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Anybody know anything about this??

Z

zachm

AMC-8 Satellite Experiencing Power Problems

Mar 30, 2006 - In a memo sent to its clients, SES Americom has notified the users of the AMC-8 satellite that failures of three power circuits have pressed SES Americom to begin work to relocate the services currently distributed via the satellite. AMC-8 carries a large number of radio broadcast programs, including heavy usage by ABC, Clear Channel, Jones and Westwood One.

According to the memo, three separate power circuit failures on the south solar array have reduced the satellite's power by about 25 percent. The satellite has compensated for the power loss, which so far has not resulted in any signal reception problems. While the satellite's power is reduced, the output power of the transponders is still above the minimum acceptable power margin.

AMC-8 began service in March 2001. It has an expected lifespan of 15 years. The Lockheed Martin A2100 spacecraft is located at 139 degrees west longitude. The satellite is equipped with four solar panels total (two south, two north). SES Americom is working with Lockheed Martin to investigate the problem.

If a fourth power circuit fails, SES Americom will shut down an unused transponder to conserve power. If a fifth circuit fails, some of the satellite users will need to turn some of their transponders off.

There is a backup satellite in orbit, but it is not exclusive to AMC-8. Because of this, SES Americom is working with the four main users to arrange relocation plans. It is expected that the four major radio providers will work together to move to the same replacement satellite for the ease of its customers instead of relocating to different locations.


If this is true, most syndicated program would be affected. Rush, Hannity, several of the music based formats from ABC, Jones...etc...
<P ID="signature">______________
Zach Morton
Chief Engineer
Legend Communications Of Wyoming, LLC.
KGWY/KAML/KIML/KLGT/KZZS/KBBS
Office (307) 686-2242
Cell (307) 660-9101</P>
 
>
> If this is true, most syndicated program would be affected.
> Rush, Hannity, several of the music based formats from ABC,
> Jones...etc...
>

almost all the "Commerical" syndicated faire comes from that slot if I am not mistaken, at least all the starguide stuff.. (Premere, Jones, ABC, Westwood etc)

If that bird fails, a lot of BUDs will need to be repointed! (Just think of all the dead air on "automated satellite stations" that fail to notice the signal was no longer there)

I suspect if the Bird did fail, CC and others would set up emergency landlines to hybrid, ISDN etc into for programming while they work to reprogram/repoint dishes, but hard to tell really, I am sure it will be their engineering dept nightmare :)

the 24/7 Music formats might be the biggest headaches if the bird did suddently crap out (dont most rush, dr laura, yada yada affilates keep some harddrive/tape backups incase of satellite issues)


--Matt

<P ID="signature">______________
Program Director/Music Director
X Music Online
The X
Today's Best Music
http://www.xmusiconline.com/</P>
 
> I suspect if the Bird did fail, CC and others would set up
> emergency landlines to hybrid, ISDN etc into for programming
> while they work to reprogram/repoint dishes, but hard to
> tell really, I am sure it will be their engineering dept
> nightmare :)

I would think it more likely that at least CC would shut down all of their stations' audio streams and use the bandwidth to set up passworded internet feeds of those services, at least for the affiliates outside of the top 10-20 markets.

Matt Smith
 
> > I suspect if the Bird did fail, CC and others would set up
>
> > emergency landlines to hybrid, ISDN etc into for
> programming
> > while they work to reprogram/repoint dishes, but hard to
> > tell really, I am sure it will be their engineering dept
> > nightmare :)
>
> I would think it more likely that at least CC would shut
> down all of their stations' audio streams and use the
> bandwidth to set up passworded internet feeds of those
> services, at least for the affiliates outside of the top
> 10-20 markets.
>
> Matt Smith
>

CCU has more than enough bandwidth on demand to handle a national net distribution if needed. They are already parsing the PAD data for HD and RDS through the WAN as well as corporate info sharing.
 
your post came from:
http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_032706/index.html#amc

OMG! This could explain some of the recent strange Westwood transponder hits.
There is always a "back-up" satellite that could be dropped into the AMC-8 slot if the current sat. completely failed. I always understood that it takes a number of days to move both satellites to different slots and to get traffic off the spare. Hopefully downlinks would not need to be re-aimed. It shows how important AMC-8 has become.


> AMC-8 Satellite Experiencing Power Problems
>
> Mar 30, 2006 - In a memo sent to its clients, SES Americom
 
> > I suspect if the Bird did fail, CC and others would set up
>
> > emergency landlines to hybrid, ISDN etc into for
> programming
> > while they work to reprogram/repoint dishes, but hard to
> > tell really, I am sure it will be their engineering dept
> > nightmare :)
>
> I would think it more likely that at least CC would shut
> down all of their stations' audio streams and use the
> bandwidth to set up passworded internet feeds of those
> services, at least for the affiliates outside of the top
> 10-20 markets.
>
> Matt Smith
>
...and they could also do some real local programming. After all, the NAB has, lately, been freely using the buzzword "local" in all of its press conferences and press releases. Now, maybe, some of the media conglomorates the NAB represents can actually practice it instead of relying so heavily on satellite programming.

db
 
AMC-7 is reportedly the backup, at 137 degrees, but also has other services contracted. Instead of moving the bird, presumably affiliates would have to re-aim their dishes. AMC7 is at 137 degrees, AMC-8 at 139 degrees. So if you have a "window" to one, you'd probably have a window to the other bird. Probably not the same transponders, but the Starguides handle retuning with a front panel entry.
 
This sort of thing is yet another reason I'm dumping all three of my Westwood One satellite formats in favor of programming originated locally. Of course, the main motivation is that I want to have quality programming to which my listeners can relate. However, even if this were not the case, I would personally greatly prefer being able to control practically 100% of my content rather than relying on a satellite a LONG way away. If my automation flakes out, I can walk into the rack room and kick it. If a satellite flakes out, all I can do is say bad words. :)
 
> This sort of thing is yet another reason I'm dumping all
> three of my Westwood One satellite formats in favor of
> programming originated locally.

I have convinced pd's to do that with most of our music stations...unfortunately, i'm not staffed enough to do 24-hour news talk format. If this happens, woe is me...guess i'll just go in there and state my opinions (it'll take all of 5 minutes)..

:D<P ID="signature">______________
Zach Morton
Chief Engineer
Legend Communications Of Wyoming, LLC.
KGWY/KAML/KIML/KLGT/KZZS/KBBS
Office (307) 686-2242
Cell (307) 660-9101</P>
 
If my automation
> flakes out, I can walk into the rack room and kick it. If a
> satellite flakes out, all I can do is say bad words. :)

Now, now, that's best done with the mike off. Better yet, go in the John, kick the commode and curse. Uncle Charly can't hear you there!
 
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