WEATHER SATELLITE STATUS REPORT

WEATHER SATELLITES
===============
POLAR APT, DIGITAL and GEOSTATIONARY WEEKLY STATUS.
============================== ================

Author : Douglas S Deans
E-mail : gm4vzy@googlemail.com
Twitter : Douglas Deans @GM4VZY

Sections 1 and 2 have an update.

SECTION 1: POLAR APT/LRPT REPORT – 19th October 2020.
============================== ===================
CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT.
Meteor M N2-3 launch added (year only).

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS.
None expected.

Satellite Frequency (MHz) Status Image Quality

NOAA 15 137.620 (APT) on periods of synch problems
NOAA 18 137.9125 (APT) on good
NOAA 19 137.100 (APT) on good
Metop-A 137.100 (LRPT) off see Note 1
Metop-B No LRPT service
Metop-C No LRPT service
Meteor M N2 137.100 (LRPT) on
QPSK, 72k
Meteor M N2-2 137.900 (LRPT) off (see Note 7).
OQPSK, 72k

NOTES.
1. Metop-A's A-side LRPT transmitter has failed. Currently the redundant
B-side transmitter is off until further notice (No further service
expected due to interference with HIRS instrument).

2. NOAA 14 was decommissioned on 23rd May 2007.

3. NOAA 12 was decommissioned on 10th August 2007.

4. NOAA 17 was decommissioned on 10th April 2013.

5. NOAA 16 was decommissioned on 9th June 2014.

6. Elements are available from :-
http://www.space-track.org and
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/

7. Meteor M N2-2 has likely been hit by a micro-meteorite. It has
changed orbit and been de-pressurised. Although under control again
the thermal balance is an issue and main problems are overheating of
the batteries which keep switching to backup. LRPT transmitter cannot
operate under those arrangements and is off permanently.

LAUNCHES.
Meteor M N2-3 launch expected in 2021.

SECTION 2: POLAR HRPT/AHRPT REPORT – 19th October 2020.
============================== =====================
CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT.
Meteor M N2-3 launch added (year only).

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS.
None expected.

Satellite Frequency Antenna Mode Image Quality
(MHz)
NOAA 15 1702.5 Omni HRPT Weak(periods of problems)
NOAA 18 1707.0 RHCP HRPT Good
NOAA 19 1698.0 RHCP HRPT Good
Feng Yun 3A 1704.5 RHCP see note 6.
Feng Yun 3B 1704.5 RHCP see note 6.
Feng Yun 3C 1701.4 RHCP see note 9. Off.
Feng Yun 3D 7820 see note 11.
Metop-A 1701.3 RHCP AHRPT Good (note 5)
Metop-B 1701.3 RHCP AHRPT Good.
Metop-C 1701.3 RHCP AHRPT
Meteor M N2 1700.0 see Note 7.
Meteor M N2-2 1700.0 see note 7 and 10 on
NPP see Note 8.
NOAA 20 see Note 8.

NOTES.

1. NOAA 14 was decommissioned on 23rd June 2007.

2. NOAA 12 was decommissioned on 10th August 2007.

3. NOAA 17 was decommissioned on 10th April 2013.

4. NOAA 16 was decommissioned on 9th June 2014.

5. On 25 May 2009, Eumetsat extended the coverage of the Advanced High
Resolution Picture Transmission (AHRPT) system on Eumetsat's Metop-A
polar-orbiting satellite. The improved service provides additional
coverage over the Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean regions.

6. I am also grateful to Dave Wright of Dartcom for confirming that
unfortunately (as usual) the Chinese have not strictly complied with
the CGMS AHRPT Global Standard so reception using a standard Metop
AHRPT receiver is not possible.
Update: The second in the series, Feng Yun 3B was launched on
4th November 2010. I expect the information above for 3A will
equally apply to 3B.
My thanks to Johnny Lin for drawing this to my attention.

7. It appears that Meteor M N2 and M N2-2 are neither using full HRPT or
AHRPT and cannot be received using standard receivers. Please see
other mails for further explanation :-
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/weather-satellite-report/message/
2098.

8. As those weather satellites have no S-band transmitter, they are
included for information only.

9. I am grateful to David Wright of Dartcom (http://www.dartcom.co.uk)
for providing up to date information for Feng Yun 3C.
Now fully operational but the Chinese have changed the data rate
compared to FY-3A and FY-3C DB downlink data rate is 3.9 Mbps after RS
Encoding.
Frequency is also different - it is on 1701.3 MHz same frequency as
Metop A/B. It still requires a special AHRPT receiver like FY-3A/B.
They have also changed the polarisation of the X-band downlink to
LHCP.

10. Meteor M N2-2 has likely been hit by a micro-meteorite. It has
changed orbit and been de-pressurised. Although under control again
the thermal balance is an issue and main problems are overheating of
the batteries which keep switching to backup. AHRPT is on when
spacecraft (solar panels) are illuminated.

11. Although AHRPT is not available on FY-3D on the 1700 MHz band as
with previous satellites of the series it is available on 7820 MHz.
There are amateurs with working systems on those frequencies so I
have added the satellite for information.

LAUNCHES.
Neteor M N2-3 launch expected during 2021.

SECTION 3: GEOSTATIONARY REPORT – 19th October 2020.
============================== ==================
CHANGES SINCE LAST REPORT.
None.

THIS WEEK'S POSSIBLE EVENTS.
None expected.

Europe & Africa
------------------
Satellite : Meteosat 9 (3.5° E).
Data : HRIT and LRIT(digital).
Operational : Hot FES standby. No LRIT.

Satellite : Meteosat 10 (9.5°E).
Data : HRIT (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : Yes. Prime RSS satellite. No LRIT.

Satellite : Meteosat 11 (0°).
Data : HRIT and LRIT(digital).
Operational : Yes Prime 0° FES satellite. No LRIT.

North America
----------------
East.
Satellite : GOES 16 (75.2° W).
Data : GRB - 1686.6 MHz.
HRIT - 1694.1 MHz.
Operational: yes.

West.
Satellite : GOES 17 (137.2° W).
Data: GRB - 1686.6MHz.
HRIT: - 1694.1MHz.
Operational: Yes.

Satellite : GOES 15 (128° W).
Data : GVAR (digital) - 1685.7 MHz
LRIT (digital) - 1691 MHz
Operational : Yes.(In parallel with GOES 17).

Satellite : GOES 14 (105°W).
Data : GVAR (digital) - 1685.7 MHz
LRIT (digital) - 1691 MHz
Operational: Standby.

Satellite : GOES 13 (60° W).
Data: GVAR (digital) - 1685.7 MHz
LRIT (digital) - 1691 MHz
Operational: No. In storage.

Asia (Russian Operated Satellite)
------------------------------ --------

Satellite : ELECTRO-L (14.5°W)
Data : HRIT/LRIT.
Operational : No

Satellite : ELECTRO-L2 (14.5° W)
Data : HRIT/LRIT.
Operational : No (but transmitting)

Satellite : ELECTRO-L3 (76° E)
Data : HRIT/LRIT.
Operational : Yes.

Asia (European Operated Satellites)
------------------------------ ----------
Satellite : Meteosat 8 (41.5°E).
Data : HRIT (digital) and LRIT (digital).
Operational : Yes. Operating IODC.
There is no direct readout LRIT.

Asia (Indian Operated Satellite)
------------------------------ --
Satellite: Insat 3D (82° E).
Data : HRIT/LRIT 4781 MHz
Sounder 4798 MHz.
Operational : Yes.

Satellite: Insat 3DR (74° E).
Data : HRIT/LRIT 4781 MHz.
Sounder 4798 MHz.
Operational : Yes.

Asia (Korean Operated Satellite)
------------------------------ -----
Satellite : COMS (128.2° E)
Data : HRIT (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : No. Standby

Satellite : GEO-KOMPSAT-2A. (128.2° E)
Data : HRIT (digital) - 1695.4 MHz.
LRIT (digital) - 1692.14 MHz
UHRIT (digital) - 8070 Mhz (DVB-S2)
Operational : Yes.

Asia & Oceania (Japanese Operated Satellites)
------------------------------ ------------------
Satellite : MTSAT-1R (140° E) (note 4.)
Data : HRIT (digital) - 1687.1 MHz.
LRIT(digital) - 1691 MHz.(Note 5.)
Operational : No.

Satellite : MTSAT-2 (145° E).
Data : HRIT (digital) - 1687.1 MHz
LRIT(digital) - 1691 MHz.
Operational : Yes

Satellite : Himawari 8 (140.7° E).
Data : No direct dissemination.
Satellite downlink only on
18.1 - 18.4 GHz (raw).
Data only available via HimawariCast service.
Operational : Yes.

Satellite : Himawari 9 (140.7° E).
Data : No direct dissemination.
Satellite downlink only on
18.1 - 18.4 GHz (raw).
Data only available via HimawariCast service.
Operational : No. Standby (expected operational 2022).

Asia & Oceania (Chinese Operated Satellites)
------------------------------ ----------------------
Satellite : Feng Yun 2E (86.5°E).
Data : SVISSR (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational : No.

Satellite: Feng Yun 2F (112.5° E).
Data: SVISSR (digital) and LRIT (digital).
Operational: Standby but used for regional scanning.

Satellite: Feng Yun 2G (99.5° E).
Data: SVISSR (digital) and LRIT (digital).
Operational: Yes. (from 16/04/18 09.00 UTC).

Satellite: Feng Yun 2H (79° E)
Data: SVISSR (digital) and LRIT (digital)
Operational: Yes.

Satellite: Feng Yun 4A (99.5° E).
Data: HRIT (digital) and LRIT (digital).
Operational : Yes.

NOTES.

1. Meteosat 7 stopped its 0° service at 09.00 UTC on 14th June 2006.

2. Insat 3A is a combined data and meteorological satellite.

3. For those interested in EMWIN data, the following sats/frequencies
apply.

GOES 15 (128° W) 1692.7 MHz
GOES 16 (75.2° W) 1694.1 MHz
GOES 17 (137.2° W) 1694.1 MHz

For further info. there are many sources but the following is
informative:-
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/emwin/winsat.htm

4.This satellite is also known as HIMAWARI 6.

5.HiRID and WEFAX was discontinued on 12th March 2008. It was replaced
with HRIT/LRIT (after many months of dual dissemination).

6.GOES-12 was decommissioned on 16th August 2013.

LAUNCHES.
None expected.

NOTES.
1. Reports for all sections should be sent to :-
Douglas Deans. gm4vzy@googlemail.com

GENERAL
=======
For further weather satellite related information join GEO, Group for
Earth Observation. See :- http://www.geo-web.org.uk/

To download element sets for all satellites visit the following sites :
http://www.space-track.org and
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/

For further information about Eumetsat's Eumetcast service please see :-
https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Data/DataDelivery/EUMETCast/index.html

And service notifications are here :-
https://uns.eumetsat.int/

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