Astra 1N chat - January 2012

[Lazarus]

SES-Astra's priority is to satisfy it's own clients (The Broadcasters), so I can't see that publishing even an estimated Footprint would be high up on the list of things to do - or even relevant.

 

[M60]

SES-Astra's priority is to satisfy it's own clients (The Broadcasters), so I can't see that publishing even an estimated Footprint would be high up on the list of things to do - or even relevant.

If I remember they did share it with us on their '1N blog' they launched, but only close to the original launch date last June.

It wouldn't surprise me if the broadcasters have actually seen preliminary footprints for feedback to SES so they can then feed back to Astrium for possible tweaks!

 

[solly]

what capcity tranponder will be on astra 2f ?

 

[M60]

what capcity tranponder will be on astra 2f ?

56 Ku and 4 Ka I think but not 100% sure for certain.

 

[Huevos]

The dish is 80cm horizontally.
And has a 5 year old 0.3 LNB on it.
With a small nudge on its motor the other day it has been fine on all channels on all frequencies since i posted.
And has been fine at that time of day even on a Silvercrest receiver I have (as a doorstop!).

But agree that where you are a slightly bigger dish may be better, but where I am its working fine.

The thing is digital hides a lot. It either works or it doesn't, but it doesn't really show what's going on behind the scenes in the way analogue did. Anyway the MER speaks for itself. It is at the point of collapse for a 5/6 signal. Connect up a spectrum analyzer and rest one finger on an 80cm dish and the signal will unlock and transponders from 30E will swamp the signals from 1N.

In the UK on a zone 1 minidish that satellite is 15dB MER. To get it at that power level here requires a 1.8m dish.

 

[park_gate]

<snip>
The simple design of those satellites produces sidelobes... they are not intended or planned.
The new satellites like 1N or 2F will use shaped reflectors...

And what is the effect of shaping the reflector on side-lobes?

Shaping the reflector will create hot and cold spots and only Dr Death at Astrum will have any idea what is going to happen; everyone else is just speculating.

Terry

 

[solly]

the astra 2f can switch from astra 1n uk beam to astra 2f uk all 16 transponder ?
and more 40 transponder pan europe beam switch astra 2a ?

 

[Pietclock]

2F will not just serve the UK, but also Africa and the Middle East with extra Beams. The Africa one is already public.

 

[solly]

the astra 2f maybe two 20 transponder uk beam bicose need replace the astra 1n capacity next year

 

[M60]

2F will not just serve the UK, but also Africa and the Middle East with extra Beams. The Africa one is already public.

SES can market fully 28.2E not only to the UK but also Africa and the Middle East too so maximising each orbital position marketing-wise. I guess firstly they'll fill the '2D' and '2C' Ku spectrum (10.6 - 11.2GHz) in these new territories but if demand proves high in the coming years after 2014 SES could ask Sky to also go UK spot-beam to maximise spectrum re-use too. That will be interesting as they could potentially loose a fair bit in revenue from the expats.

 

[roberto mafara]

Is the 24 hours / day and where on the Costa Blanca are you?

Terry

Yes it is I am in pedreguer

 

[dvdfilm]

are the BBC still on 2D? if not,any theories on why they haven't changed?

 

[M60]

are the BBC still on 2D? if not,any theories on why they haven't changed?

It's probably down to their main TVC uplink and requiring periods using their Wood Norton reserve. Presumably the reserve will need re-tracking to 1N's Beacon, switch over and then do the same with the main, primary, uplink at TVC and switch back. I guess it's in the pipeline and may happen this week?

 

[DragonSat]

I hope so. Many people here are very excited about getting BBC back

 

[dvdfilm]

It's probably down to their main TVC uplink and requiring periods using their Wood Norton reserve. Presumably the reserve will need re-tracking to 1N's Beacon, switch over and then do the same with the main, primary, uplink at TVC and switch back. I guess it's in the pipeline and may happen this week?

Do you think SES Astra have full control over tp migrations to 1N,or can the BBC ask for their services on 2D to continue?

 

[woborny]

The migration of BBC channels to 1N will be taking place during the early hours of the morning on Friday 24th February, between approximately 03:00 and 05:00 GMT.


_http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/2012/02/changes-to-bbc-services-on-sat.shtml

 

[M60]

Do you think SES Astra have full control over tp migrations to 1N,or can the BBC ask for their services on 2D to continue?

I'd say SES have the upper hand there, it depends on what agreement they've come to with the Beeb and whether 2D is being moved before 2F arrives. It could be that they've offloaded most of the transponders to save power and it will remain as a backup but the BBC could disappear this week and it be moving somewhere by this time next week! Satellite broadcasting is very secretive and the big operators don't give much away. I can certainly see why the uplink providers may want to get their services (ITV and C4 etc) on to 1N as it means they are not duplicating uplink antennas at the Earth Station and future additions on to 1N Transponder-wise can simply be combined in to the existing waveguide combining systems before uplink.

 

[timo_w2s]

The migration of BBC channels to 1N will be taking place during the early hours of the morning on Friday 24th February, between approximately 03:00 and 05:00 GMT.


_http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/2012/02/changes-to-bbc-services-on-sat.shtml

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Luckily we got IPTV services now.

 

[M60]

The migration of BBC channels to 1N will be taking place during the early hours of the morning on Friday 24th February, between approximately 03:00 and 05:00 GMT.


_http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/2012/02/changes-to-bbc-services-on-sat.shtml

There you go, question answered Cheers woborny

 

[dvdfilm]

I'd say SES have the upper hand there, it depends on what agreement they've come to with the Beeb and whether 2D is being moved before 2F arrives. It could be that they've offloaded most of the transponders to save power and it will remain as a backup but the BBC could disappear this week and it be moving somewhere by this time next week! Satellite broadcasting is very secretive and the big operators don't give much away. I can certainly see why the uplink providers may want to get their services (ITV and C4 etc) on to 1N as it means they are not duplicating uplink antennas at the Earth Station and future additions on to 1N Transponder-wise can simply be combined in to the existing waveguide combining systems before uplink.

I agree with you. SES Astra probably have control and are forcing the BBC to move to 1N even though they'd have preferred to stay on 2D until the new satellites are ready.