Launch date for E-15 is now listed as July 10, 2010 which could mean that E-15 could be operational by mid August. E-14 definitely looks like it will be operational before D-12 but will E-15 as well?
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Echostar 15 Files with FCC for Launch
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Launch date for E-15 is now listed as July 10, 2010 which could mean that E-15 could be operational by mid August. E-14 definitely looks like it will be operational before D-12 but will E-15 as well?
Great News!
They are pushing it right along. E15 payload (fuel and satellite) is ~ 500 kg less than E14. If they use the full capability of the Proton/Breeze M, the release will be much closer to Geo, speeding things up significantly. Add that to the lack of spot beams needing testing and the decision to immediately position it on station means it might be up and running by Aug 1.
I am still a touch confused. If E15 is all CONUS beams, and they are moving CONUS HD currently located on 61.5 to 72.7, what programming will be on E15 at 61.5?
Good to hear it is being launched soon, though.
Good to hear it is being launched soon, though.
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Think the answer to that was about a page ago... here's what digi had to say
Hmmm...and the migration of core HD from 61.5 to 72.7 is on hold until further studies
It is speculated that the CONUS TPs at 61.5 W will be used to provide all of the international programming for EA elimnating the need for EA subscribers to have a dish for 118.7 W. Dish could also put some locals on CONUS TPs especially those that eventually will be provided by the spotbeams of E-16. This wouldn't be the most efficient use of CONUS TPs but it would allow Dish to add locals in the near term and not have to changeout dishes when E-16 is operational.
The point being made by the Puerto Rican poster is that E15 will be able to provide a significant increase in service to the approximate 4 million habitants of Puerto Rico without having to use special oversized antennas. A nice sized market. I would not bet against that happening;
If memory serves, E12 could convert 3 more TPs to spot beam. They could immediately move 3 CONUS TPs from E12 to E15 and then turn the 3 TPs on E12 into spot. This would let them immediately start to fill in secondary stations in a lot of markets, and probably add more LiL markets.
My memory of your post says it's 4.
I think Dish would be very reluctant to use TP 23 in spotbeam mode since they only have Temporary Authority to use TPs 23 and 24 at 61.5 W. Dish continues to have to re-apply to the FCC for use of TPs 23 and 24 every 180 days. If my count is correct, just using TPs 17, 19 and 21 in spotbeam mode on E-12 Dish could add 26 spotbeam TPs to the spotbeams they currently use. Now whether Dish would add all 26 spotbeam TPs is anybodies guess especially with the known power problems on E-12 and possible uplink limitations but even using only a portion of these spotbeam TPs would greatly increase the number of HD locals that Dish could offer.
I believe the primary problem is power on E-12 but a lot of the power problems should be alleviated once E-15 is operational and relieve E-12 of all CONUS TP responsibilities. There have been questions whether TP 17 is functional at all E-12so this would be a loss of spotbeam capability.
I have seen TP 17 a year ago or so active... it was active for a while in 8PSK mode with nothing but nulls.
Also remember that E-12 is not being used at full capacity. Several beams are not being using and some beams are not using the entire set of TP's available to them, since some are cross strapped from other uplink beams spreading out one uplink beam to two downlink beams.
As designed, there was 130 spot beam transponders on E12. However, 29 are pointed at west coast locations, and I doubt need used. That leaves us with 101. I recall each one needs 65 watts of power. That is 6,565 watts. Another way of thinking about it, there are 33 SB TPs in the unused spot frequencies that can be used. That is 2,145 more watts of power needed.
However, only TPs 19, 21 and 24 are left on CONUS. I may be wrong, but I think turning those off only net 405 watts.
Do we know how much power is available on E12, given the failures? If they are tapped out, I think we might only see one of the 4 converted.
However, only TPs 19, 21 and 24 are left on CONUS. I may be wrong, but I think turning those off only net 405 watts.
Do we know how much power is available on E12, given the failures? If they are tapped out, I think we might only see one of the 4 converted.
Dish may decide to punt the spot beams until the replacement for E12 is launched. They may want to see if the launch is successful and use E12 as the backup plan in case it is not.
I suspect they will compromise and use a couple for LiL and hold the others for a backup plan. This would give them some power margin and not have to build more uplink centers. The uplink issue is probably more of an issue than power, considering they have 15% of the spots never to be used (point out west), plus some that the capacity will not be needed.
Dish will be in the position of too much capacity on EA right now (compared to WA). Until WA is converted to 8PSK, they may just have a lot of dormant capacity.
I suspect they will compromise and use a couple for LiL and hold the others for a backup plan. This would give them some power margin and not have to build more uplink centers. The uplink issue is probably more of an issue than power, considering they have 15% of the spots never to be used (point out west), plus some that the capacity will not be needed.
Dish will be in the position of too much capacity on EA right now (compared to WA). Until WA is converted to 8PSK, they may just have a lot of dormant capacity.
I agree with you that I think the uplink isssue with E-12 is more of a problem than the power problem. What I don't see a problem is for Dish to use some of the excess CONUS TPs at 61.5 W for locals especially when E-15 becomes operational if they are planned to eventuallly be provided by spotbeams on either E-16 or QuetzSat-1 at 77 W.
Your capacity comparison of EA versus WA is only valid for CONUS programming not locals and locals are what will require the much greater capacity especially with the use of MPEG-4. It is fairly obvious that there will be more DMAs in the EA than in the WA just from demographic/geographic perspective i.e., there are more DMAs in the Eastern U.S. versus Western and the EA satellite slots provide better look angles than the WA satellite slots in general.
I am not sure if the E-12 CONUS TPs are double powered or not but if they are, then it would be 910 watts. In terms of unused spotbeams, I really wonder if Dish would lite up any in the Maine spotbeam because of uplink restrictions and the reluctance to build an uplink site up there. When E-15 gets to 61.5 W, Dish should an excess of CONUS TPs there so you could see Dish use three or four of spotbeam TPs on E-12 i.e., 17, 19, 21 and 23 but not all of them for every spotbeam. For example they may turn on TP 17 for only half or a third for the spotbeams that can use TP 17 because of need and a half or a third for the others. This would save them power but also have spotbeam capacity for those areas that need it.
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