Astra 2F Testing Reception Reports

[BlindFaith]

I would point the antenna at the wanted spot ;)

 

[Huevos]

I would point the antenna at the wanted spot ;)

Well if they are fixed antennas that would mean orientating the whole vehicle differently during the testing phase to how it would be in the final location. And also that theory does not answer the question as to how Solly and Satesco are receiving 12422 when you yourself believe this is being edited on the UK spot beam. If the spot beam were really pointing at the UK Satesco would be 2.7º off axis, and Solly quite a bit more.

 

[welshman234]

Looking at the original footprint maps again I cant believe anyone in Europe is getting the tested African beam even if it is some way off its intended position.......in Europe we must be looking at only 2 beams surely....

 

[solly]

it testing 12422h ,12208v few secend and down

 

[Huevos]

Looking at the original footprint maps again I cant believe anyone in Europe is getting the tested African beam even if it is some way off its intended position.......in Europe we must be looking at only 2 beams surely....

You are just assuming those are the only beams on the satellite. It wouldn't be the first time there were more beams on the satellite than on the literature. Astra 1KR is a good example. No one knew there was a spot beam on there until it was switched on. Also how do you explain Solly receiving 12422 but not 10754, while my situation is vice versa (although I can see 12422 to some degree).

 

[BlindFaith]

Well if they are fixed antennas that would mean orientating the whole vehicle differently during the testing phase to how it would be in the final location. And also that theory does not answer the question as to how Solly and Satesco are receiving 12422 when you yourself believe this is being edited on the UK spot beam. If the spot beam were really pointing at the UK Satesco would be 2.7º off axis, and Solly quite a bit more.

..too many uncertainties. I was just referring to @Llew's posting. The distances between the other observers are quite substantial...

 

[welshman234]

You are just assuming those are the only beams on the satellite. It wouldn't be the first time there were more beams on the satellite than on the literature. Astra 1KR is a good example. No one knew there was a spot beam on there until it was switched on. Also how do you explain Solly receiving 12422 but not 10754, while my situation is vice versa (although I can see 12422 to some degree).

Im no expert but isnt the Ka band also being tested??

 

[Huevos]

Im no expert but isnt the Ka band also being tested??

I don't know about Ka band tests, and anyway these could be done at 28E as there is no conflicting transmission from that position. I'm talking about the possibility of additional Ku band beams that do not currently appear on SES literature.

 

[BlindFaith]

Test on 11861V

 

[Huevos]

11826V +26dB. It's almost off the meter display it is so powerful.

 

[solly]

good signal for me also 11817v

 

[welshman234]

I don't know about Ka band tests, and anyway these could be done at 28E as there is no conflicting transmission from that position. I'm talking about the possibility of additional Ku band beams that do not currently appear on SES literature.

Maybe there`s more than one PE beam `-PE beam east and PE beam west or the west african beam is steerable and is so east skewed that solly gets it and you dont. All conjecture but I bet there will be a technical surprise somewhere...........

 

[BlindFaith]

@Llew, could you check 12300V? There's a very weak signal like the one in the low band at 11357H

 

[Llew]

@Llew, could you check 12300V? There's a very weak signal like the one in the low band at 11357H

It's way too weak to show anything sensible here.

 

[solly]

11680h weak signal 2db up

 

[Bengt]

Hi there


There’s something that’s really confusing to me, and I just have to ask:

I’m no expert, but I’m having a really hard time understanding the notion that because a satellite is testing at a position 15 degrees east of its intended position, its footprint would be shifted by the same amount.

Would there be any reason to do this deliberately?

I can’t see any other reason. I certainly can’t imagine a satellite being so inflexible that it can’t work properly at more than one position. (Look at Astra 2C. It’s been moved all over the place.)

Or take Astra 1N; It has been mentioned several times in this thread that its initial testing was done at 2e, but its intended position has always been 19e. If that had been shifted in the same manner, the spot beam tests at 2e would have been aimed at a spot well west of the British isles, presumably in the Atlantic ocean.

Or even now, for that matter; 1N is now at 28e. Surely the current spotbeam footprint isn’t shifted eastwards by 9 degrees? If so, I don’t think that reception in Spain would be better than in Stockholm, Sweden, which it currently is.

In other words, what am I missing?


Regards,
Bengt

 

[Huevos]

Comparative signals of 12206V. 12324V and 12422H here in the UK. 1.25M Gibby.

View attachment 50234

Llew, last night you were getting -47dBm on 12422H. How does that compare with the signal level you receive from Astra 1N (on the same dish)?

 

[Llew]

Llew, last night you were getting -47dBm on 12422H. How does that compare with the signal level you receive from Astra 1N (on the same dish)?

There's no equivalent frequency on 1N Huevos - any other frequency?

 

[Huevos]

One of the BBC transponders for example. And what the noise floor is next to that transponder. I'm just trying to get a sense of how powerful that transponder is at your location.

 

[park_gate]

<snip>
I’m no expert, but I’m having a really hard time understanding the notion that because a satellite is testing at a position 15 degrees east of its intended position, its footprint would be shifted by the same amount.

Would there be any reason to do this deliberately?
<snip>

They could point it at the UK but that would distort the footprint so invalidate their testing.

Terry