Astra 2E at 28.2E: General Discussion Part 1

[dvdfilm]

I was under the impression with the E3000 Astrium designed birds for 28E that any TP, be it 26/33 MHz across the Ku spectrum could use the spot or PE antennas? Surely it's a case of the output RF stage amplifier passing through a Co-ax switch to route RF via a CU to whichever antenna is in use for that particular TP.

Wasn't there PE and spot testing done at 43.5E for some 33MHz TP's?

Yes it seems spot testing was done,hence the doubts whether Sky would also use that beam

 

[Pietclock]

Are we absolutely 100% sure they tested the spotbeam using the 33MHz transponders ? ...

btw here is a scan before and after the first switch overs:

the intersting thing is, often the RF level is now significantly lower, but the SNR didnt change much. Better TWTAs with less noise ?

 

[NAREK_ASTRALOVER]

@timo_w2s: yes I think so too. The spot beam is a Freesat-only operation. And I still think there is no spotbeam capability for 33MHz transponders.

I agree with You, because there is absolutely no need in such kind of interchangeability

we obviously cannot be sure whether they only switched to 2E or also 2F ... their footprints are very similar, I guess for that we have to wait for an official list.
Because 2E alone couldnt replace both 2A and 1N...

Why not? 2E can practically cover the whole Ku-band range except the vast part of band A (only from 11360-11450> 90MHZ) and it has got 60 ku tansponders . Moreover, it can fully take over the whole BSS range frequencies comprising 40 transponders in contradistinction to ASTRA 2F which can uphold/carry only 24BSS transponders from bands E&F. But currently only 34 BSS out of 40 are operational.
To sum up, 34BSS (PE beam)+16FSS (band-D on Uk spot beam) + 4 tps from Eurobird amount to 54tps and stilll we've got some spare/redundant capacity left. Let alone speaking 'bout ASTRA 2F capable of covering the entire Eurobird possessed part of bandwidth.
So, from the technical point of view it's possible to take over from both 2A and 1N thus replacing the existing sat fleet because in many aspects, esp. in terms of backing the situation at 19.2E slot is pretty much disturbing and annoying considering ASTRA 1L overloaded condition.

 

[FRINGE]

Agree, same here - no 12207v.

For some reason I seem to have lost a bit of signal from 2f - 10964v, 10994h and 11053h are now 50% quality (was 60%) but still 75% strength on my Humax and I have lost 11023h and 11126v. Maybe caused by something else but weather here is clear.

Can just about get it now. Must be an a.m. thing with my location because 2f was weaker earlier this morning also.

But, as for 12207v, only one of my Humax tuners can receive it with 70% strength and 20% quality. So picture is crap (heavily pixelated).

 

[peeter3000]

Are we absolutely 100% sure they tested the spotbeam using the 33MHz transponders ? ...

btw here is a scan before and after the first switch overs:

the intersting thing is, often the RF level is now significantly lower, but the SNR didnt change much. Better TWTAs with less noise ?

I check you signalinfo and Sollys post no 312 and:
tp alive on astr 2a
11817v (2A South)
11875h (2A S)
11895v (2A S)
12032h (2A S)
12051v (2A S)
12285v (2A S)
possibly still in Astra 2A!!

 

[Pietclock]

yeah not all TPs have been switched yet. Seems to be 2A's last working day on 28.2 today ! Let's wave good bye, it started the Sky digital age... Coming night the rest will move I expect.

 

[dvdfilm]

yeah not all TPs have been switched yet. Seems to be 2A's last working day on 28.2 today ! Let's wave good bye, it started the Sky digital age... Coming night the rest will move I expect.

Yes I agree,I like Astra 2A. The satellite I was hating was 2D

 

[M60]

Yes it seems spot testing was done,hence the doubts whether Sky would also use that beam

Cheers, guess Pietclock it's hard to be 100% confident that the 33MHz TP's were tested not knowing the footprint but looking at the 2F testing thread it does look like some differing reports were received for the same TP's, suspect of wide/spot switching. There was certainly wide/spot testing in the C band.

Prefer, you've missed 12480V (TP40) off that list + 11992H (TP9), thought 12285V had migrated too?

 

[timo_w2s]

Prefer, you've missed 12480V (TP40) off that list + 11992H (TP9), thought 12285V had migrated too?

Yes, pretty sure those are all on 2A still.

12285V is odd, as it looks like a Sky transponder that didn't move.

 

[Waveguide]

Surely it's a case of the output RF stage amplifier passing through a Co-ax switch to route RF via a CU to whichever antenna is in use for that particular TP.

Ohhhh... thats tricky stuff. Switching full power signals makes it very vulnerable to
failing coax relays. Having switches before the final amplification makes things easier.
Combiners are not necessary on every TP then. This assumes the TWT's are wideband and
linear which they hopefully are. Pure guesswork but narrowband combiners are often larger
than ones with wider bandwidth. I've opened some scrapped fancy coax relays and
the autopsy was "interesting".

Anyone got information on the RF system "layout" in these birds?

Edit - answer ended up inside qoute.

 

[solly]

12480V is still active too. Solly, you obviously can't see the 2A North beam TP's.

Cheers Blueplatinum for confirmation on 12207V, this is obviously still on 1N. Will be interesting to see if SES migrate all of these 1N PE TP's to 2E or 2F as they will want to balance loading between 2E and F.

m60
the 12480v only large dish more then 3.8m to get it over mideast
all tp list on 2a south beam was receiver 1.8m

 

[solly]

About 12207 I'm not so sure. A couple of posts here of no reception anymore and here that signal seems to be stronger than before.

it use on astra 1n not move it

 

[solly]

yeah not all TPs have been switched yet. Seems to be 2A's last working day on 28.2 today ! Let's wave good bye, it started the Sky digital age... Coming night the rest will move I expect.

maybe next few days we say good bye to astra 2a

 

[solly]

Yes, pretty sure those are all on 2A still.

12285V is odd, as it looks like a Sky transponder that didn't move.

12285v working strong tp of 2a
12db here

 

[Acuario]

As I predicted,all Sky channels on 2E so far are using the European beam.
This is clearly to keep subscriptions abroad

Exactly what I said too..

 

[Jester87]

Exactly what I said too..

Is 2A still transmitting an EPG signal, if so what frequency please?
Thanks,
Viktor Mustafa
Cyprus (East).

 

[oldfart]

just a quickie

11720 H 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
17.45db - 100% SNR

11739 V 27500 2/3 DVB-S QPSK
17.45db - 100% SNR

11758 H 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
17db - 100% SNR

11798 H 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
16db - 99% SNR

11836 H 27500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
0

11856 V 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
16.8db 100% SNR

11914 H 27500 2/3 DVB-S QPSK
15.2db - 95% SNR

11934 V 27500 2/3 DVB-S QPSK
16.5db - 100% SNR

12012 V 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
16.9db - 100% SNR

12382 H 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
17.75db - 100% SNR

12460 H 29500 3/4 DVB-S2 QPSK
17.3db - 100% SNR

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

Is 2A still transmitting an EPG signal, if so what frequency please?
Thanks,
Viktor Mustafa
Cyprus (East).

All the remaining TPs will be transmitting a basic 12 hour EPG. The main EPG is on 11778 V which has moved to 2E PE.

Sent from my GT-I9205 using Tapatalk

 

[solly]

Is 2A still transmitting an EPG signal, if so what frequency please?
Thanks,
Viktor Mustafa
Cyprus (East).

the epg 11778v --astra 2e
defult tp
or 12207v on astra 1n not move to 2e yet

 

[solly]

tp signal on astra 2a
last list
before move to astra 2e