Key:
D – Digital
A – Analogue

93.5 degreesE:
Insat 2C
A – Indian state television Doordarshan has launched a new channel for the Gujarat region of northern India. DD National Gujarati is using 4125MHz horizontal in clear Pal. Since January of this year Doordarshan has introduced eight new regional channels, which are all available via satellite as well as terrestrially, broadcasting in the Bangla, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu languages.

62 degreesE:
Intelsat 602
D – The Iranian Jaam-e-Jam TV Network left 11136MHz vertical where it had been broadcasting in clear MPEG-2 two weeks ago but has now returned with an identical line-up to the new Iranian package on Eutelsat Hotbird 3 at 13 degrees East.

60 degreesE:
Intelsat 604
A – A live report for ARD from Manila was fed over 4188MHz RHCP in clear NTSC at 14:10 on May 4.

42 degreesE:
Turksat 1C
D – The operation of Turksat 1C was disrupted for around an hour from 19:35 on April 28 as the satellite was apparently subjected to a static discharge causing the craft to enter ‘safe mode’ which entails the shut down of all transponders. All TV and radio services as well as telephone and data traffic were lost until the satellite was brought back up to power in the evening. There is a new StarDigital package on 11080MHz horizontal, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, Turkish beam in free-to-air MPEG-2. The current line-up is; MTV UK (V33, A34), CNBC Europe (V1057, A1058), RAI Uno (V2081, A2082), RAI Due (V3105, A3106), Sky News (V4129, A4130) and a testcard on V5153, A5154. There is another new multiplex on 11665MHz vertical, SR 8135, FEC 5/6, European beam with Cine 5/Playboy TV (V512, A650), Maxi TV/SuperSport (V513, A660), Viva TV (V514, A680), Gala TV (V515, A680), Radyo 5 (A671) and Radyo Viva (A661). All of these are in free-to-air MPEG-2. Bayrak TV, from Turkish occupied Northern Cyprus, continues to broadcast part time on 11110MHz vertical, SR 4555, FEC 5/6, VPID 308, APID 256, EPG: “BRTK KKTC”, in free-to-air MPEG-2.
A – Turkish channel Kanal D had to suffer a 24 hour shut down on May 8 for contravening its licensing conditions. The channel can be found on 11562MHz (European beam) and 11023MHz horizontal (Turkish beam) in clear Pal.

36 degreesE:
Gals 1/2, Most 1, Eutelsat II F3 & Sesat
D – Eutelsat’s newest craft, Sesat, has reached 39 degrees East, where it will be parked for a short while for transponder tests to be carried out before being drifted westwards to 36 degrees East. It will commence operation in early June when it will take over duties from Eutelsat II F3. Eutelsat W4, which is due to launch very soon, will also be located here. W4 will carry a payload of 31 transponders. 19 of these will be beamed to central Russia where they will be leased by the Media Most organisation for analogue and digital video and audio services as well as data traffic. Six of the remaining transponders are configured for a broad beam, which will cover sub-Saharan Africa, while the other six will be centred on southern Africa. Multichoice is to provide an African and South African service from here. This means that the current C-Band Multichoice service from PAS-4 will eventually be redundant. The use of Ku-Band capacity for Africa will enable subscribers to have the benefit of requiring much smaller dishes, just 90cm-1.2m. Bollywood 4U Middle East has launched on 11168MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 (see also Sirius at 5 degrees East). On May 3 at 19:00 an RTL Plus testcard was aired on 11590MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. The EPG data read ‘RTL 5.632 3/4 Scrambled’.

30.5 degreesE:
Arabsat 2B
A – Radio Television Djibouti has launched on 4080MHz RHCP in clear Pal. The channel, which is a direct relay of the domestic service, airs from 19:00-21:00 daily (see also Arabsat 26 degrees East).

28.5 degreesE:
Kopernikus-DFS2
D – RTL’s feed from the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Barcelona was fed over 12606MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256. Premiere World’s feed from the same venue appeared on 11533MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 with uplink facilities courtesy of Intrax Hol 12.

28.2 degreesE:
Astra 1D & 2A
D – Bollywood 4U Music, which has recently launched at Ch.668 in the Sky Digital EPG, is to remain free-to-air. Two new radio channels from United Christian Broadcasting have launched on 12110MHz horizontal. UCB Cross Rhythms is on APID 2334 and UCB Europe can be heard via APID 2335. Both of these stations are also available in analogue format on Astra at 19.2 degrees East, 11509MHz horizontal but they will leave here on June 30. Lashkara is the name of a new Asian channel which is currently testing on 12032MHz horizontal, VPID 2310, APID 2312. At present a promo video loop is being played out. Lashkara, literally translated from Punjabi as ‘beam of light’, is aimed at the large Punjabi speaking community in the UK. A caption displayed in the promo states ‘Lashkara – Chamakda Punjabi Channel’. There is now a sixth 18 Plus pay per view channel in the Sky Digital line-up. The latest addition can be found at Ch.769 in the Sky EPG.

26 degreesE:
Arabsat 2A & 3A
D – Radio Television Djibouti from the Horn of Africa has launched on 11747MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V2060, A2020 in clear MPEG-2. The channel is only on the air in the evenings from 19:00-21:00.

19.2 degreesE:
Astra 1A-C & E-H
D – A special channel to celebrate the current Cannes Film Festival has launched within the Canal Satellite Numerique package on 12207MHz vertical in MediaGuard encoded MPEG-2. TV Festival is on PIDs V161, A84. An English language soundtrack is available via APID 85. The channel is on the air daily from 09:00-12:00. RTL4 (V160, A80), RTL5 (V163, A92) and Adult X (V164, A96) have all launched on 12344MHz horizontal in Irdeto/MediaGuard encoded MPEG-2. Radio Vlaanderen International (RVI) from Belgium has launched on 12344 horizontal via APID 100 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Canal Canarias has been replaced by Cartoon Network Espana on 12246MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 160, APID 80. On 12610MHz vertical a TV5 Europe testcard has appeared on PIDs V45, A46 in free-to-air MPEG-2.

16 degreesE:
Eutelsat W2
A – British Rock Radio has launched via the 7.56MHz audio subcarrier at 11244MHz horizontal.
Occasional feed traffic for CNN from the Lockerbie trial being held in the Netherlands is being carried on 11132MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2. When not carrying any feed material the stream is displaying the caption ‘BT TES 40. CNN Camp Zeis Lockerbie Trial’. The EBU unilateral feed from the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix at Barcelona was carried at 11132MHz horizontal, SR 6854, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256 on May 6 and 7. At 18:25 on May 9 10994MHz horizontal, SR 6398, FEC 3/.4, VPID 33, APID 36, EPG: ‘Service 1’, was airing an unidentified test pattern with a clock showing a time of 20:25.

13 degreesE:
Eutelsat Hotbird 1-5
D – Muslim TV Ahmadiyya (MTA) on 10722MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 has no less than six audio streams. These are original language (APID 1204), English (A 1304), French (A1404), German (A1504), Arabic (A1604) and Bangla (A1704). In a surprise move a new Iranian package has started on 12437MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in free-to-air MPEG-2. There are six streams containing Jaam-e-Jam TV Network 1 (mostly a relay of the domestic channel Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) TV1), VPID 160, APID 80, Jaam-e-Jam TV Network 2 (a relay of IRIB TV2) V161, A82, Sahar University Network V162, A84, testcard V163, A86, testcard V164, A88, Jaam-e-Jam TV Network 2 V165, A90. There are also three Iranian radio services available here too. They are IRIB Radio 1 – A82 (right channel), IRIB Arabic service – A83 (left channel), Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran 1 (VIRI) – A83 (right channel) and VIRI 2 – A85 (left channel). The latest computer game channel, Game One, has started regular programming on 12380MHz vertical, VPID 3027, APID 3037 in clear MPEG-2 after a few weeks of test transmissions. The Iranian opposition channel, Sima-yeh Moghavemat has launched on 12597MHz vertical, VPID 161, APID 84 in free-to-air MPEG- 2. The channel airs here from 14:00-16:00 daily. www.travel.radio has launched via APID 1190 on 12539MHz horizontal. A new Globecast bouquet has opened at 11623MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. At present the multiplex is occupied by six testcards on PIDs V221-226, A241-246. A radio bouquet for the Balkan region has launched on 12476MHz horizontal in free-to-air MPEG-2. The line-up is; SENSE – A213, BBC World Service Balkans – A214, Deutsche Welle Balkan service – A215 and RFI SE Europe – A216. VIVA has been replaced by the Turkish channel TGRT on 12520MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 505, APID 506 in free-to-air MPEG-2. On 11604MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 111, APID 112 the following caption is being aired, ‘Channel SUN. Korea Broadcasting Telecom. (KBT Europe GmbH)’. This indicates the imminent launch of the first Korean channel to be readily available in Europe via satellite. On May 10 the Georgian channel, TV Ajara, was absent on 12245MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 127, APID 137. In its place this caption was displayed, ‘TV Ajara Georgia. Sorry for the Program. Technical problem. Back May 12th’. A new radio station with the strange name of Jeronimo Groovy has launched within the Greek OTE package at 12188MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 663.
A – Following its launch in digital format Iran’s Jaam-e-Jam TV and the accompanying radio services have left 12437MHz horizontal where it had been broadcasting in clear Pal.

10 degreesE:
Eutelsat II F4
D – Live and recorded coverage of an anti-Fascism march being held in Madrid was fed over 11012MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 on May 9 at 18:30 (see also Hispasat at 30 degrees West). Radio Romantic from Romania is currently free-to-air on 11024MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, APID 1213 alongside the Bucharest based TV channel, Antena 1.

7 degreesE:
Eutelsat W3
D – Several EBU streams were fired up with feeds from all over Europe for the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Stockholm on the evening of May 13. One busy stream was located at 11052MHz vertical, SR 6854, FEC 7/8 in MPEG-2 4:2:2.

5 degreesE:
Sirius 2/3
D – The Asian movie channel, Bollywood 4U has started testing on 12453MHz horizontal, VPID 800, APID 801. This is a Middle East version of the channel, identified by ME in the logo, for rebroadcast from Italy. The channel is being uplinked here by Kingston TLI in the UK. Presumably the signal is turned around at Kingston’s earth station from the Eutelsat II F3 signal at 36 degrees East. TV1000 (V1141, A1142) and TV1000 Cinema (V1151, A1152) have joined the Viasat digital platform on 12054MHz vertical.

3 degreesE:
Telecom 2C
D – Occasional feed traffic from the Cannes Film Festival is using three streams on 12541MHz via PIDs V308/524/330, A256/644/289. TV Lux (Luxembourg) has moved from 12712MHz horizontal to 12721MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 31, APID 34 in free-to-air MPEG-2. A new Globecast multiplex has opened at 12679MHz vertical, SR 13600, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2. There are four active streams containing a Globecast promo (V1001, A1201), Canal Rural (V1821, A1831), Bloomberg TV (V1822, A1823) and occasional feeds (V1823, A1833). This is an exact copy of the package previously available via Telecom 2D, 11598MHz horizontal.

0.8 degrees/1 degreesW:
Thor I-III & Intelsat 707
D – Deutsche Welle TV has made some changes to its C-Band digital outlet which carries its service for Africa to enable viewers to use smaller dishes of 2.2 to three metres for improved reception. The new parameters are; 3911MHz RHCP, SR 8022, FEC 1/2. Kanal Nova from Bulgaria has launched on 12168MHz horizontal, SR 27800, FEC 7/8, VPID 512, APID 640 in Conax encoded MPEG-2.

5 degreesW:
Telecom 2B/D
D – The Globecast platform on 11598MHz horizontal has left the frequency and moved to Telecom 2C at three degrees East. Eurosport has left 11652MHz and is now available from Telecom 2C. Granada FM is using 12711MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 674 in addition to its previous outlet on 11492MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 674. At 17:40 on May 2 the following caption was observed on 11676MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, VPID 372, APID 381, ‘Globecast Italia. France Telecom. 39 063759631 Centralino. 39 0637596320/73 MCR’.

12 degreesW:
EUTELSAT II F2
D – TV Land from Canada on 11185MHz vertical, SR 9164, FEC 1/2, VPID 32, APID 33 is sometimes replaced by the US version of the music channel MTV2.

13 degreesW:
Sirius-W
A – Sirius-W (the former Sirius-1) has now reached this slot after being moved from five degrees East. In-orbit transponder tests have started with strong analogue signals received on 11782MHz RHCP where a Sirius-W caption is being displayed at times.

21.3 degrees/21.5 degreesW:
NSS-803 & NSS-K
D – On May 4 and on subsequent days live coverage of the French Open Golf Championship was fed over 11539MHz horizontal, SR 6111, FEC 3/4 and 11523MHz horizontal in free-to-air MPEG-2 for Sky Sports. Rehearsals for the World Music Awards 2000 were carried on 11590MHz vertical, SR 6111, FEC 3/4 at 20:00 on May 10 in clear NTSC. Live coverage of the GTE Byron Nelson Classic golf was sighted on May 12 at 20:40 on 11043MHz vertical, SR 3998, FEC 3/4, VPID 1160, APID 1120. A little later the feed moved to 11560MHz vertical, SR 6109, FEC 3/4.
A – An interview with the actor Anthony Hopkins in Florence was fed over 11618MHz vertical in clear Pal on May 4 at 14:25. The pre-feed identifier was ‘F1-E2.1A via Firenze RVM1’.

30 degreesW:
Hispasat 1A-C
D – Colour bars overlaid with ‘656335252’ were spotted on11642MHz horizontal, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 on May 2 at 17:20. The EPG entry identified the Spanish uplink as “E53”. Coverage of an anti-Fascism march in Spain was fed over 11662MHz horizontal, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2 on May 9 at 1815. The EPG info read ‘E19’.

31.5 degreesW:
Intelsat 801
D – On May 2 at 16:45 10964MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4, VPID 308, APID 256 was displaying a video still of a building. This cut to an interview with a Barcelona footballer prior to their Champions League match against Valencia for ONdigital. Ten minutes later 10980MHz vertical, SR 13841, FEC 7/8, carried a feed, probably of the Barcelona versus Valencia match, in MPEG-2 4:2:2. The EPG info read “AUTO EBU 24MHz 422”. Also on May 2, a live report from Paglesham in Essex for Anglia TV’s news magazine programme was fed over 11492MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, EPG: ‘BT TES 42’, in free-to-air MPEG-2. The subject of the report, which included an interview with a senior Essex Police officer, was the disappearance of a local man at sea. An encrypted feed was carried on 10956MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 at 18:00 on May 9. The EPG entry was ‘TES 14 London SNG’. The same day live coverage of the Champions League soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid for ONdigital was fed over 10980MHz vertical, SR 13842, FEC 7/8 in MPEG-2 4:2:2. The same coverage for ONdigital was also relayed on 10964MHz vertical in free-to-air MPEG-2. On May 10 at 18:30 live coverage of the Valencia versus Barcelona Champions League match by the EBU was fed over 10980MHz vertical, SR 13841, FEC 7/8, EPG: ‘Auto EBU 24MHz 422’, in MPEG-2 4:2:2. During the same evening, a live interview with the French film star Gerard Depardieu from the beach at Cannes was fed over 11024MHz vertical, SR 5630, FEC 3/4 for the French channel, France 2. The EPG entry was ‘801. CANAL240 F2’. Live coverage of the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix for ITV Sport was fed over 10996MHz vertical, SR 5632, FEC 3/4 in clear MPEG-2 on May 6 & 7. Coverage of the Wrexham versus Gillingham soccer match for Sky Sports was fed over 10960MHz vertical on May 6 at 13:00.

43 degreesW:
PAS-3R & PAS-6
D – The US-based channel, Fox Sports, has moved from 12568MHz horizontal to 12573MHz horizontal. There are four streams here with ‘Eastern Europe Channel’ VPID 1160, APID 1120, which is showing a trailer for the channel, ‘Middle East Channel 2’ relaying Fox Sports programming in clear MPEG-2 on PIDs V1260, A1220, ‘Future Channel 2’ – encoded, V1360, A1320, and ‘Future Channel 3’ – encoded, V1460, A1420.

45 degreesW:
PAS-1
D – The popular US chat show produced by CBS, Letterman, is fed eastbound into the UK via the CBS feed on 11637MHz horizontal, SR 26462, FEC 3/4 in clear NTSC. The show is aired by ITV2 the night following the US airing.

All times in UTC unless otherwise stated.