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SAT Observations 96.12.18

WELCOME TO SAT-MIDEAST !
A news release from Cairo, Egypt, located at 30.3 North - 31.15 East
____________________________________________________________________
WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE:
- Satellite and Transponder Observations in C- and Ku-Band,
- Commented from the Middle Eastern perspective.

WHAT YOU DON'T FIND HERE:
- Astra, Eutelsat Superbeam and Skandinavian Reports.
- D-Box Info, DF-1 Reports and daily Feed Listings.
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THE HEADLINES IN THIS REPORT:

- Hot Bird 2 on air
- Arabsat 2B ?

HOT BIRD 2, 13 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/hotbird.html
----------
Since today, 18 December 1996, Eutelsats's latest satellite is finally
broadcasting.
(Regular SAT-MidEast readers have received the "SAT-MidEast Extra"
Report this morning)

In the early morning hours appeared on txpr 51, 11.747 GHz, H, EDTV
Dubai with an analogue txm in PAL on the widebeam. Sound carriers were
featured for TV at 6.60 MHz and for Radio Dubai at 7.02 Mhz.
ART, in the Europe/Africa version, appeared on txpr 65, 12.015 Ghz, H,
also with an analogue txm in PAL on the widebeam. The TV sound was on a
sound carrier on 6.60 MHz.

Digital txm for TPS France were on the reserved txpr 61, 11.938 GHz, H
and a pay-per-view digital test txm on txpr 69, 12.092 GHz, H, in
widebeam mode.
(Thanks to Ghassan Tabet in Beirut for the digital reception info's. He
saw the movie Mrs. Doubtfire on the Multi Channels twice, with a
different starting time).

Ghassan reported also slightly lower signal levels on the widebeam of
the Hot Bird 2 as presently available from the superwidebeam of Hot Bird
1.

In Cairo however I can report much higher signal levels. Measured direct
on TV, which is of course only relative to this particular receiver, Hot
Bird 1 transmits levels from 80 to 110, the Hot Bird 2 however starts
with 130, and the present most powerfull channel (ART) goes slight over
the 150 mark. Similar figures have be achieved only by the old Arabsat
1D (prior to the Arabsat 1D-R or Telstar 301).
 
Later in the day txpr 50 was switched on, at first featuring a blue band
test card, later a testcard from the up-link station in Portugal
"SINTRA-POR". A testone was carried on 6.60 MHz.

Still this evening there are difficulties with the Portuguese up-link,
frequently the test card is removed, sometimes the carrier is switched
off. Presently horizontal lines are visible during blank carrier tests.

Further tests could be observed at txpr 57, 11.862 GHz, H, in superbeam
mode.

To the pay-per-view test from TPS on txpr 69, some reception comments:

Neither the PACE nor PANASAT IRD's were able to get final results, the
D-Box however did the job. Ghassan Tabet in Lebanon was able to tune in
to several TPS channels.
I myself in Cairo, using the Panasat 520-D, could get hold of the TS,
the tuner started tuning and did nothing else. After some ingenious
tricks I was able to get hold of the on-screen menus and found the
following eight channels mentioned:
1-2-3-4-5 & 8 Multi, 6 France and 7 Canada. Programm info however was
not available.

The reason why automatic tuning is not achievable lies in the following:
The tuner starts tuning in on freqency 12.091 GHz and looks then for the
corresponding frequencies as coded into the signal. These frequencies
however are presently on the superbeam and cannot be received in Cairo.
So the IRD never releases himself out of the tuning sequence, and has to
be manually interupted, without loosing the initial stored codes. This
can be achieved by pushing the menu button and leaving this menu
immidiately. Then switch to the on-screen menus and select from there a
channel.
No picture will appear but at least you see the tuner searching for the
location of the service and the menus are available. Isn't it fun in the
digital world ?

Now to some other observations:

GORIZONT 24, 80 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/g24.html
-----------
For the first time I got hold today of the Ku-band txm of NTV on txpr
K1, 11.525 GHz, Rc. It must be the present good atmospheric status for
DX'ing.

ARABSAT 2B, 21.5 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/a2b.html
----------
Actually I'm not sure what satellite I observed here today. A B&W
testcard and alternated, a colorbar test card were shown on a frequency
usually not featured on the Arabsat 2B, 3.967 GHz, Rc. The quality of
the txm was not very good, a lot of sparkles, however with a powerfull
signal level. A test tone was carried on 6.60 MHz. End of this txm was
at 13:35 CET. I'm not aware of any C-Band capable satellite in this part
of the Clarke Belt other then the Arabsat 2B on his test position. 
Who knows more ?

AMOS 1, 4 West, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/amos1.html
------
Txpr 3 on 11.159 GHz, middle frequency, V, was again used by Al Gezeerah
TV, Quatar for a reportage on the Middle East spot beam.

Best regards,

Henk C. Room / Sat-MidEast / Cairo - Egypt

Home Page (G): http://www.sat-net.com/sat-mideast/
Home Page:(E): http://www.intouch.com/~hcroom/
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