Key:
D = Digital
A = Analogue

100.5 degrees E:
Asiasat-2
D. MSTV is the name of a new channel originating from Taiwan which has just started to broadcast test transmissions on 3790 MHz vertical, SR 4340, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34. It is aimed at Chinese, or Republic of China expatriates around the world and will broadcast for six hours per day initially with a mix of news, dramas and cultural programming. MSTV is triple illuminating via NSS-806 at 21.5 degrees West and Telstar-12 at 97 degrees West as well as from this slot.

60 degrees E:
Intelsat-604
A. A feed of a news programme from China’s CCTV-1 was fed over 4188 MHz RHCP in clear Pal on March 4 at 1100. Later the same day 4166 MHz RHCP was active with a live relay of a German soccer match in clear Pal.

42 degrees E:
Turksat-1C
D. Colour bars have returned on the StarActive Cinema stream at 11469 MHz vertical on PIDs V1536, A1537. A feed was noted on 10978 MHz vertical, SR 4685, FEC 3/4, A256 on March 1 at 1925. However, the feed consisted of audio only of street sounds, traffic etc. The EPG data read “DEFAULT SERVICE”.

40 degrees E:
Gorizont-31
A. Once again Serbia’s RTS Sat has returned to satellite. It is using Gorizont-31 capacity again on 11530 MHz RHCP, SR 4165, FEC 1/2, VPID 4194, APID 4195 (left channel only). Radio Belgrade, the state-run domestic service, is available via the same audio PID, right channel. The channel, which is broadcasting from around 1500 daily here, is using this outlet to feed terrestrial relays following the severe damage metered out to the transmitters during the Kosovo conflict.

36 degrees E:
Gals-1/2, Most-1, Eutelsat-II-F3
D. The Portuguese channel SIC International has changed parameters. They are now SR 3254, FEC 2/3. The Italian channel Il Tirreno Sat vacated 12528 MHz horizontal last week for a few days but returned shortly afterwards. On February 25 at 1220 11047 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 carried a live interview in clear MPEG-2. No recipient ID was shown but this was presumably for Sky News. The EPG entry was “SISLink 12 UKI 417”. BBC news feeds here appear to be using MPEG-4:2:2 for most of the time though one or two can still be found in MPEG-2. On March 1 at 1845 11606 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 carried a BBC feed in MPEG-4:2:2. The EPG info read “BBC UKI 229”. On March 6 at 0735 11072 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 carried preparations for a feed from the Chelsea home of newspaper editor Andrew Neil who was commenting for GMTV on the Tony Blair nanny revelations. The EPG entry read “5.632 Msym/s 420”. At 0745 on the same day a live feed from outside Cottons Hotel in Cheshire, reportedly the venue for the lavish first birthday party of David Beckham and Posh Spice’s son, used 11087 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, EPG: “5.632 Msym/s PAL 420” in clear MPEG-2 for GMTV

A. Locales Satelite Internacional has launched on 11572 MHz vertical in clear Pal with audio via the 6.60/7.20 MHz subcarriers. The channel, which is very similar in output to the French channel TLI, hosts programming from Spanish independent local TV channels.

30.5 degrees E:
Arabsat-2B
A. A live feed from Mecca in Saudi Arabia on the current annual Haj pilgrimage was fed over 4085 MHz RHCP in clear Pal on March 4 at 1110.

28.5 degrees E:
Kopernikus-DFS2
A. Occasional feeds from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange can be seen on 11550 MHz vertical in clear Pal. Usually these feeds are available via NSS-K capacity at 21.5 degrees West in MPEG-2 at 11615 MHz vertical.

28.2 degrees E:
Astra-1D & 2A
D. Open. . ., the interactive service available to Sky Digital subscribers, have announced some new additions to their service coming up later this year. Comet, the major electrical retailer will join in the summer and Cornhill, the insurance giant will be offering life, home and pet insurance via the service from April. From July/August subscribers will be able to book holidays with First Choice via the Digibox modem. The Pakistani channel, Prime TV has started regular programming on 11895 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 2/3, VPID 2324, APID 2325. Prime provides programmes drawn from Pakistan’s two domestic TV channels, PTV 1 & 2. It is also available via Intelsat-707 at 1 degree West.

26 degrees E:
Arabsat-2A & 3A
D. The Palestinian Satellite Channel has joined the package on 11747 MHz vertical, VPID 2460, APID 2420 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Now that Iraq has been accepted into the Arabsat fold it was only a matter of time until Iraqi TV appeared on one of its craft. On 5 March the Iraq Space Channel, as seen on Nilesat at 7 degrees West and Eutelsat-II-F3 at 36 degrees east, launched via the Arabsat-3A transponder 12034 MHz horizontal, VPID 4060, APID 4020 in free-to-air MPEG-2 alongside Sharjah TV, Saudi 1 TV, Kuwait Space Channel, Libyan Jamiryah TV, Sudan TV, Oman TV, Jordan Satellite Channel, Arab News Network, Palestine Satellite Channel, Saudi Radio, Kuwait Radio and Radio Amman.

23.5 degrees E:
Kopernikus-DFS1
D. Goldstar TV has joined the Premiere World package on 12727 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 3839, APID 3840. Three new music channels have joined the Music Choice Europe bouquet at 11573 MHz vertical. They are Old Gold, Schlager and Volksmusik. Also from MCE, Easy Listening, Love Songs and Musicals have started on 12559 MHz horizontal. All of the MCE channels are encoded in BetaCrypt (see also Astra 19.2 degrees East).

19.2 degrees E:
Astra 1A-C & E-G
D. Game One is now encoded in Viaccess and Mediaguard on 12402 MHz vertical after several months in the clear. The channel is a member of the French CanalsatŽllite NumŽrique digital platform. The National Geographic Channel (V164, A96) and Discovery Channel (V165, A98) have both started a full service for Belgium and the Netherlands on 12012 MHz vertical, encoded in Mediaguard. Goldstar TV has started within the Premiere World package at 11758 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 3839, APID 3840. Old Gold, Schlager and Volksmusik have joined the Music Choice Europe multiplex at 12032 MHz horizontal and Easy Listening, Love Songs and Musicals have started on MCE’s 11719 MHz frequency (see also Kopernikus 23.5 degrees East). Andalucia TV and the new music channel Canal Fiesta are stream sharing on 11934 MHz vertical. Andalucia TV runs from 0800-0030 and Fiesta airs between 0030-0800. Canal Fiesta is also available via Hotbird at 13 degrees East, Hispasat at 30 degrees West and Eutelsat-II-F2 at 12 degrees West capacity.

A. When Sky Box Office 3 leaves 11362 MHz horizontal later this month its slot will be taken over by Bloomberg TV Germany, which will launch here on April 10. Bloomberg will vacate its current home at 10818 MHz vertical at or around the same time. Merlin Network One is to leave the 7.38/7.56 MHz audio subcarriers at 10847 MHz at the end of this month.

16 degrees E:
Eutelsat-W2
D. SIC International, which broadcasts daily on 12568 MHz horizontal from 1400-2300, is now encoded. Royal Bank of Scotland TV has joined the BT multiplex at 11303 MHz vertical on PIDs V2575, A2573. Although in the clear for a short time the channel was swiftly switched to Videoguard encryption. House of Lords TV, which has been occupying a stream here on PIDs V2567, A2569 for some time has been free-to-air intermittently over the last week or so. The sole regular free-to-air occupant of the BT package is the second- hop relay of Georgian TV and radio on PIDs V2305, A2306/2307. A feed of recorded material of the Kenyan Motor Rally was fed over 11013 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 on February 29 at 1810 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The EPG data read “NTL SNG”. Also on the 29th, at 1815 12547 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 307, APID 435 was in use with a feed for Sky News about the amount of Manchester United merchandising available to fans and, more importantly, the cost of it. Immediately following the transmission the stream cut to a BT Brightstar caption. At the same time a temporary relay of the Italian channel, Coming Soon TV was available via 12608 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 1860, APID 1820 in clear MPEG-2. A “Teleregione” logo was visible in the bottom right of the picture. The EPG data read “Service 7”. On the same frequency via PIDs V1360, A1320 another Italian offering, Italia 9, was being aired free-to-air. EPG info here was “Italia 9 Network”. As the political situation in Austria continues to cause concern this caption was spotted on the ENEX “B” stream at 12516 MHz horizontal on February 29 at 1915: “InterMedia SNG truck is operational out of Vienna. Located in front of the Austrian Parliament. Tel. Mr Heckenbichler (+43) 676 303 6030.” Preparations for a relay from a political rally in Spain by the PP party with a generous helping of frantic flag waving by the enthusiastic supporters were fed over 11135 MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “E19” in clear MPEG-2 on March 1 at 1855. A little later the same evening 10977 MHz horizontal, SR 6398, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 37, EPG: “SERVICE 1”, was fired up with this caption: “ITA 82. FIRENZE 0335 7271006” over colour bars. At the same time an interview with F1 motor racing champion Michael Schumacher for an unidentified German channel was fed over 12509 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, V308, A256 in free-to- air MPEG-2. The EPG entry read “GCI/F 42/5632”. A second hop live feed from flood stricken Mozambique was relayed on 12539 MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 512, APID 640 in clear MPEG-2 on March 1 at 1935.

A. Once again Albania’s TV Shqiptar and the accompanying Radio Tirana have been forced to leave their slot at 11178 MHz vertical which they have been using on and off for several years for their evening transmissions. As has happened before, the channel is in dire financial difficulties despite a recent injection of funds from the Albanian parliament.

13 degrees E:
Eutelsat Hotbirds 1/2/3/4/5
D. The well known and respected US sports channel, Fox Sports, is to launch a European stream via Hotbird capacity from May 5. The channel will be known as Fox Sports Europe and will be aimed primarily at viewers in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovakia. It will be available via satellite DTH and cable distribution. Sitcom is a new Italian digital package available via Rome based Telespazio. So far two channels are testing in the new platform on 12149 MHz vertical, Nuvolari (motor sports) and Alice (lifestyle) with soundtracks in English, French, German and Italian. Next month they will be joined by two more offerings, Espresso (culture and travel) and Leonardo (Italian style). After a short period of tests, German NRW TV has commenced regular programming on 11604 MHz horizontal, VPID 160, APID 161 in clear MPEG-2. A caption on the RAI Nettuno Sat stream at 11804 MHz vertical, VPID 513, APID 651 indicates that the channel will officially launch on March 7 at 0700. Canal Fiesta is a new music channel from Spain on 12092 MHz horizontal, VPID 4432, APID 4433 in clear MPEG-2. It has replaced Cibernos here. The Spanish agricultural channel, Canal Agro Rural, has switched from clear MPEG-2 to encryption in Viaccess.

10 degrees E:
Eutelsat-II-F4
D. After a short period in the clear the Romanian channels Antena 1 and Radio Romantica have reverted to encryption on 11024 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4.

A. Preparations for a live broadcast from the scene of some sort of open air public demonstration in Italy were fed over 11051 MHz horizontal, SR 6109, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 53, EPG: “TSS-1”, in clear MPEG-2 on February 29 at 1820.

7 degrees E:
Eutelsat-W3
D. MCM Europe and the National Geographic Channel have joined the rapidly expanding DigiTYrk platform here. They can both be found on 11534 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, VPIDs 2103/2203, APIDs 2106/2206 in free-to-air MPEG-2 alongside ten new radio channels: RadyoSport (A2500), Kiss FM (A2501), Shik FM (A2502), Radyo D (A2503), Radyo Foreks (A2504), HYr FM (A2505), Radyo 5 (A2506), Show Radyo (A2507), Alem FM (A2508) and Best FM (A2509). Although still in a state of flux the current DigiTYrk line up is as follows: 11492 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 — DigiTYrk promo, Kanal D, Kanal 6,SuperKanal; 11575 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 — VH-1, Show TV; 11658 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 — BBC Prime, Kanal 7, Bravo TV, Cine 5, EuroNews, Fashion TV, Fox Sports, KNE, MM1, Vizyon. All of these are encoded in Cryptoworks except VH-1 and Fashion TV which are still free- to-air.

5 degrees E:
Sirius-2/3
D. A Danish film review programme was fed over 12615 MHz horizontal, SR 7028, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “COP-1 SCPC MPEG” in free-to-air MPEG-2 on February 29 at 1830. During the evening of March 1 an ice hockey game between the Swedish teams HV71 and BRY was fed over 12590 MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in its entirety for Canal+ Sverige.

3 degrees E:
Telecom-2C
A. A succession of commercials and promo videos for a French casino chain were fed over 12598 MHz vertical in clear Pal on February 29 from 1830.

4 degrees W:
Amos-1
D. The recent disappearance of the Hungarian channel, TV3, which used Amos capacity via the Antenna Hungaria digital platform at 11308 MHz horizontal, SR 22860, FEC 7/8, until very recently, is due to the channel’s demise. According to a press release from TV3’s owners, CME, it has been unable to turn around the heavy losses incurred in running the channel. It failed to secure a terrestrial broadcasting licence in 1997 and was forced to broadcast via satellite-fed cable systems only

5 degrees W:
Telecom-2B/D
D. The GlobeCast multiplex on 11492 MHz vertical is being dual illuminated on 12711 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. From the end of April the former frequency will be switched off. Along with its Hotbird outlet, Canal Agro Rural is now encoded in Viaccess on 11598 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.

12 degrees W:
Eutelsat-II-F2
D. Toronto based City-TV has been replaced by the US channels PBS and PBS Kids in a stream share on 11185 MHz vertical, SR 9165, FEC 1/2, VPID 32, APID 33 in free-to-air MPEG-2. PBS, or the Public Broadcasting Service, has its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. It is a non-profit media organisation which is owned and operated by 348 US public TV stations. PBS uses satellite delivery to feed its output to affiliates throughout the United States. This Eutelsat signal is thought to be the first time that PBS has been received regularly and openly on this side of the Atlantic. There is a new stream share on 12521 MHz horizontal with Andalucia TV and Canal Fiesta.

15 degrees W:
Telstar-12
D. The Dutch UPC TV cable bouquets have now encrypted in Cryptoworks on 11123 MHz horizontal and 11141 MHz horizontal with the exception of Extreme Sports which has remained free-to-air so far. Also, two UPC promo channels have joined the line up at 11123 MHz horizontal. These are named in the EPG as UPC TV Promo 1 and UPC TV Promo 2. Both are free- to-air and are not running parallel programming.

18 degrees W:
Intelsat-705
D. Romania’s Prime TV has returned to 10978 MHz horizontal, SR 5998, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120, EPG: “Channel One”, after an absence of some four weeks. The channel is free-to-air as usual.

21.3 degrees /21.5 degrees W:
NSS-803 & NSS-K
D. The new Taiwanese channel, MSTV, is testing on 3803 MHz RHCP in free-to-air MPEG-2, VPID 1560, APID 1520 where it has replaced O Canal Adulto. Occasional feed traffic for the German channel ZDF from Johannesburg has been sighted on 11625 MHz vertical, SR 5698, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120, EPG: “GlobeCast ad-hoc” in free-to-air MPEG-2.

24.5 degrees W:
Intelsat-603
A. On March 2 at 1850 a report on the imminent return to Chile of dictator General Pinochet was fed over feed transponder 4166 MHz RHCP in clear NTSC for an unknown broadcaster.

27.5 degrees W:
Intelsat-605
D. In the Carlton multiplex for cable headends on 11665 MHz horizontal, SR 30500, FEC 3/4, Carlton Select has been replaced by Carlton Cinema, which airs from 1900-0700 nightly. All of the channels here are encoded on PowerVu.

30 degrees W:
Hispasat-1A/B/C
D. Within the Spanish Via Digital package on 12711 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 Ella has been replaced by Cosmopolitan TV. As with all of the other channels here Cosmopolitan is encoded in Nagravision. Andalucia TV and Canal Fiesta are sharing a stream on 11517 MHz horizontal. On the same frequency there is a new free-to-air promo channel for Via Digital on PIDs V4144, A4145. The other channels available here are; Panda, Sol Musica, Odisea, Vivir and Hollywood.

31.5 degrees W:
Intelsat-801
D. NRW TV, as seen on Hotbird, has started on 11485 MHz vertical, SR 4000, FEC 3/4, VPID 33, APID 34 in free-to-air MPEG-2. This is probably a feeder for cable services in Europe. The soccer match between Blackburn and Norwich City was fed over 10957 MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 in free-to-air MPEG-2 on February 29 from 1930 for Sky Sports. A report for one of the French networks on transportation was fed over 11025 MHz vertical on March 1 at 1850 in clear MPEG-2. The EPG entry was “8 Mbit 3/4”. Live pictures of the launch of the Team Philips Challenge boat were fed over 11499 MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 from Dartmouth in Devon on March 2.

97 degrees W:
Telstar-5
D. MSTV from Taiwan is testing on 12122 MHz horizontal, VPID 368, APID 369 in clear MPEG-2.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.

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