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Sat-UK #190 25.01.98: ASTRA 1D - CHANNEL 6

Sat-UK Report #190:
- Astra 1D to be moved?
- Channel 6 for the UK
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Email: dsedghi@TELE-Satellite.com OR dominic@bigrp.demon.co.uk
Sat-UK Web: http://www.sat-net.com/sat-uk/
UK Satellite Control: http://www.sat-net.com/uk-satellite/
And now the news:

Well, I'm back to normal now. Got all the channels back that I once had.
I've even managed to get my dish to swing round to Türksat 1C with
Malcom's help: shame there's a fence in the way! Big issue today...


---------- Astra 1D to be moved?
(part sources: SATCO DX, SES, alt.satellite.tv.europe)

Due to the launch delay of the Proton rocket, following the immediately
previous failed launch where both rocket and satellite were destroyed,
Astra 2A will not be launched in January as expected. This was reported
some time ago. However, Astra still have to find a replacement for the
satellite which was to carry Sky's complete digital service. According
to many rumours, some of which have leaked out of SES itself, Astra 1D
will be moved to 28.2° east, and it's transponder frequencies changed to
between 11,700 and 12,100 GHz for the Sky package. Current channels on
Astra 1D would continue on the 1E, 1F and 1G satellites until 1D can be
returned to 19.2° east; the frequencies would not change, so noone would
notice any difference, except maybe in footprint coverage on the outer
edges. This kind of manoeuvre has never been attempted by SES before, as
they have never had any major problems until now. Astra 2A is scheduled
to launch in mid-March, and Sky hopes to have its digital platform ready
by March 1st.


---------- Channel 6 for the UK
(source: uk.tech.broadcast)

Bids have recently been finalized for a possible sixth terrestrial
television channel in the United Kingdom. The ITC is offering
frequencies for a limited access channel, meaning that only certain
areas would be able to receive the programmes. This is due to the fact
that the UHF band in the UK is now bursting with channels and
information, so there is little space left for a new channel. Possible
places for Channel 6 include London, Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry,
Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Inverness Dundee, Edinburgh, Isle of
Wight, Oxford, Perth, Londonderry and Stirling. Impossible places for C6
are Cambridge, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Motherwell, Newcastle,
Tyneside and Nottingham. A report was supposed to have been filed by the
ITC early this year. We await more news.
UHF channels 21-69 are currently used for television broadcasts in the
United Kingdom: now take into account that five of these must be used
for the five current channels; each of these must be at least 3 channels
apart so as to avoid intereference (eg, in my area, C5 is on CH37, BBC 2
is on CH40, ITV is on CH43, BBC 1 is on CH46 and C4 is on CH50). Then
remember that neighbouring areas will broadcast their regional channels
in a similar pattern, and good weather will allow channels to be
broadcast in different areas. Thus these channels must be kept clear.
Channels 34 and 37 tend to be used for VCRs now, so they're out of the
question. In my area, this leaves just channels 53-69, one of which must
be kept clear for broadcasts in case of national emergency, others of
which are used for military and government communications.


All contents (C) 1998 Dominic Sedghi, except where indicated. All
rights reserved. Contents may be reproduced providing the following
is included: "Provided by Sat-UK - www.sat-net.com/sat-uk/".
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.

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