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Nation-wide TV in a Year
MADRAS, Feb. 9.
Television viewers in the country will be able to watch programmes from all centres by mid-1981, once
India’s own communication satellite INSAT 1-A goes into orbit.
This will be possible by bouncing off messages from the satellite, which will remain stationary over a
particular point of the earth (geostationary).
Two TV channels will be available in the Rs. 173-crore satellite, which will be launched by NASA, making
India one of the few coun tries to have its own satellite.
Mr. K. C. Ramadoss, General Manager, Telecommunications (Maintenance), Southern Region, told newsmen
on Saturday at the Satellite Earth Station, Chingleput, 55 km. south of Madras (See picture) that the pro.
grammes could either be received by the earth station and relayed to the TV centre, or received directly by
the TV centre.
The centre located in red-brick buildings, and hemmed in by hills, is in operational stage. Some more
equipment will be added once the satellite goes into orbit. A huge parabolic antenna beams the messages to
the satellite. and receives other messages sent by different stations. In addition, a three metre antenna has
also been fitted atop a 90-metre tower known as the ‘rearward’ metrowave link which receives the pulses and
relays them to the telephone exchange- in Madras.