What is the latest on Nimiq 4?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bent But
  • Start date Start date
I guess I can answer my own questions. All the odd TP with the exception of TP3 have moved to N4. People as far north as Washington DC have the same problem, no ODD TP. Looks like it's just going to cover Canada. Or could it only be temporary while they move the even onto N4 and then move it back to its slot?

Snow birds better start calling and complaining now!!!

Wishful thinking, seriously have to look at Star now!
 
As far as I know slots are allocated by International agreements to countries, not by the FCC or IC. Even the US cannot just allocate slots to themselves (thank God!). For example, the 77 orbital slot is allocated to Mexico. 91, 82 and 72.7 are allocated to Canada, as well as 129 (currently fully leased to Dish). Also, countries must operate and control their own slots under licence from their respective national regulators (in Canada this is IC). So, even though Dish has moved one of their satellites to 72.7 it is now controlled and operated by TeleSat Canada, and is considered a Canadian satellite. It would be
 
The more restrictive footprint of Nimiq 4 may have to do with the move of EchoStar 8 to the Mexican 77 orbital slot. This slot is only 4.5 degrees away from 82. Normally direct broadcast satellites are 9 degrees apart. This would not be a problem, 82 is a Canadian satellite, while 77 is owned by Mexico, there would not be too much overlap. However, Dish Networks has leased the slot from Mexico and is moving their old EchoStar 8 bird from 110 over to start broadcasting to the CONUS, as part of their new
 
I cannot imagine any improvements really. There are 32 transponders now and there will be 32 transponders when Nimiq 4 fires up.

Maybe higher signal strengths.....?
 
The microwave absorption spectrum for water is not uniform accross all wavelengths/frequencies. Therefore, the wavelengths/frequencies of radiation that water aborbs the strongest at will correspond to the weakest received signals.
 
Less than a week now to Launch. I'm wondering why Bell would commit half of Nimiq 5 to Dish, before the successful launch of Nimiq 4. I mean, what if it blows up or malfunctions. At least they could use Nimiq 5 and not be totally screwed. Seems like poor planning to me, unless there is some clause we don't know about.

-Mike
 
While I think your reports about TP2 going from Nimiq 2 to Nimiq 4 is accurate, I think it is important that I point out that Lyngsat has come back from its hibernation and reports that Nimiq 2 has control of TP 2, 3, 4, 6 and 28. With that said, my count says that the only TP that is still on Nimiq 2 is TP 3.

Unfortuantly, Lyngsat has yet to obtain a contour map of Nimiq 4 and I figured they would be one of the few sources who actually may be able to obtain such item.
 
Page 14 of your link states "Echostar is separately requesting authority to operate up to 32 transponders at 72.7"

Dish Network will soon be Telesat's biggest customer
 
That's weird, mine are showing strong on all TP (except 3, in the 70s). Maybe you could try to run a Check Switch?
 
As per scrooloose's link http://www.ilslaunch.com/nimiq-4-mission-control, the latest blog entry from ILS is:

Posted by ILS Communications Team, 11:20 a.m. EDT on 22 August 2008

The Spacecraft/Ground Support Equipment, Breeze M, Proton, and the Khrunichev/ILS/Telesat/Astrium teams have all arrived safely in Baikonur. The ILS team is unpacking and getting things up and ready to go. We look forward to hearing from them once they've settled in. Go Nimiq 4!
 
It's quite likely they'll switch to 8PSK once Nimiq 4 is operational, so I would say it will make some difference.

-Mike
 
In Northern California, I get only one transponder (2) on a 90-cm dish. I scan it and get the usual channels. No other transponder is viewable.
 
Just to expand;

6:07 pm EDT:

End of the Breeze M first burn. The Nimiq 4 - Breeze M combination is now in a parking orbit. Four more burns of the Breeze M are now required until satellite separation in 8 hours and 52 minutes.
 
I would not think this is a good idea, seeing as the very second you tell Bell TV that you are not in Canada, they will disconnect your service.
 
That is so odd how you lost TP3, wherever you are, yet here in north-western North Carolina it is still at 100%. Stronger than it was prior to the Nimiq 4 launch. I have lost TP 2 however. Today I ran an experiment with an old DirecPC dish 33"x22" with a legacy LNB and was able to get most TPS. Actually the same TPs that OnlineLC in Nashville reported except my signals were > 55% on all but TP3 which is at 100%.

Another thing that is so bizarre is how not all TPs show up. Shouldn't they all have the same footprint?
 
Hi,,,,,As someone "south of the border" who has lost signal on most all of 82's transponders I am wondering why I am getting a signal on transponders 2 and 3? In fact, the signal on both transponders is higher than I remember them. Would this point to the need to re-point/re-align the dish since the signal is out there? Of course, maybe Bell forgot to turn on the anti-US shield from these transponders.

What programming is on transponder 2 and 3 on 82? Lyngsat's listing on Bell's programming on individual transponders is inaccurate and outdated. Thanks.
 
Back
Top