Astra 2 wherefore art thou???

[Matrix Meanderer]

Hi - just in the Florence area (thus the shakespearean quote) turn on the satellite to get the sports results and -- nothing/zilch on Astra 2. Quick check on the satellite website to find tha tthe new Astra 2F satellite was not launched yesterday but the old BBC/ITV channels have been switched off!!

 

A retune of the sat box gives me sky news, France 24 and all the rubbish FTA channels.

 

Looks like this state of affairs will not be improve until Astra/Sky get the new satellite working which may be weeks away.

 

I predict a black sunday night without the second episode of Downton Abbey for the navigator to watch.

Good job we will be in Chiantishire by then.

 

Any other advice anyone?

 

 

[tugga]

Hi Ian

 

Have you tried Astra 1 on 19.2oE you may pick up something on that. If not, I cannot suggest anything, perhaps someone will be along soon who will have a better idea. If Navigator misses Downton Abbey, there is alway iPlayer when you get home.

[tugga]

Found this, don't know if its helpful:

 

New Astra Transponder

ASTRA at 19.2º E

Transponder: 1068

Frequency: 11778

Polarization: Vertical

Symbol Rate: 27500

FEC: 3/4

 

 

 

Old Astra Transponder

 

ASTRA 1 at 19.2º East

Transponder: 113

Frequency: 12633.25 MHz Horizontal

Symbol Rate: 22000

FEC: 5/6

Video PID: 234

Audio PID: 334

PCR: 234

 

[Matrix Meanderer]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Further internet checks on King of Sat website reveals that the BBC/ITV etc programmes are now on Astra 1N/S still on 28.2 degrees which has a different "footprint".

 

Here in Pisa we are in the 75cm dish bit of the footprint and as we have a 60cm dish that explains it!

So moving north and east today should improve reception as we will be further into the 60 cm dish part of the footprint.

 

So may still see Downton tonight - just keep driving north until we get the signal!

 

And I thought this was going to be a simple holiday

 

:-D

[Hughmer]

I'm in the peloponese presently and receiving BBC Radio on Astra 2. (80cm dish - no BBCTV but not expecting miracles) Am I going to haveto retune to continue getting R4? If so a pointer to your website would be most helpful.

[Matrix Meanderer]

Hi - If you already receive BBC radio 4 and other BBC radio then no need to retune.

What's disappeared for the non-UK free to air users in southern europe is the BBC & ITV TV programmes.

 

Not sure when the TV channels will reappear.

Ian

 

[mike 202]

In Spain at Vinaros (120miles) south of Barcelona, 1meter dish and have approx 1500 channels on ASTRA 2. Includes all ITV and BBC stations, so the wife can have her Corrie, Eastenders, strictly dancing etc.

So no problem here.

 

Mike

[Hughmer]

What's disappeared for the non-UK free to air users in southern europe is the BBC & ITV TV programmes.

 

 

Not quite sure if I understand whether there is a probem or not. I've just done a full chnnel scan of Astra 2 and all the BBC & ITV channels appear as they did before, so it looks like the Oyster tuner recognises some sort of carrier, but as I have never been able to VIEW bbctv here I don't know if the fact that I still cant view it (but just pick up the channel ID as before) means that the channels are still being broadcast from Astra - contrary to the point made at the top of the thread.

 

Will have to wait till next month when we get back into Italy.

 

Will keep you posted

[mike 202]

Hi, never know why but I often have to re scan for the channels when I move from one site/area having set the dish up and tuned it into ASTRA 2.

 

I am lecky by trade, but some electronics equipment baffle me. My UK TV set, here in Spain, sometimes decides that when I switch it on- it is the first time. So I hit the remote and tell it to stop playing silly buggers and then it decides to work.

 

So don't try to analyse it too much, just tune the dish in, re-scan and all should be well.

 

mike