# Difference between Transponder and Spot Beam?



## blooker68 (May 11, 2008)

I was tweaking my 61.5 antenna and noticed both Spotbeam and Transponder over what was usually the transponder number indicator above the VIP211 Signal Strength meter.

On 1 it read Spotbeam, on 2 it read Transponder, on 5 it read Spotbeam, etc.

It seems the even numbers are transponders and the odd numbers are Spotbeams, but I haven't checked them all.


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## jerry downing (Mar 7, 2004)

Transponders cover the Continental US (CONUS). Spotbeams are specific to your area.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

jerry downing said:


> Transponders cover the Continental US (CONUS). Spotbeams are specific to your area.


Close.

A transponder is the transmitter of satellite signals. They come in 2 varities full CONUS and spot beam. They are all transponders, weather or not the beam is full CONUS or spot.

A spotbeam "recycles" a satellite frequency in smaller concentrated areas. Think of it this way. Here in Cleveland we have an analog channel 5. Cincinnati also has an alalog channel 5. We are far enough apart to not interfere with each other. Full CONUS OTOH is a single channel spread out over the entire CONtinental USa.

Every other transponder on any given satellite could be used for a spotbeam. On the set-up screen if a transponder is a spotbeam it will be identified as spotbeam (although not always, I've seen mis-identificationwhenthe signal is weak).


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## blooker68 (May 11, 2008)

Thanks!

You learn something new every day.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

On DISH equipment, in the point dish screens, they refer to ConUS transponders as "transponder" and spotbeams as "spots" ... which helps the confusion. 

Technically they are all transponders, just some are aimed at the whole US and others are aimed at a much narrower area. Spot beams can also have multiple transponders. If you trip over one of the more technical threads here you'll see a lot of precise wording to lessen the confusion.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

James Long said:


> Spot beams can also have multiple transponders.


 A clarification...

A "spot beam" is a narrow-focus satellite transponder. There many be several spot beam transponders aimed in any one geographic location. Some folks refer to that collection of transponders as a single spot beam, hence James' statement.

Also you may see other spot beams for neighboring areas that are weaker than the ones aimed at your area. These will vary in strength depending on on the time of day. If you are looking at signal strengths of the various transponders you need to ignore the readings from these since you arn't getting any programming from these anyway.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Michael P said:


> Some folks refer to that collection of transponders as a single spot beam, hence James' statement.


Some folks including the FCC and the ITU. Even the ConUS coverage is referred to as a beam.

A "spot beam" is a narrow-focus satellite coverage area.


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## grog (Jul 3, 2007)

That is '*Spot ON*'...


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