Archive for the ‘NASA’ Category

Two-Buck Chuck

Monday, November 9th, 2009

 

Dish Network announced good results today, including a special $2 dividend:

 Dish Network Corp. (DISH) Chief Executive Charles Ergen said Monday that dividends are "always on the table" for the satellite-TV provider.

The comments come on the heels of Dish’s $2-per-share dividend payout, which took Wall Street by surprise because the company tends to avoid returning cash to shareholders.

Dish did attempt to use the cash to make an acquisition or reinvest in the business, but couldn’t find a good use for the funds, Ergen told analysts Monday. He was reluctant to spend on the business with the overhang of TiVo Inc. (TIVO) litigation still lingering.

Although the opinion at Barron’s is to take the money, I think the prospects remain good for satellite TV.

Cheers!

WBMSAT News Bits for October 16, 2009

Friday, October 16th, 2009

 

Lufthansa to offer passengers satellite connection to wireless broadband internet in 2010, in partnership with Panasonic Avionics, using antenna systems built by Israeli company Starling Advanced Communications.
[Haaretz – 10/16/2009]

House committee approves satellite reauthorization bill, granting satellite operators a compulsory license to carry distant TV network station signals – Dish network is allowed back into the distant network signal business in exchange for reaching all 210 markets.
[Broadcasting & Cable – 10/15/2009]

Eutelsat announces extencion of multi-year agreement with Poland’s Cyfrowy Polsat, with the pay-TV operator taking three transponders on HOT BIRD.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

BAE Systems equipment governs command and control functions and provides electric power aboard DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-2 satellite.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Numerex Corp joins QinetiQ North America team that has been awarded multi-year contract from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for full program management of FEMA’s Total Asset Visibility assed tracking program.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Globe Wireless signs distribution agreement to sell Addvalue FleetBroadband equipment to its maritime customers, offering turnkey solution with installation, service, and repair in addition to airtime and applications.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Harris showcases latest digital technology solutions at HD World 2009 including upgraded Harris NewsForce HD/SD production platform featuring proxy file support and integration.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Globecomm Systems announces U.S. Army has exercised $2.3m contract option for continued production of the Joint IP Modem.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium selects Harris Corporation to deliver end-to-end HD broadcast solution during coverage of 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
[SatNews – 10/15/2009]

Telesat’s Nimiq 5 satellite is placed into commercial service on October 10, fully leased to EchoStar for the life of the satellite.
[SatNews – 10/14/2009]

World’s fastest satellite internet connection, up to 155 Mbps with 1.2m antenna, is studied by Nanyan Technological University team working with Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, looking for solutions to improve satellite links during heavy rainfall.
[Science Daily – 10/14/2009]

Atlas V is scheduled to launch the Air Force’s Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F18 satellite from Vandenberg on October 18 – the 600th launch of an Atlas vehicle.
[SatNews – 10/14/2009]

Globecomm Systems will introduce a new portable TomCatTM X-band satellite terminal at SATCON.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

Boeing ships third Wideband Global SATCOM satellite to Cape Canaveral for November launch for the Air Force.
[SatNews – 10/14/2009]

Intelsat signs multi-year contract with Altitude Sports & Entertainment to distribute its regional sports programming across the U.S. in HD and SD on Galaxy 17.
[SatNews – 10/14/2009]

TeleCuba will build a U.S.-Cuba cable after U.S. government announced in April that it would allow service providers to build out optical cable and satellite facilities linking the U.S. and Cuba.
[Fierce Telecom – 10/14/2009]

Orbit Technologies announces record orders for its satellite communications products – in excess of $5m for its marine VSAT systems in the second quarter.
[SatNews – 10/14/2009]

NASA to retire TDRS-1 tracking and data relay satellite on October 28 after 26-year stellar performance following a rocky start.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

ATCi low cost GSM satellite backhaul services offered throughout Asia.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

Iridium and H2OSatellite provide critical satellite communications for Beluga Shipping’s successful pioneering transit of the Northeast Passage.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

Expand Networks demonstrates advancements in satellite link optimization for WANs at SatCon 2009.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

Comtech wins $1.8M high-power amplifier orders for satellite terminals to provide satellite connectivity for soldiers.
[Reuters – 10/14/2009]

50,000 GlobalWave customers are successfully migrated to Inmarsat’s latest satellites by SkyWave.
[PRLog – 10/14/2009]

RapidEye delivers 2009 Canadian growing season images of agricultural areas to GeoFarm Solutions, in conjunction with the Agri-Trend Network.
[SatNews – 10/13/2009]

Enterprise Satellite Solutions of California enters distribution agreement with U.K.-base Applied Satellite Technology, allowing Enterprise to expand its sales and distribution with providers such as Inmarsat, Thuraya, and Iridium.
[Satellite Today – 10/13/2009]

Saudi Arabian Airlines will install full SwiftBroadband Mobile OnAir and WiFi Internet OnAir inflight passenger communications services on their fleet of Airbus A330 planes flying international routes.
[SatNews – 10/13/2009]

Comtech subsidiary Comtech AeroAstro is awarded Air Force Research Laboratory contract for development of Advanced Plug and Play Technologies for space missions.
[SatNews – 10/13/2009]

Viasat signs IPTV distribution deal with the largest IPTV service provider in Estonia, Elion.
[Satellite Today – 10/12/2009]

Hungary’s public broadcaster Magyar Televizio selects Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD 9A satellite for broadcasting across Europe.
[Reuters – 10/12/2009]

As European video market becomes more complex, new opportunities emerge for satellite operators to sell Ku-band capacity.
[NSR Report – Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand – October 2009]

WBMSAT PS – Satellite Communications Consulting Services

Forget the Satellite Truck

Friday, October 16th, 2009

 

Using satellite trucks in many urban areas can be a challenge. Using microwave or other wireless methods helps, but there’s no quality substitute. Or is there? Hey, can we do without the truck?

I think you can. Livestream’s Livepack is about to change the game…

 

Good vs. Evil

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Just about everybody I’ve ever met in the satellite business was a good person. Honest, smart and nice to work with. Yeah, some of you may disagree with that assessment. Those that aren’t any good, don’t last long.

Take the news from Montana about the satellite TV installer who moonlighted as a burglar. During installation, he was actually "casing the joint," as they used to say. Not anymore. He’s going to jail because that’s just not cool, dog. Watch the video from KHBB-TV.

A local TV technician was sentenced today (8/5) for stealing thousands of dollars of items from the houses he worked in. Court papers say while Kyle Peck was working as a satellite installation technician at Buzzard Wireless in Great Falls he studied the homes of his clients and then came back later to rob them. During that time, he apparently stole video game systems, TVs and cash.

Today, he pleaded guilty to three felony counts including theft and burglary.

Under the plea agreement, he will serve a five year deferred sentence. Peck had two accomplices during his crimes, which he had previously met at juvenile drug court.

Axle Cremer was Peck’s lookout. He also pled guilty to theft today and will serve a three year deferred sentence.

Though most of the stolen items were returned, together the teens must also pay $700 in restitution.

 

There may be "nothing there" in Montana, but there certainly is justice.

Local Ads via Satellite TV

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Inserting local ads via satellite TV broadcasts are a technological challenge. Addressing by household? Stop dreaming.

Wait, it’s real? Yes, and DISH Network was first to sign an agreement with Invidi last November:

Dish Network will be using Invidi’s Advatar technology to deliver addressable, targeted national and local television advertising, the satellite provider said Monday.

In a deal with Invidi Technologies, Dish Network will be among the first pay-TV providers utilizing Invidi’s system to sell addressable and targeted advertising according to specific household viewer geographic and demographic and other pre-determined viewer metrics.

Many of Dish Network’s advanced receivers support targeted advertising delivery, dynamic commercial insertion, and reporting on broadcast television and national programming networks.

Invidi’s system complies with all privacy laws and the company’s privacy policy, according to Dish Network. Traditional satellite broadcast delivery is currently limited to all homes receiving the same commercials. Dish Network viewers will benefit from this new technology through the increased relevance of the advertisements they receive.

Now DirecTV is getting into the boat:

DirecTV will use software from startup Invidi Technologies to deliver the targeted ads, beginning in 2011. The software can home in on the geographic region of viewers by picking up information from set-top boxes, said Michael Kubin, executive vice president of Invidi Technologies.

"We know exactly where a viewer is located, and to advertisers who want to avoid waste, that makes all the difference," Mr. Kubin said.

The new service will allow DirecTV, which has 18 million subscribers, "to compete for a large slice of the TV budget, which is local advertising," said Tracey Scheppach, senior vice president and video-innovations director at Publicis Groupe’s Starcom Worldwide.

Advertisers have been clamoring for more precision and rival cable operators have ramped up their own local ad offerings. At the same time, lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about the privacy implications of ad-targeting technologies. On Thursday, Congress plans to hold a joint subcommittee hearing on privacy and digital advertising. "DirecTV stands ready to work with Congress on addressing any privacy concerns they may have with respect to consumers," a DirecTV spokesman said

 Great. Getting ready for annoying local ads…

 

 

Iran Satellite Jam

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Amnesty International is telling us the BBC’s satellite feeds from Iran are being jammed. But they still got this report out:

 

I especially like this report. The Internet? Its a war zone:

More and more of Iran’s pro-government websites are under assault, as opposition forces launch web attacks on the Tehran regime’s online propaganda arms.

What started out as an attempt to overload a small set of official sites has now expanded, network security consultant Dancho Danchev notes. News outlets like Raja News are being attacked, too. The semi-official Fars News site is currently unavailable.

“We turned our collective power and outrage into a serious weapon that we could use at our will, without ever having to feel the consequences. We practiced distributed, citizen-based warfare,” writes Matthew Burton, a former U.S. intelligence analyst who joined in the online assaults, thanks to a “push-button tool that would, upon your click, immediately start bombarding 10 Web sites with requests.”

 

Buen Trabajo, Por Satélite

Monday, June 8th, 2009

 

Satcom service companies in Latin America seem to be doing well, going where other telecom services can’t, and, well, there’s video.

No other technology delivers video to more people simultaneously than satellite. Here’s the press release from Frost & Sullivan:

 "Fiber networks are limited to the most developed regions, leaving important space for satellite-based solutions to grow," says Frost & Sullivan Consultant Andrés Sciarrotta. "Moreover, the higher requirement for mobile content is, in turn, driving demand for data applications transmitted by satellite."

Users, irrespective of their location, can use fixed and mobile solutions to gain access to Internet broadband satellite. The fixed version provides broadband access throughout Latin America, at speed comparable to those available in the big cities.

Users can access their e-mails, transfer files, communicate through voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), or schedule meetings through video conference IP. This type of solution offers the benefits of communication from anywhere in the region (regardless of whether it is inhabited or not), a specially optimized coverage for South America, and a wide range of available services.

Despite these advances, the satellite service market is yet to stave off competition from terrestrial infrastructure and has to find a solution to the unattractive cost structure and payment methods, despite just having overcome historic low prices. The market is also challenged by the underwater cable network in Chile and other land installations. However, market participants can take heart from the governments’ efforts to spur connectivity programs in order to minimize the digital distance among some regions.

"Developments of TV digitalization and high definition TV (HDTV) broadcasting are also expected to drive the demand for transponders," notes Sciarrotta. "Further, the introduction of Ka-Band can augment the array of applications provided over satellite."

The study may be unique in its analysis, but I’d be interested in seeing research similar to what ASTRA produces in Europe. Market penetration estimates in the free-to-air and paid TV services via satellite is something programmers and content owners would be something they’d like to see. I’m certain of that.

What I think the Latin American market needs is more satellite capacity/inventory. If most the best satellites are sold out, what have you got to sell? Mierda!

DIY Friday: Installing Satellite TV

Friday, April 24th, 2009

 

Think you can install satellite TV yourself? If you’re a satcom engineer, you probably can — especially if you’ve got a spectrum analyzer sitting around your shop at home. If not, a Birdog satellite meter can certainly help.

 

The two leading direct-broadcast satellite service providers in the U.S., Dish Network and DirecTV, prefer to have one of their techs install it for you. In Europe, ASTRA encourages you to do it yourself.

What if you don’t feel like setting aside a "4 hour window" during the week to have it installed? Wake up at 5:00 a.m. on a Sunday and decide "I’m gonna get me some satellite TV, momma!" What them?

You can’t get a better source of reference materials and instruction than on the Sadoun Satellite Sales Web site:

To get a signal, the satellite dish must be pointed directly at the satellite, with NO obstructions between the two. This means NO trees and NO buildings. Take into consideration future tree growth, house remodeling or additions and new construction in your area.
The satellite signal WILL NOT PASS through leaves or branches.
Use our Satellite Look Angle calculator to determine the proper dish angles.

Finding a Clear Line of Sight

  1. Get yourself a good compass, the best you can afford. Check the "Azimuth" and "Elevation" for your location here!
  2. Locate at least one site on your property that has a clear view to the satellite.
  3. Do you have at least one clear view to the satellite? Remember, no trees, leaves, or buildings can be between the dish and the satellite. 

If the answer is NO, your site may not be suitable for installing the satellite system.

If the answer is MAYBE, you may want to contact a local digital satellite dealer for information about having a professional installer conduct a thorough site survey.

If the answer is YES, your site should be suitable for installing the system. Go ahead to the next section of these instructions.

Good luck, Jim.

SES and Boots

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

 

A flurry of press releases from SES today, none more amusing than the one from ASTRA on the Ukrainian satellite TV market:

SES ASTRA Boots Household Reach In The Ukraine

Satellite operator reaches 7.6 million households / Satellite TV is booming /

Additional potential with the move of ASTRA 2C

Luxembourg / Kiev, 21 April 2009. – SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announced today that it has significantly increased its reach in the Ukraine and is now broadcasting to more than 7.6 million households across the country. The strong increase was driven by the boost of digital satellite reach where SES ASTRA gained 1.8 million households in 2008, reaching almost all (2.2 million) of the 2.3 million digital satellite homes in Ukraine.

 

The German version uses the word "baut," for "built," but somehow it got lost in the translation. The French version, well, nobody really cares about that one. I think they meant to write "boost."

Either way, the number of households receiving TV from ASTRA and Sirius satellites is probably ten times higher. Nobody will admit to hacking/cracking via Dreambox et. al.

And please spell the capital city of Ukraine correctly: KYIV.

Yah, What?

Monday, April 20th, 2009

 

Another brilliant brand from ASTRA: YahLive, a joint venture with Yahsat:

SES ASTRA has entered into a partnership with the Arab satellite operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) to create a new company operating under the YahLive brand that will offer Direct-to-Home (DTH) television capacity and services to more than two dozen countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South West Asia, a large region mainly including the Gulf states and the Maghreb.  

YahLive will offer DTH satellite services to free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters in this region. It will own and commercialise 23 BSS-transponders on the Yahsat 1A spacecraft to be positioned at the 52.5 degrees East orbital position and operating in the Ku-band frequency. The satellite, procured from a consortium of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be launched by the fourth quarter of 2010.

Yahsat is a private joint stock company based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the government of Abu Dhabi.

Read that press release as if it were a hip-hop rap, yah.

But since this is a "partnership," you’ve got to compromise. Mubadala gets its way. I suppose pissing off Eutelsat is worth it.