Key:
A. Analogue
D. Digital

122 degrees E: Asiasat-1

Asiasat-1 has left its previous slot of 105.5 degrees East after being replaced by Asiasat-3S and is en route to 122 degrees East. It will be parked here in an inclined orbit and will continue to provide video, audio and data services until the launch and implementation of Asiasat-4 in 2001. The North beam footprint from this new slot takes in all of China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea whilst the South beam covers an area from south east Asia westwards to the Arabian Gulf.

116 degrees E: Koreasat-1/2
(Also known as Mugungwha)
Because of the delay in the launch of Indonesia’s Telekom satellite from Kourou, lift off of Korea’s newest craft, Koreasat-3, has been put off until 2 September at the earliest. Koreasat (or Mugungwha)-3 will replace Koreasat-1 early next year.

100.5 degrees E: Asiasat-2
A. Saudi TV1 has launched here for an Asian market on an SCPC carrier at 3660 MHz vertical, SR 7138, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 650 in free-to-air MPEG-2/DVB.

83 degrees E: Insat-2E
D. Indian state broadcaster Doordarshan is to launch three new channels in the near future. The first will be an all-news channel which will start later this month. This will be followed by an arts and culture channel and a movie channel. As many of Doordarshan’s regional and national channels can be found here already, such as DD-1, the National Hindi service, DD-2 Metro, DD-5 for Tamil Nadu, DD-7 Bengali service and DD-8 for the Andhra Pradesh region, there is a good chance that the new channels will also use Insat-2E capacity.

68.5 degrees E: PAS-4 & 7
A. The Indian independent channel, Home TV, on 3840 MHz vertical in free-to-air PAL was missing from this frequency on 29 July. The channel had returned by the following day. 3930 MHz horizontal was used on 6 August at 1335 for a relay of Sat 7, the Arabic language Christian TV channel in clear PAL. Audio was available via the 6.60/7.20 MHz audio subcarriers.

66 degrees E: Intelsat-704
A. The Indian channel Eenaadhu TV from the south Indian city of Madras has opened on 3760 MHz RHCP, in addition to the previous frequency of 4060 MHz LHCP. The channel still broadcasts in free-to-air PAL. Both transponders are running identical programming.

62 degrees E: Intelsat-602
A. A feed of India News Day for CNBC Asia was relayed on 4166 MHz RHCP in clear PAL on 30 July at 1500. Feed traffic for the Indian channel, ANI was sighted on 31 July at 1720 in clear PAL on the following day also on 4166 MHz RHCP. This transponder is used at around 1600 for irregular APTN sourced feeds of a programme called Europe Late for an unknown broadcaster in clear PAL. On 5 August at 1645 a live feed from Pakistan for UAE TV Dubai was sighted on 4188 MHz RHCP in clear PAL. On 4, 5 and 6 August some very weak feed traffic from Afghanistan bound for Qatar was observed on 4166 MHz at around 1520.

60 degrees E: Intelsat-604
A. Material for RAI was fed over 4166 MHz RHCP on 31 July from 1025 in free-to-air PAL. Regular daily feed traffic for China’s CCTV 1 can be seen on this frequency too from around 1200.

53 degrees E: Gorizont-32
D. Once again there have been some more minor changes to the Turkmen digital multiplex on 3714 MHz RHCP. The parameters are now: SR 8498, FEC 3/4. The current line-up is: TMT1 with TV audio on the left channel and the Russian Radio Mayak (Lighthouse) also available from the left channel at times. TMT3 is also here with TV audio from the left channel and Turkmen Radio from the right.

42 degrees E: Turksat-1C
D. Three testcards have appeared on 11469 MHz vertical in clear MPEG-2 overlaid with Prima Produksiyon (V 36, A 35), Guncel Produksiyon (V 37, A 38) and Boyut Produksiyon (V 47, A 45).

A. Kral TV came and then went on 11469 MHz vertical recently. The Turkish music channel appeared in clear PAL for a few days but by 30 July it had gone. This was in addition to the channel’s digital and analogue outlets on Eutelsat-II-F4 at 10 degrees East. Mega Radyo has returned to the 7.74 MHz audio subcarrier behind Show TV at 11046 MHz vertical after a short break.

36 degrees E: TDF2, Gals-1/2, Most-1, Eutelsat-II-F3
D. A live feed from Central London where a truck drivers protest was taking place was spotted on 26 July at 1205 on 11040 MHz horizontal in clear MPEG-2. The EPG data was "RTV UKI-511 SKY NEWS". Dig Italy launched on an SCPC carrier at 12513 MHz horizontal in free-to-air MPEG-2, SR 3254, FEC 3/4, VPID 180, APID 181 last week. A couple of days later the channel moved to a new stream at 12533 MHz horizontal with the same parameters. Serbia’s Pink Plus TV has started test transmissions on 11139 MHz horizontal (the Belgacom transponder) SR 2892, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

30.5 degrees E: Arabsat-2B
A. A live feed from Khartoum, Sudan, for Kuwait TV was fed over 4085 MHz RHCP in clear PAL on 26 July from 1745. 3970 MHz RHCP was used to carry feed traffic for JRTV Jordan on 30 July at 1535 in clear PAL. On 7 August at 1620 this transponder was in use again, this time with traffic for APTN Beirut. The other feed transponder, 3970 MHz RHCP was active at the same time with a feed using the familiar, primitive encryption mode which inverts the video horizontally and vertically. 3670 MHz RHCP was in use at 1535 on 6 August with a feed of British Satellite News in clear PAL.

28.2 degrees E: Astra-2A & Sirius-3
D. British Eurosport has launched as expected on EPG Channel 419, 12246 MHz vertical. The channel, which is encoded in Videoguard, is available to subscribers of Sky’s Family Pack or Big Basic packages. The new interactive service, Sky Sports Extra, has started tests on Ch. 404. At present a video loop is running giving details of how to use the service. Sky Sports Extra is due to launch on 22 August. Sky Sports 2 in Pubs is new on 11934 MHz vertical, channel 402 in the EPG. As the name suggests, this service is aimed primarily at pubs, social clubs etc. To cash in on the rapidly expanding UK Asian market two new channels are to join Sky Digital from 26 August. Sony Entertainment, already well established in many parts of the World and in the UK via cable and B4U, dedicated to providing the latest Bollywood movies. The two channels will be available as a complete mini-package at a cost of Pounds 12.99 per month.

26 degrees E: Arabsat-2A & 3A
D. Al-Jazeera, the Qatar based satellite channel, is not flavour of the month in Saudi Arabia. Apparently the channel recently aired a documentary about Bin Laden to which the Saudis took offence. Since then Al-Jazeera has been banned from coffee shops and public places. In fact coffee shops are now only allowed to show the state run Saudi 1 and 2 channels. Al-Jazeera mysteriously disappeared from Arabsat some time ago and only returned, along with Qatari Radio, last week on 11767 MHz horizontal. Kuwait also banned nationals from having any dealings with Al-Jazeera for a while but this was lifted last week. Saudi TV 1 has changed over from Secam to PAL on 12661 MHz vertical.

A. Iraq has been officially rejoined to the Arabsat fold. This will enable the country to resume telephone, data, video and audio links with other Arab states. As a consequence, we should be seeing the Iraq Satellite Channel on one or more of the Arabsat craft (26 degrees and 30.5 degrees East) in the near future.

23.5 degrees E: Kopernikus-DFS1
D. The cable headend feed of The Landscape Channel on 11646 MHz horizontal is switching in and out of encryption at times.

9.2 degrees E: Astra 1A-C & E-H
D. The Spanish bouquet, Canal Satelite Digital, has opened on 12441 MHz with two active streams. Canal Canarias (VPID 160, APIDs 80, 81, 82, 83) and TV de Catalunya Internacional (VPID 512, APID 650). Both channels are currently free-to-air. Hundert 6, the Berlin-based radio station has moved from 12090 MHz vertical to 12032 MHz horizontal, within the DF1 digital package.

16 degrees E: Eutelsat-W2
D. Tele Monte Carlo (TMC) appeared for one day on an SCPC carrier at 11062 MHz vertical, SR 3067, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 last week. Programming was in parallel with TMC’s outlet on 11090 MHz horizontal. The relays of the Dutch amateur TV repeater PI6ALK have resumed, this time on 12729 MHz horizontal, SR 2000, FEC 3/4. Business TV channel Land Rover TV used 11013 MHz horizontal, SR 5613, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 on 5 August at 0730 for a feed of a programme for car dealers. The EPG name was "NTL UKI 458".

A. Feed transponder 11178 MHz vertical continues to relay the Arabic language Christian Miracle Channel in clear PAL from 1500 to 1700 on Fridays.

13 degrees E: Eutelsat Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D. Mizik Tropical, the Francophone music channel from the Caribbean, has a caption on the Belgacom stream at 12476 MHz horizontal, VPID 611, APID 612 indicating its imminent launch on 11 August here. The annual summer break for Europe by Satellite on 12476 MHz horizontal started on 31 July and finishes on 29 August. As well as the TV service, the following radio services which occupy streams here will also be suspended: BBC Balkans, Deutsche Welle, Radio France International and SENSE, which provides advice and contact information for refugees in the Balkan region. Pink Plus from Serbia is due to launch on 15 August on the same Belgacom transponder, VPID 769, APID 770. Although this is intended to be a 24-hour service eventually, to begin with Pink will be on the air from 0900-2100 daily. The channel will be encoded in Irdeto. Pink Radio will also launch on the same frequency on 15 August. Both Fox Kids Russia and Fox Kids Romania have been enjoying some air time free-to-air on 10722 MHz horizontal, SR 29900, FEC 3/4. Both streams are normally encoded. The raunchy Satisfaction Channel promo which can be found on 12092 MHz horizontal during the day is sometimes encoded, but on the whole is still free-to-air from 0900-2000 via PIDs V 4192, A 4193. The new-to-satellite Polish channel TVP Regionalna is now encoded on 11457 MHz horizontal. The American Forces Radio and TV Service (AFRTS) digital package on 10775 MHz horizontal has undergone some changes. The Symbol Rate has been changed to 28000 and three new streams are active. They are AFN (Armed Forces Network) Americas (V1760, A1720), AFN Korea (V1860, A 1820) and Hot Adult Contemporary Hits (A 1722). AFRTS is provided worldwide for US military personnel and reception is strictly restricted to military bases and establishments. 12616 MHz horizontal (V 2573, A 2574) and 12635 MHz vertical (V 2698, A 2699) are relaying new streams bearing Stream Calcio testcards. There will eventually be up to six streams here which will be used to relay live action from Italy’s Serie A and Serie B soccer leagues for Stream subscribers. Playboy TV was testing on 10723 MHz horizontal in free-to-air MPEG-2, VPID 1002, APID 1202 last week but has now left. However, no audio track was available. Radio Omdurman from the Sudan has left the Arabsat digital bouquet at 12654 MHz horizontal. The EBU is supporting an independent TV channel which will be dedicated to broadcasting news and general entertainment programming to Kosovo from 1 September for two hours a day. A name for the channel has yet to be decided. Eutelsat capacity will be used and Hotbird seems the likely choice. Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania already lease space segment here.

A. Another Kurdish-language channel, Medya TV, is time-sharing with CTV on 10853 MHz horizontal in clear PAL. This channel is thought to be the reincarnation of the banished Med TV. As expected, MBC has ceased analogue transmissions. The channel is still available from this geostationary slot, via 12596 MHz vertical. TSF Radio Jornal has opened via the 7.74/7.92 MHz audio subcarriers on the back of RTP Internacional at 11727 MHz vertical.

7 degrees E: Eutelsat-W3
A. Turkish radio station Burc FM has launched via the 7.02/7.20 MHz audio subcarriers behind Samanyolu TV at 11685 MHz horizontal.

5 degrees E: Sirius-1/2
D. TV 8 Danmark, sister channel to TV 8 Sveriges, has launched a promo on 12631 MHz horizontal in clear MPEG-2, SR 4700, FEC 3/4, VPID 100, APID 110. The SIS horse racing feeds on 12335 MHz horizontal have undergone a Symbol Rate change. The SR is now 7718.

3 degrees E: Telecom-2C
D. For fans of French National League soccer, the feeds of these games for Canalsatellite Numerique can be found here. Interestingly, most of the French football relays used Intelsat-801 at 31.5 degrees West last season. The following frequencies are the places to look: 12572 MHz, 12580 MHz, 12588 MHz, 12598 MHz, 12695 MHz, 12703 MHz and 12720 MHz, all horizontally polarised. The parameters are all identical: SR 6284, FEC 7/8, VPIDs 308, APIDs 256.

0.8 degrees /1 degrees W: Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat-707
D. Estonian radio station Raadio Elmar has launched on 11665 MHz vertical, APID 652 in clear MPEG-2. Raadio Kuku, based in the Estonian capital Tallinn, is already operating on this frequency.

5 degrees W Telecom-2B/D
A. 11596 MHz horizontal was active on 29 July at 0615 with video of a reporter sitting in a car filing a voiceover to accompany a video feed from the scene of a cable car accident. The post feed ID was "SWISSCOM SUI 008".

7 degrees W: Nilesat-101
D. NBN TV from Lebanon is testing via two streams on 11747 MHz vertical on PIDs V 1009/1012, A 1209/1212 in free-to-air MPEG-2. PIDs 1009/1209 occasionally display an SRC testcard.

11 degrees W: Gorizont-26
A. There is still life here – just about. On 6 August at 1635 feed transponder 3815 MHz RHCP was activated with a feed for the Russian channel TV6 Moscow in PAL.

12.5 degrees W: Eutelsat-I-F5, -II-F2 & TV-Sat-2
D. The first regular video activity from this ‘Atlantic Gate’ slot has appeared. SIC TV from Portugal has launched on Eutelsat-II-F2 transponder 46, 12575 MHz vertical, SR 4340, FEC 3/4, VPID 720, APID 730 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The other two craft in situ here, Eutelsat-I-F5 and TVSAT-2 are both in inclined orbit, I-F5 by 4 degrees and TVSAT-2 by 1 degree.

21.3 degrees /21.5 degrees W: NSS-803 & NSS-K
D. US-based The Auction Channel was being relayed over a British Telecom link at 11525 MHz vertical, SR 9999, FEC 3/4 for a short while on 26 July at 1830. The EPG data was "BT Tes 16". Over at C-Band the French channel Canal+ Horizons has left 4055 MHz RHCP and has been replaced by a France Telecom Bercenay testcard. In the new multiplex on 11645 MHz vertical, SR 11845, FEC 3/4 (see Transponder Monitor 28 July) Channel 99 on APID 1222 is relaying the instore radio station Asda FM.

24.5 degrees W: Intelsat-603
A. This is the best place to catch feeds from the African continent. Coverage of a football match from the South West African country of Namibia was fed over 4166 MHz RHCP in free-to-air PAL during the afternoon of 31 July with English commentary available via the 6.60 MHz audio subcarrier. This transponder also carried a feed from the Egypt/Nigeria handball game on 5 August at 1650 in free-to-air PAL. Once again, 4166 MHz was in action on 6 August at 1640 with a feed for the German channel ARD from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

27.5 degrees W: Intelsat-605
D. The unilateral feedpoint for the German F1 Grand Prix on 1 August was at 11555 MHz vertical, SR 13844, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256 in MPEG-2, 4:2:2 format. The EPG identifier was "EBU HQ 24M 422". This is probably the first time that a Grand Prix main feed has used 4:2:2.

30 degrees W: Hispasat-1A/B
D. Following in the footsteps of Manchester United and Real Madrid, Barcelona Football Club has launched Canal Barç a, a channel devoted to news from the club. The channel comes as part of the Via Digital platform on 11659 MHz vertical. There are two audio streams active, one in Spanish and the other in Catalan. Canal Barç a is a subscription service at a cost of Ptas750 (Pounds 2.99) a month. There is a new Spanish multiplex at 11676 MHz horizontal, SR 11848, FEC 3/4. There are three active streams at present, TVA Canaria 1 (V 1160, A 1120), TVA Canaria 2 (V 1260, A 1220) and MM Mux Channel 5 (V1560, A 1520). All three are encoded in PowerVu and are probably here for cable headend downlinking.

31.5 degrees W: Intelsat-801
A. Some rare analogue activity here this time. 11012 MHz vertical was fired up on 5 August at 1700 with colour bars overlaid with "BT TES 40 Le Havre". No ensuing feed traffic was observed though.

34.5 degrees W: Intelsat-601
D. Forty US originated DMX audio channels have started on 3720 MHz RHCP, SR 7248, FEC 3/4. Channels DX1 to 10 carry four audio tracks each on APIDs 640-679 inclusive. All the tracks are unfortunately encoded.

43 degrees W: PAS-3R & PAS-6
A. On 29 July at 1750 a report on soccer from Guadalajara, Mexico for the German channels ARD/ZDF was observed in clear NTSC on feed transponder 12702 MHz vertical.

107.3 degrees W: Anik-E2
There appears to have been major failure of Anik-E2 on 30 July. From around 2040 signal levels started to drop rapidly at both C-Band and Ku-Band, analogue and digital. Some 10 minutes later all channels had virtually disappeared. Telesat Canada, Anik’s operator, confirmed that there was "a problem". The satellite was returned to normal operations by 2130. It later transpired that a major solar flare was reported at around the same time and this is thought to be responsible for the temporary outage. E2 carries several Canadian and US TV channels as well as the Star Choice and Express Vu digital bouquets.

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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