Apparently-to: scdx@get.pp.se
From: "George Wood" 
the Kirch Group is switching its strategy to renting decoder boxes
rather than selling them to viewers. So far, Kirch's DF-1 service has
only 30,000 subscribers, instead of the projected 500,000. Rival
Premiere has more than 100,000 subscribers for its digital package.
many of them are old customers who have traded their analog decoders
for the new digital models. ("Wall Street Journal" and Richard
Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
INTELSAT--Russia's RTR, Telekanal Rossija, is in clear MPEG-2 on
Intelsat 604 (60 degrees East) on 11.135 GHz. ("SATCO DX Chart
Update")
ORION--Italy's Cinquestelle has started in clear MPEG-2 on Orion 1,
12.603 GHz. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
ASIA/PACIFIC
HONG KONG--A Hong Kong satellite broadcaster has accused Western media
of bias and slanted reporting that gives a distorted image of the
tensions in the run-up to the territory's handover to China next
month. "I urge you not to listen to the negative rumors and bad
mouthing from some quarters in Hong Kong," Robert Chua, chairman of
China Entertainment Broadcast Ltd (CETV) told the Singapore
Confederation of Industries on May 23. Chua said in his speech that
there was too much freedom to display graphic images of sex and
violence on Western television. (Reuters)
China's state television will feed the world a steady diet of news and
documentaries on the return of the British colony to Chinese rule. For
72 hours from 22:00 hrs UTC on June 30, Chinese-language channels of
China Central Television will broadcast handover-related news,
documentaries, and reports on celebrations and other events in Hong
Kong and across China. It will use satellite transmission to give the
world a chance to see the festivities linked to Hong Kong's return to
Chinese sovereignty. CCTV's English-language channel will provide
similar broadcasts for 41 hours from 22:55 hrs UTC on June 30.
(Reuters)
The BBC is devoting considerable programming during June to Hong Kong
and China on both BBC World Service radio and the BBC World all-news
TV channel. Both will also extensively cover the handover on June 30.
JAPAN--Several new channels have been added to the PerfecTV package:
  217 TVSN - TV Shopping Network
  223 Kojima Shopping World
  257 CNN International
  270 MTV Japan
  273 Star Plus Japan
  281 Shoku Channel
  286 The Golf Channel
  313 Star Channel
  336 ABN - Asian Business Channel
  360 Super Channel
  361 Family Gekijo
  370 Let's Try
  372 Home Channel
  385 Kerin Channel 1
  386 Kerin Channel 2
("SATCO DX Chart Update")
CHINA--Chinasat 6 (previously called Dongfanghong 3) has reached its
proper orbit at 125 degrees East. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
ASIASAT--On 19 May, WorldNet started on 3.880 GHz, in clear PAL on
Asisat-2.
MEASAT--Measat India promos can be seen on 12.284 and 12.346 GHz in
MPEG-2 on Measat-1. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
THAICOM--Thaicom 3 started official transmissions at 78.5 degrees East
on 23 May. TVT Channel 11 is back in PAL, now on Thaicom 3 on 3.870
GHz. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
PAS--Promos for Rupert Murdoch's ISkyB have started on PAS-4 on
several channels between 12.200 and 12.500 GHz, in MPEG-2. ART
Australia and RAI International are on PAS-4 on 3.966 GHz in clear
MPEG-2. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
INTELSAT--The Iranian opposition channel Sima-yeh Moghavmat (Vision of
Resistance) has moved from PAS-4 to Intelsat 602 on 4.188 GHz. 
India's ETV (Eanadhu TV) is on Intelsat 704 (66 degrees East), on
4.068 GHz, in clear MPEG-2.  ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
NEPAL--Nepal's first private radio station was scheduled to start test
operations yesterday, after getting a broadcast licence from the
government. Radio Sagarmatha, named after the Nepalese name for Mount
Everest, is broadcasting educational, informative, and entertainment
services for two hours every morning on a trial basis in the Kathmandu
area. After a two month trial period, Radio Sagarmatha will gradually
extend its daily service. (Xinhua news agency)
NORTH AMERICA
REED HUNDT--Reed Hundt has announced his resignation as head of the US
Federal Communications Commission. He's best known for implementing
last year's sweeping communications law, intended to open up local
telephone monopolies and allow cable and telephone operators to enter
each others' turf. He has also overseen the FCC's introduction of
digital television, granting existing TV stations allocations for
digital channels. His term was due to expire on June 30, 1998.
(Reuters)
MURDUCH STRIKES BACK--Just weeks after his satellite TV venture with
EchoStar collapsed, Rupert Murdoch has apparently found a new and
unexpected partner to satisfy his American Sky Broadcasting satellite
ambitions, Primestar, owned by the nation's biggest cable companies.
Murdoch's News Corp has reached a tentative agreement to receive a
minority, non-voting stake in Primestar in return for its still-
unfinished satellites and the orbital slots it owns with partner MCI.
(Reuters)
The deal is remarkable because Time Warner is a major owner of
Primestar, and the company has been feuding with Murdoch over its
refusal to carry his Fox News channel on cable in New York City. In
return, Murdoch killed plans to carry the Warner Brothers TV channel
as part of his British Sky Broadcasting channels. 
Rupert Murdoch is also poised to add Pat Robertson's International
Family Entertainment to his media empire. Analysts say the Robertson
company and its Family Channel could provide much needed content for
Murdoch's global satellite channels. (Glenn Hauser)
TELSTAR--Telstar 5 was succsfully launched with Proton on 24 May. It
will be located at 97 West and has 24 C and 28 Ku-band transponders.
Telstar 302 has been deactivated at 97 degrees West, to make room for
Telstar 5. Usage on Telstar 5 will include broadcast distribution of
ABC and Fox TV Network feeds. ("SATCO DX Chart Update" and "Tele-
satellit News")
National Public Radio had asked the FCC International Bureau to deny
permission for the launch, because of concerns over potential
interference to Galaxy 4, where the NPR signal is carried. (Curt
Swinehart)
ANIK--CHCH-TV on Anik E2 has changed its name to ONtv. ("SATCO DX
Chart Update")
LAUNCHES
ARIANE--Problems resulting from the increased production of satellites
have forced Europe's Arianespace company to switch the launch order of
its next rockets. Ariane V97 is now scheduled to blast off from French
Guiana between 22:58 and 23:59 hrs tonight, carrying two
communications satellites. INMARSAT-3F4 will provide mobile
telecommunciations in the western Atlantic Ocean region for the
International Maritime Satellite Organization. INSAT-2D will provide
telecommunications through-out India and neighboring countries.
(Reuters)
Live coverage of the launch is scheduled on Galaxy 6 transponder 2,
beginning around 6:30 PM EDT. A feed from the launch base at Kourou
can also usually be cound on Telecom 2B at 5 degrees West, C-band.
(Feeds are reported here on 3.765 and 3.787 GHz). (Curt Swinehart)
V96 had been scheduled to launch on May 13, carrying the PanAmSat-6
satellite. But Ariane officials say Panamsat decided to reschedule the
launch because of an investigation by satellite manufacturer Space
Systems/Loral into the cause of a power decrease on a similar Loral
FS- 130 model satellite. PAS-6 is now planned for launch later in the
year. (Reuters)
The launch of Hot Bird 3 has been shifted from July 15 to July 29, and
is now listed as Ariane launch V98. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
RESCHEDULED--The launch of Japan's Superbird C has been rescheduled
from July 9 to July 22.
The launch of PAS-5 with Proton has been rescheduled to July 30.
On the other hand, the launch date for GE 3 has been moved forward
from November 19 to August 27. GE 3 will test at 83 degrees West
before moving to its final position at 87 degrees West. ("SATCO DX
Chart Update")
SPACE
SPACE STATION--Here are the planned downlink frequencies for the
International Space Station:
VHF Voice Communications Link.......138-143.5 MHz (pending approval)
Station S-band......................2265.000 MHz Station
Ku-band.....................15.003 GHz Early
Communications................2287.500 MHz Interim Control Module
S-band.......2287.500 MHz
(Keith Stein)
CYBERSPACE
EUTELSAT--Eutelsat and COM.NET (part of Italy's Gruppo STET/Telecom
Italia) have announced the first satellite service in Europe providing
access to the Internet, with speeds of up to 40 Mbps per transponder,
based on the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) open standard for
digital televion. The service will be operational this Summer, and
will be marketed by Telecom Italia. The required reception equipment
will be a DVB-MPEG-2 card for the user's PC and a 60 cm antenna, which
can be the same as already used to receive satellite television. For
the return parth a normal modem and telephone line are necessary.
(Eutelsat)
PAS--Next April Bekkoame/Internet KK, a Toyko-based Internet provider,
will started offering high-speed Net access and transmission of
digital images and video from the US to Asia via PAS-2.  The
transmission speed will average some 500 kbps, and the initial service
areas will include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. (Curt
Swinehart)
WGBH--The well-known PBS station in Boston, WGBH-TV, is "Almost live"
at:
http://www.boston.com/wgbh/tv/almostlive.html
("SATCO DX Chart Update")
GEOCITIES--The site is a bit confusing, but there seems to be some
interesting satellite news at Geocities euromedia:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/4476/euromed.html
It's not as comprehensive as the Satco Chart, but there is a good
(downloadable) chart of European analog satellite broadcasters, and a
lot of links, at:
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/3309/
SHORTWAVE PROPAGATION--IPS in Australia covers shortwave propagation
and space weather with hourly updates:
http://www.ips.gov.au/asfc/current/index.html
GREENWAVE--Greenwave, a radio program seeking to unite capitalism with
concern for the environment, can be found at:
http://www.middleburgonline.com/wave/
-------------------------------------------------------------
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Radio Sweden broadcasts in English:
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Satellite:
12:30 and 17:30 hrs on Eutelsat II-F1 (NBC Europe -- 10.987 GHz, audio
7.56 MHz)
19:30 hrs (21:30 CET) via the World Radio Network on Astra transponder
22 (VH-1) audio 7.38 MHz
Via WRN to Africa and the Middle East on Intelsat 707 3.9115 GHz
Right-hand circular polarization, Symbol Rate 8.022 Mbaud, FEC 3/4, in
MPEG-2, Audio Stream "WRN1", Saturdays only also at 00:30 UTC (02:30
CAT). This can also be heard in South Africa on SAfm 104-107.
The WRN relays can also be heard in South Africa on the MultiChoice
digital direct-to-home service on PanAmSat 4, 68.5 degrees West, Audio
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       1179 and 6065 kHz  20:30        1179, 6065, and 13625 kHz
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Satellite:
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12:30 hrs    13740 and 15240 kHz
13:30 hrs    13740 kHz
01:30 hrs    9435 kHz
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Via WRN on Galaxy 5 transponder 6 (WTBS), audio 6.8 MHz at 9:30 PM
EST, 6:30 PM PST
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11:30 hrs on 11650 and 15240 kHz
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Each program Monday to Friday, recorded at 13:30 hrs UTC, is available
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Thanks to this week's contributors            Good Listening!
--- NetMgr 1.00.g4+
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