Satellites on the move!

[moonman]

FCC approves D* satellite move

FCC Approves DirecTV Satellite Switch
The International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission granted a request from DirecTV to temporarily relocate its DirecTV 1 satellite from its current position at 101 degrees to the 72.5-degree orbital location.

The order also came with blanket authority allowing the satellite to communicate with 1 million consumer dishes, which will help support DirecTV's local TV service from the 72.5-degree location. The orbital slot is a Canadian-controlled location licensed to Telesat Canada which DirecTV is using through an agreement between the companies.

Customer traffic will be handed off from DirecTV 5 to DirecTV 1 while the satellites are briefly co-located at 72.5 degrees. Once the hand-off is completed, DirecTV has proposed using DirecTV 5 to replace a failing satellite, DirecTV 6, which resides at the 110-degree orbital location.

The International Bureau said in its order that DirecTV 6 has experienced repeated solar array failures, including issues that occurred as recently as March.

 

[jhnh]

Directv1 to 72.5

With the switch of Directv5 with Directv1 does the footprint change, will it get larger or smaller?

 

[fred29210]

What and When

Any idea on a time frame for the move? What does this mean for transponders 30 and 32 currently on DirecTV 1 at 101*?

 

[arymarc]

when will the satellite at 110 will be replaced? I am currently having low signal problems with this sat.

 

[charper1]

when will the satellite at 110 will be replaced? I am currently having low signal problems with this sat.

According to the latest transponder v channel assignment table I could find, this satellite appears to only be providing us (depending on your subscription) with the following:

070 - HBO HD
071 - Showtime HD
074 - Universal HD
078 - HDNet Movies
086 - WABC-DT (NYC)
087 - KABC-DT (LA)
099 - HD PPV (part time mostly)
599 - SpiceTV HD (part time adult PPV)

I sub to all these (except the PPV) and have no issues with these channels. What exactly are you experiencing?

What make, model and age is your hardware? Include any switches in the loop.

It is possible that once Spaceway 2 is launched, sometime on on after 7/28/05, that they might move one of the current birds from 101w, but we never know until there is an announcement. Maybe one of the insiders can speak on this.

Early 2007 DirecTV-10 & 11 are scheduled for launch and firm orbital location have not been made, but you can rest assured they will been in prime CONUS location.

 

[arymarc]

i have the phase 3 dish, using a hughes e86, i get low 50´s only on transponder 10, the other 2 are with 0 level signal. I am in south texas.

 

[charper1]

That could be a range of things. On the 110 transponders I am hitting 93, 91 and 97 so the strength is there to receive.

1. What are the signal levels on the other sats?

2. When was the last time you checked the mast (mount) for level & plumb?

3. When was the last time the dish alignment was checked?

4. Any switches other than the one built-in?

5. Have you checked the RG6 cable runs & connections?

 

[arymarc]

signal level in the other sats is 85 to 100..no switches, rg6 cable run and connectors are fine,

 

[charper1]

No line of site issues I assume? Trees, etc?

Have you tried another LNB?

 

[arymarc]

i have a clear view to the south...i tried my old 18 dish just focused to the 110 sat..also got a low signal, so I guess it must be my location, any idea when the 110 sat will be replaced?

 

[Ex Direcway]

Found this interesting satellite update at tvtechnology about Directv1,5 & 8.

"The FCC granted DirecTV Enterprises' request for special temporary authority (STA) to operate tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) functions for the DirecTV 8 satellite at 100.65 degrees WL using Earth-to-space frequency 17,307 MHz and space-to-Earth frequencies 12,203.25 and 12,203.75 MHz. The STA also allows operation of the Ka-band communications payload on DirecTV 8 in the 18.3-18.8 GHz (space-to-Earth), 28.35-28.6 GHz (Earth-to-space), 19.7-20.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 29.25-30.0 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands. The STA is valid for 180 days starting July 24, 2005. See FCC Report SAT-00308 for more information on this grant and a change in ownership for Intelsat Americas-13 (IA-13). IA-13 will remain on the Permitted Station List, which will be updated to reflect the change in ownership.

The FCC granted a request from DirecTV Enterprises LLC for STA to relocate the DirecTV 1 satellite from 101.125 degrees WL to 72.5 degrees WL and conduct TT&C functions with the satellite until it reaches 72.5 degrees. It also granted DirecTV Enterprises' request for modification of its authority to allow it to communicate with 1,000,000 receive-only earth stations, which DirecTV uses to provide local-into-local signals to U.S. consumers. When the satellite is relocated to 72.5 degrees WL, it operate under a Canadian space station authorization. Under the approved STA, DirecTV will off-load traffic from the DirecTV 5 satellite to the DirecTV 1, then move DirecTV 5 to 109.8 degrees WL location to replace a failing satellite at another orbital location. Details on these moves and the FCC authorizations are in the FCC Order and Authorization (DA-05-1890). The STA is valid for 180 days starting July 14, 2005."

Sorry for the whole article, but I cannot post links yet.

 

[charper1]

Same story? http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=77119

 

[silversurfer]

Merging threads....

 

[shramj]

Just curious, where do they launch the satellites from?

 

[Rappy]

Had the same problem

i have a clear view to the south...i tried my old 18 dish just focused to the 110 sat..also got a low signal, so I guess it must be my location, any idea when the 110 sat will be replaced?

Had 85 on transponder 8, 52 on transponder 10 and 40 on transponder 12. Took a receiver and tv out to the dish and hooked 110 up directly and got 88 on all three transponders. Put new connectors on cable run, still had low reception. Replaced the "RG6 coax and the problem was solved. I used Quad Shield cable, bought from ebay and somehow it was defective. New dual shield cable was the answer. Hope this helps.

 

[Tonedeaf]

Just curious, where do they launch the satellites from?

Different locations. They use Arianne in French New Guinea(?), Sealaunch(a ship) at the equator. and I think Russia somewhere.