Key: D=Digital, A=Analog

78.5 degrees E:
Thaicom-2&3
D. Two Pakistani channels, PTV World and PTV Sports have launched on 3420 MHz vertical, SR 6666, FEC 3/4 in free-to-air MPEG-2. As the North Korean TV broadcasts continue on 3424 MHz horizontal, SR 3366, FEC 2/3 from KCBS, the South Korean authorities have deemed that it will be illegal for their (private) citizens to view the broadcasts until further investigation into their content has been carried out.

68.5 degrees E:
PAS-4 & 7
A. The Arabic language Christian channel Sat-7 has entered into a transponder share with the Iranian opposition channel Sima-yeh Moghavemat on 11170 MHz horizontal. Both channels broadcast in clear PAL via a Middle Eastern beam. The action from the Sony Cricket competition being held in India can often be seen on 3932 MHz horizontal in clear PAL with English commentary at 6.80 and 7.20 MHz. In fact this transponder appears to be carrying the new Sony Entertainment TV Max service now full time.

62 degrees E:
Intelsat-602
A. On October 13 at 1510 a report from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the forthcoming F1 Grand Prix was fed over 4188 MHz RHCP in clear PAL. On the same day a feed from Islamabad, Pakistan for Sky News used the same transponder at 1530. The content of the feed was a report by a CBS correspondent on the Pakistan coup. Regular feed traffic for Mauritius TV can still be found on 4166 MHz RHCP in clear Secam during the early evenings. Live coverage of an athletics meeting in Beijing was carried on 4166 MHz on October 14 from 1100. Further feeds from the Pakistan capital were in evidence on October 14. 4188 MHz RHCP was used for a live link at 1245 and at 1640 a feed for one of the Egyptian domestic TV channels was also sighted.

60 degrees E:
Intelsat-604
A. A report from Dili in East Timor was fed over 4166 MHz RHCP on October 14 at 1230 in clear PAL for Portugal’s RTP. Some of the action from the Rugby World Cup is being fed eastbound on 4188 MHz RHCP in clear PAL at times.

42 degrees E:
Turksat-1C
D. All of the channels in the Star Digital bouquet at 11469 MHz vertical are now free-to-air except TeleOn. Star, Star 1, 2 and 3 all broadcast a mix of general entertainment programmes and music videos. Star 3 is displaying a "Metro" logo in the bottom right of the screen. The Turkish Radio and Television High Council (RTUK) has once again ruled that several Turkish broadcasters have infringed their licences by transmitting material likely to undermine "Turkish family structure, general morality and social peace and quiet". Those found guilty were InterStar, NTV, Kanal 6, Kanal 7 and Radio Klas plus some domestic radio stations. The satellite-based channels will all be forced to adhere to a 24-hour closedown order. On October 15 a further order was issued by the RTUK suspending (for 24 hours) Kanal-D, Bayindir TV and InterStar (again). However, some domestic radio stations were suspended for six months. CNN Turk has launched on 10979 MHz vertical in free-to-air MPEG-2, SR 4685, FEC 3/4, VPID 1110, APID 1211. A day before the launch the stream was carrying colour bars overlaid with "CNN Turk – ANKARA". Regular feed traffic for the new channel can often be seen on 11587 MHz vertical, SR 3670, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in clear MPEG-2. This latest addition to the CNN stable carries mostly home-grown items with a small amount of international CNN material overlaid with a Turkish soundtrack. Another stream at 10979 MHz vertical is carrying encoded traffic under the EPG ID "ZOLCER-DALMAN TV" on PIDs V308, A256.

36 degrees E:
TDF2, Gals-1/2, Most-1, Eutelsat-II-F3
D. The regular ITN feeds seem to have left 11096 MHz horizontal. This traffic, which has occupied the slot for several months, has not yet been located elsewhere. Sardegna Uno, from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia has launched on 12573 MHz horizontal, SR 3332, FEC 3/4, VPID 4865, APID 4866 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The programming is in parallel with Sardegna Uno’s Hotbird outlet. Pink Plus is currently free-to-air on 11138 MHz horizontal (see also Hotbird 13 degrees East)
A. Fashion TV was a surprise visitor here for a short while on October 10. The channel appeared on 12248 MHz LHCP in clear PAL with audio via the unusual subcarrier of 6.80 MHz. The Belgacom caption featuring a slide of their Liederkerke earth station has returned to 11178 MHz horizontal in clear PAL. The signal is not continuous.

30.5 degrees E:
Arabsat-2B
A. Live coverage of a volleyball match between Saudi Arabia and Qatar was fed over 3990 MHz RHCP on October 14 from 1620. The match was being aired live on Saudi TV2 and Bahrain TV.

28.5 degrees E:
Kopernikus-DFS2
D. n-tv, the German all-news channel, has encoded in Conax on 11689 MHz horizontal, SR 7231, FEC 3/4. This is a cable headend destined feed.
A. A live feed from a German house for Das Erste used 11548 MHz vertical in clear PAL with audio via the 6.60 MHz subcarrier on October 12 at 0545.

28.2 degrees E:
Astra-2A & Sirius-3
D. Sky Business has now encoded on 12246 MHz vertical. Turner Classic Movies UK launched officially on Friday October 15 at EPG Ch.327, 12051 MHz vertical. TCM UK is broadcasting 24 hours a day and is expected to remain free-to-air. TCM has taken over from TNT on various satellites throughout the Clarke Belt. Once again this Christmas, Sky Digital subscribers will be able to listen to the delights of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and Merry Christmas Everybody from Slade as Music Choice launches its temporary Christmas Channel again this year. It will be available from November 27 through to January 5 and will probably be at Ch.850 in the EPG. The medical profession is to get its own TV channel, courtesy of the Medical Channel, due to launch within the next two months on Sky Digital. The channel will be subscription based.

26 degrees E:
Arabsat-2A & 3A
D. A Lebanese domestic TV channel, Tele-Liban, is due to start a satellite service via Arabsat and Nilesat capacity in the very near future. It will join two established satellite channels from Lebanon, Future TV International and LBC Europe. On 12620 MHz vertical Abu Dhabi TV has been replaced by the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel in free-to-air MPEG-2, VPID 2460, APID 2420.
A. The Kuwait Space Channel is testing on 11860 MHz vertical in clear PAL. It is accompanied by two Kuwaiti radio stations, the Main Arabic programme on 5.80 MHz and Arabic Classics FM at 7.40 MHz.

19.2 degrees E:
Astra 1A-C & E-G
D. Game One, within the Canalsatellite Numerique package, has moved to 12401 MHz vertical from 12129 MHz vertical in clear MPEG-2, VPID 167, APID 108. In the Polish package on 11992 MHz horizontal PolSat, PolSat 2 and TVN Polnoc are all free-to-air at present.
A. The analogue service of Cartoon Network UK on 11022 MHz horizontal is now soft encrypted in Videocrypt.

16 degrees E:
Eutelsat-W2
D. The former Soviet republic of Georgia has launched a satellite DTH service (see Transponder Monitor 678). Georgian TV1 can be found on 11304 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPID 2304, APID 2305 in free-to-air MPEG-2. TV audio is available on the left audio channel whilst a Georgian radio station can be heard on the right channel. The EPG entry is "Georgian EDP turn around". Georgian TV is also available via Eutelsat-II-F3 at 36 degrees East, which is probably the primary feedpoint for the W2 signal. Georgian TV’s presence on satellite is not only to make the service available to European and Middle East viewers but also to feed remote terrestrial transmitters within Georgia. House of Commons TV and House of Lords TV via the new BT package at 11304 MHz vertical have launched their services. Both channels are encoded for most of the time in Videoguard. Greek channel Mega Cosmos has launched via an SCPC carrier at 12618 MHz vertical, SR 2856, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4196. Programming on the satellite version of Mega Cosmos is apparently not in parallel with the terrestrial service which is available throughout Greece. At 0940 on October 15, 12539 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V512, A640 was displaying a video still from a children’s programme. The EPG entry was "RTL/Pro7". At 0955 on the same day 12554 MHz horizontal was carrying a Polish language programme entitled Sexplozja in clear MPEG-2. The EPG data here was "RTL ENEX". A "MCR ROMA" test pattern can be seen on 10968 MHz horizontal, SR 6398, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 36 in clear MPEG-2. The EPG data reads "W2SD1". Up at 11131 MHz horizontal two streams were active on October 16 at 1710. They were identified as "Stream 1 No Service" and TWI Channel 2" in the EPG. Both were encoded.

13 degrees E:
Eutelsat Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D. The AnicaFlash testcard, which had been occupying a stream at 12111 MHz vertical, has now vacated the frequency. Carlton Cinema has been testing intermittently on 10723 MHz horizontal via PIDs V1003, A1203 in clear MPEG-2. France 3 Ouest Numerique, one of the new French terrestrial digital channels, was relayed in real time on 12111 MHz vertical for several days from October 6 via PIDs V200, A201 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The Game Network has launched regular programming on 12673 MHz vertical, VPID 291, APID 292, after a period of testing. Cyperus TV is testing on 12539 MHz horizontal in clear MPEG-2 via PIDs V4102, A4103. Cyperus appears to be an Internet related channel. The Jewish service, J Channel, continues to air daily on via an SCPC carrier at 11027 MHz horizontal, SR 1807, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34. However, it is now stream sharing with a new offering, Holy Sat, which as the name suggests is another religious channel. Keeping to the religious theme, US based 3ABN from the Three Angels Broadca sting Network has launched on 12597 MHz vertical, VPID 162, APID 88 in free-to-air MPEG-2. 3ABN can also be found on NSS-K at 21.5 degrees West. Sardegna Uno has returned to Hotbird. It can now be found in the Croatian package on 12520 MHz vertical via PIDs V503, A504 in clear MPEG-2. Modena-based Studio Europa has opened on 12111 MHz vertical on PIDs V200, A201. Another Italian channel, Lot TV, has started a stream share with Magic TV at 12673 MHz vertical, VPID 210, APID 211. Lot airs from 0100-2100 daily. Some programmes from the Serbian channel, Pink Plus on 12476 MHz horizontal are being broadcast free-to-air at present although the majority of transmissions are still encoded.

10 degrees E:
Eutelsat-II-F2
A. Those enthralling broadcasts from Herbalife are still regular occurrences here. If you feel that you really must tune in try 11163 MHz horizontal in the evenings. Herbalife is in clear PAL with a multitude of language tracks. English is at 6.50 MHz, German 7.02, French 7.20, Italian 7.38, Spanish 7.56, Russian 7.74, Czech 7.92 and Polish 8.10 MHz.

7 degrees E:
Eutelsat-W3
D. The French parliamentary channel, Canal Assemblee, has opened on 11517 MHz horizontal, VPID 2305, APID 2306 in clear MPEG-2. This outlet is in addition to others on Hotbird and Astra at 19.2 degrees East. Fashion TV has left 11596 MHz horizontal in favour of D Fun on PIDs V650, A651 in clear MPEG-2, Aegean beam.

5 degrees E:
Sirius-1/2
D. The clutch of Christian TV and radio channels on 12349 MHz horizontal, SR 11664, FEC 3/4 (see Transponder Monitor 678) are collectively known as The Dream Family Network. The package, which is still testing, is due to officially launch on December 1.

3 degrees E:
Telecom-2C
D. On October 16 at 1630 an encoded feed used 12565 MHz vertical, SR 5998, FEC 3/4, VPID 1110, APID 1211. The EPG entry was "Autotote Paardenraces".
A. A live shot of the Paris skyline was spotted on 12643 MHz vertical in NTSC on October 15 at 1120. Although no ID was seen this was probably from NHK Tokyo’s Paris bureau.

0.8 degrees /1 degrees W:
Thor 1, 2 & 3 & Intelsat-707
D. The Slovak channel Vasa Televizia (VTV) from Bratislava on 11540 MHz vertical was missing for several days from October 4. Apparently the channel, which is also available terrestrially in Slovakia, was forced to close down temporarily because of mounting financial problems. VTV resumed broadcasts at 1500 on October 15. A cable headend feed of Norway’s TV2 has started on 11513 MHz horizontal, SR 12000, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in MPEG-2/4:2:2. In a surprise move Eesti Soltumatu Televisiooni, the owners of Estonian TV1, have decided to pull the plug on satellite DTH and to concentrate solely on cable distribution which they consider to be more cost effective. TV1 had been using 11664 MHz vertical in encoded MPEG-2.

5 degrees W:
Telecom-2B/D
D. Live coverage of the India-vs-New Zealand cricket match from Mohali in India was fed over 11493 MHz vertical on October 14 at 0715. The parameters for this second-hop feed were; SR 27500, FEC 3/4, V513, A660, EPG entry "Channel 2". The French channel Histoire has launched on 11620 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 726, APID 736. It is currently free-to-air but is likely to be encoded later. On October 16 at 1630 coverage of a live basketball match between the US team Spurs and Vasco de Gama from Brazil in the McDonalds Championship was fed over 11510 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 55, APID 32 in free-to-air MPEG-2 complete with Italian commentary for Telepiu. The EPG data read "SRG DAVID output1". This was the second hop with the first hop available on NSS-K at 21.5 degrees West.
A. The Turkish part time channel Hakk TV has moved down in frequency from 11598 MHz horizontal to 11577 MHz vertical. Hakk can be seen every Sunday from 1900-2100 in clear PAL.

18 degrees W:
Intelsat-705
D. The colour bars alongside Romania’s Prima TV at 10978 MHz horizontal, VPID 1260, APID 1220, were replaced by TVR2, the Romanian terrestrial second channel on October 5 in free-to-air MPEG-2. However this relay was short-lived as TVR2 had disappeared by October 8. The TeleGiornale news feeds for the Italian Mediaset network continue to use 10978 MHz vertical, SR 19200, FEC 3/4, VPID 38, APID 39 intermittently under the EPG banner "AOR TD1".
A. On October 17 at 0720 preparations for a live programme were fed over 11011 MHz vertical in clear PAL. The feed was for a Mediaset/Radio Televisione Italia production called La Domenica del Villagio (Sunday in the Village).

21.3 degrees /21.5 degrees W:
NSS-803 & NSS-K
D. The expected TVE Espana service for Africa has launched on 4055 MHz RHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The mini-package contains TVE (V121, A131), PGM2 (V122 – no audio), PGM3 (V123 – no audio), AFRICA Directo (V124 – no audio), Radio Nacional Espana 1 (A141) and Radio Exterior de Espana (A142). The first hop feed of the NBA game between Spurs and Vasco de Gama was fed over 11530 MHz horizontal, SR 18995, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 650, EPG "CH1. NBA WORLD FEED" on October 16 at 1630. English commentary was available for "Spurs Radio". The second hop was via Telecom-2D at 5 degrees West. An encoded stream on the same frequency carried the EPG ID "CH2 Telepiu" via PIDs V513, A660. The regular German horse racing feeds continue to use 11456 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34. Two encoded Spanish soccer games were fed over 11613 MHz vertical, SR 13596, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 33/774, APIDs 34/784 on October 16 at 1630. The first stream was carrying the Real Madrid vs Oviedo match whilst the Numancia vs Barcelona game was available on the second.
A. Although it has made some brief forays into digital compression, UK breakfast broadcaster GMTV surprisingly continues to use analogue technology, courtesy of Reuters, for its inter-UK and international feeds. On October 14 at 0705 a live insert for the programme from New York was fed over 11496 MHz horizontal in clear PAL.

27.5 degrees W:
Intelsat-605
D. Zee TV has appeared here on 11665 MHz horizontal, SR 30500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1560, APID 1520 in clear MPEG-2.

30 degrees W:
Hispasat-1A/B
D. At 0615 on October 12 12671 MHz vertical, SR 28116, FEC 3/4, VPID 1660, APID 1620 was displaying colour bars overlaid with "AG. EFE TV". The EPG entry was "Ocasional".

31.5 degrees W:
Intelsat-801
D. Occasional feeds from various venues for the Rugby World Cup are using 10963 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 4194, APID 4195 in free-to-air MPEG-2. On October 16 at 1645 colour bars overlaid with "SOLO SATELLITE COMMS" were sighted on 10952 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V308, A256. French soccer continues to feature heavily at this orbital slot. On the 16th the following games were observed: Lille vs Lorient, 10985 MHz vertical, EPG "BT 18 UKI 233", Lens vs Montpellier, 11025 MHz vertical, EPG "BT TES-36 2 Audio" plus several others.

37.5 degrees W:
Orion-1 & Columbia-515
D. The usual MTV2/VH-1 US feeds on 11542 MHz horizontal were missing at 0620 on October 12. In their place were colour bars overlaid with "C/C VISUAL". These were replaced with this caption "BTWRS SERIES No1 (TEEN IDOLS) Seg 1. TRM 6.46". MTV returned later in the morning. At 1110 on October 15 11587 MHz vertical was used for a feed for RTL. A pre-feed caption stated "RTL Master Control Room". This was followed by video of preparations for a studio-based programme. The parameters were; SR 8568, FEC 7/8, VPID 512, APID 640. The EPG entry was "RTL Newsfeed Koeln". The parameters for the Dutch UPC platform on 12654 MHz horizontal have changed. They are now: SR 10102, FEC 7/8. There are three channels in the bouquet now, UPC Film 1 (V101, A102), Extreme Sports (V201, A202) and UPC Club (V301, A302). All three are free-to-air.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.
SR – Symbol Rate
FEC – Forward Error Correction
VPID – Video Programme Identifier
APID – Audio Programme Identifier