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SAT Observations 97.01.17

WELCOME TO SAT-MIDEAST !
A news release from Cairo, Egypt, located at 30.3 North - 31.15 East,
sponsored by TELE-satellit, SATCO-DX and TBS Internet.
____________________________________________________________________
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 news, DF-1 reports and Skandinavian reports.
- Regular feeds and news transmissions are not listed.
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THE HEADLINES IN THIS 97.01.17 REPORT:

- Delta 2 exploded
- AB Sat analogue on HB2
- PAS 3-R activities
- Bits & Pieces

DELTA 2 Launch
--------------
Today,13 seconds after launch, a Delta 2 launcher exploded , under not
yet clear circumstances, on the Cape Canaveral launchbase. The rocket
and payload has completely been destroyed and the satellite for the GPS
(Global Positioning System) navigations system is lost. No human
injuries have been reported yet. Pictures of the explosion could be seen
on several news bulletins. The satellite was originally scheduled to be
launched on January 16th.

PANAMSAT 4, 68.5 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/pas4.html
----------
Some changes have been made in the line-up of the Multichoice Africa
bouquet;
	Ch 14 CNN  (now American Version)
	Ch 17 IGN  (opens now at various time unscrambled)
	Ch 18 FUT  (Future channel, presently showing M-NET Community Service)
	Ch 22 SS2  (Supersport Gold, presently from 19:00 SAT)
	Ch 23 TEST (Research channel A, previously showing M-Net East, Arabic)
	Ch 24 TEST (Research channel B, previously showing M-Net West, delayed)

INTELSAT 703, 57 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/i703.html
------------
The new transmission frequency of Kazakh TV, 11.648 GHz, H, has been
showing throughout the day a black & white testcard with a sound carrier
on 7.00 MHz.
At various times a female announcer, background music and some studio
rumours could be heard, no picture however was transmitted.
The standard transmission of Kazakh TV on 11.550 GHz, H, has been
unchanged.

TURKSAT 1C, 42 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/t1c.html
----------
Transponder 12, 10.971 GHz, H, showing a colourbar test card, with sound
on 6.65 MHz, has ceased.

ARABSAT 2A, 26 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/a2a.html
----------
Transponder 7, 12.646 Ghz, H, showing since a couple of days a
low-powered carrier, was turned up this morning to full strenght, and an
hour later switched off completely. No sign of a test card or sound
carriers.

Rumours are thickening about the use of the Ku transponder, on the
horizontal polarization level, for various digital program packages.
At least shortly before the Middle East's largest "Cable & Satellite"
fair in Dubai, early March, we all will know what is fact. Watch this
space for the latest updates.

HOT BIRD 2, 13 East, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/hb2.html
----------
On transponder 52, 11.766 GHz, (reserved for RAI) started today an
analogue promotional broadcast from AB-Sat, on the superbeam. A sound
carrier, in French, was available on 6.60 Mhz. Reception quality in
Cairo is poor.

Comment: This makes me think... The same superbeam transponder has been
used for the New Years transmission of RAI International, in the same
poor quality.
The initial reception quality and signal levels, which could be received
from the test position of the Hot Bird 2 on 29 East, were the same as
now on transponder 52.
So why is the reception of Polonia 1 so much better, almost sparkfree? 
There are various solutions: 1) Polonia 1 operates with full power, and
transponder 52 with a lowered output signal; 2) Polonia 1 operates with
a lowered output, but instead of the superbeam on the widebeam; 3)
Polonia 1 uses the directional beam of the Hot Bird 2.
Any comments or better solutions are welcome to my mailbox.

PANAMSAT 3R, 43 West, SATCO-DX: http://www.satcodx.com/pas3r.html
-----------
The 12.701 GHz, H, frequency is lately almost constantly used by various
broadcaster for their feeds. ABC at night, NHK for the ESPN feeds, other
boradcaster have their SNG from Latin America, or from Europa running
through this transponder. Alternating NTSC and PAL is used, sound
carriers vary per transmission, noticed are 6.20 and 6.80 MHZ for the
from America coming feeds and 6.60, 7.02 and 7.20 for feed to the USA.
All these activities find surely their origine in the loss of the
Telstar 401 (T1) on 97 West.

Best regards,

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

____________________________________________________________________
SAT-MidEast maintains a homepage with all relevant Middle Eastern
satellite information, e.g. receivable satellites, their positions,
future satellites, foot print maps, latest news, broadcaster info's,
interesting Internet links, and a, satellite based, archive of all
messages released since the start of SAT-MidEast on November 5, 1996.

         SAT-MidEast: http://www.sat-net.com/sat-mideast/
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direct to : hcroom@intouch.com 
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