Dish Seeking to Test New DBS Uplink Sites

[rocatman]

Dish has applied to the FCC for Special Temporary Authority to test 3 new DBS Uplink sites located in Monee, Illinois, Mount Jackson, Virginia and Spokane, Washington. It should be noted that E-1 through E-8 are specifically called out in all 3 applications but Rainbow-1 is not. Perhaps these will be used with E-10.

Here are the FCC website addresses for the 3 applications:


http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/servlet/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-95926

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/servlet/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-95920

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/servlet/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-95908

[homeskillet]

I thought Echostar purchased the uplink facility(s) from Voom as well as the Satellite?

[James Long]

Dish has applied to the FCC for Special Temporary Authority to test 3 new DBS Uplink sites located in Monee, Illinois, Mount Jackson, Virginia and Spokane, Washington. It should be noted that E-1 through E-8 are specifically called out in all 3 applications but Rainbow-1 is not. Perhaps these will be used with E-10.Most likely.

Spokane is a previously announced site.
Monee is a core site for many other C and Ku band work and would be a good addition to their uplink sites. (I have pictures of the Monee site as the satellite feeds I use at work originated there in the past which made me curious enough to take a drive an snap a few pictures.)
Mount Jackson would be a good eastern site as well. Both Monee and Mount Jackson would cut down on the backhaul links to the current site - plus the additional uplink sites increase the uplink capacity to each slot.

5 uplink sites on 29 channels to 110° is 145 feeds ... divide that into CONUS and spots. (24 CONUS and 121 spot TPs? 22 CONUS and 123 spot TPs?)
I thought Echostar purchased the uplink facility(s) from Voom as well as the Satellite?E* bought RainbowDBS' Blackhawk uplink center. I don't believe they are using that one yet. All signs are that Voom is being transmitted from the old RainbowDBS uplink in NY state.

JL

[rocatman]

As a follow-up, Dish had all three applications for Special Temporary Authority approved by the FCC. Here is the FCC website address for Public Notice dated tomorrow with the Dish/Echostar stuff on pages 15 - 16. Funny how the FCC posts items some times dated for the next day.


http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/servlet/ib.page.FetchPN?report_key=462205

[James Long]

Good to see them approved. Of course that means that they will have to do a little shifting to free up a transponder for the test.

JL

[JohnH]

EchoStar 3 and Rainbow 1 would seem to be redundant for the purposes of this test. Probably why Rainbow 1 was not listed.

Wonder if EchoStar 7 or EchoStar 8 can even receive from these locations?

[James Long]

Wonder if EchoStar 7 or EchoStar 8 can even receive from these locations?I imagine that is part of the tests.

At the moment I believe E6 is limiting the uplink capacity to 110 because it can't tell the difference between uplinks from Colorado and Arizona. I assume that E6 and older satellites have Conus receive antennas and couldn't tell the difference between Virginia and Washington - but it is possible that their receive antenna is more "west only". (Another good reason to test.)

It would be good if E7 and E8 could still be uplinked from Colorado and Arizona while not being interfered with by uplinks from Washington, Chicago and Virginia.

JL

[kb7oeb]

So how does the Voom uplink work, does Voom uplink directly to the dish sat? I thought I read that Voom only had E* for distribution. Also where/how does voom uplink to 129?

[CJPC]

IIRC Voom directly uploads to 61.5, and E* downlinks the signal, and reuplinks the signal to 129

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

Ah, it just got approved. I didn't read the original post correctly. So these uplink centers won't do much to add capacity to the existing satellites huh? They're in preparation for the new E10 and newer satellites to launch?

Or maybe these will be the new MPEG4 designated uplink centers?

[James Long]

Ah, it just got approved. I didn't read the original post correctly. So these uplink centers won't do much to add capacity to the existing satellites huh?These sites add UPLINK capacity to each slot. As discussed above, some of the older satellites may be confused by multiple uplinks so some satellite shifting will be required to fully use the new UPLINK capacity.They're in preparation for the new E10 and newer satellites to launch?Yes. The Washington site was announced for that purpose a long time ago. Chicago and Virginia are "new" (although really just a couple of dishes at an existing shared uplink site not owned by E*).Or maybe these will be the new MPEG4 designated uplink centers?MPEG4 doesn't require additional sites. Although (if we are in the dreamy speculation mode) it is cheaper to backhaul signals to regional uplinks instead of focusing everything on Colorado and Arizona. HD LIL backhauls will take up more space (and cost) than SD LIL backhauls do.

The eastern sites will most likely end up pointed at 110 feeding LIL signals to 110 or 119 and relieving LIL uplink work from the Colorado and Arizona uplink centers.

JL