & Sesat

D The Khalifa TV caption has left 12623 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4. This was the feed stream for the Paris based channel which supplied the Hotbird signal. However, following Khalifa’s licensing difficulties the channel remains off the air. Audio stream ‘Urban Heat’ has been replaced by the seasonal ‘Christmas Music’ in the MultiChoice Africa package at 12437 MHz horizontal, SR 26040, FEC 2/3, APID 1041 in Irdeto 2 encoded MPEG-2.

33 degreesE:
Eurobird 2

D Hotbird 5 has been renamed Eurobird 2.

31 degreesE:

Turksat 1B
D M1 TV has left 11565 MHz vertical and has moved to Turksat 1C at 42 degrees East.

30.5 degreesE:
Arabsat 2B

D The Iraqi Satellite Channel has left 12722 MHz horizontal, SR 4340, FEC 3/4.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 2A, 2B & 2D & Eurobird 1

D The North American Sports Network [NASN] has started test transmissions on 11623 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2324, APID 2325 in free-to-air MPEG-2.Spice Xtreme is stream sharing with Shop 24/7 on 11488 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 via PIDs V2319, A2320. Spice Xtreme airs from 22:00-04:00. P-Rock TV has launched on 12285 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, V2307, A2308, Ch.461. As expected, F1 Digital has closed down and has left the Sky Digital EPG at Ch.434. The PPV service cost subscribers GBP12 per race to watch multi-camera coverage of the World’s F1 motor racing Grand Prix. Two more adult channels have been added to the EPG. They are XXX TV at Ch.991 and Amateur Babes on Ch.992. The Welsh language channel S4C Digidol is to remain free-to-air on Ch.184. The Arab channels LBC Europe, ART Aflam, ART Europe and al-Jazeera Satellite Channel are all encoded in Videoguard on 11527 MHz vertical after a short spell in the clear. Audio stream ‘Special Events’ has been temporarily replaced by ‘Christmas Holiday Music’ on 12188 MHz horizontal via APID 3359.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat 2A & 3A

D Kuwait’s KTV 3 and KTV 4 have left 12540 MHz vertical, SR 4340, FEC 3/4 once again. The only active stream here now is relaying a KTV testcard on PIDs V308, A256. The PIDs for Futures USA and Zen TV on 3878 MHz LHCP, SR 5610, FEC 2/3 have been changed to V105/107, A106/108 respectively.

A The Iraqi Space Channel has launched on 12578 MHz vertical in clear PAL via Arabsat 3A. In the audio baseband, in addition to the TV audio on 6.60 MHz there is also Jomhoriyat al-Iraq at 7.02 MHz, Izaat Sawt al-Shabab at 7.20 MHz and Radio Iraq International on 7.38 MHz. The footprint covers only the Gulf area and northern Africa and unfortunately does not make it into northern Europe. Middle East Broadcasting [MBC] are to launch a Bahrain based free-to-air English language channel next year providing a mix of news and current affairs as well as some Western movies. Surprisingly, the new channel will only be available on C-Band via Arabsat.

23.5 degreesE:
Astra 3A

D The Feratel Wetterstation feeds from Swiss and Austrian ski resorts is now available via two streams on 12512 MHz vertical, SR 4650, FEC 7/8, VPIDs 512/4352 [no audio] in clear MPEG-2.

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

D Astra 1K, launched from Baikonur on 26 November failed to reach orbital height due to a failure in the Proton rocket. The satellite attained a height of just 140 km. The satellite, one of the largest ever launched, was visible in a pass over Europe on 27 November at 06:05. Later on the 27th the joint efforts of SES Astra, Alcatel Space, CNES and NORAD succeeded in raising the orbit to 290 km where the craft could be stabilised without the threat of an uncontrolled re-entry. 1K was to have increased capacity at the 19.2 degrees East slot and would probably have taken over from Astra 2C releasing that satellite to move to 28.2 degrees East. There have been some more major changes to the French CanalSatellite packages. 10778 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, which contained TV7 Tunisie, Canal Algerie, TV5 Europe, RTM Maroc, ESC1, RAI 1, Deutsche Welle TV and RTP Internacional has been switched off but all of these channel are available via 11568 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6. Up at 11739 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 the following channels have left the CanalSatellite line-up; MCM, Match TV, KTO, AlloCine TV, TiJi, Gourmet.tv, MCM 2, C.Cinema auteur and National Geographic Channel. All of these can be found on 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. At 11778 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Cuisine TV, Canal J, LCI, Voyage, TMC and Eurosport have all left but remain on 11934 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The ABsat bouquet has left 12265 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 taking Toute l’Histoire, Animaux, Encyclopedia, BBC World, RFM TV, Fashion TV, Action, Cine Box, Moteurs, Mangas, AB1, Escales and finally Zik/XXL. These channels can be found on 12285 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The German channel Tele 5 has launched on 12480 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1535, APID 1536 in clear MPEG-2. Belgian radio station RTBF La Premiere Sat has launched on 12610 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 via APID 52.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2

D WCBS Newsradio 880 from New York City has joined the CBS feed stream at 11190 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 via APID 4197 [right channel]. The audio level is extremely low at times. TV7 Tunisie and Radio Tunis International have launched a digital service on 12682 MHz horizontal, SR 2892, FEC 3/4, VPID 333, APIDs 800/801.

A The Egyptian Space Channel [ESC1] has moved to 11471 MHz vertical where it can be found in clear PAL with audio via the 6.65 MHz sub-carrier. Also here are four radio stations – El-Bernameg El-Aam [7.02 MHz], Sout al-Arab [7.20 MHz], Izaat Al-Sharq al-Awsat – [7.38 MHz] and al-Qur’an al-Karim [7.56 MHz].

13 degreesE:
Hotbird 1/2/3/4/6

D The launch of Hotbird 7, due on the night of 28/29 November, was aborted due to undisclosed technical problems. The next launch window is 9-15 December. Hotbird 7 is to take over from Hotbird 3 which will be moved to another Eutelsat geostationary slot later. A ‘Christmas Channel’ audio stream has opened within the French TPS package at 10910 MHz, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 APID 3642. The channel is currently free-to-air. Deutsche Welle TV America has joined Deutsche Welle TV Afghanistan on 11144 MHz vertical, SR 4599, FEC 7/8 via PIDs V33, A4010 in clear MPEG-2. The CalabriaSat promo channel has left the HRT package at 12520 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Shock FM and Radio Maria Italia have opened on 12111 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APIDs 46/249. The new Algerian channel Beur TV is set to launch on 5 December at 11623 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 221, APID 241 in clear MPEG-2. Radio station Beur FM is already well established in France amongst Algerian expatriates. Italian channel Alice, Leonardo and Nuvolari have launched on 11200 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 5/6 in clear MPEG-2 via PIDs V351/355/358, A352/356/359. A new radio station, al-Islah Radio, is carrying out test transmissions on 11096 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 74. This London based station comes from The Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat W1

D On 20 November at 10:45 recorded video footage from the oil covered beaches near La Coruna in Galicia, NW Spain was fed over 11584 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, In ‘DSNG ML1’ in clear MPEG-2. On the same day 12738 MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 4112, In ‘GCR-F54-2′ was active with a live feed from a MacDonalds’ restaurant in France. A caption superimposed on the video stated ‘SNG F54 IFB +33680351611’.

5.2 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3 & Astra 1A

D In the Kingston/TLI multiplex at 12110 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 5/6 ESPN Classic Sport Italia has been free-to-air recently via PIDs V1056, A1067 but has now returned to Conax encryption. TRK Ukraina has launched within the Ukrainian package at 11766 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 6161, APID 6162 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

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

D Scandinavian Sat Radio appears to have left the Telenor package at 11246 MHz vertical, SR 24500, FEC 7/8. There are two new streams in the Telenor line-up at 11677 MHz horizontal, SR 26000, FEC 3/4. They contain ‘AudioTest 44/1 kHz’ – A658 and ‘DR SydEuropa’ – V512, A640. The DR channel is running a promo advertising a Danish bouquet for expatriates in southern Europe. Sarajevo based Mreza Plus has returned to 11539 MHz vertical, SR 26000, FEC 3/4, VPID 513, APID 644 in clear MPEG-2.

7 degreesW:
Nilesat 101 & 102

D Egyptian radio station Izaat Wast al-Deltah has joined the ERTU package at 11766 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APID 1305. Radio Sawa 1 is using a new APID – 2005 on 11842 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Also in this multiplex, the PIDs for Nile News have been changed to V1002, A1202. The ‘Video Satellite Cairo’ caption has returned to 12149 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1003, APID 1203 in clear MPEG-2.

8 degreesW:
Telecom 2D & Atlantic Bird 2

D MBC USA and MBC FM have left 12621 MHz horizontal, SR 3300, FEC 3/4.

11 degreesW:
Express 3A

D TV Evropa from Bulgaria is now fully encoded in Irdeto on 3980 MHz RHCP, SR 21000, FEC 7/8. The channel previously carried some free-to-air programming.

12.5 degreesW:
Atlantic Bird 1

D MBC Europe and MBC FM have launched on 11155 MHz horizontal, SR 2892, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APIDs 650/257 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

15 degreesW:
Telstar 12

D Extreme Sport and UPC Club remain free-to-air in the UPC cable package at 11122 MHz horizontal, SR 18382, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V2601/2901, A2610/2910.

21.5 degreesW:
NSS 7

D Four feed streams for the Orbit Network have opened here. 11621 MHz, 11626 MHz, 11630 MHz and 11634 MHz carry the feeds via VPIDs 308, APIDs 256 in RAS encoded MPEG-2. The streams are named ‘SAT 203’, ‘SAT 201’, ‘SAT 204’ and ‘SAT 202’. Radiodiffusion Télévision Congolaise and Radio Congo appear to have overcome their uplink problems and are back on 4055 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 7/8, VPID 128, APIDs 139/147 in free-to-air MPEG-2. A new mini-package from The Philippines has opened on 11491 MHz horizontal, SR 13333, FEC 3/4. It contains four active streams with TFC Middle East – V513, A514, ABS-CBN News Channel – V529, A530, ABS-CBN Channel 1 – V545, A546 and an ABS-CBN testcard overlaid with ‘ABS-CBN Uplink, Quezon city center, Philippines’ – V561, A562. This transponder is configured for the Europe/Middle East, which provides 51 dBW to the UK and NW Africa and 47-49 dBW to the rest of Europe and the Middle East. A new Canal Horizons package for west Africa has opened on 11491 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 containing TF6 – V160, A80; Mangas – V161, A84; Planete France – V162, A88; TiJi – V163, A92; Paris Premiere – V164, A96; Eurosport – V165, A100; CFI TV – V166, A104; InfoSport – V167, A108; Cartoon Network France – V171, A124; Odyssée – V173, A132; RFM TV – V174, A136; ORTM – V176, A144; France 3 Sat – V177, A148; Arte Francais/France 5 – V178, A152; Paris Jazz – A242; RFI Afrique – A1901; Europe 1 – A1902; NRJ – A1903 and Europe 2 – A1904. NSS 7’s West African footprint extends from Mauritania in the north to Gabon in the south and east to Chad.

27.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 605

D Another African country turns to satellite delivery. This time it is the turn of Guinea to launch a satellite service which can be found on 3935 MHz RHCP, SR 4550, FEC 1/2, VPID 4096, APID 4097 in clear MPEG-2. RTG [Radiodiffusion Télévision Guinéenne], which is based in the country’s capital city, Conakry, is accompanied by three audio streams on APIDs 4099/4101/4103. APIDs 4099 and 4101 carry Radio National with programmes in French plus local languages Fulah, Maninké and Souassu.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A/B/C/D

D There are five new streams in the Portuguese TV Cabo package on 11811 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They are Canal Mosaico – V5280, A5281; Telecine Gallery – V5264, A5265; IPPV 1 – V6672, A6673, IPPV 2 – V6688, A6689 and Test 3 – V6704, A6705. All are encoded in Nagravision. Four new channels have been added to the line-up at 12012 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They are; Sexy Hot – V4385, A4386; RTP Africa – V4401, A4402; Cartoon Network Espana and TCM Espana – V4417, A4418. All four are encoded in Nagravision. Hallmark Entertainment Espana y Portugal and Escaparate Info have moved from 12303 MHz LHCP to 11931 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.TVE Internacional has launched on a Hispasat 1D transponder at 12591 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2201, APID 2202.

31.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 801

D The BT Paris feed streams at 10957 MHz, 10966 MHz, 10974 MHz and 10982 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 have all been switched off.

40.5 degreesW:
NSS 806

D In the Radio France Internationale bouquet at 3803 MHz LHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, which provides the French external service to Central and South America, there have been some PID changes. The current parameters are; RFI Jamaique – A1500, RFI Langues-Div – A1501 and RFI Direct-Brasil – A1503. All of these are free-to-air.

47.5 degreesW:
TDRS 6

D The Greek mini-package at 3800 MHz horizontal, SR 10451, FEC 3/4 contains just five active streams. These contain ‘ERT_USA’ – V32, A33 [left channel] and ‘MEGA_USA’ – V35, A36. On the right channel of APID 33 can be heard ERA 5. On APID 48 there are two audio channels, ERA 1 on the left channel and ERA Spor via the right channel. TDRS 6 has two C- Band beams, one for the US peaks at 35 dBW over the eastern seaboard west to the mid-West and the other is centred over central Europe, also at 35 dBW decreasing to 27 dBW over north Africa and Iceland.

55.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 805

D Two feeds were spotted here on 23 November. At 14:10 a German politician was interviewed via 3823 MHz horizontal, SR 6665, FEC 7/8, VPID 1160, APID 1122 in clear MPEG-2. A little later recorded video footage of a demonstration against President Bush in Romania was fed over 3815 MHz horizontal, SR 6665, FEC 7/8, VPID 1160, A1120. TV Globo Internacional from Brazil has launched a new free-to-air service on 4190 MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120.