Astra 4A 4.8E KA Feeds

[s-band]

... Anybody else seeing this narrow beacon looking Ka Vertical spike on Astra 4.8° East that doesn't look to be documented ?.

No much help with your mystery but this extract suggests that there was a beacon at 19.3GHz. However, it doesn't look like is was generated on-board and may have only been for the test period which ended in 2015. From: http://rapporter.ffi.no/rapporter/2013/00729.pdf

Astra 4A is located at 5ºE and was launched in 2007. A linear horizontal polarised beacon at 19.3 GHz is transmitted through the Interconnect/Interactive Beam. The downlink beacon EIRP towards Oslo is estimated to 19 dBW. The downlink gain contours rolls off quite quickly towards the West coast of Norway, with a further reduction of about 10 dB compared to Oslo. Towards Northern Norway, the estimated beacon EIRP is about 20 dBW.

 

[Llew]

Tried V POL John, up it pops. Not exactly 22000 for me, XMW LNB LO drift probably.

 

[John]

... Thank you gentlemen. I tried it on my Satlook Chris the same as yours but could not see it either. Tried my aging Televes FSM500 on the IF of 1750.4 and it popped up on there ok.
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[s-band]

Gilat with offset feed on 1.5PF

 

[John]

Gilat with offset feed on 1.5PF

View attachment 110520

..Nice trace is that Graham, the Gilat / 1.5 mtr combo working good it seems

 

[Trust]

At Lyngsat listed 21.580 H MBC Malawi

 

[Llew]

That's history Trust1. It ceased transmission months ago.

 

[Trust]

So updated 2017-11-29 is fake ?

 

[Llew]

I check 4E Ka most days, and haven't seen any resurrection of MBC. However, I'll keep checking for anything appearing.

 

[John]

So updated 2017-11-29 is fake ?

View attachment 112219

It's referring to frequencies 11.747V , 12.303H & 12360V for that date Wim, if the Ka frequency was updated it would be highlighted with a dark blue "Source Updated" box on the right hand side of the entry.

 

[Trust]

Good to know Thanks John !
Now also seen the line "source updated " by Jamie A. and the old date 151107

 

[scopus]

Not seen anything on this bird in Ka for some time now..

 

[dx qwer]

On again:
21677 H 7200 3/4 DVB-S2/HD 8PSK

 

[Llew]

A Jumbo up at present

 

[Llew]

Good to see something back on again, if only for testing there.

 

[dx qwer]

It´s for Canal+ Afrique live from Ivory Coast.

 

[John]

Good to see something back on again, if only for testing there.

Yes agreed Llew, slightly off topic both, but had a bit of a modding session this afternoon to try and get a bit more performance out of the Band D Ka set-up on the 1.25 Gibby. I had a Band D Gilat scalar feed that's been hanging around doing nothing along with an XMW - DRO Band D lnb so thought i would mate them up and do a comparison between the Inverto Ka/Ku lnbf thats presently doing a good job on Band D duties.
** Under the 40mm clamp tube : - The Gilat scalar feed out is circular wave guide, it then goes through an add-on circular to rectangular adapter, then onto a short rectangular waveguide which mates onto the XMW WR42 flange.
The resin filler should have set sufficiently by tomorrow afternoon for me to install on a spare slot on the Gibby lnb changer.
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[scopus]

It´s for Canal+ Afrique live from Ivory Coast.

Also OK here on the 1.8. Good to see some activity..

 

[Llew]

Yes agreed Llew, slightly off topic both, but had a bit of a modding session this afternoon to try and get a bit more performance out of the Band D Ka set-up on the 1.25 Gibby. I had a Band D Gilat scalar feed that's been hanging around doing nothing along with an XMW - DRO Band D lnb so thought i would mate them up and do a comparison between the Inverto Ka/Ku lnbf thats presently doing a good job on Band D duties.
** Under the 40mm clamp tube : - The Gilat scalar feed out is circular wave guide, it then goes through an add-on circular to rectangular adapter, then onto a short rectangular waveguide which mates onto the XMW WR42 flange.
The resin filler should have set sufficiently by tomorrow afternoon for me to install on a spare slot on the Gibby lnb changer.View attachment 112397
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Looks to be a handy unit for experimentation John. Keep us informed on your results

 

[Llew]

Back on today, testing.