AMC 15 on the move

[BCH]

Not sure when it started but AMC 15 appears to be headed west.
Click image to enlarge.

 

[Frank Jr.]

I can hardly wait until its up and running at 105. I have had several large storms blow through my area with high winds which detuned my superdish for about 6 points. This doesn't sound like much but when only getting a 74 at best it really hurts. According to the weatherman I'm going to get hit with high winds again today. That superdish is one big wind sail.

 

[Wally Michaels]

E* is currently testing a mesh dish for the Super Dish.

Wally

 

[Frank Jr.]

E* is currently testing a mesh dish for the Super Dish.

Wally

I have the metal superdish maybe wrong but the plastic one looks sturdier

 

[rocatman]

The information from LyngSat is not accurate. AMC-15 was moved to 113 W for additional Ka band testing. Often LyngSat puts in initial move rates and then doesn't change them right away so that is why it shows that AMC-15 has moved past 113 W. AMC-15 should stay at 113 W for probably 60 days. It is required to begin its move to 105 W no later than May 21, 2005.

 

[fishman]

when that happens should it raise the signal strenght on the superdish ? we only get about 65-70 here in NC

 

[rocatman]

when that happens should it raise the signal strenght on the superdish ? we only get about 65-70 here in NC

The current satellite at 105 W is AMC-2 which has 60 watt transponders. AMC-15 has 140 watt transponders so your signal strength should increase substantially for the 105 W transponders.

 

[Poke]

Any word on the AMC 16 which was launched in DEC 2004??

 

[rocatman]

Any word on the AMC 16 which was launched in DEC 2004??

AMC-16 is currently at 85 W, its planned final location undergoing Ka band testing. The Ku band testing for AMC-16 has already been completed. Note that AMC-15 and 16 are basically identical satellites with both having Ku and Ka band capability. The Ku band is what AMC-2 is using currently at 105 W.

At the request of Dish, SES Americom has applied to the FCC to temporarily move AMC-16 to 97 W to perform further Ka band testing. Dish holds a Ka band license at 97 W. I believe this application had AMC-16 returning to 85 W sometime in May which would probably mean that any programming would start no earlier than June. The application has been stalled at the FCC for over a month maybe two months now.