AMC8 Powering Down

[iBoston]

So, I read that they are discontinuing orbital position 139. Everything will migrate to other locations. I found articles about the radio stations moving to 105w. I was actually surfing through the radio stations a couple days ago to find ones that had 24/7 feeds and was prioritizing some of them.

I found no mention of the Alaskan mux. Maybe if they move, there might be periods of FTA for those channels. I also think i read (a year back or so) that the Alaskan mux was a backup.. Maybe they will shutdown??

I might be wrong, but i could have sworn i ran into duplicates of those radio stations already on another bird, but I cannot remember which bird that was.. Maybe it was 105w. - Ill hunt around... But, the article said that duplicate feeds was not going to occur until February.

 

[hank123]

105w would offer more coverage across United States especially those East

 

[radio]

Wasn't Alaska on 137? Used to enjoy that....for a very long time. Maybe there's been two feeds for Alaska's stuff.

The memo we got on the move of the content for radio stations stated the one oh five was chosen for it's remaining life...and, likely because of it being higher, which, for many stations is a good thing...given the growth of obstructions over the lifetime of the current satellite. We're lucky....nothing for a long way obstructs...and the closest trees are across the road and then in the BACK of the neighbors' property....but not all stations have had that luxury. For me, it may be a decision as to WHICH dish I want to use. I could re-up the large Scientific-Atlanta unit on our property's south side....it's still wired, away from all obstructions, and free up a 10 or 12 footer for my FTA use! Can't wait to get things moved and rolling in FEB!

 

[iBoston]

Yea, the Alaskan mux was on 137w. Less than a couple years back, and there was some FTA. I've never seen it FTA on 139w.

 

[hank123]

I think the Alaskan mux moved to 139 but it is all locked.

 

[norman881]

I think the Alaskan mux moved to 139 but it is all locked.

There are 8 channels in the clear on 139. 4056 H 13250

 

[iBoston]

There are 8 channels in the clear on 139. 4056 H 13250

Can you lock that???... I used satsignature, and it doesn't look like anything is on Horizontal. Lyngsat shows that, but i have never gotten a hint of signal on it.

 

[Titanium]

These ITC channels are coming in fine in Northern California.

 

[norman881]

These ITC channels are coming in fine in Northern California.

Thanks Brian! I would not have been able to check until after work.

 

[iBoston]

I never knew there was anything still there, because i checked it with SatSignature, and it doesn't show any visible plateau that I'm used to seeing. I just figured lyngsat was not updated. By chance is it a spot beam???

 

[Titanium]

Here is a Blind Scan and a Spectrum of 139W from my system. 4056 is a weaker TP at 8.4dB SNR on the 10'.

 

[iBoston]

Here are some shots from sat signature between the vertical and horizontal. Is anyone in Central U.S. or Eastern U.S. getting this TP? If you notice the DB level on the Horizontal side is far less than everything on the Vertical.

 

[Jason S]

Is anyone in Central U.S. or Eastern U.S. getting this TP?

I checked last night but no luck for southeast Kansas. The Q on the receiver fluctuated like there was some signal, but wouldn't lock. Mike Kohl's list from May 2015 shows it as an Alaska beam.

 

[Titanium]

If you notice the DB level on the Horizontal side is far less than everything on the Vertical.

The SatSignature horizontal "signal level" measurement barely above the base noise threshold. I doubt that a consumer STB would log a transponder with this signal or low SNR. Notice that the maximum strength measured on the horizontal polarity is -52dB compared to the base reading on the Vertical side.

 

[iBoston]

I'm thinking its a SPOT beam not accessible for most of us.

 

[Radioguy41]

It's very dependant on the weather but on a good day I can pull one TP in (can't remember which one off-hand) here in eastern PA on my 7.5' dish. Winter is much better than Summer, unless it's snowing.

 

[MikeI]

Horizontal channels are spot beam to alaska, wash oregon, no cal

 

[azcoder]

No signals here in central Arizona either on a 10 dish.

 

[iBoston]

Well, if anyone hears any rumors as to what they are gonna do with the Alaskan muxes when AMC8 shuts down next summer , please post them here..

 

[Lone Gunman]

Yup, I'm in the central part of Virginia and I can't even get a sniff on 4056? I can lock several of the V TPs and get 72 to 76% Q on them but 4056 H a is no go.