The Es’hailSat Qatar Satellite Company has announced that the launch of Es’hail-2, which will carry the first “Phase 4” geostationary Amateur Radio transponder, has been shifted to the 3rd quarter of 2017. Es’hail-2 had been scheduled to launch in December. Coverage of the Amateur Radio narrowband (NB) and wideband (WB) transponders should extend from Brazil to Thailand.

Es’hail-2 will carry two P4 non-inverting Amateur Radio transponders operating in the 2.4 GHz and 10.45 GHz bands. A 250-kHz bandwidth linear transponder is intended for conventional analog operation, and an 8 MHz bandwidth transponder is designed for experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television.

For the X band (10 GHz) downlink, receiving stations will need anywhere from a 75 centimeter to an 89 centimeter dish. The narrowband transponder will be vertically polarized, while the digital transponder will be horizontally polarized.

For the S band (2.4 GHz) uplink, narrowband modes such as CW and SSB should be able to access the satellite with a nominal power of 5 W into a 22.5 dBi antenna (75 centimeter dish) with right-hand circular polarization. For the WB uplink on S band, using such modes as DVB, a peak EIRP of 53 dBw (2.4 meter dish and 100 W) will be needed, with RHCP. — Thanks to AMSAT News Service via AMSAT-UK, and AMSAT-DL