Are USCG HF Broadcast Going Away?

In a public notice sent out by the USCG Nav Team comes the following bit of news:

The US Coast Guard is seeking public comment on the need to continue providing high frequency (HF) radio broadcasts of weather forecasts and warnings. Public comment is necessary in order to assess the demand for the HF radio broadcasts in each of three forms:

(1) radiofacsimile;
(2) voice; and
(3) simplex teletype over radio (SITOR), also known as narrow band direct printing (NBDP).

The infrastructure necessary to provide these services has exceeded its useful life expectancy; the equipment is no longer manufactured, repairs are difficult to accomplish, and spare parts generally are not available. Comments should be submitted by August 24. 72 Fed. Reg. 20863

o.gov/2007/pdf/E7-7945.pdf> (April 26, 2007).

Regards,

The USCG Navigation Center Team
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/

NC Viper Newsletter Released

The NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety has released a new VIPER newsletter dated 27 March 2007. You can find that newsletter at
http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/cit/VIPERnewsletterMarch2007.pdf.


VIPER stands for Voice Interoperability Plan for First Responders. This statewide system is a Motorola ASTRO, 800 MHz. v4.1 SmartZone Type II, 3600 Baud Trunked Radio System operating in simulcast Mode. This system supports both Analog and Digital Talkgroups.

We are expecting our VIPER node at Joanna Bald to be on the air any day now. More to follow shortly.

MT 2007 Airshow Guide Available Online

I am pleased to announce that my 2007 Monitoring Times Airshow Guide is now available for download on the MT website at http://www.monitoringtimes.com/

This report includes information and frequencies for the major aero demo groups (Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, Canadian Snowbirds), military parachute teams (Golden Knights, US Navy Leap Frogs, etc), and civilian aero demo groups. Our report covers freqs, equipment recommended for monitoring, and schedules. Best of all it is free on the Monitoring Times website.

And I would like to again thank the dozens of reporters this last year who took the time to send us reports from the field and also encourage anyone attending an airshow this year to drop us some mail and let us know what you heard (even if we already have it on the list). We can't do this annual project without each of you.

CubeSats launch successfully!

Four CubeSats containing payloads operating on Amateur Radio frequencies were among several spacecraft launched successfully April 17,2007, at 0645 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

A Dnepr rocket deployed seven CubeSats plus seven other satellites from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine into Earth orbit, and signals from the four CubeSats have been copied on Earth. Among the spacecraft was Colombia's first satellite.

The CubeSats are: CalPoly's PolySats CP3 and CP4 (similar to photo), 436.845 MHz and 437.325 MHz respectively, 1200 bps FM AFSK, AX.25, 1 W, operating under an FCC Part-5 Experimental license; University of Louisiana CAPE-1 435.245 MHz, 9600 bps FM FSK AX.25 and CW telemetry during opposing 30-second intervals, 1 W, call sign K5USL (e-mail telemetry reports); Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Colombia, Libertad-1, 437.405 MHz, 1200 bps FM AFSK AX.25, 400 mW, call sign 5K3L. CP4 will transmit a "sensor snapshot" every 2 minutes on 437.325 MHz at 1200bps FSK, AX.25. FSK will require using SSB mode for reception. A 6-second CW preamble precedes this transmission.

According to AMSAT, Keplerian elements for the new ham radio birds and additional information will be posted on Cal Poly's CubeSat Web page. CalPoly offers a CubeSat "Satellite Contact Form" to report telemetry data received from any satellite. A discussion board also is available for satellite trackers. -- AMSAT

DXTuners - RIP

Editor's Note: It is with great saddness that I make this post to the blog about the closing of the DXTuners service on the internet. I have been a longtime user of this excellent service. Its closing is truly a big loss to the radio listening hobby. If you have never used this network of worldwide receivers, you missed an exciting part of the hobby that is now apparently gone forever. DXTuners provided me with countless hours of listening to all sorts of stations (analog and DRM, broadcast and utility), and some neat programs and transmissions that could not be heard here in the U.S., or at signal levels that would give me armchair copy.

To Kelly and all the hobbyists who provided their time, knowledge and equipment - 73 and farewell. May you always have fair skies and following seas.

So here is the message you get now when you click on the DXTuners link http://www.dxtuner.com/.

---

Ystad, Sweden, 20 april 2007

Dear subscribers and guests. For the last 10 years I have been presenting Web Controlled receivers here at DxTuners.

I have worked constantly to maintain and supervise this network together with my dedicated crew who has put so much effort into it.

Regretfully, recently due to other business and personal commitments, I am unable to dedicate as much time or find as much inspiration as before in running the network and it is with much sadness and sincere regret that I have decided to wind up my business over here.

This has been a very difficult and emotional decision for me to take, having made many friends over the years, but after a good 20 years in the IT-business I feel the time is right to move on and try something else.

I have been trying to find other solutions to continue running DxTuners but I have found it too complex for anyone else to run without my help.

I would like to thank all my friends, subscribers and especially my dedicated crew who supported me over the years. I could not have done it without you guys.

Thank you all

Kelly Lindman

Globe Wireless Network Profile

Many, many thanks to Jim for passing this profile along on the UDXF newsgroup.

Globe Wireless 6-figure Numeric IDs.
-----------------------------------

ID sent   Dec  Hex Call
--------  ---  --- ----

10111101..189..BD..SAB
10110001..177..B1..9HD
10011001..153..99..LFI*
10011001..153..99..HEC*
10011001..153..99..HEC*
00111001...57..39..VCT*
10011001..153..99..LFI*
00111001...57..39..VCT*
10011001..153..99..9MG*
10011001..153..99..HEC*
11110101..245..F5..VJS
10011001..153..99..LFI*
10011001..153..99..LFI*
01111101..125..7D..A9M
01110001..113..71..HLF
11101101..237..ED..KHF
00111001...57..39..SAB*
10011001..153..99..VCT*
11100001..225..E1..XSV
11100011..227..E3..8PO
11001001..201..C9..VIE
00111101...61..3D..VCT* probably correct

Entries marked '*' are uncertain.

12851 listed SAB has VCT's numeric ID

Numeric ID 10011001 is assigned to:
6467   listed as LFI
6493.5           HEC
8683.5           LFI
8720.4           9MG
10341  listed as HEC
12660            LFI
12678            LFI
13983  listed as VCT

----------------------------------------------

Frequencies suffixed 's' are ship frequencies.

Stn        Freq         List of Stations
---        --------     ----------------
SAB........03159.5s
SAB........03264.4      8PO/Barbados
8PO........04084.4s     9HD/Malta
LSD836.....04111.4s     9MG/Penang
WNU........04114.4s     A9M/Bahrain
9MG........04138.4s     CPK/Santa Cruz
WNU........04144.4s     HEC/Bern
ZSC........04156.5s     HLF/Seoul
SAB........04166.5s     KEJ/Honolulu
KFS........04183  s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
WNU........04185.8s     KFS/San Francisco
HLF........04188.5s     KHF/Guam
SAB........04188.5s     KPH/San Francisco
A9M........04191.5s     LFI/Rogaland
LFI........04194.5s     LSD836/Buenos Aires
WNU........04200.5s     SAB/Goeteborg
WNU........04225        VCS/Halifax
A9M........04256        VCT/Tor's Cove
SAB........04259        VIE/Darwin
LFI........04262        VJS/Perth
HLF........04273.5      WNU/Slidell
ZSC........04274        XSV/Tianjin
KFS........04295.4      ZLA/Awarua
WNU........04336.4      ZSC/Capetown
SAB........04347
8PO........04376.4
LSD836.....04403.4      Mode: GW-OFDM
WNU........04406.4
9MG........04430.4        Orthogonal
WNU........04436.4        Frequency 
KPH........04445  s       Division
KPH........04459          Multiplex
VCT........04566.4
WNU........04845  s
WNU........04848  s
WNU........05077.5
WNU........05121.5
WNU........05245.9s
VCT........05289.4s
SAB........05295  s
SAB........05315
WNU........05367
SAB........05388  s
LFI........05421  s
SAB........05433
LFI........05768
9HD........05837.5s
ZSC........05873  s
8PO........05912  s
LSD836.....06201.4s
KEM........06210.4s
VCT........06222.4s
SAB........06235.5s
XSV........06235.5s
SAB........06244.5s
ZLA........06244.5s
KEJ........06247.5s
LFI........06250.5s
KFS........06253.5s
WNU........06256.5s
VJS........06265  s
KHF........06279  s
WNU........06281  s

VJS........06281.5s
VIE........06286.5s     8PO/Barbados
KFS........06286.5s     9HD/Malta
KPH........06289.5s     9MG/Penang
HEC........06289.5s     A9M/Bahrain
9MG........06292.5s     CPK/Santa Cruz
A9M........06292.5s     HEC/Bern
VCS........06295.5s     HLF/Seoul
WNU........06297  s     KEJ/Honolulu
HLF........06298.5s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
VJS........06316.5      KFS/San Francisco
WNU........06327        KHF/Guam
VJS........06327.5      KPH/San Francisco
WNU........06334        LFI/Rogaland
HLF........06344        LSD836/Buenos Aires
SAB........06352        SAB/Goeteborg
9MG........06355.5      VCS/Halifax
KPH........06360        VCT/Tor's Cove
KFS........06368.5      VIE/Darwin
KHF........06374        VJS/Perth
8PO........06379.5      WNU/Slidell
9HD........06396        XSV/Tianjin
ZSC........06399        ZLA/Awarua
VCS........06427        ZSC/Capetown
A9M........06430
WNU........06431.4
KFS........06436.4      Mode: GW-OFDM
KEJ........06439.4
ZLA........06456
VIE........06464
LFI........06467
SAB........06478
XSV........06484.5
HEC........06493.5
LSD836.....06502.4
KEM........06511.4
VCT........06523.4
KHF........07321  s
WNU........07718  s
KHF........07723
WNU........07753
WNU........07793.3
WNU........07827  s
8PO........07967  s
ZSC........08017.5s
9MG........08196.4s
KEM........08235.4s
KPH........08238.4s
KHF........08298.4s
A9M........08302.5s
SAB........08305.5s
9HD........08308.5s
LSD836.....08311.5s
9HD........08314.5s
LFI........08317.5s
KFS........08320.5s
KFS........08323.5s
SAB........08325  s
KPH........08326.5s
WNU........08329.5s
VCT........08332.5s
9MG........08332.5s
LSD836.....08335.5s

KEJ........08338.5s
KPH........08343  s
XSV........08346  s     8PO/Barbados
HEC........08346  s     9HD/Malta
LFI........08349  s     9MG/Penang
VIE........08352  s     A9M/Bahrain
SAB........08352  s     CPK/Santa Cruz
9MG........08355  s     HEC/Bern
VCS........08358  s     HLF/Seoul
VCT........08361  s     KEJ/Honolulu
KPH........08370  s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
HLF........08371.5s     KFS/San Francisco
HLF........08374.5s     KHF/Guam
VJS........08388.5s     KPH/San Francisco
VJS........08428.5      LFI/Rogaland
ZSC........08446        LSD836/Buenos Aires
KPH........08453        SAB/Goeteborg
KHF........08456        VCS/Halifax
LSD836.....08459        VCT/Tor's Cove
8PO........08468        VIE/Darwin
HLF........08473        VJS/Perth
9HD........08474        WNU/Slidell
SAB........08489        XSV/Tianjin
9MG........08492        ZLA/Awarua
HLF........08497        ZSC/Capetown
9HD........08517
KFS........08526.4      Mode: GW-OFDM
A9M........08541
SAB........08591
LSD836.....08594
HEC........08597
SAB........08602
KPH........08606
KFS........08609
VCT........08615
XSV........08617
KPH........08618
ZLA........08643  s
KEJ........08663.4
ZLA........08668
WNU........08672.4
VCS........08675.5
LFI........08683.5
9MG........08690.5
VCT........08690.5
VIE........08699.5
LFI........08705.5
9MG........08720.4
KEM........08759.4
KPH........08762.4
HEC........09064  s
HEC........09157
KHF........10156  s
KPH........10162  s
VCT........10166.4
KFS........10183  s
KHF........10186
KPH........10203
SAB........10213  s
HEC........10238.5s
VCT........10253.4s
VIE........10319.5s
SAB........10330  s

HEC........10341
KFS........10349
SAB........10360
LFI........10415  s     8PO/Barbados
VIE........10455.5      9HD/Malta
SAB........10746        9MG/Penang
LFI........11145        A9M/Bahrain
LSD836.....12276.4s     CPK/Santa Cruz
9MG........12306.4s     HEC/Bern
KPH........12312.4s     HLF/Seoul
VCT........12315.4s     KEJ/Honolulu
KEM........12330.4s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
CPK........12336.4s     KFS/San Francisco
CPK........12342.4s     KHF/Guam
9HD........12370.5s     KPH/San Francisco
8PO........12372.5s     LFI/Rogaland
9HD........12373.5s     LSD836/Buenos Aires
8PO........12376.5s     SAB/Goeteborg
LSD836.....12379.5s     VCS/Halifax
KFS........12382.5s     VCT/Tor's Cove
SAB........12388.5s     VIE/Darwin
WNU........12391.5s     VJS/Perth
WNU........12394.5s     WNU/Slidell
SAB........12397.5s     XSV/Tianjin
KFS........12400.5s     ZLA/Awarua
A9M........12403.5s     ZSC/Capetown
KPH........12409.5s
VIE........12412.5s     Mode: GW-OFDM
WNU........12415.5s
KEJ........12418.5s
9HD........12418.5s
KHF........12421  s
KFS........12424  s
KPH........12427  s
ZLA........12430  s
HEC........12430  s
XSV........12433  s
LFI........12436  s
9MG........12439  s
LSD836.....12445  s
VIE........12448  s
VIE........12451  s
LFI........12454  s
A9M........12457  s
KFS........12460  s
VCS........12463  s
VIE........12466  s
HLF........12469  s
HLF........12472  s
KFS........12475  s
9MG........12481  s
VJS........12494  s
VJS........12501.5s
WNU........12511  s
SAB........12514.5s
WNU........12522.5s
VJS........12524  s
VJS........12527  s
KEM........12530  s
SAB........12539  s
ZSC........12542  s
A9M........12545  s
KHF........12551  s

KFS........12553  s
VIE........12558  s
9MG........12583.5
VJS........12596.5
VJS........12604
WNU........12612.5
SAB........12617
WNU........12624.5
VJS........12626
VJS........12629        8PO/Barbados
KEM........12632        9HD/Malta
SAB........12641        9MG/Penang
ZSC........12644        A9M/Bahrain
A9M........12647        CPK/Santa Cruz
VIE........12655        HEC/Bern
LFI........12660        HLF/Seoul
KEJ........12664.5      KEJ/Honolulu
A9M........12673.5      KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
LFI........12678        KFS/San Francisco
8PO........12680.4      KHF/Guam
8PO........12683.4      KPH/San Francisco
KHF........12691.5      LFI/Rogaland
A9M........12698  s     LSD836/Buenos Aires
A9M........12709        SAB/Goeteborg
HLF........12712        VCS/Halifax
9HD........12721        VCT/Tor's Cove
HLF........12727        VIE/Darwin
9HD........12732        VJS/Perth
LSD836.....12736        WNU/Slidell
ZLA........12740        XSV/Tianjin
A9M........12756.5      ZLA/Awarua
LSD836.....12779        ZSC/Capetown
KHF........12814.5
SAB........12818        Mode: GW-OFDM
XSV........12822
9MG........12831
SAB........12851
9HD........12892.5
WNU........12963.5
WNU........12966.5
HEC........13002
KPH........13014
KPH........13017
WNU........13027.5
VCS........13033.5
KFS........13036.5
KFS........13039.5
VIE........13045.5
VIE........13053.5
KFS........13056.4
KFS........13059.4
VIE........13063.5
VIE........13066.5
KFS........13069.4
KFS........13072.4
LSD836.....13123.4
9MG........13153.4
KPH........13159.4
VCT........13162.4
KEM........13177.4
CPK........13183.4
CPK........13189.4
VCT........13488  s

VCT........13520  s
VCT........13543  s
VCT........13567  s
VCT........13914
VCT........13940
VCT........13946
VCT........13983
ZSC........14370  s
VCT........14658  s
VCT........14666  s
ZSC........14728        8PO/Barbados
VCT........14945        9HD/Malta
VCT........14948        9MG/Penang
LSD836.....16367.4s     A9M/Bahrain
9MG........16391.4s     CPK/Santa Cruz
KEM........16406.4s     HEC/Bern
KPH........16490.4s     HLF/Seoul
WNU........16493.4s     KEJ/Honolulu
KFS........16496.4s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
CPK........16502.4s     KFS/San Francisco
CPK........16514.4s     KHF/Guam
VCT........16520.4s     KPH/San Francisco
HEC........16526.4s     LFI/Rogaland
A9M........16557.5s     LSD836/Buenos Aires
LSD836.....16560.5s     SAB/Goeteborg
SAB........16568  s     VCS/Halifax
LFI........16572.5s     VCT/Tor's Cove
KFS........16608.5s     VIE/Darwin
9HD........16615.5s     VJS/Perth
9MG........16617  s     WNU/Slidell
VCT........16620.5s     XSV/Tianjin
VIE........16621.5s     ZLA/Awarua
8PO........16624.5s     ZSC/Capetown
VCT........16627.5s
VIE........16627.5s     Mode: GW-OFDM
9MG........16630.5s
SAB........16630.5s
KFS........16633.5s
VIE........16636  s
KFS........16639.5s
KHF........16642.5s
KHF........16645.5s
9HD........16648.5s
ZLA........16651.5s
8PO........16654.5s
9MG........16660.5s
VIE........16663.5s
WNU........16666.5s
VIE........16669.5s
VCS........16672.5s
XSV........16675.5s
HLF........16678.5s
9MG........16692  s
KFS........16697  s
VJS........16701.5s
VJS........16705.5s
SAB........16731.5s
KEJ........16734.5s
SAB........16750  s
VJS........16753  s
VJS........16759  s
ZSC........16777  s
ZSC........16783  s

9MG........16815.5
KFS........16820
VJS........16824.5
VJS........16827.5
SAB........16854.5
SAB........16868
VJS........16871
VJS........16877
ZSC........16895
ZSC........16901
KHF........16906
KHF........16909        8PO/Barbados
VCT........16912        9HD/Malta
KEJ........16923        9MG/Penang
LFI........16926        A9M/Bahrain
9HD........16939        CPK/Santa Cruz
WNU........16942        HEC/Bern
9HD........16945        HLF/Seoul
9MG........16947.6      KEJ/Honolulu
LSD836.....16976        KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
SAB........17024        KFS/San Francisco
9MG........17045.6      KHF/Guam
A9M........17066.5      KPH/San Francisco
HLF........17079        LFI/Rogaland
XSV........17132        LSD836/Buenos Aires
8PO........17155.4      SAB/Goeteborg
8PO........17158.4      VCS/Halifax
ZLA........17170.4      VCT/Tor's Cove
KFS........17186        VIE/Darwin
KFS........17189        VJS/Perth
SAB........17198        WNU/Slidell
VIE........17205        XSV/Tianjin
KFS........17211.4      ZLA/Awarua
VIE........17214        ZSC/Capetown
VIE........17217
VIE........17220        Mode: GW-OFDM
9MG........17225.5
VCS........17234.5
VCT........17237.5
VIE........17240.5
LSD836.....17249.4
9MG........17273.4
KEM........17288.4
KPH........17372.4
WNU........17375.4
KFS........17378.4
CPK........17384.4
CPK........17396.4
VCT........17402.4
HEC........17408.4
ZSC........18169.5s
KHF........18193  s
WNU........18203.5s
KHF........18211.5
WNU........18224
VCT........18233  s
VCT........18244.5s
9HD........18312  s
ZSC........18318
9HD........18591
VCT........18602
VCT........18614
CPK........18787.4s

CPK........18808.4s
VCT........18811.4s
CPK........18814.4s
9MG........18814.4s
HLF........18823.4s
VCT........18823.4s
SAB........18847.5s
LSD836.....18850.5s
A9M........18853.5s
LSD836.....18856.5s
ZLA........18859.5s
SAB........18859.5s
8PO........18862.5s     8PO/Barbados
VIE........18865.5s     9HD/Malta
VJS........18868  s     9MG/Penang
8PO........18868.5s     A9M/Bahrain
VIE........18871.5s     CPK/Santa Cruz
VIE........18874.5s     HEC/Bern
KFS........18877  s     HLF/Seoul
ZSC........18879  s     KEJ/Honolulu
ZSC........18882  s     KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
VJS........18885  s     KFS/San Francisco
KPH........18887.5s     KHF/Guam
A9M........18888  s     KPH/San Francisco
VJS........18891  s     LFI/Rogaland
KHF........18896.5s     LSD836/Buenos Aires
HEC........19299  s     SAB/Goeteborg
HEC........19655        VCS/Halifax
VIE........19682        VCT/Tor's Cove
VIE........19685        VIE/Darwin
KFS........19687.5      VJS/Perth
ZSC........19689.5      WNU/Slidell
ZSC........19692.5      XSV/Tianjin
VJS........19695.5      ZLA/Awarua
A9M........19698.5      ZSC/Capetown
VJS........19701.5
LSD836.....19706        Mode: GW-OFDM
SAB........19708
VJS........19722
VIE........19724
A9M........19726
KPH........19730.5
KHF........19733.5
ZLA........19736.4
SAB........19736.4
8PO........19741.4
8PO........19744.4
9MG........19751
LSD836.....19754
CPK........19762.4
CPK........19783.4
VCT........19786.4
CPK........19789.4
VCT........19798.4
HLF........19910
9MG........22091.4s
8PO........22187.5s
ZLA........22211.5s
SAB........22211.5s
A9M........22223.5s
9HD........22229.5s
KPH........22241.5s
XSV........22243.5s
VCS........22246.5s
KHF........22250.5s
VIE........22253.5s
VCT........22256.5s
LSD836.....22259.5s
KFS........22262.5s
VCT........22265.5s
VCT........22268.5s
9MG........22271.5s
VIE........22274.5s

ZSC........22277.5s
SAB........22280.5s
WNU........22293.5s
VJS........22338  s     8PO/Barbados
VJS........22344  s     9HD/Malta
VIE........22350  s     9MG/Penang
WNU........22385.5      A9M/Bahrain
VJS........22430        CPK/Santa Cruz
VJS........22436        HEC/Bern
VIE........22442        HLF/Seoul
A9M........22456        KEJ/Honolulu
8PO........22461.4      KEM/Nikolski (Aleutians)
KHF........22464        KFS/San Francisco
9MG........22465        KHF/Guam
SAB........22469.4      KPH/San Francisco
ZLA........22469.4      LFI/Rogaland
9HD........22498.5      LSD836/Buenos Aires
SAB........22534.5      SAB/Goeteborg
ZSC........22540        VCS/Halifax
KPH........22554        VCT/Tor's Cove
KFS........22557        VIE/Darwin
VCS........22590        VJS/Perth
LSD836.....22600        WNU/Slidell
VCT........22660.5      XSV/Tianjin
VCT........22679.5      ZLA/Awarua
VIE........22682.5      ZSC/Capetown
XSV........22688
VIE........22691.5      Mode: GW-OFDM
VCT........22694.5
9MG........22787.4
KHF........25080.4s
ZSC........25129.5s
ZLA........25138.5s
KEJ........25141.5s
8PO........25156.5s
VIE........25166.5s
WNU........25169.5s
A9M........25191  s
A9M........26119
VIE........26124
KEJ........26125.4
ZSC........26132.5
ZLA........26132.8
8PO........26135.4
WNU........26143
KHF........26155.4

Airline Callsign List

If you hear an airline callsign while monitoring the civilian aero freqs and want to find out which airline it belongs to, check out this page on Wikipedia:-

http://en.wikipedia.org:80/wiki/List_of_airline_call_signs


If you need a complete list of aero callsigns, you can find the official FAA contractions list, dated 22 Dec 2005, in PDF format at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/air_traffic_orders/media/7340.1Y.pdf.

Chinese Ocean Observer Spacecraft Monitored

Ivan Artner reported this morning (April 16) via Hearsat the following: "HY-1B was heard 2007.04.16 11:10-11:22z on 2273.520 MHz. Signal was weak, but data sidebands were noticed approx+-50kHz from the center carrier."

Haiyang-1B was launched from the Taiyuan Space Center, PRC, onboard a CZ-2C on April 11, 2007, at 0327 UTC. The international designator is 2007-010A and SSC number is 31113.

And this from Spaceflight Now, "China launches an ocean observer spacecraft" (www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/11haiyang1b/)

"China launched a satellite Wednesday to begin a three-year mission surveying the world's oceans to monitor sea color and temperature, according to state media reports.

The Haiyang 1B satellite is China's second oceanographic satellite, and it replaces an earlier craft that stopped working in 2004, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Liftoff of Haiyang 1B occurred at 0327 GMT (11:27 p.m. EDT Tuesday) from Taiyuan launch center in northeastern China's Shanxi province, Xinhua reported.

A two-stage Long March 2C rocket deployed the payload into orbit a few minutes later, completing China's second space launch of the year. The flight of the 138-foot-tall booster marked the Long March rocket family's 54th consecutive successful mission since 1996.

Haiyang 1B was delivered to a Sun-synchronous orbit circling Earth's poles. This type of orbit allows satellites to fly over much of the planet at set intervals.

The craft is the second ocean surveying satellite fielded by China, and its mission will include pushing Chinese development of ocean resources, aiding the construction of new harbors and ports, and monitoring ocean pollution, according to Xinhua."

INSAT-4B Operational

From Jaisakthivel in Chennai, India via the Cumbre DX newsgroup. Source: http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k7/apr/apr183.php

A month after Insat-4B was lofted into space from French Guiana, the Indian Space Research Organisation's latest communication satellite has become fully operational.

The spacecraft reached its final location of 93.5 deg E longitude on Thursday.

Within one month (of the launch), we have made it fully operational," Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Insat-4B was successfully launched by Ariane-5 ECA on 12 March from Kourou, French Guiana. Following its launch, a series of orbit-raising operations were conducted to place the satellite in its near-geosynchronous orbit. After those operations were
completed, the deployment of its two solar panels and two antennas was carried out.

Insat-4B carries the following payloads:

12 Ku- band 36 MHz and 27 MHz usable bandwidth Transponders (9 and 3 numbers respectively) employing 140 W TWTAs to provide an EIRP of 52 dBW over the footprint covering Indian main land.

2 C-band 36 MHz bandwidth transponders employing 63 W TWTA to provide an EIRP 39 dBW with expanded coverage encompassing Indian geographical boundary, area beyond India in southeast and northwest regions.

Kalanithi Maran's Sun Group has booked seven Ku-band transponders on Insat-4B for its soon-to-launch DTH service Sun Direct, while Prasar Bharati's free-to-air (FTA) package DD Direct Plus has booked five.

Sun will be using MPEG-4 technology that will allow it to compress more TV channels per transponder. While MPEG-2 can pack in around 12 channels, the advanced compression technology will be able to accommodate over 20 channels.

Sun may consider itself lucky that the launch of Insat-4C satellite failed in July 2006 after the rocket carrying it veered off course and exploded. Sun had booked six Ku-band transponders (and one more for digital satellite news gathering) on it for its DTH service.

By being located on the same satellite, Sun's subscribers will be able to access DD Direct's channels without it having to separately put them on its transponders.