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SATELLITE
WATCH
Compiled by GARRY CRATT*
Asiasat 3 shuffle
After a successful launch in March,
and in-orbit testing during April (at
98.2°E), Asiasat 3 is expected to have
commenced operations at 105.5°E by
this month. Asiasat 1 will be relocat
ed to 122°E. To make room for this,
Asiasat G (carrying NTV Russian commercial programming) was suddenly
switched off on April 28 without
warning.
NTV programming recommenced
on Gorizont 30, located at 130°E on
April 29.
Panamsat 2 (169°E)
NHK is scheduled to leave this
satellite early this month. BBC has
returned to the California Bouquet
(SR 30800, FEC 3/4, 3901MHz, horizontal polarity). The service is still
running on 3743MHz vertical polarity
SR 21800, FEC 3/4. Exactly why this
parallel operation exists is unknown.
Religious broadcaster EWTN moved
to Pas-8 transponder 11 C, SR 27690,
FEC 7/8. CNN International will also
leave this satellite by June 1.
CMT have advised that they will encrypt their signal in the second half of
this year. The signal has been free-toair for several years. The subscription
service will be available to private
users for a modest fee, although exact
details are not yet known.
An interesting side note: when
using a small aperture dish such as
1.8m to view Pas-2, the analog signal
at 3860MHz is clearly visible on Pas-8.
As dish size is increased, this effect
is less noticeable as the beam width
decreases.
Some multi-service commercial
sites will find services previously
available on Pas-2 now spread across
both Pas-2 and Pas-8. Panamsat is using a multi-beam feedhorn on existing
receive dishes to allow simultaneous
reception from both satellites.
Optus B3 (156°E)
Panamsat 8 (166°E)
An intermittent analog test signal
has been running on this satellite
since mid January on 3860MHz, horizontal polarity. Japanese broadcaster
NHK commenced their digital service
on February 16th. Results indicate
that no change will be necessary in
dish size for NHK viewers.
CNN International will also permanently move from Pas-2, tentatively
scheduled for this month. The multi-channel service commenced Pas-8
parallel operations in digital format
during May on 3780MHz, horizontal polarity, SR 24999, FEC 3/4, in
non-conditional access PowerVu
format at that time.
Feb 1 saw a new digital bouquet appear on 3940MHz, horizontal polarity,
SR 27690, FEC 7/8. Loaded headers
indicate TNT/Cartoon as services that
will transfer from Pas-2. TNT is due to
cease operations on Pas-2 by June 1.
The Aurora platform is now operational on this satellite, carrying ABC,
SBS, 7 Central, Imparja, Horizon,
Westlink, Prime and many other services. Frequencies are 12407MHz,
SR 30000, FEC 2/3; 12532MHz
SR 3000, FEC 2/3; 12595MHz, SR
30000 FEC 3/4; 12720MHz, SR
3000, FEC 3/4. All transponders are
vertically polarised.
Palapa C2 (113°E)
TV Indosair has ceased analog
transmissions and changed frequency for their new digital service.
Parameters are: 4073MHz, vertical
polarisation, SR 6500, FEC 3/4. This
is an Indonesian beam, probably only
covering the very northern edge of
Australia. We have been unable to
receive the signal in Sydney using
our 4.5m dish. MCM has also left this
satellite.
Taiwan C Net continues to operate
their 21-channel NTSC bouquet on
3763MHz, horizontal, SR 21093, FEC
5/6 now using conditional access. Services still load on most digital receivers, but the video is blanked, hence
only audio channels are available.
Anteve has commenced digital
operations on 4193MHz, vertical polarisation, SR 6508, FEC 3/4. A 3.7m
dish is required to receive this signal
along the east coast of Australia.
Intelsat 701 (180°E)
European broadcaster Fashion TV
has replaced Saudi TV channel 1 and
MCM Asia has replaced Abu Dhabi
TV. Both services are on 4095MHz,
SC
LHCP, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.
*Garry Cratt is Managing Director of AvComm Pty Ltd, suppliers of satellite TV
reception systems. Phone (02) 9949 7417.
http://www.avcomm.com.au
JUNE 1999 33
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