Dish Requests 148 W Suspension of Operations

[rocatman]

Dish has applied to the FCC to suspend operations at 148 W. Not suprising because of the E-5 propellant issue but Dish also noted that it wants to move E-8 to 148 W in 2011 after QuetzSat-1 is launched to 77W in August of 2011. I know this is almost two years from now but this also indicates that Dish has no intention of moving E-6 to 148 W. Here is the FCC website link:


FCC INTERNATIONAL BUREAU

 

[nelson61]

Looks like they have something planned for E6.

"

The next available satellite suitable for service – not earmarked for other service – is the EchoStar 8 satellite currently located at 77°W."​

 

[navychop]

Likely to be approved, or is someone else interested?

S5, maybe?

 

[mattoid]

So for now what can I point my 148 dish to?

 

[rocatman]

So for now what can I point my 148 dish to?

Dish has nothing at 148 W currently and if approved by the FCC, Dish will not have anything there until late 2011.

In regards to E-6, it has been speculated that Dish will move it to 61.5 W to help out E-3 and E-12. Dish can not use 4 TPs there because of failures and satellite limitations.

 

[AdamGott]

So for now what can I point my 148 dish to?

Good question. I researched this once and couldn't find any compelling reason to do anything right now (I presently have 110, 119 and 129 dishes). It used to be that you got different public interest channels on 61.5 but I don't think that this is the case any more (?).

 

[mike123abc]

Likely to be approved, or is someone else interested?

S5, maybe?

Probably no one. It is the 61.5 problem on the other coast. The eastern US has line of site issues for 148. It would be expensive to launch a satellite and have limited coverage. At least with VOOM they had most of the US population with good LOS.

 

[yaz96]

I have one of these also, can we point it to 118 for internationals?

 

[navychop]

With a Ka LNB, not a Ku.

 

[HDRoberts]

Looks like they have something planned for E6.

"

The next available satellite suitable for service – not earmarked for other service – is the EchoStar 8 satellite currently located at 77°W."​

I do find it disconcerting, though, that they are filing about something that will happen in 2011, but not a peep on E6. Maybe it is too close to deorbiting (though I doubt that).

 

[rocatman]

I do find it disconcerting, though, that they are filing about something that will happen in 2011, but not a peep on E6. Maybe it is too close to deorbiting (though I doubt that).

Perhaps Dish wants to get the 148 W suspension of operations approved before they submit a relocation request for E-6. E-6 was launched in 2000 and there has not been any reported problems that would drastically reduce its life based on propellant like E-5. I can't see it being moved to 77 W with both E-8 and E-1 there so 61.5 W is the only logical location for E-6 to be moved.

 

[TheKrell]

Perhaps Dish wants to get the 148 W suspension of operations approved before they submit a relocation request for E-6.

Eew. This implies they might move E6 to 148 if the FCC does not approve of this suspension.

 

[Voyager6]

Eew. This implies they might move E6 to 148 if the FCC does not approve of this suspension.

Maybe E* is evaluating whether E3 has the fuel to move to 148.

 

[rocatman]

Maybe E* is evaluating whether E3 has the fuel to move to 148.

This is certainly a possibility but I think Dish would rather have E-3, E-6 and E-12 at 61.5 W because Dish could use some if not all of the E-6 TPs in double power mode allowing them to use 8PSK for the E-6 TPs used there.

Dish has a few other options for holding onto 148 W. One would be to commit E-7 to be moved there once E-14 is launched and operational which should occur by mid 2010. The other possibility is for Dish to buy/lease someone else's old satellite such as one of DirecTV's or Bell TV/Telesat.

 

[digiblur]

With a Ka LNB, not a Ku.

Circular KU is used for internationals.

 

[HDRoberts]

Good point about E7. It should be available before E8 with E14 launching in March. I wonder what plans are for that.

 

[whatchel1]

D*

With a Ka LNB, not a Ku.

D* is the only DBS that is using Ka.

 

[nelson61]

Perhaps Dish wants to get the 148 W suspension of operations approved before they submit a relocation request for E-6. E-6 was launched in 2000 and there has not been any reported problems that would drastically reduce its life based on propellant like E-5. I can't see it being moved to 77 W with both E-8 and E-1 there so 61.5 W is the only logical location for E-6 to be moved.

With both E14 and E15 schedules for 2010, they may not want to move anything. NIMIQ 5 has become very important and could justify instant backup using E6. E15 and E14 need similar rapid backup support which the existing satellites at those locations would provide .

 

[navychop]

Circular KU is used for internationals.

D* is the only DBS that is using Ka.

I stand corrected.

It's not what we don't know that gets us in trouble so much as the things we know that ain't so.

 

[mike123abc]

I am sure that Dish does not want to move E6 to 148. They really need the TPs at 61.5. Perhaps they approached the FCC unofficially and were told they would be on the hot seat for 148 if they did not get this approved.