Astra 2F Testing Reception Reports

[BlindFaith]

I now picking up pan-euro spot on two transponders{11108 V and 11185 V}with 1.1m dish on Astra 1N.Both have 13.6 dB!
Maybe can help you to make comparison between the two spots on both satellites-Astra 1N & 2F:

we shouldn't mix the different positions. Otherwise it gets too confusing ;)

..but here you are. Both transponders on 28E carry ACM signals.

btw. this is taken from my 75cm multifeed fixed dish

 

[Llew]

wrong polarization??

No. If I hit on the vertical peak I just get noise in the constellation window.

 

[BlindFaith]

No. If I hit on the vertical peak I just get noise in the constellation window.

try again changing the frequency in small steps (1MHz)

 

[satesco]

You're right.let's do not mix the two positions.I posted signal from Astra 1 for Huevos if I understood well what he wanted.
I made a last scan on Astra 2F and unfortunately at this time I haven't managed to catch more transponders than those already known.

 

[park_gate]

Yes I do. But the satellite is 15º further east than it will be once it is at 28E. If the beam is pointing 15º further east you would still be well within the beam. But Solly and Satesco would pick up a significant amount of signal.

That Satesco and Solly receive this at all shows the satellite is pointing much further east than it will be when it arrives at final location.

Could you please clarify if you have seen reports form enough locations to say when they are testing the UK beam and if both you and Solly could see the UK beam at the same time?

Terry

 

[solly]

terry for not uk beam 10700-to 11200

 

[Huevos]

Could you please clarify if you have seen reports form enough locations to say when they are testing the UK beam and if both you and Solly could see the UK beam at the same time?

Terry

Something strange going on. Solly can see 12422 and I am struggling. But I had a good signal on 10754 but Solly couldnt see it. So either the orientation of the satellite has changed or there are multiple spot beams being tested.

 

[Llew]

try again changing the frequency in small steps (1MHz)

No luck. All noisy constellations +/- steps of 1 to 5MHz of centre. Definitely a horizontal carrier.

 

[solly]

how add 5 transponder activ 12591v pe beam

 

[solly]

now 11357v 2gb
and 12422 litel down signal

 

[BlindFaith]

double

 

[BlindFaith]

No luck. All noisy constellations +/- steps of 1 to 5MHz of centre. Definitely a horizontal carrier.

Llew, thanks for checking again!

A closer look showed that there could be 2 carriers. A vertical as well as a horizontal! I get a stronger vertical signal but horizontal also yields a very weak constellation diagram.

Here's my theory ;) The carriers are sent on different beams. V must be PE and H -> spot. beam. Outside of the spot footprint you will only see the vertical signal and right in the center the horizontal signal is even stronger than the vertical carrier. Apparently I'm a little off bullseye ;)
For proof more reports from users with the right gear (crazyscan, bigger dish) located in the spot beam area are needed.

 

[Llew]

That's a good theory Blindfaith. IIRC, I haven't seen two peaks before with the stronger, resolvable polarity below the weaker one (in my case horizontal being stronger). Yes, more reports needed.

 

[welshman234]

That's a good theory Blindfaith. IIRC, I haven't seen two peaks before with the stronger, resolvable polarity below the weaker one. Yes, more reports needed.

Are we saying that they could at the same time transmit 12442 on both H and V and the Uk would get the H on spot beam and Europe get the V on wide beam? What happens if you want to watch both programmes say ITV1 on H spotbeam and I dunno TCM on V widebeam? Bit confused.

 

[M60]

Are we saying that they could at the same time transmit 12442 on both H and V and the Uk would get the H on spot beam and Europe get the V on wide beam? What happens if you want to watch both programmes say ITV1 on H spotbeam and I dunno TCM on V widebeam? Bit confused.

That would work well for dual beams, i.e. Europe and UK, not sure like you say how good most LNB's in terms of Crosstalk would be between Horizontal and Vertically polarised Txp's to not receive one without some degree of the other thus reducing the C/N. SES have always put a 15MHz offset between transponders, one H the next V, maybe they plan to do what Eutelsat have done in the E28A bands once they (potentially plan, legally permitting) start to utilise the whole Ku spectrum at 28.2E.

 

[BlindFaith]

In principle, yes. It is quite common to transmit both polarizations simultaneously with the same frequency. If the sat has more than one antenna they can be transmitted on different beams. Freesat on 2F will probably restricted to the spot beam as is already the case now on 28E.

 

[Huevos]

Here's my theory ;) The carriers are sent on different beams. V must be PE and H -> spot. beam. Outside of the spot footprint you will only see the vertical signal and right in the center the horizontal signal is even stronger than the vertical carrier. Apparently I'm a little off bullseye ;)

Have you not thought it could be the other way around? i.e. Llew is off target, and you are within the spot (spot 15º east of final location would have it currently pointing at north-central Germany).

Also anyone got any theory as to how Satesco and Solly get 12422 while it is almost invisible to me? Again, the beam pointing further east could explain this. And also how have I seen 10754V so many times without Solly seeing it?

Are there more beams to this satellite than we realize?

Lastly I think there is lots of guessing with regard to orientation and skew, and where the satellite's aerials are currently pointing.

 

[welshman234]

Of couse this sat also has KA band ready for the French market I think- this isnt being tested too is it?

 

[BlindFaith]

Have you not thought it could be the other way around? i.e. Llew is off target, and you are within the spot (spot 15º east of final location would have it currently pointing at north-central Germany).

yes, but I refer to these (unconfirmed) footprints _http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_2f_satellite_reception_footprint_map_uk_tv_spain.php
IMHO the position on the clarke belt doesn't need to shift the beams as you suggested ;)

 

[Huevos]

the position on the clarke belt doesn't need to shift the beams as you suggested ;)

So if you get Astra 2F and shift it along the Clarke belt to 180º longitude do you think the UK spot beam will still be pointing at the UK?