Ims Radio Network On Amc 8

[Diamond Jim]

Sunday when I was at the 500 I turned on my scanner about 20 minutes before the Indianapolis Motor Speedway network came on the air (noon EDT) and they were running promos saying that "the broadcast of the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 will begin at the top of the hour with a 3 minute countdown on AMC 8, transponder 23, right audio." What I was wondering, why AMC 8? I have been trying to get that satellite, with no luck for three years. I have heard that it is spot beamed towards the west coast. I seems strange that the IMS Radio Network would have it's "world wide" broadcast beamed to a satellite that hardly anyone can get. Anyone have any ideas.

 

[voomvoom]

Jim, There are a lot of Radio Networks that use AMC8 for their National Coverage (I think). I used to listen to Genesis on one of the Galaxy's (G9 I think), and they advertised for 6 months they were switching to Starguide Digital Distribution, or something like that, and bragging they would be totally digital then. Of course when that happaened, I could no longer get it, so they lost one listener. You have to have an authorized Starguide Receiver, which I think you have to be an affiliate of the Network to get. I think there are several netwoks that use that system and the system is owned by ABC/Disney. Of course I may not be right with any of this, but I'm not wrong either.

Al

 

[mikekohl]

The Alaska beam is not being used on all transponders.
It's a point of argument as to how many transponders are CONUS versus Alaska;
go to Lyngsat and you'll find a map with a "typical" transponder coverage of
CONUS---but no map of Alaska beam coverage.

If transponder 23 (Vertical) was advertised for coverage of Indy, I would
guess that tranponders 3, 7, 11, 15, 19 and 23 are all CONUS beam.
(if not all vertical TPs).

All of the known Alaska transmissions are on horizontal (even #) transponders.

 

[hwh]

The americom site shows 3 beams: Alaska, Hawaii, and Conus. http://www.ses-americom.com/americo...dTeleports/coverageareas/cband/amc8/index.php

Unfortunately, they don't seem to say what transponder is pointed where. The conus beam is centered more or less on the Colorado/Wyoming/Nebraska junction. It has min 41 eirp all the way to the Canada border and east almost to Pennsylvania. The site also has a nice frequency plan listing that shows their satellite transponder frequencies.

 

[MikeI]

The Dodgers radio network is fed from AMC 8 tr 15 - you hear that on MLBradio before the Dodgers game starts each day

 

[Diamond Jim]

So, Mikekohl, you are saying that if there is something on the AMC 8 vertical TPs I should be able to get it here in Indiana, right?

MikeI, if I go to AMC 8, TP 15 and scan it with the Satworks and if the Dodgers are on I will be able to listen to it?

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
I'm thinking these are analog feeds, not digital

 

[mikekohl]

I have no idea either...because of terrain blockage here I cannot see
139 West at this time. All of the Alaska signals are on horizontal.
What you might do is attempt to locate the satellite and blind scan the vertical polarity and see what comes up. It is highly possible that these signals are NOT
in clear MPEG-2 free to air, and instead are in an encrypted non-consumer digital format. The barker message might have assumed that the listener was equipped with an authorized subscription decoder since the target market is radio station customers.

 

[voomvoom]

I think the Radio Networks on AMC8 use the Starguide Receiver and you'll have to get one of those and get it authorized to listen to any of those Networks. If you manage to get a receiver, I don't think anyone will authorize it without an affilliation agreement. My guess? Good luck Jim....

Al

P.S. I really don't know what I'm talking about. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Thanks for the replies, I was just wonderin'.

 

[mattb]

I think the Radio Networks on AMC8 use the Starguide Receiver and you'll have to get one of those and get it authorized to listen to any of those Networks. If you manage to get a receiver, I don't think anyone will authorize it without an affilliation agreement. My guess? Good luck Jim....

Al

P.S. I really don't know what I'm talking about. Hopefully I'm wrong.

No, All the commerical feeds to my knowledge on AMC8 use Starguide, I know Clear Channel, ABC, Westwood, Jones all have programming there thru the starguide platform, and yes you need their receiver and it needs to be authorized and they only authorize to radiostations with affilate agreements.

I suspect in the case of the Indy broadcast and the baseball game, the webservices are using authorized receivers to receive the feeds for the networks and rebroadcasting them, I know when MLB used to offer Cleveland Indians games on their website free before the big subscription rush a few years ago you would tune in and hear the RAW feed that the radio stations receiver heard including the countdown breaks prior to the start of the game broadcast and the absance of local commericals.