ABC SATELLITE SERVICES

To receive ABC satellite services, communities will normally need a satellite antenna and a satellite receiver. The ABC recommends communities engage a satellite consultant or satellite equipment supplier to obtain and install the appropriate equipment for their area. Several suppliers should be approached for a quotation to ensure maximum value for the community group.

The ABC makes no undertaking regarding the ongoing supply of the current satellite distribution system. While the ABC has no immediate plans to change the existing satellite distribution system, we may wish to take advantage of new technologies at some time in the future. In this event the ABC would give Self-help groups as much notice as possible of any planned changes.

Community groups can also email the ABCís Reception Advice for further information on ABC satellite services and current applicability for their Self-help service.

 

ABC SATELLITE DISTRIBUTION

The majority of ABC programs are distributed using dedicated ABC satellite services. The following State services are delivered on the Optus B3 and Optus B1 satellites:

 

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

TV

B3

T/B1

B3

B3

B3

T

B3

Radio National

B3

T

B3

B3

B3

T

B3

Regional Radio

B3

T

B3

B3

B3

T

B3

Classic FM

B3

B3

B3

B3

B3

T

B3

Triple J

B3

B3/T

B1

B1

B1

B3/T

B1

NewsRadio

B3

B3

B3

B3

B3

B3

B3

T = Terrestrial off air reception

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EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS

The following detailed technical information is intended to assist equipment suppliers and installers. It may be useful to supply copies, together with the ABC Satellite distribution section, to contractors when requesting quotes.

The equipment required to receive Optus B3 (156 deg E) and Optus B1 (160 deg E) is described below.

SATELLITE B3:

Antenna

A Ku band antenna ranging between one to two metres in diameter should be sufficient for most rebroadcast purposes. In most eastern coastal regions reasonable domestic grade reception can be obtained from a dish as small as 85 cm in diameter. However a larger antenna will provide greater immunity against outages caused by heavy rain. The antenna must be pointed at Optus B3 and optimised for reception of the vertically polarised signals. Pay TV signals are located on the same satellite but are horizontally polarised. If fitted with an ortho-mode transducer (OMT) and a second LNB, an antenna can receive signals from both polarisations.

LNB

A modern Ku band LNB (Low Noise Block down converter) suitable for digital signals is required. Older units - such as were used on the, now discontinued, B-MAC services, will not necessarily function.

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Satellite Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD)

To operate on the Aurora Platform an IRD must be approved by Optus, otherwise it may not operate following future software upgrades to either uplink or downlink equipment. Optus have currently approved both professional and domestic receivers for Aurora reception.

The approved professional IRD is the Tandberg TT1200, distributed by Comsyst (Australia) Pty Ltd, PO Box 1886, Macquarie Centre, Herring Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Tel: 02 9878 1188, Fax: 02 9878 5522.

The basic model has a single balanced audio output (stereo pair) and an option is available which provides two additional balanced output pairs. Audio output connectors are on mini XLR, which can be configured for either 600 ohm or low impedance. Audio output levels are adjustable (-4 to +8 dBu) and the Aurora Platform provides two audio reference tones.

Approved domestic receivers are UEC models 642, 660, and 700, the 700 being the only model in production at the time of writing. UEC IRDs are obtainable from a range of suppliers. The UECs provide adjustable and fixed level unbalanced stereo audio outputs on RCA connectors. Only one service at a time can be obtained from this unit.

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Smartcard

All IRDs operating on the Aurora platform must have an authorised and activated smartcard inserted before reception is possible. Smartcards are normally purchased together with an IRD but can be purchased separately from Nationwide Antennas (contact details above). When an installation has been assembled the smartcard should be inserted in the receiver and Optus telephoned on 1300 301 681. Optus will take details, such as location and postcode, before authorising the smartcard for all ABC or SBS services.

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SATELLITE B1 (Radio Services)

Antenna

ABC Regional studios and transmitter sites are equipped with a 3.7m Ku band satellite antenna, which provides a comfortable margin of protection against rain fade. Two metre antennas have been demonstrated to work satisfactorily in many parts of mainland Australia but in general, the larger the dish the greater the protection against outages induced by rain fade.

The antenna must be pointed at Optus B1 and optimised for reception of the vertically polarised signals.

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LNB (B1)

The LNB (Low Noise Block down converter), must be very stable to receive the narrow band digital signals. A Phase Locked Loop (PLL) LNB having a stability of ± 25 kHz is therefore essential to receive the Triple J signals from B1. A Standard LNB, as used for the Aurora signals, is not adequate.

Receiver

The only satellite receiver which can be used is an IDC SR260/QFR (or later model), supplied by Australian distributors Comsyst (Australia) Pty Ltd, PO Box 1886, Macquarie Centre, Herring Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Tel: 02 9878 1188, Fax: 02 9878 5522. Comsyst is the exclusive agent for IDC in Australia.

All IDC receivers have a security function that requires the system installer to contact the ABC for authorisation before audio can be received.

When a receiver is purchased, Comsyst notify the ABC of the receiverís serial and authorisation number so that these numbers can be entered onto the ABC control system database.

Installation information for the IDC receiver

In order to receive audio through a satellite receiver it must first have the DIP switches on the base of the receiver correctly set. This can be done as follows;

With the receiver turned upside down and with the front panel closest and the heat sink away, Switch 1 is to the left and Switch 2 is to the right. Depressing a switch to the left sets it to 0 and depressing it to the right sets it to 1.

These switches should initially be set as shown below:

 
Switch 1
 
Switch 2

1

0

1

0

2

0

2

1

3

0

3

0

4

0

4

0

5

0

5

1

6

0

6

0

7

0

7

0

8

0

8

1

9

1 #

9

1

10

0

10

1

11

0

11

1

12

0

12

1

Connect the receiver to a properly aligned satellite antenna and the Lock light on the Receiver should turn green. The LNB light will also turn green if the receiver is powering an LNB. If the receiver is correctly authorised on the ABC database the two channel lights should be green and may flicker (or show activity on the LED bar displays on later models) and audio may be available on both the audio XL outputs and the monitoring headphone jack.

At this point contact ABC Master Control Sydney (MCR) on 02 9333 1701. MCR is often very busy, and you may need to arrange a suitable time to set up the receiver. MCR will ask for DIP Switch 1, contact 9 to be set to 0. MCR can then remotely tune the receiver to the appropriate Triple J feed for your region. MCR will also perform a "headroom test" to establish the working margin of your system. If possible, please notify MCR a day or so before the intended installation date.

Technical enquires can be referred directly to ABC satellite engineer Peter Canavan, Tel: 02 9950 4638, Fax 02 9950 3441, e-mail: canavan.peter@.abc.net.au

The above information comes from the abc website - cehck the link below for any additional up-to-date information

http://abc.net.au/reception/html/services/satellite.htm#distribution