Key:
D=Digital
A=Analog

76.5 degrees E: Apstar-2R
D. Tibet TV, which uses two streams at 12376 MHz vertical to relay the two domestic TV channels, has undergone some changes effective from September 15. Tibet TV1 is to broadcast programmes exclusively in the Mandarin language whilst TV2 will broadcast in Tibetan only. Prior to the changes both channels relayed a mix of programming in both languages.

42 degrees E: Turksat-1C
D. Bayindir TV (BRT) is using three SCPC carriers at 11489, 11494 and 11499 MHz vertical for occasional feed traffic. The parameters for all three are: SR 3000, FEC 5/6. Also, down at 11160 MHz vertical, SR 2893, FEC 3/4 some feeds for the Turkish channel Kanal 7 have been sighted in clear MPEG-2. The new Star Digital platform on 11469 MHz vertical, SR 27193, FEC 3/4 (see Transponder Monitor 674 & 675) has now started in earnest. The full line-up is TeleOn (V768, A769), Star TV (V1024, A1025), Star 1 (V1280, A1282), Star 2 (V256, A257), Star 3 (V512, A513) and StarActive. Although for the most part all of these are encoded except for Star TV, on September 19 & 20 the complete package was free-to-air until midday on the 20th when all but Star encrypted again. The Turkish independent music channel V!VA can still be found at 11660 MHz vertical. However, the EPG entry has been changed to "Digital SNG".

36 degrees E: TDF2, Gals-1/2, Most-1, Eutelsat-II-F3
D. On September 11 at 1210 coverage of the live press statement by the self-confessed KGB spy Melita Norwood from outside her home in Bexleyheath, SE London was fed over 11040 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 for Sky News. The pre-feed identifier caption read "RTV UKI-511 SKY NEWS". The feed was aired live on Sky News. On the same day at 1220 11094 MHz horizontal was fired up with a feed of the raw studio output from the ITN studios in London. EPG info was "SISLink/ITN 8MHz SDI". At 1830 on September 15 a live shot of Brighton seafront was relayed over 11048 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 in clear MPEG-2. This was followed by a live interview with one of the delegates at the TUC conference being held in the resort for Channel 4 News. The EPG data was "SISLink 28 ITN". On September 20 at 1355 11056 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 was fired up with a feed from the Liberal Democrats conference in Harrogate for Sky News. The EPG entry was "RTV UKI 511 SKY DSNG". Immediately following this feed the stream cut to a "SISLink 30 UKI 419" caption followed by a live feed for Central News from outside the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire. A post feed caption stated "CENTRAL EAST. SIS30 SNG. +44 (0)802387223". A feed from one of the venues for London Fashion Week was fed over 11064 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 for ITN at 1930 on September 20 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

28.2 degrees E: Astra-2A & Sirius-3
D. The new Hindi-language movie channel, B4U, on 12129 MHz vertical, Ch.667 in the EPG and Sony Entertainment TV on 11973 MHz vertical have both been advertising the fact that as from September 16 they would be encoded. However on the 20th they were still free-to-air. A stream share between Pakistan TV and Bangla TV has launched in free-to-air MPEG-2 alongside Sony at 11973 MHz vertical, VPID 2308, APID 2310, EPG Ch.679. Pakistan TV, or The Pakistan Channel as it sometimes calls itself, uses programming drawn from the two Pakistani domestic channels, PTV 1 & 2. The channel is advertising subscription details so encoding will be used later. The Pakistan Channel airs from 0600-0900 and 1200-2100 and Bangla can be seen from 0900-1200 and 2100-0600 daily. There are still several new Asian channels in the pipeline for UK viewers. Already testcards are in evidence on 11973 MHz vertical from Music Asia and Asia 1 TV. Soon to be with us are the Inspiration Network and Zee TV on 12129 MHz vertical. Another entry in the EPG on 11973 MHz vertical is Minaj. This is thought to be Minaj Broadcasting International from Nigeria, an unlikely addition to the line-up on 28.2 degrees East. Minaj is based in Obosi in eastern Nigeria where it operates an FM radio station as well as the TV channel. It has previously been available via a C-Band SCPC carrier on PAS-3R at 43 degrees West from where the signal is downlinked to cable headends in Europe, North America and the Middle East. Sky Box Office 61-64 has launched on 12266 MHz horizontal and a Sky Box Office preview channel is also new here. All of these are encoded in Mediaguard.

19.2 degrees E: Astra 1A-C & E-H
D. Planete 2 has joined the Canalsatellite Numerique package on 12207 MHz vertical via PIDs V168, A104. It is encoded in Mediaguard and Viaccess. Music channel MTV Europe is currently free-to-air on 12168 MHz vertical. On September 20 ARD Digital was moved from 1G’s 12603 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 to Astra-IE transponder 11836 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The increased Symbol Rate at the new location will allow Phoenix to join the ARD line-up. On the same day the ZDF Vision bouquet moved from Astra-1G’s 12663 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 to the 1E frequency 11954 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. At 12552 MHz vertical an Astra mosaic promo has replaced the German channel Kabel 1. This leaves Kabel 1 still available via two streams at 19.2 degrees East, 12051 MHz vertical and 12460 MHz horizontal. Wizja Sport from Poland has commenced regular programming on 12382 MHz horizontal and as a consequence is encoded in Cryptoworks.

16 degrees E: Eutelsat-W2
D. At 1200 on September 11 the following caption for the French channel M6 was sighted over colour bars on 12524 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V308, A256, "M6 LE CASTELLET BOL D,OR 1999". The EPG identifier was "FTR/F 33/1".

A. The promised EBU-funded TV channel for Kosovo launched on September 19 at 11489 MHz horizontal in clear PAL with audio via the 6.60 MHz and 7.20 MHz subcarriers. The official title is Radio Television Kosovo (RTK). The channel airs from 1700-1900 daily at present but this is expected to be extended later. Programming comprises of public information programmes in the Albanian and Serbian languages. RTK’s studios are located in the former Radio Television Pristina building in the capital city.

13 degrees E: Eutelsat Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D. There have been some changes to the Polish digital platform at 12360 MHz horizontal. The present line-up is as follows: Dla Ciebie (V32, A39), Formula 1 (V33, A40), Komedia (V34, A41), Smyk (V35, A42), TMT (V36, A43) and Muzyczny Relaks (V37, A44). All of these are currently free-to-air. Polsat, Polsat 2 and TV Polonia left the bouquet last week. Still with Poland, Canal+ Bialy (VPID 160, APID 80) and Canal+ Zolty (VPID 162, APID 84) have launched on 10892 MHz horizontal. Both are encoded in Mediaguard. Business TV from Daimler Chrysler has started on 12235 MHz vertical, SR 13400, FEC 3/4 in encoded MPEG-2. Radio Toronto International and WRN3 have both left 12476 MHz horizontal. Info Dokument from Germany is new at 12360 MHz horizontal via PIDs V52, A45. At 10719 MHz vertical Hotbird Jazz Channel, Krisma, Sardegna Uno and Sicilia International have all left the frequency. The Italian bouquet Stream has launched two new digital streams on 12731 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. They are both relaying a Blu Stream promo which is encoded in Irdeto. An "Anica Flash" testcard has appeared on 12111 MHz vertical, VPID 260, APID 261 in clear MPEG-2. Polish regional channels Nasza TV (V167, A108) and TVN (V168, A112) have started on 12460 MHz vertical. Both channels are encoded in Mediaguard. 12380 MHz vertical was sporting a RadioTelevizija Montenegro testcard on PIDs V3026, A3036 last week. On September 17 test transmissions from this TV channel from the former Yugoslavia began in free-to-air MPEG-2. All three of the Croatian TV channels from Hrvatska TV on 12517 MHz vertical are to start 24-hour programming soon. The parameters for the Russian NTV digital platform have changed. They are now: SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Two streams are active here: NTV (V164, A88) and NTV+ (V165, A90). Radio Limerick One TV (see also Sirius 5 degrees East) has started a stream share with Babylon Blue at 12597 MHz vertical, VPID 161, APID 84 in free-to-air MPEG-2. TV Montenegro.

10 degrees E: Eutelsat-II-F4
A. Libya’s Jamahirya Satellite Channel made a brief appearance on 11080 MHz horizontal in clear PAL around September 10. However after two days the channel had left the frequency.

7 degrees E: Eutelsat-W3
D. Eutelsat plans to develop this slot into a new "Hotbird" position (see Interspace 676). Sixteen popular free-to-air digital TV channels will be dual illuminated here as well as at 13 degrees East to draw viewers to 7 degrees East. These channels, which have not been named yet, may be on air here by the end of this month. The Hotbird Jazz Channel and music channel Krisma have both left 11517 MHz horizontal.

5 degrees E: Sirius-1/2
D. SIS has started an Irish horse racing feed on 12336 MHz horizontal in MPEG-2/PowerVu via PIDs V2260, A2220. TCM (ex TNT) Nederland has vacated 12303 MHz horizontal. The Dutch version of Cartoon Network continues here in free-to-air MPEG-2. Canal Sur, the Latin American channel, has launched on 12380 MHz vertical, VPID 55, APID 56, alongside TV Chile. It has replaced Black Entertainment Television who previously occupied the slot. A time-shifted version of the Discovery Channel for Scandinavian viewers appeared briefly on 12453 MHz horizontal, VPID 544, APID 545 in free-to-air MPEG-2 last week. It has now been replaced by a Kingston TLI caption. Radio Limerick One TV (RLO)(see also Hotbird 13 degrees East) is still absent from the Merlin Communications multiplex at 12110 MHz horizontal, SR 27193, FEC 3/4, VPID 52, APID 53. The channel has been missing for several weeks after a reported technical problem. A caption here states: "We regret that due to technical difficulties we are unable to bring you RLO TV today. We hope to be able to resume full programming very soon. Thank you for your patience." Colour bars overlaid with "TERACOM OB25 +46-708-801459" occupied 12590 MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 for a short while during the evening of September 20 although no other video activity was observed.

0.8 degrees /1 degrees W: Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat-707
D. 12456 MHz vertical is sporting two new channels. Sky News is on PIDs V515, A652 and Discovery Travel & Adventure can be found via V517, A660. Both channels are encoded in Conax. Over at 11174 MHz horizontal Discovery Civilisation (V515, A672), Hallmark Nordic (V515, A672) and Discovery Sci-Trek (V516, A676) are both new and both broadcast using Conax encryption. Manchester United TV is new at 12303 MHz vertical, VPID 512, APID 640. MUTV, along with Sky News, Discovery Sci-Trek, Discovery Civilisation and Discovery Travel & Adventure has joined the Canal Digital platform as part of their new 10-channel line-up to come on stream in the next few weeks. They will be joined by Metropol, Hallmark,.tv and BBC World. As might be expected they are all to be encoded in Conax. Two Slovakian channels, Bratislava-based Luna TV and Nasa TV are to join the Norwegian Telenor digital platform before the end of 1999.

5 degrees W Telecom-2B/D
D. A curious new channel has appeared on 12544 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 722. In the EPG it is identified as "IBC TV" and the entire content is made up of brief snippets of video from a large number of channels including Saudi TV, Kuwait TV, TV5, CFI Afrique and Iran’s IRIB TV. No audio is available. At times a mosaic screen is shown featuring 16 live video shots from a range of European, African and Middle Eastern channels.

7 degrees W: Nilesat-101
D. The Abu Dhabi Sports Channel has launched on 12000 MHz vertical, SR 2892, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. The channel is currently free-to-air but is likely to encode soon. The Arabic channel Al Mustakillah TV has launched on 11747 MHz vertical, V1009, A1209 in clear MPEG-2. Interestingly the EPG info for Al-Mustakillah is "Most-TV".

18 degrees W: Intelsat-705
D. There is, at last, some new activity here. Bundestag TV, a new channel providing live coverage of the German parliament can be seen via an SCPC carrier at 11583 MHz vertical, SR 4266, FEC 3/4, VPID 2304, APID 2306 in clear MPEG-2. Occasional feed traffic by the German news agency BPA (Bundespresseamt Bonn) is using an SCPC carrier at 11588 MHz vertical, SR 3905, FEC 3/4, VPID 2336, APID 2339. The EPG info is "IVBB BPA".

21.3 degrees /21.5 degrees W: NSS-803 & NSS-K
D. Some occasional feeds from Romania for the Church of the Latter Day Saints or Mormons have been observed on 11685 MHz vertical, SR 6618, FEC 2/3, VPID 1160, APID 1120 in free-to-air MPEG-2. On September 10 at 1600 a feed from the site of the Moscow flats explosion for the German channel ProSieben was observed on 11590 MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4. The EPG data was: "APTN MOSCOW Ch1". This frequency is normally used by the three GlobeCast New York streams, which use a much greater Symbol Rate. On the following day 11469 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34, was used at 1140 for a feed of horse racing from Dresden in Germany. At the same time 11460 MHz, with the same parameters as 11469 MHz, was relaying video from a different German horse racing meeting. At 0700 on September 19 a press conference by boxers De la Hoya and Trinidad from Las Vegas was carried on the Reuters stream at 11558 MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 640 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The EPG data was "Reuters DC (202) 898-005". On September 20 at 0635 a live feed from a German street cafe was fed over 11460 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in free-to-air MPEG-2 for an unspecified German channel. On the same day, at 0915, A live piece to camera from a German town square for the all-news channel n-tv was observed on 11480 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 under the EPG banner "Service 1". There is a new multiplex active at 11644 MHz vertical containing eleven streams. These are Encoder 1 (V1160, A1102), Encoder 2 (V1260, A1220), Encoder 3 (V1360, A1320), X-FRENCH (colour bars – V1160, A1121), X-GERMAN (A1122), X-SPANISH (A1123), Channel 10 (V1260, A1220), Channel 20 (A1223), Channel 60 (A1120), Channel 99 (Virgin Radio or Asda FM intermittently – A1222) and Channel 120 (A1223).

A. Fashion guru Jeff Banks was interviewed live from the GMTV house in Surrey for the ITV breakfast programme at 0635 on the 20th. The feed was carried on 11532 MHz horizontal in clear PAL. The uplink was provided by Reuters.

27.5 degrees W: Intelsat-605
D. On September 12 the primary feed for ITV Sport from the Italian F1 Grand Prix at Monza used 11572 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. A reverse studio feed for ITV could be seen at 11579 MHz horizontal.

30 degrees W: Hispasat-1A/B
D. Portuguese news channel Canal de Noticias de Lisboa (CNL) has replaced the Brazilian general entertainment channel GNT at 11517 MHz horizontal on PIDs V7968, A7969 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Canal Parlamento has also left this frequency. There is a multiplex at 11677 MHz horizontal, SR 11848, FEC 3/4, which is used to supply the Canary Islands with programmes and feed traffic from the Spanish mainland. At present there are four active streams containing TVA Canaria 2 (V1260, A1220), TVA Canaria 1 (V1160, A1120), MM Muxx Channel 5 (V1560, A1520) and Regionalizacion C+ (V1260, A1220). The TVA Canaria 2 and Regionalizacion C+ streams are in parallel and when not in traffic show colour bars overlaid with "Retevision Canarias C.N.R. Isleta".

31.5 degrees W: Intelsat-801
D. A "BT Paris +33155202424" caption was present on 10975 MHz vertical, SR 5631, FEC 3/4 at 1825 on September 15. On September 20 at 0910 a feed in MPEG-2, 4:2:2 mode was sighted on 11025 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. The EPG info was "24 Mbit". A Tower Broadcast Centre caption was observed on 10978 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 at 1915 on September 20. The EPG entry was "LTP-DSNG3".

37.5 degrees W: Orion-1 & Columbia-515
D. A new mini-package has launched on 12654 MHz horizontal, SR 7370, FEC 7/8 in free-to-air MPEG-2 via a European beam. There are two active streams here containing Film 1, a movie channel with Dutch subtitles on VPID 101, APID 102 and EX Sports, a channel dedicated to coverage of the more extreme and bizarre sporting events on PIDs V201, A202. Dutch commentary is provided on the audio stream.

43 degrees W: PAS-3R & PAS-6
D. The Latin American bouquet from Televisa on 12583 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 containing Eco, Ritmoson, TeleNovelas, TeleHit and Galavision was free of encryption for two days on September 8 and 9. Following this all channels promptly returned to their regular encoded mode. 12538 MHz vertical, SR 26463, FEC 3/4 was briefly home to a package containing BBC-IBC (encoded V1160, A1120), Deutsche Welle-IBC (clear V1260, A1220) (the EPG data for this stream was "Deutche Welle"), HBO Ole-IBC (encoded V1360, A1320), APTV-IBC (clear V1460, A1420), RTP (clear V1560, A1520) and TVN-IBC (encoded V1660, A1620). This multiplex fist appeared on September 11 and it had vanished by the end of the following day.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.

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