Eutelsat 31A is positioned at orbital location 31.0° E and is operated by French company Eutelsat. The satellite operates exclusively in the Ku-band, covering a wide region from Central Europe to the Middle East and Western Asia. The 31° E position is well-positioned from most points in Ukraine, although signal levels vary significantly between the eastern and western parts of the country.
History and Launch
The satellite was launched into geostationary orbit in 2002 by Ariane 4 launch vehicle from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. Manufacturer - Alcatel Space (now Thales Alenia Space), Spacebus 3000 platform. The design lifetime of active service is 15 years, which is typical for satellites of this generation. The Spacebus 3000 platform has been used in dozens of commercial projects and has long proven its reliability in the mid-range telecommunications segment.
Coverage Areas and Reception in Ukraine
The satellite generates several beams: European Ku-beam, Middle Eastern and wide beam. For Ukrainian subscribers, the European Ku-beam is of practical interest. In the eastern part of the country, the signal is strong - when adjusting a 0.85 m dish in Kharkiv, signal level remains stable even during heavy cloud cover. In the west, the situation is more challenging, and a smaller diameter antenna no longer guarantees stable reception.
| Beam | Coverage | Antenna Diameter (Ukraine) |
|---|---|---|
| Ku-European | Central and Eastern Europe | 60-75 cm (east), 75-90 cm (west) |
| Ku-Middle East | Middle East, North Africa | not applicable for Ukraine |
| Ku-Wide | Europe, Western Asia | 90 cm (west and south Ukraine) |
For Kyiv and central Ukraine, the optimal dish diameter is 75-90 cm. In the east, 60-75 cm is sufficient. In the Carpathian region and western areas, it is better to install an antenna of 90 cm or larger right away - a smaller size will result in unstable reception during rain or snowfall.
Transponders and Frequency Bands
Eutelsat 31A operates only in the Ku-band. According to sathub database, 1 transponder is active on the satellite. DVB-S and DVB-S2 standards are supported with QPSK and 8PSK modulation depending on the specific transponder. The bandwidth of Ku-transponders on the Spacebus 3000 platform is standard 36 or 54 MHz - sufficient for several television packages or broadband data transmission services.
Television Packages and Free-to-Air (FTA) Channels
Eutelsat 31A carries European and international television channels, including DTH packages for regional operators. The sathub database records 1 channel. Part of the content is broadcast in free-to-air FTA mode - such signal is received without access cards on any DVB-S/S2 receiver. For encrypted packages, a receiver with support for the appropriate conditional access system is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What antenna is needed to receive Eutelsat 31A in Ukraine?
In the eastern part of the country, 60-75 cm is sufficient. For Kyiv and the centre - 75-90 cm. In the west and Carpathians - from 90 cm.
Are there free FTA channels on the satellite?
Yes, some transponders contain channels in free-to-air mode, available without access cards on any DVB-S/S2 receiver.
What frequency should I tune the receiver to for Eutelsat 31A?
Exact transponder parameters - frequency, symbol rate, polarization - are available in the transponders section of this page on sathub.
Is Eutelsat 31A compatible with DiSEqC switches?
Yes, position 31.0° E works well with other popular positions - 13° E, 19.2° E, 28.2° E - in multi-feed installations with DiSEqC 1.0 or 1.1.