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SAT Observations 97.04.01

WELCOME TO SAT-MIDEAST !
A news release from Cairo, Egypt, located at 30.3 North - 31.15 East,
sponsored by TELE-SATELLIT INTERNATIONAL, SATCO-DX and TBS Internet.
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WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE:
- Satellite and Transponder Observations in C- and Ku-Band,
- Commented from the Middle Eastern perspective.
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THE HEADLINES IN THIS 97.04.01 REPORT:

- BBC World on Showtime
- MCM scrambles
- ARIANE 5 delayed
- Bits & Pieces

EXPRESS 6, 80 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e6.html
---------
Once again were the carriers on 4.025 GHz, Rc, and 4.125 GHz, Rc from
resp. AST and TV3 absent during the morning time. (09:00 CEST). In the
afternoon normal transmission commenced.

PANSAMSAT 4, 68.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/pas4.html
-----------
Mr. Abdul Rahman Daouk, SHOWTIME Manager in Riyadh, confirmed today that
negotiations with the BBC have now been finalised and there will be a
announcement within a few weeks that BBC World will be joining their
line-up relatively soon, at no extra cost to current subscribers.

Regarding negotiations for a sports channel on the network he simply
said that negotiations are taking place with a "major" sports
broadcaster and that due to the complexity of these discussions, no
further comments can be made at the present time.

Info kindly submitted by Phillip Poole, Riyadh, KSA.

SME Comment: No major surprise, but as I earlier commented: I would, as
everybody else, prefer to pay a little more money and receive BBC Prime!

To the sports channel can only be said that only ESPN has the quality
and format to join the class of Showtime programming. But aren't they
still broadcasting on another digital network in the area ?
That shouldn't mean too much however, as we've seen in case of The
Discovery Channel, there is always room for a change...

On Showtime Channel 21 are since yesterday signals receivable, commonly
known as digital garbage: thousands of multi-coloured tiny blocks
squirling around the screen, sometimes in a grid, sometimes
dissapearring at all. No explanation given nor available at the time.

INTELSAT 703, 57 East, http://www.satcodx.com/i703.html
------------
Kazakh TV on 11.550 GHz Rc, was absent early morning, the transmission
of the Khabar TV test card on 11.650 Ghz, Rc, was very weak.

EUTELSAT II-f1, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f1.html
--------------
Since last Sunday the program of Deutsche Welle-TV on transponder 27,
11.163 GHz, V, can be received in stereo on 7.02/7.20 MHz. Official
on-screen announcements started today.

HOT BIRD 1, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb1.html
----------
MCM Europe ceased analogue, and scrambled, a little later as announced,
on transponder 5, 11.306 GHz, H. See info on Intelsat 601, below.

The Telepiu package on transponder 4, 11.283 GHz, V, has been switched
off, as far as I can observe it.

HOT BIRD 2, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb2.html
----------
Polonia 1 left transponder 53, 11.785 GHz, H and is now only on the
superbeam receivable via transponder 63, 11.977 GHz, H. Early morning a
MPEG-2 carrier could be observed on transponder 53, which was removed
later in the day.

EUTELSAT II-f4-M, 7 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f4.html
----------------
Cypriot broadcaster RIK moved his main frequency from 11,146 GHz, H to
11,141 GHz, H on April 1st. The previous announced appearance of RIK on
Eutelsat II-f2 could not be observed.
The change of the frequency and an eventual change to a new satellite
are both NOT mentioned in the new launched RIK website: 
	http://www.cybc.com.cy/

RIK info's kindly submitted by Vasos Vasiliou, Cyprus.

INTELSAT 707, 1 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i707.html
------------
Finally it seems that transponder 73A and 73B have been returned by the
IBA. No activity of any kind could be observed on the common used
frequencies.
Transponder 111X-A shows the normal test card after frequent being used
in the last couple of days for Channel 5 sports feeds in the late
afternoon. Transponder 111X-B still transmits Israels Channel 2.

AMOS 1, 4 West, http://www.satcodx.com/amos1.html
------
Yesterday transponder 3L, 11.131 GHz, V,  was active with a colorbar
test card "OB-1 257419"; today the middle frequency of transponder 3,
11.159 GHz, V, had a medium powered carrier, without subcarriers.

INTELSAT 601, 27.5 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i601.html
------------
MCM Africa stayed, at least for the time being, in then clear after the
scrambling of MCM Europe on Hot Bird 1. Check out 3.650 GHz, Rc. MCM is
also available, but then as PAY-TV, in the 1stNet package from Panamsat
4 on 68.5 East.

The transmissions of NTA Nigeria came in bright and clear today from
4.065 Ghz, Lc, after a couple of weeks being almost invisible.

ARIANE 5 launch delayed
--------
The European Space Agency said it was delaying until mid-September a
second test flight of the Ariane 5 rocket. According to the ESA, the
delay was needed to complete modifications on electrical and computer
systems.
 
Info kindly submitted by SAT-NA © TELE-satellit 1997

SUMMER Time
-----------
Europe has switched to summer time, between 29 and 30 March. CET
(Central European Time) will now be UTC + 2 hours until the last Sunday
of October.

Israel changed already a week ago to summertime, the USA will change on
April 6th. Citizens of Egypt have to wait another couple of weeks.

Best regards,

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

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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,
broadcaster's addresses, explanation of technical terms in analogue
and digital TV reception, interesting Internet links, and a regular
updated, satellite based, archive of all observations and 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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