COMMUNICATIONS IN SPACE--EDITION 5.3 THE DXers GUIDE TO THE GALAXY George Wood August, 1992 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction-Satellites...................................1 II. Satellite Broadcasting-TVRO...............................1 North America..........................................2 Coming Channels and Satellites.........................5 Non-Video Signals......................................6 North American DBS.....................................8 Europe and Astra.......................................9 Eutelsat..............................................13 Intelsat..............................................14 PanAmsat..............................................17 European DBS..........................................16 PAL vs MAC............................................17 Radio.................................................18 The Third World.......................................20 African Satellite Broadcasting........................21 Middle Eastern Satellite Broadcasting.................21 Asia and the Pacific..................................23 Star-TV...............................................23 Other Asian Satellite Broadcasters....................24 The Pacific...........................................25 Asian Satellite Radio.................................26 Global Satellite Channels.............................26 International Radio Broadcasting By Satellite.........27 III. Weather, Navigation, and Earth Resources Satellites......29 Other "Utility" Satellites............................29 Equipment.............................................30 IV. Amateur Radio in Space...................................30 V. Monitoring the Space Shuttle and MIR.....................32 Amateur Radio on the Shuttle..........................33 MIR...................................................33 Amateur Radio on MIR..................................33 VI. Military Communications in Space.........................34 VII. Horizons.................................................35 VIII. For More Information.....................................36 Copyright 1992 Radio Sweden. Reproduction of this publication is permitted to non-commercial media provided credit is given to Radio Sweden and "Communications in Space". Radio Sweden is not responsible for anything that might happen because of possible mistakes, inaccuracies, or out-of-date information. In the beginnning, the Great Prophet Marconi cast his bread upon the waves. Long, medium, even short wave--the ether was filled, and at home listeners tuned the bands, and heard far away signals from Bonaire, Motala, and Oakland. Then, on October 4, 1957, the world changed. The Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite, and listeners around the world tuned in to its signals just above 20 MHz. The Space Age had begun. What we find is this...the skies are filled with satellites that can be monitored, some with simple equipment, some with more complex and expensive gear. Weather pictures, satellite TV, astronauts and cosmonauts, computer bulletin boards in the sky, are all there waiting. We used to call satellite DXing the shortwave listening of the future. Well, the future is now. The signals are there, and more are coming. This guide is intended to help you tune in to signals from space. Equipment varies from USD 2000 for C-Band TVRO dishes and receivers to less than USD 200 for a scanner and discone antenna. I. INTRODUCTION-SATELLITES Communications satellites were first proposed by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in 1945. Clarke pointed out that if a satellite was positioned high enough above the equator (36,000 kilometers or 23,000 miles), its orbit could be matched to the rotation of the Earth. The satellite would appear to remain fixed in one particular spot in the sky. Such a position would be ideal for relaying telephone, radio and television communications. Three such satellites located equidistant from each other could cover the entire Earth. It took technology a while to catch up with Clarke's idea. In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. In 1962 the United States launched Telstar, the world's first communications satellite. Today there are more than 100 commercial TV and telecommunications satellites in geostationary orbit, and many more are scheduled for launch before the end of the century. In addition, there are communications satellites in non- geostationary orbits (such as the former Soviet Molniya), weather and other Earth resources satellites, amateur radio satellites, and American and CIS space vehicles. All are accessible, if you have the right equipment. II. SATELLITE BROADCASTING-TVRO Television Receive Only systems allow home monitors to tune in to radio and television from geostationary satellites. There are around 3.3 million TVRO installations in North America and more than 1 million in Europe. These differ because of the different bands used for satellite broadcasting. The satellite TV bands are: S-Band 1700-3000 MHz C-Band 3700-4200 MHz Ku1-Band 10.9-11.75 GHz Ku2-Band 11.75-12.5 GHz (DBS) Ku3-Band 12.5-12.75 GHz Ka-Band 18.0-20.0 GHz North America Most North American TVRO uses the C-Band. Dish antennas are at least nine feet (3 meters) in diameter. Dishes and receiver prices start at around USD 1000 for systems without decoders, and USD 1500 for systems with decoders. Here are the North American C and Ku-Band downlink frequencies: Channel 1 = 3720/11730 MHz Channel 13 = 3960/12096 MHz Channel 2 = 3740/11743 Channel 14 = 3980/12109 Channel 3 = 3760/11791 Channel 15 = 4000/12157 Channel 4 = 3780/11804 Channel 16 = 4020/12170 Channel 5 = 3800/11852 Channel 17 = 4040 Channel 6 = 3820/11865 Channel 18 = 4060 Channel 7 = 3840/11913 Channel 19 = 4080 Channel 8 = 3860/11926 Channel 20 = 4100 Channel 9 = 3880/11974 Channel 21 = 4120 Channel 10 = 3900/11987 Channel 22 = 4140 Channel 11 = 3920/12035 Channel 23 = 4160 Channel 12 = 3940/12048 Channel 24 = 4180 The Ku-Band frequencies are based on a 16 channel system. For the 32 channel format, half-spacing is used. The 20 plus C-Band satellites above North America stretch from 69 degrees West longitude to 143 degrees West. They typically carry 24 transponders (each transponder can carry one TV channel and several radio channels or many voice and data channels) each with 5 to 8 watts of power. American programmers, led by the pay-film channel Home Box Office, began scrambling signals in 1986. On April 27, 1986 a "video hacker" calling himself Captain Midnight (the hi-tech hero of a 1960's TV series) interupted Home Box Office's broadcast of the film "Falcon and the Snowman". He transmitted a message over the satellite link, overpowering HBO's uplink to the Galaxy 1 satellite. The message was a protest against HBO's scrambing. (The choice of the film was apt, as it concerns military spy satellites.) John McDougal, who called himself Captain Midnight. was traced to a Florida uplink station where he worked part-time. He was fined USD 5000. Many popular American satellite channels now scramble their signals, using the VC II system. Modern satellite receivers come equiped with decoders, and TVRO enthusiasts can subscribe to the coded channels, either by monthly payment to the stations directly, or to organizations offering special packages. The system is being updated to a VC II+ system. The company manufacturing VC II decoders, General Instruments, has a market monopoly. Separate decoders for receivers lacking them are extremely difficult to find, and can cost between USD 600 and 800. There is a lively underground of enthusiasts hacking decoders, hardware and software, in order to view pay channels for free. Here are the C-band satellite above North America, and Some of the more interesting satellite channels: Satcom C5 (139 degrees): Alaska Satellite TV is on transponder 24. Satcom C1 (137 degrees): Mainly the western coded feeds of network affiliates from Denver. California's Cal-Span is on transponder 16, with the Jade Channel in Chinese on transponder 1 and the NHK feed to Japan on transponder 21. Galaxy 1 (now at 133 degrees, after a move from 134): This satellite includes several popular coded services, including the Disney Channel (West), Comedy Central (East), Cinemax (East), HBO (East), Showtime (West), and the Discovery Channel. Other services have moved to Galaxy 5. Satcom 1R (131 degrees): Court-TV, devoted only to live and taped court cases, is on transponder 12. The Entertainment Channel is on transponder 15, and the Learning Channel on transponder 2. ASC-1 (128 degrees): Brightstar feeds are on transponder 21. The BBC's "Nine O'Clock News" is carried weekdays at 6:15 PM Eastern Time. VisNews in London is on three times a day. Galaxy 5 (125 degrees): This new satellite is the first of a new generation of high-powered satellites. It includes many popular coded services, including the Disney Channel (East), Home Box Office, Cinemax (West), Showtime (East), Turner Broadcasting, ESPN, Arts and Entertainment, and the USA Network. CNN transmits the regular Cable News Network on transponder 5, and CNN Headline News on transponder 22. Both are usually coded. Telstar 303 (123 degrees, after moving from 125 degrees): Carries mainly TVN pay-per-view programming. Fox (East) is on transponder 18, Fox (West) on transponder 23. Spacenet 1 (120 degrees): The Public Broadcasting Service used 4 transponders--3, 5, 9, and 23 until July, 1992. SCOLA, which carries news broadcasts from around the world (including Sweden's TV4), is on transponder 24. Morelos 1 (113.5 degrees) and Morelos 2 (116.8 degrees): Mexico's Morelos 1 offers a number of local stations and sports feeds. Morales 2 is less active, but Turner Broadcasting's TNT Latin America, coded and not available for the US market, is on transponder 16. Anik E1 (111.1 degrees): Canadian channels and feeds. The TV Northern Canada service for Native Americans is on transponder 19, and the Brightside Network was on transponder 23. Anik E2 (107.3 degrees): Canadian stations including Weather Now on transponder 1 and relays of the Canadian House of Commons on transponder 24, with sound in English and French on separate subcarriers. The CBC uses transponder 11 (Pacific), 15 (French), and 19 (Atlantic). Visnews/London uses transponder 17, where the BBC "Breakfast News" is carried weekdays at 3:00 AM Eastern Time. Spacenet 4 (101.5 degrees): Launched on April 12th, 1991. Three of the six Ku-band transponders have reportedly gone bad and are considered unusable. CNN's Telemundo feed in Spanish was on transponder 10. On July 17, 1992 PBS moved from Spacenet 1 to Spacenet 4 transponders 6, 8, 10, and 12. Galaxy 6 (99 degrees): Once the home of PBS. Now, a couple of religious channels, and many feeds. Deep Dish TV is on transponder 11 twice a week. During the Gulf War, this satellite carried many feeds from the Middle East. CNN used transponder 20 and pool reports were carried on transponders 2 and 3. Telstar 301 (96 degrees): Many news and sports feeds, including ABC on transponders 6, 11 (sports), and 12. CBS on transponders 2 and 7 are sometimes in the clear. CNN In-Flight News on transponder 13 is broadcast daily at 4:15 AM Eastern Time. Galaxy 3 (93.5 degrees): Fox (National) is on transponder 2. C- SPAN provides live coverage of the American Congress on transponders 14 and 24. Spacenet 3 (87 degrees): Nebraska Educational Television is on transponder 2. Several coded services, including MTV and Nikelodeon. Telstar 302 (85 degrees): Several coded services, including HBO's second and third services, and Cinemax 2. Satcom 4 (82 degrees): Many (coded) sports channels. Nostalgia Television is on transponder 21. The New England News Channel is on transponder 5. Galaxy 2 (74 degrees): CNN feeds can be found on transponder 5, sports feeds on many others. Satcom 2R (72 degrees): NASA Select TV, including live video from space shuttle missions, is on transponder 13. Programming is in four hour blocks, repeated during the broadcast day. The Arab Network of America on transponder 1 is a Saudi-financed channel seeking to reach the one million Arabic-speaking Americans and expatriates in the U.S. It hopes to broadcast 24 hours a day of news, entertainment and religious programming. Another Arabic channel, MBC, is to expand to the United States in mid-1993. Spacenet 2 (69 degrees West): The United States Information Agency uses transponder 3. There are Spanish feeds and programming on transponders 9 (Telemundo), 10 (Galavision feed), and 22 (Sur-Pan Americana). Panamsat 1 (45 degrees): is used to relay signals across the Atlantic, to Latin America and the Caribbean on C-band and to North America and Europe on Ku-band. There are four Ku-band transponders to North America, with feeds on transponders 1 and 7, Belgrade TV in NTSC on transponder 4, and Japan's NHK in NTSC on another transponder. Intelsat 513 (53 degrees): is also used to relay signals from Europe to North America. Australia uses the satellite to relay TV programs from London to Los Angeles. They are retransmitted to Australia from there on Intelsat 508 over the Pacific. Intelsat 601 (27.5 degrees), generally a European satellite, also carries NTSC transmissions to North America from Europe. During the lead up to the Gulf War its predecessor Intelsat VI-F4 was used for NTSC feeds from the United States, presumeably programs for American soldiers in the Gulf, on Ku-band 11.056 and 11.090 GHz. The transponders there were filled with feeds during the Gulf War. Transponder 11 was the NBC Atlantic link, transponder 14 the ABC Atlantic link, with sound from London's Capital Radio when not being used for feeds. Transponder 15 has carried the U.S. Information Service, which usually airs C-SPAN I, broadcasts from the American Congress, with Transponder 16 as the CBS Atlantic link, with BBC World Service sound when not being used for feeds. Transponder 10 has been BrightStar Communications, with the BBC Six O'Clock news at 18:00 hrs. Mondays through Thursdays, the Six O'Clock News is also carried on Westar 4 Transponder 12. This, and many other British newscasts are also carried in PAL on Intelsat VA-F13, at 53 degrees West, on transponder 14. Intelsat-K (21.5 degrees): This Ku-band only satellite was launched in June, 1992, also to relay signals across the Atlantic, initially from the summer Olympics. The satellite carries 32 high- powered television channels, which can be directed to North America (as far as the Midwest), Europe (as far east as Greece), and selected parts of South America. All beams will use 11.45-11.7 GHz, while 11.7-11.95 GHz will also be used to the Americas. Deutsche Welle is planning to use this satellite to relay its new service to North America. At least 6 satellites regularly use the Ku-Band and 16 others use the Ku-Band for occasional video. Home installations require additional low noise block amplifiers for Ku-Band reception. The most used Ku-band satellites are: Gstar 4 (125 degrees): CNN uses transponders 6 (CNN International), 13 (Checkout Channel), and 14 (Airport Channel). Anik E2 (107.3 degrees): Many Canadian Channels Gstar 2 (105 degrees): news and sports feeds SBS-6 (99 degrees): College and pro sports feeds. The Asia Network (in Korean) is on transponder 19. Newsfeeds between Germany and the United States have recently appeared, transmitted in PAL. SBS-4 (91 degrees): A few pro sports feeds (NBA and NHL). The Fire and Emergency TV Network is on transponder 5. K-1 (85 degrees): PrimeStar DBS pay channels K-2 (81 degrees): NBC uses transponders 3 (East), 7 (Pacific), 10 (sports feeds), 11 (sports feeds), 19 (Central), 23 (news feeds), and 27 (news feeds). Coming Channels and Satellites More high-powered satellites will be following Galaxy 5 over the next few months. Galaxy 1R will replace Galaxy 1, Satcom C4 will be placed at 135 degrees, and Satcom C3 at 131 degrees. The Galaxy 7-H "hybrid" C-Ku band satellite will be located at 91 degrees. Turner Broadcasting, which operates CNN, has confirmed it intends to start a 24 hour satellite channel for children. The Cartoon Network will begin on October 2nd in the US, and is to be followed by a European service. The channel will rely on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon library, which Turner bought in 1991. Turner also operates the Airport and Check-Out Channels. Ted Turner has announced he is thinking about starting The Fitness Channel for use by Health Clubs. It should be noted that Mr. Turner is married to Jane Fonda, who's best know these days for her exercise videos. There's been much speculation about a planned Science Fiction Channel. Much delayed, according to one report it will be incorporated into the existing USA Network. Jim Bass, founder of the "Let's Talk Radio" program, has left it to develop a TV program on amateur radio called "QSO Amateur Radio" on the Galaxy 6 satellite. Mexico has signed a contract for two new Solidaridad communications satellites. They are to be launched in 1992 and 1993, and besides Mexico, will cover the southern United States; as well as the Detroit, Chicago, and New York areas; the Caribbean, Ecuador, Peru, and Columbia. They will also reach Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Santiago de Chile. The new satellites will have three times the capacity of Mexico's existing two Morelos satellites. Non-Video Signals Communications satellites carry much more than TV signals. There are also telephone channels, transmissions by international news agencies, stock market reports, commodity news, and hundreds of radio network relays. There are two main kinds of audio signals. Audio subcarriers are extra signals transmitted along with the video signal. The video information on a satellite transponder typically occupies the space 0- 4.2 MHz. Subcarriers are added at frequencies higher than the video. Usually they will be on 6.2 or 6.8 MHz, but any frequency between 5 and 8 MHz can be used. Modern satellite receivers come equipped with tunable subcarrier control. If a satellite receiver lacks tunable subcarrier control, the antenna jack of a shortwave communications receiver can be plugged into a jack on the back of a satellite receiver marked "video", "baseband video", or "6.8". Subcarrier services should be found in the 5-8 MHz range, generally in FM. There are more than 70 audio only signals available on North American satellites. Here are a sample: Satellite/Channel Program Frequency(ies) Spacenet 2/7 Radio New York Int. 7.50 MHz Spacenet 2/9 Hispanic Radio Broad. 7.75 7.93 Spacenet 3/2 Nebraska Public Radio 5.76 5.94 Spacenet 3/15 KLON-FM (Jazz/NPR) 5.58 5.76 Spacenet 3/21 Let's Talk Radio 6.2 Galaxy 3/7 Southern Gospel Music 5.36 Contemporary Hispanic Net. 5.94 Galaxy 3/8 Minnesota Public Radio 8.235 Business Radio Network 8.055 In Touch (for the blind) 7.875 Galaxy 3/11 Classical Collections 6.30 6.48 Soft Rock 5.22 5.40 America's Country Favorites 5.04 7.74 New Age of Jazz 7.38 7.56 Light and Lively Rock 5.94 6.12 Soft Sounds 5.58 5.76 Golden Oldies 8.10 8.28 Galaxy 3/24 BBC World Service 5.40 International broadcasters 5.22 Anik E2/16 CBC Radio 5.41 Anik E1/17 Radio France Internationale 5.41 6.12 Spacenet 1/24 Radio France Internationale 6.20 Galaxy 5/22 CNN Headline News 6.30 ASC 1/22 WCCO Minneapolis 6.20 Minnesota Pubic Radio 8.23 Satcom 1R/15 Radio Japan (Japanese) 7.38 Satcom C5/24 KSKA-FM Anchorage/NPR 7.30 7.56 "Let's Talk Radio" is a program about radio and television on the Spacenet 3 satellite (87 degrees West), transponder 21, using the 6.2 MHz subcarrier (daily at 6:00 PM-1:00 AM Eastern Time). There are programs about satellites, amateur radio, shortwave listening, and computers. Ironically, given the communications hobbyist audience, a VC II descrambler is necessary to hear the program. Founder Jim Bass has sold the channel to a group of radio amateurs, who have promised to expand the service. The satellite and cable station C-Span carries broadcasts from the American Congress. C-Span also has two special audio channels. One rebroadcasts BBC World Service 24 hours a day, the other carries a variety of international broadcasters, including Deutsche Welle, Radio Japan, "As It Happens" from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and Radio Sweden's program "Sweden Today". "Sweden Today" is carried on Saturdays at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, which during the summer would be 5:30 hrs UTC. C-Span is on transponder 24 on the Galaxy 3 satellite at 93.5 degrees West. BBC World Service uses the subcarrier at 5.4 MHz. The international broadcasters are on 5.22 MHz. Digital Cable Radio has signed a contract for a transponder on Satcom C-3, which is due to be launched in September, 1992. DCR delivers 28 CD-quality channels to cable networks. Another digital music service called Digital Planet plans to broadcast to home dish owners, possibly via HBO. The second system of sending audio by satellite is SCPC (single channel per carrier). This involves dividing up an entire transponder into individual non-video channels. There is both FM and single side band (SSB) SCPC. Most of the high quality audio (and data) services today use FM/SCPC. It is typically used for network relays. The American non-commercial radio network National Public Radio has 16 audio channels on the Westar 4 satellite, on transponders 2, 3, and 4 (which are used for many other SCPC services as well, such as NPR's rival, American Public Radio. The BBC World Service is carried for some 8 hours a day on an APR SCPC channel. There are special SCPC receivers, but SCPC can be monitored with a satellite-TV receiver and a continuous coverage scanner or VHF-UHF communications receiver, although the quality may be less than with a dedicated SCPC receiver. Some (older) TVRO receivers have intermediate or downblock frequencies at 70 or 134 MHz. If this signal is available, a scanner or VHF-UHF receiver can be used to monitor the frequencies 18 MHz to either side of these channels on appropriate transponders. On more modern TVRO det-ups, a splitter can be installed in the cable from the LNB to the satellite receiver, and the extra output can be fed through a DC block to an FM scanner that covers the LNB's 950- 1450 MHz range. SSB/SCPC includes many digital services offering news or business information. Fine tuning will reveal many radioteletype (RTTY) signals which can be monitored with the proper RTTY interface. Many satellites carry telephone services, One single transponder can hold 9000 telephone channels. These services can be monitored by hooking an SSB communications receiver to the 0-4.2 MHz output of a TVRO receiver. The telephone services, on satellites such as Satcom 5 and Galaxy 2, can usually be found by tuning the SSB receiver between 3720 and 4180 MHz. Radio Netherlands is to use PanAmSat (PAS-1) to broadcast to Latin America andthe Caribbean, but this will be a digital audio signal (64 Kb/s in a 10 kHz audio channel). This Ku-band signal will be downlinked in Florida and uplinked on C-band to receiving stations in the Caribbean. North American DBS Most North American satellite television has been in the C-Band, which is really intended for professional relays and not for home viewing. Many American TVRO enthusiasts have added extra low noise block amplifiers for Ku-Band, however. The NBC network, for example, has stopped using C-Band, and can be found only in the Ku-Band, on the K-2 satellite at 81 degrees (transponders 3, 7, and 11 with feeds on transponders 5, 23, 27, and others). There are also several plans for European-style direct satellite broadcasting to North America, using the Ku-band. The first proposals came in early 1990, when General Electric announced a joint venture with 9 major cable operators to deliver 10 channels of programming using medium power in the Ku-band. The service, called PrimeStar, began in November, 1990, using the Satcom K1 satellite stationed at 85 degrees West. It now uses 11 transponders on the satellite. Three of the channels are pay per view, the others so-called Super Stations, and include Japan's NHK. Another system, called SkyPix, was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, 1991. SkyPix offers up to 80 channels in the Ku-band, on the SBS-6 satellite at 99 degrees West. Using digital signal compression, the 80 channels are squeezed onto 10 satellite transponders. The digital audio quality rivals that of CDs. Current antennas are 1.2 meters in diameter. Receivers are about the size of a cigar box, and will handle up to 250 channels when more powerful satellites are launched later this decade. Receivers cost around 700 dollars, along with a 15 dollar a month subscription fee. Viewers would be able to choose between news, sports, children's programming, and 10 so-called "super stations" as well as pay-per-view access to up to 50 major Hollywood movies at any time. A direct satellite broadcasting venture called Sky Cable, which was to carry more than 100 channels, has been disbanded, Sky had four powerful backers: News Corporation, which owns British Sky Broadcasting, NBC, satellite makers Hughes Communications, and the cable operators Cablevision. However, Hughes says it has signed an agreement with United States Satellite Broadcasting to build and run a separate DBS system, called DirecTV by the summer of 1994. The satellite would be able to carry up to 150 channels, including regular cable channels, pay-per-view networks, and high definition television services. The DirecTV satellite is to be launched from French Guiana in December, 1993. To be located at 101 degrees West, it will deliver news, sports, movies, and other programming to American homes equiped with 45 cm (18 inch) antennas. Europe and Astra The Soviet Union's Ghorizont was the first TV satellite over Europe. The Ghorizont satellites operate in the C-Band. Western European satellites use several sections of the Ku-Band for different purposes. The Ku1-Band 10.9-11.75 GHz is, like the American C-Band, intended for professional relays and not for home viewing. Home reception was originally intended for the Ku2 (DBS) Band 11.75-12.5 GHz. The Ku3-Band 12.5-12.75 GHz, or Telecom Band, is also not intended for home viewing. The first Western European satellites were from Eutelsat, which is made up of the PTTs and Telecom administrations of Western European countries. The intention was that individual countries would offer home viewing to their own residents over high-powered DBS satellites offering only a few channels. Astra, operated by Luxembourg's SES, has changed all that. Astra uses the Ku1-Band for medium-powered signals, with 16 channels per satellite. Astra 1A and 1B are already in orbit, both at 19.2 degrees East. The similar 1C is due to be launched at the earliest in April or May 1993. Astra 1D is planned for launch in 1994, and will also contain transponders for High Definition Television. Because Astra's medium-powered satellites are at the same spot in the sky, viewers with relatively small antennas (60-90 cm) can tune into currently 32 and eventually 64 channels without antenna rotors. British Sky Broadcasting, the company formed by the merger of Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting in 1990, is a major user of the Astra satellites. BSB's channels are Sky News, the entertainment channel Sky One, the Comedy Channel, Sky Movies Plus, the Movie Channel and Sky Sports. The latter four are coded pay channels, requiring special decoders. Here are the channels on Astra 1A and 1B (as of August, 1992): Channel Transponder Frequency Language 1 Screensport 11.214 GHz several 2 RTL Plus 11.229 German 3 TV3 Sweden (D2-MAC) 11.244 English/Swedish 4 Eurosport 11.258 several 5 Children's Channel/Lifestyle 11.273 English 6 SAT 1 11.288 German 7 TV1000 (D2-MAC) 11.303 Swedish/English (pay) 8 Sky One 11.317 English 9 Teleclub 11.332 German (pay channel) 10 3-SAT 11.347 German 11 FilmNet (to Scandinavia) 11.362 several (pay channel) 12 Sky News 11.377 English 13 RTL 4 11.391 Dutch 14 Pro 7 11.406 German (partly pay) 15 MTV Europe 11.421 English 16 Sky Movies Plus 11.435 English (pay channel) 17 Premiere 11.464 German (pay channel) 18 The Movie Channel 11.479 English (pay channel) 19 ARD 1 Plus 11.493 German 20 Sky Sports 11.509 English (free/coded) 21 Tele 5 11.523 German 22 MTV Europe 11.538 English 23 FilmNet (D2-MAC) 11.553 several (pay channel) 24 Children's Channel/JSTV 11.567 English/Japanese 25 N3 11.582 German 26 TV Asia/Comedy Ch./Adult Ch. 11.597 English (pay) 27 TV3 Denmark (D2-MAC) 11.611 Danish 28 CNN International 11.626 English 29 Astra info 11.641 30 Astra promo 11.656 English/German/French 31 TV3 Norway (D2-MAC) 11.670 English/Norwegian 32 ----- 11.685 All channels are PAL unless D2-MAC is indicated. Pay channels use a variety of scrambling systems, although the emerging standards seem to be Videocrypt for PAL channels and Eurocrypt for D2-MAC. (There is a new D2-MAC coding system called Videoguard, as well.) There are changes coming. British Sky Broadcasting is planning to redefine or close down its Comedy Channel on Astra, once the relaunch of Sky One has been completed. Observers say the Comedy Channel (which is free only to subscribers to either of BSkyB's pay-film channels) has continually failed to secure satisfactory ratings. Sky Sports was coded but free until August 1, when a subscription fee was introduced. (Because of BSkyB's expensive purchase of rights to British soccer matches.) However, BSkyB ultimately intends to operate a pay-per-view system for its soccer coverage from the 1994/95 season. A deadline of July 1, 1994 has been set by BSkyB for the introduction of subscription services for all its channels. BSkyB is reported to be planning to offer a basic package of services for GBP 5 per month, which would include Sky One, Sky News, Bravo, Discovery, the Children's Channel and the UK Gold series of channels. All of these channels will be encrypted with Videocrypt. Discovery is reported to be encrypting its signal on Intelsat 601 soon, prior to switching to Astra (probably Astra 1C). TV Asia, which serves the South Asian community in Britain, began broadcasting on the Comedy Channel transponder in July, 1992. BBC Enterprises is launching a new channel called UK Gold on Astra with Thames Television, the company that recently lost the London independent television franchise. The new service is to be on the satellite by the end of 1992, drawing from the extensive libraries of the two companies. Initially it will be in the clear, so Astra viewers across Europe may be able to watch. But the intention is to introduce a subscription system during the first quarter of 1993, limiting the channel to the British audience. According to one report, British Sky Broadcasting has offered the Comedy Channel transponder to BBC Enterprises and Thames. Other channels may also be in the offing. Thames has a second Astra option, which would probably be on Astra 1C. The station is the sole remaining applicant for Britain's new fifth national TV network, and the satellite could be used to distribute the new service. But Thames is also reported to be discussing a D2-MAC widescreen channel. Super Channel, which currently broadcasts on Eutelsat II-F1, is also reported to be planning a D2-MAC widescreen channel on Astra. Talks are reported between the BBC and BSkyB about collaboration for a 24-hour news service. Both companies agree that it would be foolhardy to operate two news networks in the UK and Europe. Last year the BBC Director-General, Sir Michael Checkland, committed the BBC to a new news service, providing much the same service as BBC World Service Television's current broadcasts to Asia and Africa. The Gameshow Channel is set to launch on Intelsat 601 at 27.5 degrees West in October, 1992. It will initially broadcast for 6 hours a day. In 1993 the channel plans to switch to Astra 1C, and will expand to 18 hours a day. The American evangelist Morris Cerullo is to launch a 24 hour religious channel on Astra in September, 1992. The controversial faith- healer was criticised by Britain's Independent Television Commission last year for his broadcasts on Super Channel, because his claims of miracle cures could not be substantiated. His new European Family Christian Network will carry a disclaimer. Cerullo operates the Inspirational Network in the United States, which he bought from disgraced evangelist Jimmy Swaggart. A group of Australian beer-makers has applied for a licence to broadcast to Australians and New Zealanders in Britain via Astra. Disney, which initially planned to go onto Astra when it was first launched in 1989, is again looking at taking a satellite transponder. This may have something to do with Turner Broadcasting's new Cartoon Channel, which after its American launch, may be extended to Europe. Viacom, which operates MTV, is also reported to be considering an Astra-based children's channel, based on Viacom's American service Nickelodeon. The home shopping channel Regal Shop, which has been testing early mornings and late at night on the Sky One transponder, is reported to be looking for a permanent position on Astra. A new German language entertainment channel directed to Switzerland and the adjoining alpine regions of Austria, Italy, and Germany, is reported likely to be appearing on Astra by the end of 1992. It would broadcast for 8 hours a day. Nestle and three other Swiss companies are investing in the channel. The German broadcaster RTL is reported to be starting a down- market RTL-2 service on Astra as early as September, 1992. A third channel, carrying sports and news, has also been proposed. Other European Ku1-Band satellites include: Intelsat 511 63 degrees East Italy/Iran Intelsat 602 60 degrees 4 Turkish transponders Eutelsat I-F4 36 degrees DFS 2 Kopernikus 28.5 degrees German broadcasters DFS 1 Kopernikus 23.5 degrees German transponders Eutelsat I-F5 21.5 degrees Croatia, Eurospace Eutelsat II-F3 16 degrees Spanish coded Eutelsat II-F1 13 degrees many European programs Eutelsat II-F2 10 degrees Italian, Spanish, Turkish Eutelsat II-F4 7 degrees Eastern European/EBU Intelsat 512 1 degree West transponders for Norway Intelsat 515 18 degrees EBU, Italian Intelsat K 21.5 degrees new trans-Atlantic Intelsat 601 27.5 degrees European (BBC, Discovery) PAS 1 45 degrees mostly feeds (PAL and NTSC) Eutelsat The Eutelsat II satellites are higher-powered than their predecessors, and approach Astra in strength. There's been controversy over Eutelsat II-F3 at 16 degrees, just 3.2 degrees away from Astra. Eutelsat has registered several of the Astra frequencies, and there's concern there may be interference for viewers with small (60 cm) antennas. Eutelsat has the prior registration, but Astra has accused Eutelsat of "planning overcapacity" by placing satellites in orbital positions across the sky. The most interesting Eutelsat is II-F1 at 13 degrees East, which includes the following transponders: Eurosport 10.970 GHz Super Channel 10.987 Radio: BBC World Service Der Kabelkanal 11.052 D2-MAC TV5 Europe/WorldNet 11.080 Radio: VOA Europe Der Kabelkanal 11.095 Deutsche Welle 11.162 Radio: DW, VOA TRT 11.181 MBC 11.554 Arabic (see Middle Eastern) BT Services 11.596 (formerly After 12) FilmNet (Benelux) 11.678 D2MAC TV5 Europe 11.658 Until Sept. 1992 FilmNet (Benelux) 11.678 PAL with Digital sound Germany's international radio broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, has taken over the facilities of the Berlin-based American TV station RIAS, and is broadcasting on Eutelsat II-F1 with three two hour blocks between 14:00 and 20:00 hrs on 11.162 GHz. The first 90 minutes each time is in German, followed by 30 minutes in English. Spanish is to be added later. The same transponder is carrying Deutsche Welle radio programs on audio subcarriers, with German on 7.02 MHz, other European languages on 7.2, and Asian languages on 8.1 MHz, as well as VOA Europe. Deutsche Welle plans to put its TV programs on Intelsat-K over the Atlantic to relay its signals to North America, beginning in the Fall, 1992. The American government's WorldNet program has shared the French TV5 transponder, but TV5 has expanded to 18 hour a day operation. Because of WorldNet's contract, TV5 is broadcasting those 18 hours a day on the transponder on 11.658 GHz. But when that contract ends in September, 1992, WorldNet will have to look for a new home. This might be with Deutsche Welle. Turkey's TRT International includes daily 10 minute news bulletins in English at around 19:30 hrs and in German at around 19:40. Turning to the other Eutelsats, II-F3 (16 degrees East) carries three coded Spanish private channels. Croatia's HTV has begun using the transponder on 10.986 GHz. For a few days in June, 1992 the Dutch HD- MAC TV Plus on 11.675 GHz dropped coding. The Portuguese RTP International service has begun broadcasts from II-F3 at 11.573 GHz. RTP also transmits to Africa on Ghorizont 12 at 40 degrees East, at 3.925 MHz. Spain's TVE broadcasts on Eutelsat II-F2 (10 degrees East) at 11.149 GHz. Italy's RAI has two transponders on the satellite and there are three private Turkish stations. Eutelsat I-F4 (7 degrees East) has been replaced by II-F4. It has carried transponders from Serbia, Greece, and Cyprus. The new satellite has extended Eastern European coverage. It carries four transponders for EBU traffic. Telecom Denmark is leasing a single transponder to telecommunications traffic between Denmark, the Faroes, and Greenland. Eleven European TV networks have agreed to set up the pan- European Euronews channel, to begin broadcasts in January, 1993. EuroNews will be supplied by 12 satellite signals and four terrestrial signals. The final signal will be transmitted on Eutelsat II-F1 at 13 degrees West. There will be 6 mono sound subcarriers offering language channels in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. It will also be relayed to the Middle East on Arabsat. Eutelsat II-F5 is due to be launched in early 1993, and is to be located at 36 degrees East. Eutelsat is to modify its Eutelsat II-F6 satellite so that it can be co-located with Eutelsat II-F1 at 13 degrees east. The satellite, due to be launched in the second half of 1994, will be able to relay 16 additional television channels. This move has been viewed by observers as an attempt to compete with Astra. Eutelsat will be able to offer 39 television channels for reception once the co-location has been completed. Eutelsat believes that demand for the new satellite transponders will be strong, especially from eastern and central Europe. Intelsat Another interesting satellite is Intelsat 601 at 27.5 degrees West. This carries CNN (11.155 GHz), Discovery (11.175), Children's Channel (11.135), and BBC World Service Television (10.995). However, the latter is coded (using an obscure encryption system called SAVE), CNN and Children's Channel are now on Astra (and CNN will end the Intelsat service soon), and Discovery says it plans to encrypt its signals. BBC says it is developing a subscription service with a new scrambling system that is more readily available. During the night, however, the BBC transponder carries the Asian edition of World Service Television uncoded. Brightstar, which relays news feeds across the Atlantic, has taken over the former Children's Channel transponder (11.011 GHz). Most programs are in the American NTSC standard. In May, the American space shuttle Endeavour successfully captured the Intelsat 603 satellite and relaunched it into its proper orbit. (34.5 degrees West) and its TV transponders will be used to relay broadcasts from the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The satellite was launched in 1990, but a mistake put it into a useless orbit. Intelsat-K was launched into orbit on June 10th. Designed to last 11 years, the new satellite is located at 21.5 degrees West, in order to relay signals across the Atlantic. It will initially be used to relay signals from the summer Olympics. The satellite carries 32 high- powered television channels, which can be directed to North America (as far as the Midwest), Europe (as far east as Greece), and selected parts of South America. All beams on this all-Ku band satellite will use 11.45-11.7 GHz, while 11.7-11.95 GHz will also be used to the Americas, and 12.5-12.75 GHz to Europe. An Asian oriented general entertainment channel called Namaste has received a licence from the British authorities. It will broadcast from a low-powered Intelsat. PanAmSat Alpha Lyracom has taken on the massive Intelsat, seeking to provide an alternative international satellite organization. PAS-1, launched in 1988, is located at 45 degrees West, carries the American Galavision to Europe, along with several channels for newsfeeds. PAS-2 and 3 are to located close by, with PAS-3 at 43.5 degrees reching farther into Scandinavia and the Middle East, and PAS-2 as a reserve. They are scheduled for launch in 1993. Other parts of the world are to be covered by PAS-4 and 5 above the Pacific, to be launched to 166 and 168 degrees East in 1994 or 1995, and PAS-6 and 7 above the Indian Ocean at 68 and 72 degrees, which may be launched in 1994. There are 5 European satellites currently using the 12.5-12.75 GHz Telecom band: DFS Kopernikus 2 28.5 degrees East Germany DFS Kopernikus 1 23.5 degrees Germany Eutelsat II-F3 16 degrees European Eutelsat II-F1 13 degrees European Eutelsat II-F2 10 degrees European Telecom 2B 3 degrees France Telecom 1C 5 degrees West France Telecom 2A 8 degrees France To Astra's disappointment, French TV broadcasters have not booked any Astsa channels. Instead, France plans to use its own Telecom 2A satellite, at 8 degrees West, for direct to home broadcasting. The (at least) 7 channel Canal Satellite package is to be launched soon, but has been delayed because of a disagreement between the French government and Canal Plus, which is involved in the new channels. Canal Plus wishes to broadcast in the existing SECAM system, while the French government suddenly decreed that D2-MAC was to be used. According to one report, Canal Plus is threatening to move the package to Astra (which won't have enough transponder space until Astra 1C is launched next year). Besides Canal Plus, the Canal Satellite project is to include TV Sport, MCM Euromusique, a children's channel called Canal J, Planete (the French equivalent to Discovery), and two film channels, Cine- Cinemas and Cine-Cinefil. The Paris regional channel Paris Premiere could also be included. France's Telecom 2B has been testing at 3 degrees East. It will probably replace Telecom 1C at 5 degrees West. European DBS Direct Broadcast satellites (DBS) are intended to beam a few (2-5) high-powered signals directly to homes in a single country. Viewers require dish antennas less than 30 cm in diameter. A number of DBS satellites have been orbited above Europe: Tele-X 5 degrees Sweden Olympus 18.8 degrees West Western Europe TDF-1 and TDF-2 19 degrees France TV-SAT 2 19.2 degrees Germany Marco Polo 1/2 31 degrees Britain The Franco-German cultural channel Arte is using the former La Sept transponder on TDF 1/2 (11.881 GHz) evenings, along with 11.548 GHz on Kopernikus 1. Astra's hopes to attract Spanish customers are threatened by Spain's Hispasat two direct broadcast satellites. Hispatsat 1 is due to be launched on September 8, 1992, and to located at 31 degrees West. Hispasat 2 is to be launched in the first quarter of 1993. Each satellite carries 3 DBS TV channels directed to Spain and the Canary Islands. Three transponders are to be made available to private broadcasters, with two more reserved for public broadcasters. Three channels are expected to start via Hispasat 1 by the beginning of January, 1993, with the remaining two via Hispasat 2 from July, 1993. Each satellite will also carry one transponder to relay signals to Latin America and southeastern North America. But the DBS idea seems to have been made obsolete by improving technology. Viewers want more than 2-5 channels and they want channels from other countries. A 60 cm Astra dish that can deliver 16, 32, or 48 channels is more desireable than a 30 cm dish with access to only 3 stations. 1990 saw two events which may turn out to be the beginning of the end of the direct broadcast satellites. The first was the merger between Sky Television, a major user of Astra, and British Satellite Broadcasting, which had relied on the direct broadcast satellite Marco Polo. The combined British Sky Broadcasting Network, with six channels, has continued on Astra, with five channels on Marco Polo through December 31, 1992. The second big set-back for DBS was the French government's decision not to build a third direct broadcast satellite, to follow up the existing TDF-1 and TDF-2 satellites. The two have developed faults which have reduced the number of usable channels. Instead, French Minister for Post, Communications, and Space Paul Quiles announced the satellites will be replaced in due course by a new generation of spacecraft. In the meantime, France is concentrating on its medium- powered Telecom satellites. Similarly, Germany's Kopernikus (and the German channels on Astra) have proved to be more popular than TV-SAT. The Swedish Space Corporation tried to buy one of the Marco Polo satellites, BSB 2, to move it next to Tele-X at 5 degrees East, to provide an additional 5 channels of Nordic DBS. But they were outbid by Norwegian Telecom, which is moving the satellite to 1 degree West, where the much weaker Intelsat 512 carries programs to Norway. Apparently 5 DBS channels are to be made available to Scandinavians, but Norwegian Telcom seems to be planning to use the cumbersome D-MAC system, which may discourage potential viewers. Another factor which has delayed European DBS has been international agreement that such satellites would transmit in D-MAC or D2-MAC. Delays in developing consumer receivers for these systems have greatly slowed DBS, and were primarily responsible for the end of the original British BSB over Marco Polo. Astra sidestepped the problem by using medium-powered satellites on frequencies not intended for DBS. Thus most Astra channels have used the cheaper and available PAL system. Eutelsat's answer to Astra is Europesat, a series of high-powered satellites being called "second generation DBS". Six of the 8 countries with DBS allocations at 19 degrees West (France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland), along with three others (Portugal, Sweden, and Yugoslavia) have signed a memorandum of understanding. Europesat will consist of three satellites, plus one in- orbit back-up, all located at 19 degrees West. Together they will carry 36 channels, in either PAL, Secam, MAC, or HD-MAC. Medium quality reception should be possible with 25 to 30 cm dish antennas. The first Europesat satellite is expected to be launched in 1996, with new launches every six months. Since the 9 countries between them are seeking between 39 and 54 channels, it is possible that more satellites will be placed in another slot at 29 degrees East. As an interim measure, a 12 transponder European DBS for France, Germany, Italy,and Sweden is to be launched in mid-1993 and placed at 19 degrees West. PAL vs MAC The European Commission has backed down on its proposal for the forced rapid introduction of the D2-MAC standard, as a step towards the future introductin of a system called HD-MAC for high definition television. Existing satellite broadcasters would be allowed to continue using the current PAL and SECAM systems. But new satellite services from January 1, 1995 will have to use D2-MAC, and from January 1, 1994 all widescreen TV sets must include D2-MAC. The plan has been supported by countries with consumer electronics industries, such as France and Germany. Opposition has come from Britain and Luxembourg, both involved in Astra, as well as from broadcasters, who are looking forward to digital HDTV systems. Besides somewhat increasing the cost of receivers, there is one major drawback to D2-MAC. It restricts the number of sound channels, which could be a major obstacle for future satellite radio. It's use as a bridge to HD-MAC is questionable, since by the time HD-MAC is introduced, it will undoubtedly already have been made obsolete by digital HDTV. FilmNet recently joined Sweden's TV3 and TV1000 in using D2-MAC. Ironically, one of the main PAL proponents, British Sky Broadcasting, tested in wide-screen D2-MAC April 5-15, 1992, using 11.641 GHz between 09:00 and 17:00 hrs. (According to one report, a BSB executive was fired for leaking news that BSB plans to switch to D2-MAC.) During the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics there were many trial feeds using D2-MAC for widescreen broadcasts. The use of D2-MAC will undoubtedly increase in Europe. Radio There are nearly 50 radio channels on European satellites, using audio subcarriers, slowly approaching the number in North America. Astra is a radio pioneer, with many interesting stations, both new channels and established international broadcasters. There are music stations, such as Sky Radio, Radio Luxembourg, and Holland's Radio Tien. Sunrise Radio is a commercial medium wave station in London for the Indian community there, now on satellite as well. Radio Sweden is now broadcasting over Astra 1B, on the Comedy Channel transponder at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier at 7.74 MHz. Our satellite schedule is also transmitted over the Tele-X direct broadcast satellite, using the TV4 transponder at 12.207 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.38 MHz. Another shortwave broadcaster to appear on Astra is Swiss Radio International, on the Teleclub transponder at 11.332 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.2 MHz. Solar Radio is a new station testing on the Sky Sports transponder at 11.509 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.38 MHz. A monthly program for satellite hobbyists called "Communicate 738" is being broadcast on an irregular basis. List of Radio stations broadcasting from the ASTRA satelites ------------------------------------------------------------- Station Frequency Subcarrier(s) TV station ------------------------------------------------------------------ Deutsche Welle 11.229 7.38 RTL-Plus Deutsche Welle 11.229 7.56 RTL-Plus Deutschlandfunk 11.288 7.38/7.56 Sat.1 Deutschlandf.Int. 11.288 7.74 Sat.1 Deutschlandf.Int. 11.288 7.92 Sat.1 Sky Radio 11.317 7.38/7.56 Sky One Hit Radio 11.317 7.74/7.92 Sky One Swiss Radio Int. 11.332 7.20 Teleclub Opus Radio 11.332 7.38/7.56 Teleclub Chiltern Super Gold 11.376 7.92 Sky News Radio Luxemburg 11.391 7.38/7.56 RTL-4 RTL-4 Radio 11.391 7.74/7.92 RTL-4 Star*Sat Radio 11.406 7.38/7.56 Pro-7 Radio-Ropa 11.406 7.74/7.92 Pro-7 Power-FM 11.420 7.38/7.56 MTV-Europe Quality Europe FM 11.435 7.38/7.56 Sky Movies ASDA storecast FM 11.435 7.74 Sky Movies Sunrise Radio 11.479 7.38 Movie Ch. Holland-FM 11.479 7.56 Movie Ch. Sudwestfunk 3 11.493 7.38/7.56 Eins Plus Solar Radio 11.509 7.38 Sky Sports Radio Luxemburg 11.523 7.38/7.56 Tele-5 Radio Sweden 11.597 7.74 Comedy Ch. A very interesting station called the World Radio Network conducted tests for one week in late April 1992 on Astra 1B, on the Sky Sports transponder at 11.508 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.56 MHz, relaying English language programs from a number of broadcasters, including National Public Radio from the United States, BBC World Service, All India Radio, Radio Australia, Vatican Radio, and Radio Sweden. Some relays were from satellite, some used digital ISDN telephone lines, and some were directly off shortwave. WRN co-founder Karl Misoga told us the experiment had gone well, and WRN hoped to begin regular broadcasts within three months. There are more far-ranging plans for services in German and French. WRN is also offering to relay international broadcasters over the National Public Radio satellite system in the United States. A few days after WRN's tests ended, a new station called Euronet took over the same channel for test transmissions. According to reports, it was set up by staff from Radio Caroline. Euronet management offered Radio Caroline the opportunity to broadcast for up to 16 hours a day live from the radio ship the "Ross Revenge". Caroline's offshore broadcasts came to end when the British government passed the new Broadcasting Act two years ago. Most recently the station has been operating with a special events licence in Dover harbor. When that came to an end, Caroline began broadcasts over Quality FM, which is on the Sky Movies Plus transponder on Astra at 11.435 GHz, audio 7.38 and 7.56 MHz. Britain's Radio Authority has intervened to establish who has the legal right to use the Radio Caroline name. Other audio subcarriers can be found on: DFS Kopernikus 1 (German channels) Eutelsat II-F1 (BBC World Service, VOA, Deutsche Welle, Sky Radio, etc) Eutelsat II-F2 (Eurojazz, Spanish channels, Radio Free Europe) Eutelsat II-F3 (Portugal's Radio Renascena) Eutelsat I-F4 (Spanish channels) Tele-X (Radio Z) Intelsat 512 (Norwegian channels) Telecom 1C, TDF-1 (French channels) Intelsat 601 (BBC and CNN) Satellite radio stations appear and disappear with the speed of light. Some stations rumored to be appearing in the near future include: Radio Nova (the former Irish private station, on a Eutelsat), religious broadcaster Trans World Radio (via Quality FM on Astra), and the American Forces Network. The BBC is said to be interested in distributing its Radio 1 and Radio 4 via satellite, possibly on the UK Gold TV channel starting on Astra in September, 1992. London's Capital Radio, also rumored to be interested in a satellite relay, may use the same transponder. British Telecom and IDB Communications are reported to have joined forces to offer broadcasters a European satellite program distribution and syndication service, using subcarriers on Astra 1B. Links will also be provided to the US using the existing BT/IDB IDAT network. The Third World In many ways, Third World countries have more to gain from satellite communications than do the developed nations. Arthur C. Clarke, who first proposed artificial satellites, is today a citizen of Sri Lanka, and a dedicated advocate of satellites for Third World development. As one of Sri Lanka's representatives at a UNESCO conference in 1981, Clarke said: "To many developing countries, satellites are ESSENTIAL; they will make it unnecessary to build the elaborate and expensive ground systems required in the past. Indeed, to many countries, satellites could be a matter of life and death." African Satellite Broadcasting In Africa, satellite broadcasting is expanding, particularly from South Africa. European satellites can be monitored in southern Africa, and there are even reports of reception of Astra (with a 4 meter antenna)! An important satellite is Intelsat 601 at 27.5 degrees West. While European broadcasters use this satellite for Ku band transmissions, C-band is used to Africa. The newest C-band beam to Africa from Intelsat 601 is CNN International on 4.055 GHz. Other users include: BOP-TV from the South African homeland Bophutaswana on 3.875 GHz. Canal France International on 3.915 GHz. Radio France International is also broadcasting to Africa on an audio subcarrier on this transponder. BBC World Service Television on 3.65 GHz, initially using the existing 24 hour news service to Asia. The signal is encrypted using the IRDETO system, requiring a decoder from the South African-based M- Net company. (This is in fact the same system used by the Dutch RTL-4 on Astra, but known there as Luxcrypt.) When the service is in full operation, BBC will be broadcasting between 00:00 and 09:00 and 15:00-17:00 hrs UTC. The rest of the time M-Net will be operating a pay-TV service on the channel. The South African Broadcasting Corporation on Intelsat 505 at 66 degrees East has dropped use of the B-MAC transmission system in favor of M-Net's IRDETA encoded PAL. The SABC may be moving as well to Intelsat 601, and also intends to move from the C-band to the Ku-band in 1994. The international French-speaking channel TV5 Europe is now broadcasting to Africa via the former Soviet Ghorizont 12 at 40 degrees East (on 3.725 GHz). Initially the European service will be broadcast, but a TV5 Afrique may be set up later. Besides TV5, CNN (3.825 GHz) and Portugal's new RTP International (3.925 GHz--this transponder was previously used by BrightSide) are on this satellite. Unfortunately, Ghorizont 12 is in an inclined orbit, which means that Earth stations must be able to trackthe satellite as it drifts in a "figure eight" pattern. Middle Eastern Satellite Broadcasting The Middle East is an expanding area for satellite broadcasting, centering around the Arab League's Arabsat satellites and Turkey's broadcasts to Turkish emigrants in Western Europe and the newly independent countries of Central Asia. On April 1, 1992 all services on Arabsat 1A transferred to Arabsat 1B at 26 degrees East. Arabsat 1C is at 31 degrees East. Both have 25 C-Band transponders, as well as one strong S-Band transponder around 2600 MHz. 1B is used to relay programs from Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Mauretania. One transponder is used for Inter-Arab news, co-ordinated via Tunis. CNN International is also on 1B. The Gulf War brought relays of Egyptian television to the Gulf. Egypt's information minister says the Egyptian Space Channel will soon be uplinked to one of the new Intelsat 7 satellites, as well as to European and Scandinavian satellites. Different languages are to be introduced, so the Space Channel can express the Arab perspective to the entire world. The Kuwait Satellite Channel began broadcasts via Arabsat 1-B on July 4, 1992, using the transponder at 4.052 GHz. The five hour a day service is in Arabic, except for a news bulletin in English at around 19:30 UTC. MBC TV, the Middle East Broadcasting Centre, is a London-based Arabic channel. Although it is Saudi-backed (the chairman is the brother-in-law of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd), the channel was briefly banned in Saudi Arabia for its bare-headed female anouncers. The Associated Press has described MBC as "glossily packaged news, fashion, music and travel programs", and an alternative to the Middle East's "often monotonous, heavily censored state television." The channel, which was founded in September, 1991, is part of a Saudi effort to bring Arab news to the world, influenced by the success of CNN during the Gulf War. Ironically, MBC recently bought the American UPI, one of the world's major news bureaus. MBC currently broadcasts to the Middle East and North Africa in Arabic via Arabsat 1C. Parallel transmissions continue to Europe on Eutelsat II-F1. There are plans to expand to the United States in mid- 1993, where it will compete with the Saudi-financed Arab Network of America. Arabsat 1C also carries: CNN (3.828 GHz), Saudi TV1 and TV2 (3.976 and 4.05), four channels of Indian television (4.118, 4.1, 4.135, and 4.188), and Omani TV (4.062). CNN is reported to be experiencing intermittent audio and video problems. Intelsat 511 at 63 degrees East carries Iran's IRIB TV1 and TV2 on Ku-band 10.990 and 11.150 GHz. The Turkish State Television TRT began satellite broadcasting 4 channels to Central Asia on April 1, 1992, using Ku-band transponders on Intelsat 602 at 60 degrees East (10.974, 11.138, 11.647, and 11.683 GHz). TRT hopes to reach as many as 57 million Turkic speakers in the 6 new Moslem states of the former Soviet Union. To reinforce the Latin alphabet used in Turkey, TRT will run Latin-alphabet subtitles several hours a day. Turkey's first 12 channel Turksat is due to be launched in 1994, with a second satellite 6 to 12 months later. Israel's Amos, carrying 6 or 7 Ku-Band transponders, is due to be launched, probably from French Guyana, in 1994. Asia and the Pacific There are 27 geostationary satellites in orbit above Asia and the Pacific. Four are former Soviet satellites, 7 are from Intelsat. The Intelsat satellites provide a variety of C-Band services. Intelsat 508 at 180 degrees East relays Australia's ABC, as well as Japan's JISO, and the American CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and AFRTS in NTSC. There's an RFO-France relay in SECAM and ITN/BBC news feeds to New Zealand in PAL. Intelsat 505 (66 degrees East) carries USIA/Worldnet, several Chinese channels, as well as television from Ethiopia and France's Canal France International. There are also Ku-Band transponders for Iran, Turkey, and the American AFRTS, directed to Turkey. Intelsat 511 (63 degrees) carries business communications for Malayasia, India, Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong. There are TV transponders for Thailand and Sudan, as well as sports feeds from Hong Kong to Britain. (There are also several Ku-band Italian channels.) There are Ghorizonts at 40, 53, and 90 degrees East. Each has 6 C- Band transponders, and the latter two have experimental Ku-Band transponders as well. CNN Headline News can be found in PAL on Ghorizont 12 at 40 degrees, on 3825 MHz. The Soviet satellite Ekran at 99 degrees East carries a powerful relay of the Orbita III program, on 714 MHz. This is between Japanese channels 53 and 54 and European channels 51 and 52, and is reported to be available all over Asia. Star-TV Asia No. 1 (or Asiasat), the first commercial satellite designed for Asian countries, was launched in April, 1990 by a Chinese Long March rocket. Located at 105.5 degrees East, it carries 24 C-Band transponders, half dedicated to a North Beam covering northern Asia, the rest to a South Beam covering southern Asia. The first pan-Asian satellite broadcaster, Star-TV, went on the air in August, 1991 on Asiasat. Owned by Hong Kong's Hutchvision, the service includes 5 channels, each on both beams (N/S): 1) Star-Sports (3.80 GHz/3.86 GHz) 2) MTV Asia (3.84 GHz/3.90 GHz) 3) BBC World Service Television (3.88 GHz/3.94 GHz) 4) Mandarin TV (3.92 GHz/3.98 GHz) 5) Star TV (entertainment) (3.96 GHz/4.02 GHz) (The northern beams are in NTSC, the southern in PAL.) The Hong Kong authorities have given permission for Star-TV to broadcast in Cantonese. This service will begin after the system's three year trial ends. There are also rumors that Star-TV intends to launch a new channel, in the Hindi language, following the success of its first 5 offerings. Star-TV now reaches at least 1.8 million homes from Asiasat 1. Pakistan's PTV-2 is testing over Asiasat (4.1 GHz). Malaysia's RTM-3 is also expected to start a new service soon. Asiasat 2 is planned to be launched in 1994. According to another report, a group of non-resident Indian businessmen is planning another Hindi-language channel, to be downlinked from a Ghorizont, with a second channel by the end of 1992 and possibly two more in 1993. Three of the audio subcarriers would be in English, French, and Arabic and long-term plans to extend the service into Europe and North America. As competition to the Star-TV service, Hong Kong Telecom International is offering a package of CNN, Home Box Office, and the sports channel ESPN over one of Indonesia's Palapa satellites. CNN has faced problems since it lost its aging Asian Intelsat, and the launch of a replacement failed. Indonesia has three Palapa C-Band satellites. Palapa B4 is now at 118 degrees East, Palapa B2P is at 113 degrees, and Palapa B1 at 108 degrees. All have 24 transponders. B2P provides television for Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines as well as Indonesia. B4 will be used by Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Other Asian Satellite Broadcasters Japan has been a pioneer in direct satellite broadcasting, as might be expected from its consumer electronics industry. The world's first direct broadcast satellite was Japan's BS-2. It's successor, BS- 3A, is positioned at 110 degrees East. It carries three 12 GHz transponders, and one wide-band data channel. Other Japanese satellites are JCSat 1 and 2 (at 150 and 154 degrees respectively) each with 32 Ku-Band transponders. CS-3a and CS- 3b Sakura (132 and 136 degrees) each carry 2 C-Band and 10 Ka-Band (17.7-19.45 GHz) transponders. On August 25, 1991 Japan successfully launched the BS-3B satellite, which can be used for high definition television. Eight hours a day of experimental broadcasts of NHK's high definition TV system, known as Hi-Vision, began on November 25th (the date, 11/25, referring to the number of lines in HDTV signals, 1125, nearly twice that of conventional TV systems). HDTV sets currently cost more than USD 30,000 in Japan. On February 26, 1992 an Ariane rocket put into orbit Japan's Superbird B-1 (or 1-E), at 158 degrees East. Superbird carries six new satellite TV stations, including CNN International. This satellite carries 10 Ku-band transponders and 10 Ka-band transponders, and can be received on 20-24 cm dish antennas. BBC World Service Television is to begin a 24 hour news and information channel to Japan by the end of 1992, together with Japanese partner the Nissho Iwai Corporation. While programs will be sold to terrestrial broadcasters in Japan, the service will also include direct to home broadcasts. India began using the American ATS-6 satellite for rural education, the SITE experiment, in 1975. The first Insat satellite was launched in 1983. Insat 1D at 74 degrees East has 12 transponders for telecommunications and 2 high-power S-band national coverage TV broadcast transponders (2.575 and 2.615 GHz). It is to be replaced at by Insat 2-A, launched on July 9, 1992. (This is the first satellite ever to be designed and built in India, and will provide telecommunications and weather forecasting, as well as radio and TV broadcasting. Insat 2-B is to be launched in 1993. India's Doordarshan and All India Radio also lease 4 transponders on Arabsat 1B (26 degrees East). China's DFH2-A1 at 87.5 degrees East carries 4 C-Band transponders. DFH2-A2 at 110.5 degrees was launched in late 1988. It also carries 4 transponders. SCPC traffic used by the Chinese military has been transfered from DFH2-A1. Intelsat is to relocate Intelsat 501 at 91.5 degrees East to provide expanded coverage to the Asia-Pacific countries. The move will take place during the first half of 1993. An Intelsat 7 satellite will be located at 174 degrees East after its launch in October 1993. The Pacific Australia's 3 Aussats are located at 156, 160, and 164 degrees East. They provide television to the Australian Outback, New Zealand, and the Pacific, using B-MAC. Each satellites has 15 Ku-Band transponders in the 12.25-12.75 GHz range. There are many new Pacific satellite services being planned: China is to launch Australia's Aussat B1 (also called Optus B1) in August, 1992, following the aborting of the first attempt on the launch pad in March. This satellite carries 15 Ku-band transponders, and is to be placed at 160 degrees East. Assuming the launch of Aussat B1 is successful, Australia is to have a 6 channel subscription satellite TV service, expected to start operation in early 1994. Viewers will use 60 centimeter dishes to watch the first four channels. The estimated USD 8 monthly fee would include rental of the receiving equipment. The 5th and 6th channels would begin operations one year after the initial service starts, presumeably after the launch of Aussat B2. In addition, the Australian government has ended the moratorium on pay-TV, opening the door to many new services. Following the success of Star-TV, the Australia Broadcasting Corporation is planning a Pacific and southeast Asian TV service, offering the best of Australian TV. Once the direction for the proposed service is known, plans will be put before the federal government. According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation Assistant Managing Director Malcolm Long, the ABC is still looking for a satellite. Asisat and Palapa are being considered, along with upcoming satellites from Thailand, Malaysia, and Intelsat. Radio Australia radio programming would also be included with the signal, and the target date is the end of 1992. New Zealand is also planning a satellite TV service across the Western Pacific and East Asia. Alpha Lyracom, the company behind the trans-Atlantic satellite PAS-1, is preparing to cover the Pacific with its OrbX system (apparently another name for PAS-4 and 5). When launched in late 1994, these will have up to 14 individual beams for transponders in both the Ku and C bands. The American company TRW has filed to launch Pacificom 1 in 1994, to operate in both the Ku and C bands from 172 degrees East. The footprints would reach from the American West coast into Asia and Australasia. There would be 11 high-powered Ku band transponders for DBS services, along with 8 C-band transponders. Pacific Satellite Company hopes to launch Pacstar 1 into an orbital slot at 167.5 degrees East in late 1994. This will cover the US West Coast, Pacific islands, and East Asia. Unicom intends to operate two Tongasat satellites on Tonga's behalf, first at 138 degrees East in 1994 and then at 170.8 degrees the following year. Coverage would be from Asia across the Pacific to the Western US. Each satellite would carry 12 C-band and 6 Ku-band transponders. In the meantime, Tongasat is trying to purchase or lease a Russian Ghorizont satellite, which it would place in one of Tonga's orbital slots. Asian Satellite Radio Japan has launched the world's first nationwide digital radio system, using BS-3A. The broadcasts use pulse code modulation, or PCM, matching the quality of compact disks, and free from the usual radio hissing noises. A Japanese company currently provides 440 cable radio channels. There are plans to expand the system to 1000 channels within 5 years, with the ultimate aim of 2000 channels. Since the Japanese are addicted to background sounds, the offerings include such things as steam trains, roosters, cows, army songs from World War II, and ringing bells. Global Satellite Channels The war in Vietnam was called the first television war, with the pictures of violence and horror on American TV screens night after night contributing to the feelings that fed the growing peace movement. The conflict in the Gulf was the first live TV war, broadcast around the world by satellite, and underlining the arrival of the first global TV broadcaster, the Cable News Network, CNN. Arthur C. Clarke, the English visionary who first proposed communications satellites in 1945, watched what he called "the first's first satellite war" from his home in Sri Lanka. In an interview with Reuters, Clarke said communications is power, and the forces unleased by satellites in the Gulf War have the potential for making the world a safer place. The further development of a satellite communications network with the wider availability of telephone, fax, and television, Clarke says, will make us one global family, whether we like it or not. Mark Rudolf, Managing Director of CNN International Sales in London told Radio Sweden the recent introduction of broadcasts via Astra is part of a global effort to upgrade CNN's satellites, including moves to a new Galaxy satellite over North America, direct to home over Japan on Superbird, Indonesia's Palapa, and the new Arabsat 1C to the Middle East and South Asia. CNN has also added a C-band Intelsat 601 relay to southern Africa and the Mediterranean. The conflict in the Gulf was also a boost for the BBC's long discussed plans for World Service Television, which became a reality on March 11th, 1991, taking over the existing BBC-TV Europe service on Intelsat VI-F4 (now Intelsat 601). In October, 1991 the 24 hour a day service to Asia via Asiasat began, and in March, 1992 the European service also expanded to 24 hours, using the Asia programming during the night. An African service, also on Intelsat 601, began in May, 1992. A DBS service to Japan is to be introduced by the end of 1992. The service is also to be extended to Australia and North America. Deutsche Welle plans to put its TV programs over the Atlantic using Intelsat-K to relay its signals to North America, beginning in the Fall of 1992. Brightside Broadcasting, which claimed to be a global satellite broadcaster, began operations in January, 1992 on Canada's Anik E1 satellite at 111.1 degrees West, transponder 23, uplinked from Atlanta, Georgia. The service was also relayed to other parts of the world on the former Soviet Ghorizont 12 and 15 satellites, at 40 degrees East and 14 degrees West. Those transmissions use the C-Band, which means most European satellite monitors were unable to tune in. However, Brightside ceased broadcasts in March, 1992. In July, 1992 Brightside said it was still waiting for uplink/downlink equipment to clear customs in Russia, and hoped to be in operation by late July/early August. One highly touted alternative to CNN has fallen by the wayside. Claiming that CNN is forcing US news on the rest of the world, Japan's NHK tried to create the Global News Network with other broadcasters from around the world. Under the plan, broadcasters from Asia, Europe, and North America would have been responsible for three 8 hour daily segments each focusing on their own region. But NHK has given up the idea as too expensive. Another broadcaster beginning a global outreach is the Arab world's MBC, which broadcasts to the Middle East and North Africa on Arabsat, Europe on Eutelsat, and is planning North American broadcasts by mid-1993. International Radio Broadcasting By Satellite While the BBC, Radio France, and Deutsche Welle can put out 24 hour services in their native languages by satellite, services which can be relayed over cable networks, it's much harder for small broadcasters. Both Radio Sweden amd Swiss Radio International now have satellite channels. But what cable system would relay them, each with a series of programs in varying languages? One possibility is for many international broadcasters to share several satellite radio channels, one for English, one for French, one for German, etc. Cable operators in Britain, for example, could offer one channel with alternating programs, say from Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and so on. An organization called the World Radio Network has proposed such a system of time-sharing, starting with an English language channel on one of the Sky transponders on Astra. It tested the system for a week at the end of April, 1992, and hopes to return with a permanent service. There are some other options farther into the future, such as Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) by satellite, also called BSS-Sound. This would provide high quality radio reception to portable receivers. BSS-Sound was approved by the World Administrative Radio Conference held in Torremolinos, Spain during February, 1992. Three separate frequency ranges were put forward for the new BSS-Sound service. The conference agreed that 1.5 GHz was the most technically suitable. It offers best reception for portable receivers, without interference from the terrain or buildings. Small whip antennas can be used and the satellites will be cheaper to build. However, politically many countries could not agree, one of the reasons being that their existing users at 1.5 GHz in some cases include the military. About half the world backed an allocation around 1.5 GHz, with the other half, including most of Europe, opting for a band around 2.5 GHz, while the United States wanted 2.3 GHz. The conference reached absolute deadlock on this subject, and it was only in its very last stages that a compromise was drawn up. This provided the world with three separate allocations for BSS-Sound. One is at 1.5 GHz--with a small portion of the band available immediately, another allocation at 2.6 GHz, and a separate band for the US at 2.3 GHz. The result is that digital satellite radio is now just around the corner, Provided, of course, satellites are built and receivers brought on to the market. Worldspace, based in Washingtion, DC, plans a service called Afrispace, which would broadcast 9 digital radio channels to Africa and the Middle East. The planned portable receivers are expected to cost around USD 100 each. The World Health Organization is supporting the project. Afristar 1 would be located at 12 degrees West, and Afrispace hopes to be operating by late 1994. Radio Netherlands has already signed a contract with Afrispace to broadcast 24 hours a day to Africa and the Middle East. An American company called the International Radio Satellite Corporation, or RadioSat, has announced plans to create a worldwide direct broadcast satellite service for international broadcasters. The aim of the enterprise is to ultimately replace shortwave broadcasting. RadioSat plans to launch three high-powered satellites, each with more than 200 channels to be leased to international broadcasting organizations. RadioSat says the Voice of America, BBC World Service, Radio Moscow and 5 other broadcasters have expressed interest and support. RadioSat hopes to launch the first of its three spacecraft in 1995. III. WEATHER, NAVIGATION, EARTH RESOURCES AND RESEARCH SATELLITES If TVRO is the satellite version of shortwave broadcast DXing, these satellites provide the equivalent of utility monitoring and scanning. The equipment required can be much less elaborate and much less expensive than for TVRO. WEFAX or Weather Facsimile, is the method used to transmit photographs and weather satellite maps via radio and telephone lines. The satellite version is known as APT. There are many low orbit weather satellites using this system in the 136-138 MHz band. Some of the active satellites that can be monitored are the American NOAA, along with the Soviet Meteor and Okean: Meteor 3-3 and 3-4............137.300 MHz Okean 2 and Meteor 3-5........137.400 MHz NOAA 10 and 12................137.500 MHz NOAA 9 and 11..................137.620 MHz Meteor 2-18, 2-19, and 2-20...137.850 MHz The American geostationary GOES satellites downlink on 1691 MHz, while the European Space Agency's Meteosats use 1694 MHz. Meteosat-3 has been positioned at 50 degrees West longitude, but in early 1993 it is to be moved to 75 degrees West. GOES-2 is at 59 degrees West, GOES-6 at 135 degrees West, and GOES-7 at 112 degrees West. Other "Utility" Satellites The National Bureau of Standards in the United States has been using two GOES satellites to relay time signals. The western satellite at 135 degrees operates on 468.825 MHz. The eastern satellite at 59 degrees can be received on 468.8375 MHz. The American Transit and former Soviet CosNav satellites provide navigational data to ships and submarines. They transmit simultaneously on two frequencies: Channel 1--149.910 and 399.762 MHz Channel 2--149.940 and 399.842 MHz Channel 3--149.970 and 399.922 MHz Channel 4--150.000 and 400.200 MHz Channel 5--150.030 and 400.082 MHz The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a new system that will eventually include 16 satellites in a 55 degree inclined orbit at a distance of 12,625 miles. So far 11 satellites have been launched. These provide accurate longitude, latitude, and altitude information to handheld units that monitor 3 to 4 satellites. They use spread spectrum transmissions around 1500 MHz. Besides the commercial version, there is a more accurate military system which was used by American Army intelligence during the Gulf War. Other interesting satellites include the American research spacecraft Hilat (149.988 MHz narrow band FM) and Geosat (150.015 and 400 MHz CW). India's Bhaskara 1 (137.230 MHz) and 2 (137.380 MHz) also use narrow band FM. MOS-1B is a Japanese Marine Observation satellite, which transmits on 136.11 MHz. Equipment An ordinary VHF-UHF scanner and a small non-directional discone or active antenna are usually all that are required for satellites in low orbit. Larger dish antennas and converters or special receivers are needed to tune in to GOES and other satellites in geostationary orbit. Computers and special interfaces or decoders are necessary to make sense of weather maps or telemetry. For more details about such equipment, as well as satellite tracking programs, see our book "THe DXers Guide to Computing" (available from Radio Sweden for USD 5, GBP 3, FF or SEK 30, DM 8, or 8 IRCs). There are many new interfaces available. Check out articles and especially advertisements in such magazines as "Monitoring Times" in the US and "Shortwave Magazine" in Britain. IV. AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE Besides governments and corporations, radio amateurs have also launched many satellites. The first communications satellite was in fact the Moon, which radio amateurs bounced have bounced signals off for years. In 1960 a group of radio amateurs in the United States formed the Project Oscar Association to design and build satellites for use in the amateur radio bands. Oscar ("Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio") was succeeded by the Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) in 1969. There are national AMSAT societies in many countries, and international headquarters is in Washington, DC. Amateur Radio Satellites: Satellite Orbit Beacon or Downlink Modes/Comments Oscar 10 elliptical 145.810/145.987 MHz Oscar 11 circular 145.826/435.025 RS 10/11 circular 29.357/.408 RS-10 CW 145.857/.903 " 29.407/.453 RS-11 CW 145.907/.953 " Oscar 13 elliptical 145.812/435.651 UO-14 circular 435.070 PO-16 circular 437.02625/437.0513 DO-17 circular 145.825 voice synth. WO-18 circular 437.0751/437.102 slowscan TV LO-19 circular 437.1258/437.15355 packet BBS FO-20 circular 435.795/435.910 packet BBS RO-21 145.987 FM/packet dnlink 145.800/.819/.838/.948 beacons UO-22 circular 435.120 (see below) packet BBS RS-12/13 circular 29.408/.454 RS-12 CW 145.912/.959 " 29.458/.504 RS-13 CW 145.862/.908 " Oscar 10 and 13 have elliptical orbits, which mean that they tend to "hover" over the Northern Hemisphere, making for long periods for contacts with little adjustment needed in tracking antennas. However, they require antennas with higher gain than those used for the circular orbit satellites. The former Soviet RS-10/11 and RS-12/13 are each two separate packages on the same satellite. UO-14 (UoSat-3), PO-16 (PacSat), DO-17 (Dove), WO-18 (WeberSat), LO-19 (LuSat) are known as "microsats" because of their small size. They were launched together with an Ariane rocket in January, 1990. UO-14 was made by the University of Surrey in Britain, following on UO-9, which was launched in 1981, and UO-11 in 1984. UO-15, launched with UO-14, stopped transmitting the day after launch. Owned by Volunteers in Technical Assistance, it carries a packet radio bulletin board, which is used to transmit free medical information to universities in East Africa. The service, known as HealthNet, is operated by an organization called Satel-Life. The information is uplinked from a ground station in Newfoundland. Ground stations have been shipped to universities in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The researchers who built the satellite at the University of Surrey are also developing portable ground stations that will fit into a briefcase, so that field workers can take them to isolated villages. Health-Net transmissions use packet radio at 9600 baud, with downlinks on 428.01 and 429.985 MHz. PO-16 was built by AMSAT-North America, and LO-19 by AMSAT Argentina. They contain packet radio bulletin boards (BBS), with uplink frequencies in the 2 meter band using FM and downlinks in the 70 cm band in SSB. Dove is a Brazilian-made "peace satellite". It has a voice synthesizer and also transmits standard packet AFSK-FM on 145.825 MHz. WO-18 was built by Weber State University in Utah. It contains an onboard camera that downlinks its pictures by packet radio. The Japanese JO-20 (Fuji-2) also carries a packet BBS, with similar up and downlink frequencies to PO-16 and UO-19. Conventional packet radio uses a system known as AFSK (Audio Frequency Phase Shift Keyed) modulation. This was used by some earlier amateur radio satellites, such as UO-11, and is used by Dove. Because of the Doppler Effect (frequency shift from high speed), satellite packet generally uses a different system called PSK (Phase Shift Keyed) modulation. Circuit boards and kits for PSK modems can be ordered from AMSAT-UK and the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation (TAPR). A commercial model called the PSK-1 is sold by PacComm (3652 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607, USA) The French satellite SARA is an amateur astronomy satellite, with a beacon on 145.955 MHz. It's use of an amateur radio frequency is controversial, and probably illegal. South Korea's KITSAT-A, or Oscar-23, is due to be launched soon. It will downlink packet radio at 9600 baud on 435.175 MHz. V. MONITORING THE SPACE SHUTTLE AND MIR Space shuttle communications have been relayed on shortwave from a number of amateur radio clubs at NASA bases. These are in single side band (SSB), and the frequencies to look for are 3860, 7185, 14295, 21395, and 28650 kHz from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland; 3840, 14280, 21350, and 28495 kHz from the Johnson Space Center in Texas; and 3840 and 21280 kHz from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Here are some reported frequencies connected with the shuttle missions: Shortwave (SSB): Western Test Range.............................. 5700 kHz 13218 Eastern Test Range.............................. 5190 NASA Tracking Ships............................. 5180 5187 Launch Support Ships............................11104 19303 NASA Kennedy Operations......................... 7675 USAF Cape Radio................................. 6837 6896 11414 11548 19640 23413 Shuttle-Mission Control.........................11201 NASA Ascension Island tracking..................20186 NASA CB Radios..................................27065 UHF (AM): Military aircraft emergency frequency........... 243.0 MHz Primary shuttle communications.................. 259.7 Shuttle space suits............................. 279.0 Primary UHF downlink............................ 296.0 Air-to-ground or orbiter-to-suit................ 296.8 S-Band (Wideband FM): NASA downlink................................... 2205.0 MHz 2217.5 2250.0 2287.5 Primary digital downlink........................ 2287.5 North American satellite TV monitors can watch the missions. NASA Select transmits live video from shuttle missions on the Satcom 2R satellite (72 degrees West) on transponder 13. A voice TV schedule update can be heard by calling American telephone number 1-202-755- 1788. Amateur Radio on the Shuttle There have been a number of amateur radio operations from the shuttles, known as SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment). The first was Dr. Owen Garriott, W5LFL, from "Columbia" in 1985. He was heard by tens of thousands of listeners and made two way contact with some 350 stations using FM with a downlink on 145.55 MHz. With the resumption of shuttle missions after the "Challenger" crash, amateur radio operations have resumed as well. Ron Parise, WA4SIR, operated from "Columbia" on a long-delayed mission in early 1991, with both voice and packet radio. Unfortunately, the signals could only be heard over the lower latitudes. The frequencies used were 145.51, 145.55, and 145.59 MHz. STS-37, on "Atlantis" in April, 1991, was particularly noteworthy, as all five crew members were licensed radio amateurs. There were hundreds of contacts with amateur radio operators on Earth. While a problem curtailed packet radio and slowscan television operation, the first television picture ever received on board a spacecraft was carried out using fast scan television. The Atlantis crew was also able to hear the Soviet cosmonauts on MIR, but were unable to complete two way communications. The entire crew of STS-45, in March, 1992, were also radio amateurs. Nine of the current astronauts have amateur radio licences, which means that virtually every launch will have an amateur onboard. Unfortunately most shuttle flights maintain an inclination of 28 degrees, which restricts radio contacts to stations within around 30 degrees of the Equator. Occasional missions use a greater inclination, such as STS-47, scheduled for lift-off on September 15, 1992, which is to have an inclination around 57 degrees. This will make it possible for many more people to listen to and contact the shuttle. MIR The former Soviet MIR space station can easily be heard with its powerful FM signals on 143.625 MHz. Voice communications are also reported on 143.42 and 142.42 MHz, as well as a beacon on 121.75 MHz. Data communications from MIR can be heard on 166.130 (or possibly 165.875) MHz. Other frequencies reported from the former Soviet space program are: Salyut space station (now crashed).... 19995 kHz Soyuz T-11 space vehicle telemetry.... 20008 Soyuz T-11 voice communications.......142.423 MHz Soyuz TM-3 and TM-4...................121.750 Progress 7 supply ship................166.000 Amateur Radio on MIR Several MIR cosmonauts have been radio amateurs. In 1988 amateur radio stations U1MIR, U2MIR, and U3MIR operated on 145.550 and 145.400 MHz FM. Musa, U2MIR, has been on the air in 1990 and 1991. Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, spent 8 days on MIR in May, 1991. She operated the amateur radio station there, under the call sign GB1MIR. Contacts on 145.55 MHz have continued in 1992. VI. MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS IN SPACE During the Gulf War, monitors reported that American military communications in the Gulf could be heard from the FLEETSATCOM satellite network between 240 and 270 MHz. Most of the voice traffic is in the 260 MHz range, and most is coded. One monitor has reported to "Popular Communications" American AWACS planes on 263.825 MHz and Saudi forces on 249.325 MHz. Other active frequencies reported were 261.825, 262.200, 262.150, 262.425, and 263.525 MHz. According to another report, traffic on Fleetsatcom 7 has been heard on 249.125, 250.350, 262.300, and 263.825 MHz. The American government and military also lease commercial satellites called Gapsats and use transponders on Marisat. These geo- stationary satellites use frequencies in the 200-400 MHz range, with most of the unencrypted voice traffic around 260-263 MHz. Since the shooting down of an American U-2 surveillance plane over the then Soviet Union in 1960, the United States has developed a network of spy satellites, some of which monitor radio communications. The most recent generation known to the public is KH-11, first launched in 1976, and the first spy satellite to transmit images in real time. A new type, called "Advanced KH-11" was first put into orbit by the space shuttle Discovery in 1989. The following satellites are active or have been active in recent years: (KH-11) 84-122A, 87-90A, 88-99A, (Advanced) 89-61B, 90-19B, 90-50A. In order to communicate with ground stations the KH-11 satellites use a system of satellites in polar orbits. The 14 current satellites in this Satellite Data System (or SDS) seem to use frequencies around 240 MHz and in the 1700-1900 MHz range. As there have been no SDS launches since 1988, there is a good possibility that the American Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) are taking over the task of relaying data from the KH-11 satellites. The next generation of American military satellites is called Milstar. Funding for 6 Milstars has been approved. They will be themost sophisticated communications satellites ever designed, putting all military communications in the same system, making possible communications between the various services. The former Soviet military and navigation satellites use the 149 MHz band, for example: 149.91, 149.94, and 149.97 MHz. VII. HORIZONS Space exploration can be expected to continue. The American space station Freedom is scheduled for launch in the late 1990's. AMSAT and the ARRL have submitted a formal proposal to NASA for a permanent amateur radio station on Freedom. The proposal includes downlinks in the 145, 435, and 2401 MHz bands. Three geostationary satellites would be used to relay continuous communications from Freedom. AMSAT hopes to have its own goestationary satellites in orbit in the near future. Until then, the system would use the TDRS satellites used for shuttle communications. Farther into the future, it may be possible to monitor communications from proposed Moon bases, expeditions to Mars, or future space colonies in Earth orbit. Moving deeper into space, radio astronomy probes the limits of the universe on wavelengths other than those of light used by conventional astronomy. To this belongs SETI, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Life. The United States is planning to launch a 10 year SETI project, using a super computer to pick up possible signals from any distant civilization. NASA scientists also plan to transmit radio signals to every star which can be detected in the universe, in the hope of getting a reply. Project META, a SETI project at Harvard University, funded by the Planetary Society and film firector Steven Spielberg (the maker of "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind") has searched the entire sky at 1420 MHz and is beginning a full search at 2840 MHz. These are both "water hole" frequencies where scientists think intelligent civilizations may try to communicate. There may be a role in the SETI quest for amateurs. Speaking to "Monitoring Times", astronomer Kent Cullers of the NASA Ames Research Center in California says that amateurs could try searching the 1-1.4 GHz range, because "interstellar noise is relatively low there." "Monitoring Times" points out that antennas are critically important, and suggests dishes, quads, and helical antennas. A computer can be programmed to scan frequencies. If signals are passed through a digitizer, the computer can break the information into small slices and can reject certain kinds of local interference. VIII. FOR MORE INFORMATION One way to keep up with the amateur radio satellites is to listen to one of the AMSAT nets on shortwave. Here are some: International Net--Sundays 19:00 hrs UTC on 14282 kHz European Net-------Saturdays 10:00 hrs on 14280 kHz Asian-Pacific Net--Sundays 11:00 hrs on 14305 kHz AMSAT and its national societies publish newsletters and sell computer hardware and software for use in monitoring amateur radio satellites. The main AMSAT address is: Box 27, Washington, DC, 20044, USA. AMSAT-UK is at 94 Herongate Road, Wanstead Park, London E12 5EQ, England. AMSAT-Sweden is at Box 1311, S-600 43 Norrkoeping, Sweden. There are a number of computer bulletin boards for space enthusiasts in the United States: 1-205-895-0028 NASA BBS 1-512-852-8194 AMSAT Software Exchange BBS 1-214-394-7438 Downlink BBS (AMSAT) 1-214-340-5850 N5ITU BBS 1-513-427-0674 Celestial RCP/M BBS 1-904-786-8142 Starship Enterprise BBS 1-804-743-0559 Astro BBS (amateur astronomy) The CompuServe HamNet Forum has a section devoted to amateur radio satellites. The Consumer Electronics Forum has a TVRO section. There are a number of other space forums on CompuServe, including a NASA section with news from the American space agency. For more information contact: CompuServe, 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd,. Box 20212, Columbus, OH 43220, USA. Also on CompuServe, in the Data Libraries of the HamNet and IBMEurope Forums, is "SatNews", a biweekly publication by Darren Ingram which is one of the best sources of satellite broadcast news we've found. It's available on many networks, including Fidonet and Usenet. "Dial-a-Shuttle" is a telephone number available during shuttle missions, with news updates and live relays from the astronauts. The number is 1-900-909-6272. The 1992 World Radio TV Handbook contains a new section on World Satellite Broadcasts, underlining that satellites now play an important role in international broadcasting. This section lists current and some planned geostationary broadcast satelliteslites, with some detailed lists of transponder useage. We made extensive use of the WRTH in compiling the section on Asian satellites. The 1992 World Satelllite Annual, compiled by Mark Long, has just about everything you could possibly want to know about communications satellites. It lists all the current and many planned satellites in geosynchronous orbit, with footprint maps and channel tables. There are chapters on satellite launch vehicles for the 1990s, the status of DBS in America, updates on Intelsat and Eutelsat, European Scrambling Systems, and the Satellite News Gathering Revolution. The book is expensive, at USD 100 plus postage. But for the serious satellite DXer, it's well worth it. For more information contact MLE Inc., Box 159, Winter Beach, Florida, 32971, USA. Together with Jeffrey Keating, Mark Long as also written The World of Satellite Television, a basic guide to installing, operating, and maintaining a backyard satellite dish antenna. Available for USD 13 from Quantam Publications, Box 310, Mendocino, CA 95460, USA. Communications Satellites, by Larry Van Horn, covers U.S. and Soviet manned space missions, military, weather, navigational, and communications satellites. It's available for USD 13. (*) The Hidden Signals on Satellite Television, by Thomas Harrington and Bob Cooper Jr., goes into detail about SCPC, audio subcarriers, teletext, and other non-video signals on North American satellites. It also covers the equipment needed. Available for USD 20. (*) The three books above are the best guides for satellite radio and TV DXing. Those interested in weather satellites should look into: The New Weather Satellite Handbook by Dr. Ralph Taggart. The new 4th edition is available for USD 20 from the American Radio Relay League, Newington, CT, USA, or from Metsat Products, Box 142, Mason, MI 48854, USA. (*) AMSAT and the American Radio Relay League have published an excellent guide to amateur radio satellites called The Satellite Experimenter's Handbook. (*) The 2nd edition is available for USD 20, from: AMSAT, Box 27, Washington, DC 20044, USA. AMSAT also publishes "Satellite Journal" magazine and "Amateur Satellite Report". Most of these books are available from a number of sources. Many of the ones marked (*) should be available from the following: "73 Magazine", Forest Road, Hancock, NH 03449, USA; Grove Enterprises, 140 Dog Branch Road, Brasstown, NC 28902, USA; Universal Electronics, 4555 Groves Road, Suite 3, Columbus, Ohio 43232, USA); and EEB, 323 Mill St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180, USA. Some books of interest to Europeans may be ordered from PW Publishing, Enefco House, The Quay, Poole, Dorset BH15 1PP, Britain. The best program listing for North American TVRO monitors is "Satellite TV Week", available for USD 48 a year from Satellive TV Week, Box 308, Fortuna, CA 95540, USA. There are a couple of British monthlies with channel listings and satellite news, "What Satellite" (57-59 Rochester Place, London NW1 9JU) and "Satellite TV Europe" (5 Riverpark Estate, Berkhamsted HP4 1HD). "Transponder" is a British newsletter, filled with information about satellite broadcasting. Published 24 times a year, it's available in the UK for GBP 37, in Europe for GBP 60, and outside Europe for GBP 75, from: Transponder, Box 112, Crewe Cheshire, CW2 7DS, England. "Satellite Watch Newsletter" is the magazine of the video pirate satellite underground, people who regard any kind of coding as a violation of American Constitutional rights. Lots of details on descrambler hardware and software. But 12 issues are available for USD 35, from: Walker Media Group, 6599 Commerce Ct. No. 103, Gainsville, VA 22065, USA. Radio Netherlands publishes an interesting leaflet called "Weather Satellite Fact Sheet", as well as "Satellites for the Shortwave Listener". Both are available for free from: Radio Netherlands, Box 222, NL-1200 JG Hilversum, the Netherlands. The Fall, 1990 edition of "Whole Earth Review" has an excellent article by Robert Horvitz called "Tabletop Earth-Watch Stations" about monitoring WEFAX, with the WER's usual good guide to sources. Available for USD 7 (more for postage abroad) from: Whole Earth Review, Box 38, Sausalito, CA 94966, USA. The American magazines "Monitoring Times" and "Popular Communications" have columns with the latest on North American satellite TVRO. "73 Magazine" has a column on amateur radio satellites. The British sister magazines "Short Wave Magazine" and "Practical Wireless" cover satellites very well from the European perspective. The emphasis in the former is on TVRO and WEFAX, in the latter on amateur radio satellites. For information about amateur radio astronomy, you can contact the British Amateur Radio Astronomy Society, c/o Steven Newberry, 19 Oakway, Kingsley Park, Birkenshaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD11 2PG, Britain. Reason not-withstanding, the universe continues unabated, terribly huge and terribly complicated. "The DXers Guide to the Galaxy", while relatively short, and undoubtedly filled with much that is wildly wrong, out-of-date, or at least of marginal interest, is nevertheless greatly inspired by (some might say plagerized from) Douglas Adams and "The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy". We hope he doesn't mind too much. For more information on this engrossing subject, consult the books and magazines mentioned above. We did to write this. Please note that things change rapidly in this field, numbers to computer bulletin boards even faster. This is as accurate as we could get it on the day it went to the printers, in August, 1992. There were undoubtedly mistakes then, and many changes since. We disclaim all responsiblity for anything due to these mistakes or changes. Should you have any information you would like to pass along, in order to rectify or update any of these unavoidable errors, you can contact Radio Sweden's DX Editor George Wood through any of the following electronic means: CompuServe Mail 70247,3516 MCI Mail or Internet (to the above CompuServe number) Fidonet to George Wood at 2:201/697 Packet Radio to SM0IIN on the SM0ETV mailbox Telefax +468-667-6283 In case of electrical failure the mail will also work: Radio Sweden S-105 10 Stockholm Sweden