Ciel 2 Tracking

[HDRoberts]

This is getting strange. The sat hasn't had a new TLE since the 15th, but both the expended rocket body and the expended propellant tank from the rocket body have had new TLEs in the bast week.

BREEZE M R/B - Orbit Data
BREEZE M DEB (TANK) - Orbit Data

Come on, NORAD!

 

[harshness]

This is getting strange. The sat hasn't had a new TLE since the 15th, but both the expended rocket body and the expended propellant tank from the rocket body have had new TLEs in the bast week.

There isn't much going on near Ciel 2 in a geo orbit, but there's much interest in tracking what is going on in LEO orbit; especially things in a relatively uncontrolled decaying orbit.

 

[HDRoberts]

There isn't much going on near Ciel 2 in a geo orbit, but there's much interest in tracking what is going on in LEO orbit; especially things in a relatively uncontrolled decaying orbit.

True for the tank, but the R/B is better than 5,000 KM out at perigee. Seems like there is no danger of hitting much or decaying into the atmosphere.

Also, every other Echostar sat has a new TLE in the last week as well. E1, E2 (although it is uncontrolled, too), E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, and E11.

 

[Shortfork]

Don't know if this means squat but over the last day, I've been seeing "Spot Beam" in place of "transponder #" in some of my checks via 'menu - 6 - 1 -1 " to check what to heck is going on...

Usually, only for a while... then it goes back to the abysmal old signal setup.. OK strength for about 25% of the time, usually, just enough to lure you into watching or DVR'ing what you want in HD off Sat 129.. only to drop to 10 or less and "lost signal"...

Completely worthless for HD...

I'm 99% to the call to Dish telling them that they are not fulfilling their contract with me, so, therefore, I'm going to drop their service and move on..

Sad...

Probably a good company, not compltely honest, now the ABC/Fisher broadcast thing just throws it over the top for me...

Question is what am I gonna do with those two ugly dishes on my eavesQ!

Grrr...

 

[kstuart]

Usually, only for a while... then it goes back to the abysmal old signal setup.. OK strength for about 25% of the time, usually, just enough to lure you into watching or DVR'ing what you want in HD off Sat 129.. only to drop to 10 or less and "lost signal"...

Completely worthless for HD...

If you can hang in there for about 2 weeks (roughly), it should get significantly better for you when the new satellite goes online. The new satellite is designed for Canada, and so should be pointly much more directly towards you than the old satellite.

 

[RandallA]

"I've been seeing "Spot Beam" in place of "transponder #" "

Can anyone confirm this? This would mean that Ciel 2 is already at 129W, no?

 

[TheKrell]

This would mean that Ciel 2 is already at 129W, no?

When Dish was converting E12 from CONUS to spots, there were several times early on when I was almost certainly seeing the signal strength from a spotbeam, even though it was still not labeled as such. In other words, I believe Dish can make it say anything they want, regardess of the actual beam size.

 

[RandallA]

When Dish was converting E12 from CONUS to spots, there were several times early on when I was almost certainly seeing the signal strength from a spotbeam, even though it was still not labeled as such. In other words, I believe Dish can make it say anything they want, regardess of the actual beam size.

Yeah, I know they can just add the spotbeams to the table. I guess I misread the post and thought he was also seeing a spike on signal.

 

[Stacy A]

I saw this "spot beam" information last night while watching the Colts/Chargers game and the OTA digital signal dropped. While the yellow screen was up, switched channels to the Dish provided local (standard definition) channel and I guess it caught the box off guard. For a split second the "satellite signal lost" screen came up and I clearly saw the words "spot beam" before it flashed away.

 

[HIFI]

"I've been seeing "Spot Beam" in place of "transponder #" "

Can anyone confirm this? This would mean that Ciel 2 is already at 129W, no?

just checking here in ks transponder 15 shows as spotbeam

 

[digiblur]

Just because it shows spotbeam does not mean that they are firing up spotbeams yet.

 

[Dune]

Can anyone tell me what is going to happen for us Hawaii users?

I already have 2 dishes (119 and 110) am I going to need one at 129?

Dune

 

[kstuart]

Can anyone tell me what is going to happen for us Hawaii users?

I already have 2 dishes (119 and 110) am I going to need one at 129?

Dune

Check the Ciel-2 footprint thread.

 

[photoman76]

The last testing that I saw at 138° was on December 30th. If we assume Ciel 2 started moving on December 31st at about 1.5 degrees per day, it should arrive at 129° West no sooner then tomorrow. I've been monitoring the 6 inactive transponders at 129° West and so far have seen no new activity. If something shows up on those transponders, I'm pretty positive that they would be coming from Ciel 2.

 

[Dune]

I understand the footprint.

I guess my question is does anyone know if Hawaii will be receiving channels on 3 different satellites or will we be consolidated on one or two like Direct can do now in Hawaii?

Right now we need a dish pointed at 119 and one at 110 in order to pick up what they make available to us.

Dune

 

[jacmyoung]

If nothing else, what E* may say at the CES will give us some clue.

 

[WB8GRS]

I understand the footprint.

I guess my question is does anyone know if Hawaii will be receiving channels on 3 different satellites or will we be consolidated on one or two like Direct can do now in Hawaii?

Right now we need a dish pointed at 119 and one at 110 in order to pick up what they make available to us.

Dune

Hi,

Ciel 2 has 5 spot beams for Hawaii. These 5 spots can be either 35 HD channels (5x7) or about 75 SD channels (5x15) or some combination of the two. I don't know how many channels are currently offered to Hawaii, but at lease you know what Ciel can provide with a single dish.

 

[nelson61]

Ciel has reached the dubious honor of having the oldest TLE update of the many hundreds of geostationary satellites. The two that were one or two days older updated today.

 

[jacmyoung]

...or about 75 SD channels (5x15) ...

More like 175+ SD channels (5x35+ in MPEG4).

 

[Shortfork]

Probably Unrelated??

This is an odd one... maybe?? Twice this evening while watchin "Smokin' Aces" on 300, which in this area, at least, is on sat 110... the "Simpson's Movie" which is/was playing at the same time on ch# 301, a sat 129 channel... "leaked" in for a fraction of a second into the "Smoki'n Aces" movie...

Odd? Part of the movie in reality? One flash was right after the end scene there the FBI agent unplugs the guys in the ICU....

Could it be that Dish is playing around with channel/sat program locatoin changes and goofed for a second?

If so, a good sign that Ciel is on station and being programmed??