Update 26th March 2012

Summer time is now on us. The low key announcements so far  by RTE are covered here.

Updated 20th February 2012 (originally published 26th May 2011)

Changes since start of Tests in 2011:

RTENL have reduced the power and increased the recommended dish size from 65cm to 80cm.

They now "officially" admit the service will start from Ka-Sat @ 9E

Since TV3 now has 97% coverage instead of 80% coverage and an extra channel (3e) on DTT compared to Analogue, they are unlikely to pay the small extra charge to be on Satellite. They are essentially "broke", closing their Galway studio and getting their €82 Million loan "parked" with no interest payments by NAMA. So it's unlikely Saorsat will have TV3 and 3e at launch.

RTE, RTE NL or Saorview are expected to make a low key announcement about Saorsat soon.

Inverto LNBFs are now available, see the Saortv Saorsat reception page and Inverto's Website, but people should not purchase from Inverto but their local dealer or usual supplier. It's best to wait for the Official announcement and recommended Dish and Receiver specification.

If using the Inverto Ka-band  LNBF with a normal DVB-S2 HD satellite receiver use these settings:

• Universal or Ku band LNB (9.750 LO, though this is not the "real" LO)
• Frequency 10.765 (really 20.185GHz)
• Symbol rate 25000
• Polarisation Vertical (This will select Left hand Circular)

Revised coverage plots suggest some "overspill" on Western Edge of Wales, Cornwall and I.O.M. Coverage on N.I. North East (Ballycastle worst?) is unclear.

RTE NL are reported to be "happy" with coverage, but we don't exactly know their goals.

Earlier information is below:

Circularly Polarised. 20.185MHz Ka Band

How overspill to UK is prevented
(same spot parameters as N.France Spot)

N.I. and I.OM. may receive Irish Spot on 80cm Dish 

There is actually a 2nd carrier with SR 50000 Internet services. The listed carrier has of course the same data capacity when QPSK and FEC applied to the 25,000 SR as the Terrestrial Mux. The Saorsat test transmission is from Ka-Sat as forecast.

About Saorsat

About Saorsat Reception

Via Boards.ie and Apogee

Via Lyngsat

Eutelsat Ka-Sat © Lyngemark Satellite, last updated 2011-05-20 - http://www.lyngsat.com/eka.html
Freq. Tp		Provider Name Channel Name		System Encryption	SR-FEC SID-VPID		ONID-TID APID Lang.	Beam EIRP (dBW)	Source Updated
20185 L		Saorsat		DVB-S2	25000-1/2 QPSK		8564-1001 1.0	Ireland	C Putney 110519
		RTÉ One tests		MPEG-4	1101	1101	1201 E
		RTÉ Two tests		MPEG-4/HD	1102	1102	1202 E
		RTÉ News Now		MPEG-4	1105	1105	1205 E
		RTÉ Radio 1			1226		1226 E
		RTÉ Radio 2 FM			1227		1227 E
		RTÉ Lyric FM			1228		1228 E
		RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta			1229		1229 Ir
		RTÉ Radio 1 Extra			1230		1230 E
		RTÉ Pulse			1231		1231 E
		RTÉ 2XM			1232		1232 E
		RTÉ Choice			1233		1233 E
		RTÉ Gold			1234		1234 E
		RTÉ Chill			1235		1235 E
		RTÉ Junior			1235		1235 E
Eutelsat Ka-Sat © Lyngemark Satellite, last updated 2011-05-20 - http://www.lyngsat.com/eka.html

See also here for how frequencies are reused.

And also Saortv.

Some early photos from a standard generic DVB-S2 HD setbox

Not a proper LNBF. Just LNB without horn. Not Circular either!

(Thanks to Gerry Walsh)