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SAT-MidEast 98.05.22
WELCOME TO SAT-MIDEAST !
A news release from Cairo, Egypt, located at 31.15 East - 30.3 North,
sponsored by TELE-SATELLITE INTERNATIONAL, Europes Satellite Magazine
_____________________________________________________________________
WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE:
- Events and News interesting to the Middle Eastern SAT-viewer
- Satellite and Transponder Observations in C- and Ku-Band,
- Everything commented from the Middle Eastern perspective
_____________________________________________________________________
WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION:
- SAT-MidEast maintains a web site with relevant Middle Eastern
- satellite information, and a regular updated, satellite based,
- archive of observations, features & news for the Middle East.
SAT-MidEast: http://www.sat-net.com/sat-mideast/
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EUTELSAT W1 DAMAGED ! NO LAUNCH !
---------------------------------
* A fire at the Aerospatiale satellite Cannes facility has resulted in
as yet unevaluated damage to the Eutelsat-W1 satellite that Arianespace
had scheduled to launch on the next flight V109 at the start of July.
The incident occured after final integration during a final full-power
verification of the transponders in an anecoid test chamber. For unknown
reasons the foam covered surface of the chamber walls caught fire and
the water sprinkler system was triggered. The satellite which was to be
shipped to French Guiana on the 2ndJune was dowsed and was surrounded by
smoke and fumes.
An industry source working in this same area qualified the incident as a
"disaster for all concerned", the client Eutelsat, the French prime
contractor and Arianespace, already hit by a long interruption in
launches because of the unavailability of its scheduled craft.
An Aerospatiale spokesperson said that there is no way the W1 can be
quickly restored to its pristine condition. It is also excluded that the
second satellite in the series can be substituted. W2 is presently on an
integration track taking it to a September delivery date, in principle
for the Ariane 503 launch in October.
The dual-payload V109 flight was also to orbit Sirius-3. V110 with PAS-7
had been set for end of August. It is not known at present time when the
next Arianespace launch will take place. It will be most probably the
PAS-7 start, then numbered V109.
(SME, source: go-Ariane)
GALAXY 4, AD
-------------
* The Galaxy 4 communications satellite, located at 99 West, spun out of
control Tuesday afternoon, interrupting service to millions of pager
users (around 90% percent of all pagers used in the US) and disrupting
feed transmissions across the USA.
CBS relied most heavily on Galaxy 4 but had a backup plan and has not
been affected by the outage, according to a CBS spokesperson. ABC and
NBC also indicated their operations had not been affected.
Galaxy 4 was put into orbit in June 1993 aboard an Arianespace launcher.
Its coverage area was primarily the United States and Caribbean,
according to the Panamsat web site.
(SME, various sources)
ECHOSTAR IV ANOMALIES
---------------------
* EchoStar Communications Corporation announced Monday that its EchoStar
IV satellite has experienced anomalies in connection with solar panel
deployment. The satellite, an A2100AX design built by Lockheed Martin,
was put into geosynchronous transfer orbit on a Proton launch vehicle on
May 8, 1998.
Initial data indicates a significant number of transponders probably
will not be affected. A series of maneuvers will be conducted over the
next several weeks in order to attempt to correct the malfunction and a
full recovery remains a possibility. However, the company can not yet
quantify the full extent of the anomalies and no assurances can be given
as to the number of transponders that will ultimately be available for
use. In the event performance is significantly diminished, EchoStar may
determine to locate EchoStar IV at 148 degrees W.L. for local and niche
programming, and maintain its national service at 119 West
uninterrupted.
EchoStar has approximately $220 million of insurance on the satellite,
has notified its insurance broker, and expects that any significant loss
of capacity would be covered by insurance. EchoStar does not maintain
insurance for lost profit opportunity.
(SME, source: Echostar PR)
INTELSAT SPIN-OFF -> NEW SKIES NV
---------------------------------
* At the first meeting of the shareholders of New Skies Satellites N.V.,
held here in Amsterdam, 14 May 1998, the following individuals were
elected to the new companys Supervisory Board of Directors: Tetsuo
Hashimoto, Jerry W. Kolb, Luigi Ruspantini, Terry Seddon, Claude Sguin,
Edson Soffiati, and William Tallah
It is expected that the first meeting of the Supervisory Board of
Directors will take place within the next ten days. At that time, the
Board will elect a Chairman and begin the process of selecting the first
Chief Executive Officer of New Skies.
(SME< source: Intelsat PR)
HUGHES, FLY ME TO THE MOON: an ENCORE !
---------------------------------------
* Hughes Global Services Inc. (HGS), which successfully sent a stranded
communications satellite around the moon last week in an unprecedented
salvage mission, is mounting a second lunar flyby to further improve the
orbit.
The satellite, known as HGS-1, passed behind the moon at noon PDT on May
13 and returned to Earth, making its closest approach about 8 p.m. PDT
on Saturday. Instead of doing the planned retro burn at that time,
Hughes' mission controllers fired the satellite's motor for a shorter
period of time, allowing the satellite to glide into a looping 15-day
orbit. An additional small burn on June 1st will send the satellite
toward its second lunar encounter.
"While the first pass by the moon was completely successful and
accomplished all of our objectives, we always said we were going for the
best obtainable orbit," said HGS President Ronald V. Swanson. "A second
lunar flyby will make the orbit even better and will increase the
satellite's attractiveness to potential customers. We do not plan any
additional lunar maneuvers since additional passes will result in
diminishing improvements."
When the satellite was sent into space last Christmas, the launch
vehicle malfunctioned and left the spacecraft in an unusable, highly
elliptical orbit. Most communications satellites operate from a circular
orbit around the equator. By sending the satellite around the moon,
Hughes used lunar gravity to improve the resulting orbit once the
satellite returned to Earth.
When HGS obtained title to the satellite last month, it agreed to try to
find revenue-producing uses for the satellite and to share profits with
the insurers. A consortium of 27 insurers had owned the satellite after
the original mission was declared a total loss. HGS' primary business is
packaging satellite communications services for governmental entities,
although it is actively seeking commercial interest in the entire
satellite as well.
"Our orbital analysts have done a fantastic job of planning this mission
and predicting the satellite's trajectory thus far," Swanson said. "So
we challenged them to evaluate whether we could improve the orbit
further.
"They said one more loop around the moon would improve the orbit, with
little impact on the satellite's operational life - so we're going for
it," Swanson said.
The new mission plan involves the same number of post-lunar motor
firings, four. Only the times and durations have changed. The first burn
successfully occurred Saturday night, as scheduled. That burn reduced
the satellite's speed by roughly one-half of what was originally
planned. Saturday night's burn placed HGS-1 into a 15-day orbit with an
apogee - the farthest distance from the Earth - of about 293,000 miles
(488,000 km).
A second, smaller burn, scheduled for June 1st, will nudge the satellite
into position for its second lunar encounter on June 6. The spacecraft
will pass the moon's surface from a distance of 27,000 miles (43,000
km), which is about seven times farther than the initial lunar encounter
on May 13. An additional motor firing is planned for June 12, to further
position the satellite for its final orbit. The final burn, currently
scheduled for June 13, will place the HGS-1 spacecraft into
geosynchronous orbit.
(SME, source: Hughes PR)
LMI-1 LEASES
------------
* Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI) and Rostelecom, Russia's national
long-distance telecommunications operator, today jointly announced an
agreement for Rostelecom to use 25 transponders on the LMI-1 satellite
which is planned for December 1998 launch.
The contract marks the first multiple transponder commitment on LMI-1,
making Rostelecom the major anchor customer on the first western-built
satellite dedicated to serve Russia and the CIS.
Rostelecom plans to utilise its LMI-1 transponders to establish a
network of 26-30 earth stations to provide telecommunications services
to remote and undeserved areas of Russia.
LMI is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corporation and the
Intersputnik International Organization, established in June 1997.
LMI-1 is a Lockheed Martin state-of-the-art A2100 satellite.
Featuring 44 high-powered transponders in C and Ku band frequencies with
a designated 15 year service life, LMI-1 will be the first satellite to
provide high performance, long life capacity to all of the CIS, in
addition to Eastern Europe, South Asia and Africa.
The satellite will be launched on a Proton vehicle by ILS (International
Launch Services), a separate Lockheed Martin joint venture company, and
will be located at 75 Degrees East Longitude.
Initially LMI-1 will provide broadcasting and telecommunications
capacity, VSAT and video and data distribution, expanding to a full
range of services including direct-to-home TV, direct radio and mobile
communications on a global scale.
LMI will achieve its global coverage through the fifteen orbital
satellite slots provided by Intersputnik.
The second satellite launch is planned for 1999, with two subsequent
launches following in 2000 and 2001.
(SME, source: LMI PR)
IRIDIUM COMPLETES SATELLITE DEPLOYMENT
--------------------------------------
* The launch of five Iridium communications satellites last week marked
the technical completion of the venture's 66-satellite constellation, a
major milestone in a schedule that calls for service start-up on
September 23 of this year.
Iridium's 66-satellite wireless personal telecommunications network is
designed to offer full global communications coverage and a variety of
communications services, including voice, data, fax and paging, to
customers with Iridium handheld telephones and pagers.
The Delta 2 launch, from Vandenberg Air Force Base this afternoon, is
the 15th successful launch carrying Iridium satellites in 12 months,
marking the quickest deployment of the largest number of satellites in
human history.
The global effort has included Iridium satellite launches using the
Boeing Delta boosters in the US, Russian Proton rockets launched from
the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and Chinese Long March 2C/SD
rockets launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China.
There are now 67 "operational" satellites in orbit, out of a total of 72
satellites being launched, one more than technical required. Five
satellites have experienced problems which has ruled them unavailable to
participate in the constellation.
Iridium LLC has contracted with Motorola to operate and maintain the
constellation for a five-year term commencing at commercial activation,
with an option to extend the contract beyond the five years.
Over the next few months before Iridium officially opens for business,
testing of both ground- and space-based systems will continue.
Phone calls are placed on the system every day, validating crosslinks,
in order to get good, seamless handoffs. The Iridium network includes 12
gateways spread out on Earth to relay the communications. Five of the
centers have been handed over and accepted, another seven are still
being constructed.
(SME, source: Iridium PR)
NBC EUROPE -> NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL
-----------------------------------------
* NBC reviews the possibilities to move some of its premium programming
presently shown on NBC Europe to the weekend editions of CNBC Europe.
The Tonight Show, Late Night and some sports programming may be seen in
a compiled form after the final ceasure of NBC Europe on June 30st.
From June will the National Geographic Channel be re-introduced to
viewers of NBC-Europe with a presentation of documentaries from
22:00-23:00 CAT.
Following transmission schedule for the coming month has been recently
published by NBC:
From July 1st until August 31st will the National Geographic Channel be
broadcasted from Eutelsat II-f1, transponder 25, 10.987 GHz, V,
PAL/clear.
From September 1st the signal on Eutelsat II-f1 will cease, and the
nescessary feed to the cable head-ends will come from Astra 2A (or the
present available Astra 1D) at 28.2 East.
The separated feed for NBC Germany will still come in an MPEG-2/clear
signal from 13 East, Hot Bird 1, transponder 3, 11.262 GHz, H, sharing
the transponder of CNBC Europe. CNBC Europe itself will as of July 1st
encrypt the NBC-Asia part of its programming, from 01:00-07:00 CAT.
The analogue transmission of CNBC Europe will cease coming December 1998
on Hot Bird 1, and will be available from the Astra system at 19.2 East
only.
(SME, source: NBC)
ARIANESPACE WEBSITE, http://www.arianespace.com
-------------------
* Coinciding with the Berlin AirShow, Arianespace is relaunching its
website. Accessible from the 18th May, the new version aims to give
updated news on the company's activities, formal announcements and press
releases and the AE monthly newsletter "e.space".
According to Patrice Albrecht, VP Communications and International
Affairs it is natural that the company that launches most of the
satellites that convey the world wide web "in turn benefits from this
network by feeding it with our own information." One of the first things
the new site will be posting will be an account of the press conference
Chairman & CEO Jean-Marie Luton is to give at ILA'98 on the 19th May.
(SME, source: Arianespace)
SME Comment: Bravo! It looks a lot better now, has finally some
information in it and is much speedier to load ! Is it too much to ask
to update it now also more regularly? There is still pre-launch
information of the Spot-4 launch with Ariane V107 on-line, very
interesting and very detailed, but I would care more for a little info
on the pre-flight schedules of upcoming Arianespace launches.
(SME)
LAUNCH INFORMATION, http://www.satcodx.com/launches.shtml
------------------
* Due to the fire damages to the Eutelsat W1 satellite (see full report
above), Arianespace's published launch schedule below is now only for
the record. It seems no satellite can be made available to join the
SIRIUS-3 for a launch on V109, prior to the PAS-7 start.
( V109 L479 10/07 44L EUTELSAT W1 & SIRIUS-3 ) Now CANCELLED !
V110 L480 25/08 44LP PAS-7
V111 L503 15/09 503 ARD + EUTELSAT-W2
V112 L481 02/10 44L SKYNET-4E & AFRISTAR
SME Comment: As the launch of the Ariane 503 also seems to be postponed
to mid-October, a second launch of an Ariane 5 in this year becomes very
doubtfull; it looks more and more that the A504 flight will take place
earliest January or February 1999.
All in all a difficult year for Arianespace, they seem to be ready, but
their pay-loads are not ! So much for a filled order book !
(SME)
ASIASAT 2, 100.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/asia2.shtml
---------
* Hallmark Entertainment Channel and KIBC-TV on transponder 8A, 3.940
GHz, V, have been encrypted in PowerVu.
(SATCO-DX)
APSTAR 2R, 76.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/apstar2r.shtml
---------
* On transponder 2A, 3.680 GHz, H, MPEG-2/enc., is in the encrypted TVB
8 package on PIDs 0550{1360}/0528{1320} the promotional inert
transmitted, as previous seen analogue.
The audio can be made audable by switching to audio track two and back
to audio track one. The audio remains until switched to a different
channel.
(SME)
PANAMSAT-4, 68.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/pas4.shtml
----------
* On transponder 21, 11.584 GHz, H, MPEG-2/clear, SR 19638, FEC 7/8,
PIDs 0203{515}/028D{653}, started this week the promotional video
package of the Hallmark Entertainment Network, as part of the SHOWTIME
Network.
Regular are messages of Showtime displayed in Arabic and English where
the channel regrets that the Hallmark has been delayed for reasons
beyound their control. The channel will start this month, according to
the network.
(SME)
ARABSAT 2A, 26 East, http://www.satcodx.com/arab2a.shtml
----------
* Radio channel RCH has started on 12.605 GHz, H, MPEG-2/clear, APID
028B{651}.
(SATCO-DX)
* The Kindom of Saudi Arabia occupied the long reserved transponder
space for their domestic transmissions on May 18th, and started on
transponder 2, 12.536 GHz, V , with Saudi Arabian Channel 2 and
transponder 8, 12.661 GHz, V , with Saudi Arabian Channel 1. Both SECAM
transmissions have their main audio carrier on 6.60 MHz.
(SME)
ASTRA 1G, 19.2 East, http://www.satcodx.com/astra1g.shtml
--------
* Transmissions on the Dutch Canal+ transponder 105, 12.515 GHz, H and
transponder 109, 12.574 GHz, H, SR 22000, FEC 5/6, have got an improved
performance recently, maybe due to an increase in saturation, maybe only
good atmospheric conditions at the time.
The end result is that I can see now the two clear TV channels from my
home country (BVN TV, TV Vandaag) and hear the radio stations (VEFM -
Veronica FM, RNW1 - Radio Nederland Wereldomroep 1, RNW2- Radio
Nederland Wereld Omproep 2) not only during daytime, they are now
available 24-hours a day.
SME Comment: Missing still a smartcard for the encrypted non-pay TV
channels, Nederland 1, 2, 3, or maybe even TMF ? Anybody got a free
sample, for a poor dutch guy without a real job ?
EUTELSAT II-f3, 16 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f3.shtml
--------------
* SIC from Portugal has moved from 12.538 GHz, V to 12.517 GHz, H,
MPEG-2/clear, SR 3255, FEC 2/3, PIDs 02D0{720}/02DA{730}.
(SATCO-DX)
* TV Tunesie 7, on transponder 39, 11.658 GHz, V, became a new, fresh
looking on-screen logo this week.
(SME)
EUTELSAT II-f1, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f1.shtml
--------------
* Sima-yeh-Moghavemat starts as of last Saturday on transponder 39,
11.658 GHz, V, as announced, one hour earlier from 15:45-16:45 CAT.
(SME)
* Adult Channel SCT ceased on transponder 39, 11.658 GHz, V, is now only
on Eutelsat II-f2, transponder 22, 11.163 GHz, H, PingPong, from 01.00
und 02.30 CAT.
(SME)
* Punctual as announced appeared last Saturday at 17:00 CAT "EE-TV" -
European Entertainment Television - presenting "Eros TV" on transponder
39, 11.658 GHz, V. Initial with a repeating schedule of 10 minutes
promotional video, 5 minutes text-dia with an announcement in French, 5
minutes text-dia in English, both saying: "Our programm will start later
today. For more information, please call us at: 00 33 1 44 82 6300"
The programm did eventual start with unprecedented FTA erotic
entertainment, until 23:00 CAT where the hard-core part of the programm
started, encrypted in D2-MAC/Eurocrypt, until the early hours.
SME Comment: The channel is regular interrupted with encrypted parts,
sometimes as short as five minutes, sometimes lasting half an hour.
I wonder who sits there at the trigger ?
(SME)
HOT BIRD 2, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb2.shtml
----------
* Stream is testing on 11.843 GHz, V, and 11.881 GHz, V, MPEG-2/clear,
SR 27500, FEC 3/4, with this identical line-up:
0065{101}/0066{102} Team TV
00C9{201}/00CA{202} Il Canale Viaggi
012D{301}/012E{302} EuroNews (English/Italian)
0191{401}/0192{402} DSN - Digital Shopping Network
The folowing radio channels are also on both transponders:
0985{2437} Radio Rock
0986{2438} Radio Dimensione Suono
0987{2439} RTL Radio
(SATCO-DX)
SME Comment: The above only to confirm the activities on these
transponders. As both are on the superbeam and not receivable in the
Middle East, there is be no follow-up to be expected from SME.
HOT BIRD 3, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb3.shtml
----------
* Fashion TV launched on May, 20th a new channel "Fashion Homme",
specialized in 'Haute-Couture' for men, on transponder 77, 12.1245 GHz,
H, MPEG-2/clear.
The channel will, for-the-time-being, be using the existing world-wide
networks for Fashion TV, but will eventually soon be spun off and use
their own frequencies, most probably launched into existing digital
bouquets.
The initial transmissions are scheduled to take place every Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday from 02:00 - 04:00 CAT. Separate promotions and
advertising packages are available, please contact the website
http://www.ftv.fr/
* New PIDs for the TPSA-Optocomp 0200{512}/028A{650}. The change in the
data stream of the TPSA-Optocomp transmission on transponder 81, 12.322
GHz, H, allows the test channel to be loaded with the normal Mediamaster
search feature, which was NOT possible before.
(SME)
* Polonia 1 returned to the HRT/SLO package on 12.303 GHz, V,
MPEG-2/clear, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, PIDs 00CF{207}/00D0{208}.
(SATCO-DX)
* The Antenna Hungaria digital platform package on transponder 72,
12.149 GHz, V, MPEG-2/clear, SR 27496, FEC 2/3 has slightly been
amended (mark the changed FEC from 3/4 to 2/3)
After tremendous up-link or connectivity problems last Saturday, lasting
for several hours with black screens, and screens full of garbaged
video, at last, at around 16:00 CAT, the first clear pictures of a
watersports feed, could be received on channel two and three, both
identical with different PIDs set: 0078{120}/0079{121} and
0082{130}/0083{131}. The signal was lacking any audio, whereby the live
transmission on target DUNA TV had full audio support.
After the conclusion of the match at 17:40 CAT, brief colorbars appeared
and thereafter black screens without audio.
Here the actual status in this package:
006E{110}/006F{111} VIVA-2 VIVA-2
0078{120}/0079{121} AH-EDP 2 AH test card
0082{130}/0083{131} AH-EDP 3 AH test card
008C{140}/008D{141} AH-EDP 4 black/no audio
0096{150}/0097{151} Polonia 1 Polonia 1
00A0{160}/00A1{161} AH-EDP 6 AH test card
1FFF{8191}/1FFF{8191} AH-EDP-MULTIMEDIA (PIDS are: 200/201) black/no
audio
(SME)
* The line-up on the Eutelsat-BT-Easynet "Convergence1" digital platform
on transponder 74, 12.188 V, SR 27517, FEC 2/3, has been completely
overhauled, and can now be loaded with a 'normal' Mediamaster search and
finds the following line up: (in order of loading !)
00C8{200}/00C9{201} Programme 01 Quantum24 (no audio)
00D2{210}/00D3{211} Programme 02 Fashion TV ? (decoder menu ?)
00DC{220}/00DD{221} Programme 03 APNA TV & Colorbars (occ.feeds)
00E6{230}/019A{400} Programme 04 Travel (right audio)
0122{290}/1FFF{8191} Programme 10 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
00F0{240}/00F1{241} Programme 05 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
00FA{250}/00FB{251} Programme 06 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
0104{260}/0105{261} Programme 07 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
010E{270}/010F{271} Programme 08 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
0118{280}/0119{281} Programme 09 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
012C{300}/012D{301} Programme 11 Pids set-Black screen-No audio
If using an 'Advanced Search' four more channels are found, after
Programme 10: Convergence1-01, 02, 03, and 04: all without PID's set
(1FFF{8191}). These are most probably the test channels for data and
multimedia applications.
CMR was initially loaded correctly in the radio channel list, but has at
the present time ceased on APID 019A{400}, where is now the TV audio of
the Travel channel.
SME Comment: The PCR PID on "Programme 06" is set to 0023{35}, which
most probably is a programming error, as all other PCR PIDs are
1FFF{8191}.
(SME)
On "Programme 3" PIDs 00DC{220}/00DD{221} appeared at 11:00 CAT, on May
19th and 20th, after colorbars, the following announcement:
APNA
HOT BIRD PROMO
PLAYOUT @ 09:00 GMT
TELECINE MCR
44 171 208 2231/2/3
Transmissions started on time with APNA TV including TV MEDIA
advertising and the ATN channel. The APID was set but audio was
transmitted only from the second day ! From May 21st, APNA did start
official broadcast in this package during the late afternoon and evening
hours.
* In the evening of May 19th the same channel, VPID 00DC{220}, was used
for a feed of a cancer conference, with a sinus wave on APID 00DD{221},
but no TV audio synchron with the video.
SME Comment: It seems they get more serious about this package now, but
should try to get their serious audio problems managed. It seems too
obvious that they are more interested in their data/internet
transmissions than to keep the audio & video of the TV channels in a
presentable order. You are able to contact them at via
http://www.convergence1.com/
(SME)
* ORT in the FT Globecast package on transponder 84, 12.380 GHz, V,
MPEG-2/clear, 27500, 3/4, PIDs 0B6D{3025}/0B77{3035} became encrypted,
until Thursday. Only a black screen without audio was revealed after the
cancellation of the encryption.
(SME)
SHALOM CHANNEL STARTS
----------------------
* Starting May 25th, at 23:30 CAT, Shalom Channel will broadcast every
night until 01:00 CAT, digital all across Europe, a news, cultural &
entertainment program on transponder 84, 12.380 Mhz, V, SR 27500, FEC
3/4, in the FT Globecast bouquet on PIDs 0BCF{3023}/0BD9{3033}. Test
inerts are displayed around one hour before the broadcast. They could be
observed already from Friday evening, May 22nd.
After a few months, the Shalom Channel will broadcast scrambled every
day from 12:00 CAT to 01:00 CAT (with an free-to-air window from 20:00
CAT to 21:00 CAT and repeats of the previous days transmission from
12:00 CAT to 18:00 CAT).
The channel will be immediately available upon subscription by satellite
on several digital packages and on the main European cable networks.
Shalom Channel is in negociations with main european digital packages
and cable networks. (TPS/Television Par Satellite, CanalSatellite &
Lyonnaise Cable, in France). In UK, Shalom Channel will be avalaible on
BSkyB digital package in april 1999.
Shalom Channel Web Site: http://www.perso.club-internet.fr/shalomtv
(SME, source Cable & Satellite PR)
HOT BIRD 4, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb4.shtml
----------
* On transponder 98, 12.673 GHz, V, was for a couple of days in the
beginning of the week, mistakingly on the left audio channel of the Hot
Bird Channel, PIDs 00D2{0210}/00D3{0211} a sinus wave switched through.
A few new test channels have been added this week, all without steady
PIDs:
out dig.tv 1 xpd 98 (present PIDs 1FFF{8191}/1FFF{8191})
out dig.tv 2 xpd 98 (present PIDs 1FFF{8191}/1FFF{8191})
(SME)
EUTELSAT II f2, 10 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f2.shtml
--------------
* The correct name of the Polish radio channel on 12.576 GHz, V, APID
200, is "Rozglosnia Harcerska".
(SATCO-DX)
SME Comment: Due to the fire damage done to the Eutelsat W1 satellite
during testing, the replacment of the Eutelsat II-f2 will not take place
as scheduled in August. A new launchdate will be advised.
(SME)
SIRIUS 2R, 5 East,
----------
* SVT Europa, on transponder 35, 12.380 GHz, H, had cancelled the
VIACCESS encrypted since the beginning of the week, this morning it was
re-installed again. Only a promotional 5-days action ?
* There are two SCPC carriers from Merlin Communications transmitted on
this transponder 27 with middle frequency of 12.226 GHz, H.
Here the data:
Merlin 1, SR 3.977, FEC 3/4, PIDs 00DC{220}/00DD{221} (PCR 1FFF{8191})
Merlin 2, SR 4.339, FEC 3/4, PIDs 0021{33}/0022{34} (PCR 1FFE{8190})
The Merlin 2 signal is encrypted and contains the 13th Street feed for
the German DF-1 (Source: Tom Woodford, Merlin Communications, C&S
London). URL: http://www.merlincommunications.com/
AMOS 1, 4 West, http://www.satcodx.com/amos1.shtml
------
Israel Channel 2 was announced to carry full stereo from May 20th, but
it wasn't to be, neither on the analogue transmission here nor on the
MPEG-2/clear transmission of the channel from Intelsat 707 at 1 West.
NILESAT 101, 7 West, http://www.satcodx.com/nile101.shtml
-----------
* Various Nilesat transponder have been continiously tested during this
week. Very strong test carriers could be received in Cairo from:
transponder 2, 11.747 V transponder 3, 11.766 H
transponder 4, 11.785 V transponder 15, 11.996 H
transponder 6, 11.823 V transponder 17, 12.034 H
transponder 8, 11.862 V
transponder 10, 11.900 V
transponder 14, 11.977 V
transponder 16, 12.015 V
* President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak will give the go-ahead to the
transmission of 50 TV channels through the first Egyptian satellite, the
Nilesat 101, during the nations celebration of Media Day on May 31st,
said Information Minister Safwat El-Sherif. The start will be signaled
when the Egyptian leader opens the ground control station of Nilesat at
the October 6 City.
"These channels are aired by some international companies, which rented
four transponders with six channels in each transponder," said
Information Minister Safwat El-Sherif yesterday adding that several
Egyptian specialized channels would be aired via the satellite. "The
Egyptian Company for Satellites (which operates the Nilesat) has
announced that 10 transponders had already been rented," he said.
President Mubarak will also tour the Media Production City where he will
open nine studies for TV and movie productions fitted with the
state-of-the-art filming equipment. Mubarak is also due to have an open
dialogue with the nations top writers and intellectuals during the
celebration.
* Muscat and Cairo discussed this week the details of an agreement
through which the Sultanate would lease a channel of the Egyptian
Nilesat. The Omani Information Minister, Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed
El-Rawas and Amin Bassuni, Nilesat Chairman of the Board held a meeting
on the deal.
* Egypt's senior Moslem cleric, the Grand Mufti of Al Ahzar - Sheikh
Nasr Farid Wassel, called this week for the creation of a television
channel to spread Islamic values on the country's new Nilesat satellite.
"We must have an Islamic religious channel on the satellite to spread
the morals, virtues and principles of monotheistic religions".
(SME, source Cairo Press)
INTELSAT 705, 18 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i705.shtml
------------
* The parameter of the two-channel Mediaset package on 10.963 GHz, V,
have been slightly changed to SR 12798, FEC 3/4 and PIDs
0FBB{4026}/0FBC{4027} and 0FB7{4023}/0FB8{4024}
(SME)
SAT-MIDEAST INTERN, http://www.sat-net.com/sat-mideast/
------------------
* The SAT-MidEast weekly news bulletins are still every week available
on the SAT-MidEast website at sat-net.com. However fully HTML formatted;
much more pleasing to the human eye. Just take a look and communicate
your opinion too your partners and friends !
Is there still anybody out there, using the Hexadecimal PIDs ? He/she
may write in, as if he/she doesn't they will be eliminated starting the
next SME report.
* Starting with the same edition all times will be noted in CET (Central
European Time) instead the local CAT (Central African Time) time, in
order to avoid further confusion, for readers getting more than one
mailing from the TELE-satellites FOC services. Both timezones are
operated now in the daylight savings mode, so KSA = CAT = CET+1.
(SME)
Best regards,
Henk C. Room / Cairo - Egypt
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