Chasjonk said:
Can someone explain to me in laymans terms as to what must be done/accomplished to place a signal (such as the local channels) which at the moment on the 121 satellite are in CONUS format over to a spot beam on 121?
First you need to have a spot beam satellite in place at that location. These things are designed on the ground with special antennas. One cannot just convert CONUS to spotbeam unless the design was there in the first place.
Assuming the satellite was designed for spot beams, it is a matter of moving the channels off the CONUS transponder and turning on the transponder on the beam you wish to use. I don't believe 121 was designed for spots.
Also, any idea as to whether the locals on 121 because of the type of satellite it is (I understand that it is not the same type as say 110 or 119.... is that correct?, I've beleive I've seen 121 called a FSS) will be kept CONUS or eventually be set up on a spot beam?
FSS is fixed satellite service, which is a lower powered (hence bigger receive dish) satellite in a different part of the Ku band. DBS is direct broadcast satellite, the higher power service seen at 61.5º, 101º, 110º, 119º, 148º, and 157º (plus additional slots).
There is nothing preventing the launch of a spotbeam FSS satellite that I know of. But I don't believe that E*9 at 121º has that capability, and it being a new bird it won't be replaced soon. (It won't be moved either, as part of that satellite is owned by another company. E* can't bounce it around as much as they have their other satellites.)
JL