AMC-8
Encyclopedia
This article is about the artificial satellite. For the middle-school mathematics competition, see American Mathematics Competitions
AMC-8, also known as Americom-8 and Aurora III, previously GE-8, is a C-band satellite
located at 139° West
, covering the United States
, Canada
and the Caribbean
. It is owned and operated by SES World Skies, formerly SES Americom
and before that GE Americom. The satellite, provides critical telecommunications services to AT&T Alascom
which occupies most of the satellite's capacity. AMC-8 was launched in 2000 as GE-8, and replaced Satcom C-5 in March 2001.
AMC-8 is also used by thousands of terrestrial radio stations for network feeds using ground equipment from Starguide, X-Digital Systems, Wegener and International Datacasting. Major tenants are Citadel Media Satellite Services (which includes Citadel Media, Talk Radio Network
, WOR Radio Network
and others), Clear Channel Satellite Services (which includes United Stations Radio Networks
, John Tesh
, and others), Premiere Radio Networks
, Dial Global
, Westwood One
, Learfield Communications, The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
(Transponder 15), and others.
It carries 24 36 MHz G
/H band
(IEEE C band
) transponders, with 20 watt SSPA amplifiers. Its amplifier redundancy is 16 for 12, and its receiver redundancy is four for two. It carries two beacons, one broadcasting on a horizontal frequency of 3700.5 MHz, and the other on a vertical frequency of 4199.5 MHz.
American Mathematics Competitions
The American Mathematics Competitions are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad . This team, consisting of six high school students, competes in the IMO and has traditionally performed well...
AMC-8, also known as Americom-8 and Aurora III, previously GE-8, is a C-band satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
located at 139° West
139th meridian west
The meridian 139° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, covering the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. It is owned and operated by SES World Skies, formerly SES Americom
SES Americom
SES Americom was a major commercial satellite operator based in the United States. Formerly RCA Americom and GE Americom, the company became one of the principal parts of SES S.A.....
and before that GE Americom. The satellite, provides critical telecommunications services to AT&T Alascom
AT&T Alascom
Alascom, Inc. d/b/a AT&T Alascom is an Alaskan telecommunications company; specifically, an interexchange carrier . AT&T Alascom is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. AT&T Alascom, previously known as Alascom and many other names, was the first long-distance telephone company in Alaska...
which occupies most of the satellite's capacity. AMC-8 was launched in 2000 as GE-8, and replaced Satcom C-5 in March 2001.
AMC-8 is also used by thousands of terrestrial radio stations for network feeds using ground equipment from Starguide, X-Digital Systems, Wegener and International Datacasting. Major tenants are Citadel Media Satellite Services (which includes Citadel Media, Talk Radio Network
Talk Radio Network
Talk Radio Network is an American radio network providing talk radio programming, with an emphasis on conservative talk on weekdays and variety/general interest talk radio on weekends. Some of the most recognizable personalities in American radio, such as Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage, are...
, WOR Radio Network
WOR Radio Network
The WOR Radio Network is a slate of nationally syndicated radio programming produced and distributed by flagship radio station WOR in New York City...
and others), Clear Channel Satellite Services (which includes United Stations Radio Networks
United Stations Radio Networks
United Stations Radio Networks is a radio network providing a wide range of programs and programming services for radio stations across the US and elsewhere...
, John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
, and others), Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
, Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
, Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
, Learfield Communications, The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show is a syndicated talk radio show based at WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels and Chris "Hot Wings" Michaels with Eric "Zane" Zeitunian, "Producer" Joseph Gasmann, Jr, Assistant Producer Steve McKiernan, and Robot. The...
(Transponder 15), and others.
It carries 24 36 MHz G
G band
-NATO G band:The G band in the modern sense is the range of radio frequencies from 4 GHz to 6 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 7.5 cm and 5 cm...
/H band
H band
H band can refer to two different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, in the radio and near-infrared.-Radio:The H band is the range of radio frequencies from 6 GHz to 8 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 5 cm and 3.75 cm...
(IEEE C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
) transponders, with 20 watt SSPA amplifiers. Its amplifier redundancy is 16 for 12, and its receiver redundancy is four for two. It carries two beacons, one broadcasting on a horizontal frequency of 3700.5 MHz, and the other on a vertical frequency of 4199.5 MHz.