D-Day looming…

Doug, he of “Doug the Dish” fame, has e-mailed us with this update (1 Dec):

Several channels will be transferred next Tuesday when we should get a better idea of what is happening with our reception.

We have received this further update from Doug regarding the situation over satellite reception (5 Dec):

Some good news regarding 2F

These are some updates I am receiving, which, although I cannot guarantee it as accurate, is slightly better news….

Firstly, some channels are really going to move and might already have done so, such as:

Channel 5

5 USA

5* (Five Star)

4seven

Channel 4 HD?

BUT as of tomorrow, because the new Astra 2F is lacking some frequencies range it cannot accommodate some channels from Astra 1N broadcasting on those frequencies, therefore some of these channels will stay on Astra 1N until new Astra 2E arrives on orbit in Jun/Jul 2013.

These channels should stay for now:

BBC HD

BBC ONE HD

ITV 1 HD

Channel 4 HD

Channel 4

E4

FILM 4

ITV 2

ITV 3

ITV 4

BBC TWO

BBC THREE

BBC FOUR

CBBC

There is also some information here, too:

http://www.a516digital.com/2012/11/…k.html?spref=tw

Astra 2E to be launched in 03/2013 and it will take at least 2 months to test and move to its final position on orbit, and

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_chr/lau2013.htm

There are growing concerns that some or all of us could soon lose our UK TV signals following the launch of a new satellite.

A recent report in the Portugal News by Sky Realm here on the Algarve, headlined “The Future of Sky & Freesat”, sums up the whole situation, explaining:

With rumours abounding about the renewal of the Astra 2D satellite early in 2013 Sky Realm feels it is the right time to let all customers know what it will mean for watching their favourite programmes.

Firstly, they stress, this has nothing to do with the digital changeover in the UK as Sky and Freesat has been digital for many years.

There are several satellites aligned in space which homeowners’ satellite dishes point at, enabling views to watch Sky and Freesat.

One of these, called Astra 2D is a satellite that transmits most of the free channels including BBC, ITV, C4, E4 More4 and C5. This satellite has now grown old and is in need of replacing, with the new satellite due to take over in early 2013.

The problem is that while the signal in UK and Ireland will improve as a result of the new satellite, the signal at the extremities such as in the Algarve will be slightly weaker.

Anyone with a good quality prime-focus dish of at least 1.4m should not really notice much difference. However, people who are getting by with a 1.2m or 1.3m dish at the moment are at risk of losing some channels.

What Sky Realm is now advising its customers is to fit the largest dish they can accommodate following the motto big is beautiful.

The company says it is also important to know that this may not affect customers from the Lisbon area up through the Silver Coast as the signal up there is much stronger.

The other satellites that supply customers’ Sky channels are Astra 2A, 2B and Eurobird. Whilst these are also nearing the end of their lives they are not due to be replaced until the start of 2014.

To cut a long story short, your free channels will get weaker so insist on the right dish for the job.

The details of the new satellite can be found on this website:

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2012/11/21/astra-2f-ready-for-disputed-orbital-slot/

Their story reads: Astra 2F ready for disputed orbital slot

November 21, 2012 11.56 Europe/London By Julian Clover

Picture: SES

The Astra 2F satellite has entered commercial service.

The SES-operated satellite has now completed its in-orbit testing and is fully operational within the 28.2/28.5 degrees East neighbourhood. The 52nd SES satellite was successfully launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on September 28, 2012.

The map shown here with Portugal on the fringes of the satellite transmission area apparently reflects the coverage picked up by a 1.2m dish, although that (the size of the dish) isn’t confirmed.

Another website also offers technical information on the situation, should you be able to negotiate your way around it…

http://robssatellitetv.webs.com/astra2f.htm

On that same site there is this forum-type discussion page, with technicians and experts (and do I see the name of our very own Doug from the extreme Western Algarve) reporting the signal status from different parts of Europe.

http://robssatellitetv.webs.com/astra2freceptionreports.htm

*NB: It is important to understand that this article, written by a “Luddite”, is for outline information only, as a service to our members.

By no means should it be regarded as a recommendation of any sort, nor should it be taken as an authoritative account of the situation regarding the satellite changeover.

If you need any technical assistance or further information please consult someone who does know what they are talking about!