Amc8

[Mr Tony]

I know this has been asked before but couldnt find a definite answer

Has anybody NOT in the Alaska or Pacific time zones able to get the stuff on AMC8 (139W)?

I looked at the footprint map for AMC8 and it shows the whole US but rumor was its a spotbeam.

 

[voomvoom]

I've never been able to get it here in Georgia. I've tried several times over the years. My last attempt was this past weekend. That Bird is in the "Twilght Zone".

Al

 

[Mr Tony]

what doesnt make sense is the EIRP for MN is the same as Alaska

 

[iammike]

I can get it in sw. va, there's not much on it anymore though. The FTA networks out of Alaska were scrambled several months ago. Last time I checked it, I picked up a remote from a local news channel out on the west coast somewhere and that was pretty much it. That was when I first got my Coolsat. Haven't tried in a while though. If I can remember to do it, I'll check again this weekend.

 

[1inabillion]

know this has been asked before but couldnt find a definite answer

Has anybody NOT in the Alaska or Pacific time zones able to get the stuff on AMC8 (139W)?

I looked at the footprint map for AMC8 and it shows the whole US but rumor was its a spotbeam.

Billion Here

I use a SCPC receiver on AMC8 see the below thread

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?p=482893#post482893

 

[Mr Tony]

mike
The networks are on AMC7...I was wondering about AMC8 with the PBS and ARCS (the mix of different stations). I know we can get AMC7 in MN (PSB had it for a while on his 5 footer)

 

[iammike]

mike
The networks are on AMC7...I was wondering about AMC8 with the PBS and ARCS (the mix of different stations). I know we can get AMC7 in MN (PSB had it for a while on his 5 footer)

Whoops! My bad. It still seems like I've got AMC8 though but I'm not certain. Now you've got me curious. I'll see what I can see this weekend.

 

[Mr Tony]

heres the list
http://www.lyngsat.com/amc8.html

 

[voomvoom]

I remember trying to get it years ago for AFRTS. ESPN had scrambled and AFRTS showed there live events. That's the reason AFRTS is scrambled today, because ESPN refused to allow there feeds anymore if they didn't scramble them. But anyway, AFRTS was on another bird (maybe one of the Westars) and moved to C5. C5 is now AMC8. That was the last of AFRTS for me.

Al

 

[mkm4]

what doesnt make sense is the EIRP for MN is the same as Alaska

If you read the specs, SES-Americom call it a "Typical Footprint". Notice it doesn't say "Actual" footprint.

 

[Mr Tony]

thats what I figured....but I am trying to figure out what the ACTUAL is

 

[i4tas]

I tryied...

AARCS website: http://www.alaska.net/~arcs/arcs/index.html

This is the email i got from them:

By my calculations, you should be able to see AMC 8 without any difficulty, however, the spot beam that feeds Alaska may not be strong enough where you are for you to use. In any case, here are the numbers.



Elevation: 20.1 degrees.

Azimuth: 241 magnetic or 239.3 true (I can’t vouch for the accuracy on the magnetic because I don’t know if my calculator uses the most recent deviation data)

Polarity: Horizontal

Frequency: 4.1675 GHz (4167.5 MHz) C Band, or if your receiver wants the LBand number it is 982.5 MHz.

Symbol Rate: 4.2 Megasymbols (4200 Kilosymbols)

FEC Rate: 3 / 4



I am assuming you have a digital ready LNB.



If you can see ARCS, then you will also be able to see the other three statewide channels; Alaska One (statewide PBS channel) can be found at 4180 MHz (970 MHz LBand), UATV (University of Alaska Television) and the Alaska Legislature’s Gavel to Gavel channel are at 4160 MHz (1090 MHz LBand). These last two are a dual stream, and their symbol rate is 8.1 Megasymbols.



All channels are FTA, MPEG-II, and a standard MPEG-II satellite receiver should pick them up. Our system is primarily Scientific Atlanta PowerVu receivers, but we’ve got viewers with other brands including consumer gear such as the DMT-1050. It has a search function that lets you program one of our channels then search for all the rest on the satellite and it will find them automatically. Audio for the video channels is mono on 1-Left. There are other audio services on the other audio channels, including public radio stations in Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka, and Fairbanks. In fact, see this page for more information and a complete list.



Good Luck. I’d be interested in a follow-up to know if you were successful.



Steve
ARCS Technical Support​

I NEVER GOT IT

 

[iammike]

I did a blind scand and I'm getting strong signals and quality on a couple of different frequencies but can't find any channels. Here's what I'm finding:

Fr: 4.161 GHz SR: 11.310 Pol: H Signal 87% Qual. 97%
Fr: 4.128 GHz SR: 10.054 Pol: H Signal 82% Qual. 94%

As reference, I can get the Nasa channels on W7 (AMC-7) just fine, although the signal and quality numbers are signifcantly lower.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I have been trying for over two years with no luck. I have a clear shot at it, but get nothing. I tried it with the new box thinking that might do it, same results. Everything on AMC 8 is DVB, shouldn't this be in the FTA area?

 

[Diamond Jim]

ESPN had scrambled and AFRTS showed there live events. That's the reason AFRTS is scrambled today, because ESPN refused to allow there feeds anymore if they didn't scramble them.

Al,

I beg to differ. I was on AFRTS (TV) and AFRS (radio) in my spare time when I wasn't securing the radar sites from those "dreaded commies." I have kept in touch with a friend of mine and he told me that they were scrambled because there were certain programs that were intended for military people only. I was doing this in the early 70s, before satellite signals and we received our programming on film so in those days, it didn't matter, but yes there was things we showed that the general public had no business seeing. I remember AFRTS and the Playboy channel being on F4, which was the most eastern satellite at that time.

Back to the topic, when it was Satcom F5 (early to mid 80s) I could pick up weak analog signals, but they were watchable. They always had the Alaskan Shootout backhauls.

 

[voomvoom]

Jim I don't know the real reason and you're probably right and I won't argue that, besides that makes sense, but I remember reading in Orbit or some other sat magazine at the time, the reason I give above. It was someone from AFRTS saying this with an apology/excuse to those who would be effected about it, like me. I'm sure there was stuff on there they didn't want the Commies to see, but there was also stuff that ESPN didn't want me to see, so I sure there might be some truth to that also. I may be putting the blame on ESPN, when AFRTS could have said that lame excuse for the public. And yes they were on F4, but they were also on a sat towards the west coast, I can't remember which one, and they moved that AFRTS channel to C5. And it was C5 before it was F5, if I remember right. And AMC7 or the location its at was C1 at one time and it later became F1. In fact in my thinking now, I'm thinking they moved F4 over to C5 to replace it and changed the name to F5. But, I don't know, that was long ago. I just know I read that about ESPN vs. AFRTS somewhere.

Al

 

[Diamond Jim]

I agree with what you say. I figure that the lame ESPN excuse was because in this day and age the government would catch a lot of flak from the liberals saying they were trying to hide something if they gave the real reason. And yes, it would be President Bush's fault. I am starting to think if for some reason the sum rose in the west, it would be his fault. I want to say that AFRTS disappeared in the mid to late 80s. Of course I am getting to the stage in my life where something seems like it happened 2 weeks ago when in reality in happened 2 years ago. This getting old is hell.:devil:

 

[photoman76]

I did a blind scand and I'm getting strong signals and quality on a couple of different frequencies but can't find any channels. Here's what I'm finding:

Fr: 4.161 GHz SR: 11.310 Pol: H Signal 87% Qual. 97%
Fr: 4.128 GHz SR: 10.054 Pol: H Signal 82% Qual. 94%

As reference, I can get the Nasa channels on W7 (AMC-7) just fine, although the signal and quality numbers are signifcantly lower.

Those signals are actually vertical polarity. They are Starguide III signals for national ABC and Clear Channel radio program distribution. The signals are not compatible with mpeg2/dvb receivers.

Here in San Jose Calfornia, I can occasionally receive the Alaska stations on my 7 1/2 foot dish. I've heard of a person in Los Angeles that can receive them on a 26 foot dish.

 

[mikekohl]

Previous occupants of the 139 West (and the Aurora satellite at 143 West...way before that), have had an 18/6 transponder split.
18 transponders were on an Alaskan spot beam, and
6 transponders were CONUS (typically TR 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23).

I don't know which transponders on AMC-8 are CONUS and which are ALASKA beam, but would bet that it's at least 12 Alaska beam channels, if not more. All of the channels that ARCS mentioned are definitely on Alaska beam. SEDAT and similar digital audio channels used by broadcast stations on this satellite are on CONUS beam, and broadcasters are advised to be very selective on their feedhorns
(the former ADL RP-1 worked best for my customers), and an antenna of at least 12 feet in diameter.

In any case, signals on this satellite are elusive to all but those in the Pacific NW. You are not going to get Alaskan TV in the Midwest---if it was possible, I would have made arrangements to do it myself long ago!

 

[fortyfives]

I am in Tennessee, just east of Nashville and I have never been able to get AMC 8. That may be due to the fact that there may be the tops of some of my neighbors trees blocking the signal. I get AMC 10 great and a usable signal on AMC 7.