FTA Satellites

[KJ4TDM]

I have received 2 full separate FTA satellite systems with motors. I worked for days trying to get one system setup with the motor and all with no luck. I used sadoun.com for a reference on setup. So i just fixed it where i could get Galaxy 19, its the one everyone talks about, i was not impressed. I got 212 channels and 99% of them are in another language, mostly religious channels. Is there a better sat i lock onto that may offer something better? I'm not total new at this FTA stuff but i don't know enough. I'm hoping someone out there can teach me something new.

My equipment:
1- 39" Dish (one I'm using now)
1- 33" Dish
2- Quad Polar Legacy 4 O/P LNB (one is being used)
2- HH90 motors
Viewsat 9000HD (using)
Viewsat Ultra

 

[davenlr]

FTAList.com - The easy list of North American free-to-air TV channels

Should give you some reading on what is available.
Also if you are into live sports, check Gofastmotorsports and click on the forum link to get live updates of what is on, and which satellite its on. BTW, I bought a new FTA KU system, and never could get the darn motor to work reliably, so I just gave up and bought a 10 foot dish with a regular actuator and controller. Much less aggravating.

Im a PBS junkie, so I keep mine parked on AMC21 for all the good PBS HD programming.

 

[KJ4TDM]

I have looked over the FTAlist.com website. Thanks for the info on AMC21. I thought all the PBS's was encrypted. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that already has theirs set up and can point me to some better satellites/channels?

I'm thinking there are more channels I can get from G19? Does this have anything to do with the transponder number?

Also the LNB I'm using has 4 connectors on it, 2 are C & 2 are L. I'm guess circular & linear? Is there a preferred one i need to use? Thanks

 

[prcguy]

An LNB has no polarity since its only an amplifier and downconverter but an LNBF (with feed) is polarity specific. I have never heard of one including both circular and linear pol.

Circular pol on Ku and Ka is standard for direct to home services like DIRECTV, Dish, etc and linear pol for everything else. North America does not use circular pol on C band but there are a few International sats that are C band circular somewhere below 50 deg W.
prcguy

I have looked over the FTAlist.com website. Thanks for the info on AMC21. I thought all the PBS's was encrypted. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that already has theirs set up and can point me to some better satellites/channels?

I'm thinking there are more channels I can get from G19? Does this have anything to do with the transponder number?

Also the LNB I'm using has 4 connectors on it, 2 are C & 2 are L. I'm guess circular & linear? Is there a preferred one i need to use? Thanks

 

[KJ4TDM]

Circular pol on Ku and Ka is standard for direct to home services like DIRECTV, Dish, etc and linear pol for everything else. North America does not use circular pol on C band but there are a few International sats that are C band circular somewhere below 50 deg W.
prcguy

So i need to just keep the coax connected to the L (linear) then. Thanks for the info!

 

[brandon]

There are some clear NBC network HD feeds on 103W.

Both 91W and 99W have a lot of news feeds and are by far my favourite birds to scan. There is a Fox News backhaul from Washington that usually shows up with Greta Van Sustren around 7pm Eastern on 99W. Pretty funny to watch while they are setting up or off camera during commercial breaks If my memory serves me I believe CBS Newspath is on 99W as well.

91W has the ABC News One feeds. Always a good one to have for LA police chases.

CNN has their Newsource feed on 87W which has both live video and IPTV that can be downloaded.

97W is mostly foreign language TV or 818 area code based Iranian programming, but still kind of neat to plug in every once in a while.

 

[KJ4TDM]

There are some clear NBC network HD feeds on 103W.

Both 91W and 99W have a lot of news feeds and are by far my favourite birds to scan. There is a Fox News backhaul from Washington that usually shows up with Greta Van Sustren around 7pm Eastern on 99W. Pretty funny to watch while they are setting up or off camera during commercial breaks If my memory serves me I believe CBS Newspath is on 99W as well.

91W has the ABC News One feeds. Always a good one to have for LA police chases.

CNN has their Newsource feed on 87W which has both live video and IPTV that can be downloaded.

97W is mostly foreign language TV or 818 area code based Iranian programming, but still kind of neat to plug in every once in a while.

Thanks for info on the channels. I'll try this weekend to see if i can get them.

 

[davenlr]

I'm thinking there are more channels I can get from G19? Does this have anything to do with the transponder number?

Not really. We program our receivers using the frequency, not the transponder number. Most all the stuff on G19 that is in english is religious. The one channel worth watching there, Al Jazeera English, has been replaced with Al Jazeera America, and has scrambled.

PBS on AMC21 is not scrambled. NBC network feeds on AMC1 (I think) are not scrambled. Most everything else will be feeds, and you will have to hunt for them, or find a website that lists them in real time.

Almost all the non-religious programming in English on 24/7 channels (not temporary feeds) are on C band, unfortunantly, and will require a completely different setup...but one I would highly recommend trying to come by. A LOT of people that have C band dishes in their yards, dont use them, and Ive found two locally that gave me the dishes and hardware just to get it out of their yards. Your receivers would work with C band as well, all you need is a bigger dish (7.5 foot or larger), and a new LNBF which costs about $20. A actuator to turn it, with controller, will run about $100. I found my biggest expense setting mine up was the pole and concrete

For a satellite by satellite list of whats up there, channel wise, check out: http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html

 

[WB4CS]

davenlr, last time I checked into it most C-Band (except for wild feeds) is encrypted. Is there still anything good to watch on C-Band that's in the clear?

Subscription C-Band is slowly dying. You can get less than basic cable now: C-band Satellite Programming Packages

Also, a huge HEADS UP, stay away from this site and the guy that runs it: Rainier Satellite - HDTV - PowerVu - Activation Center - C Band HD / SD Subscription Satellite Receiver Sales - 4K Ultra HD - Multiplatform Programming - 4DTV - Horizon to Horizon - Dual Axis - Polarity changers - Termination Plates - Wave Guides - I It's a scam. The guy says he'll sell you C-Band programming, but takes your money and gives you excuses. The channels he claims to sell subscriptions to, unfortunately, no one can subscribe to via C-Band.

A lot has changed since the 1990s

 

[davenlr]

Well, lets see... On C band, there are all the HD network feeds, Fox Springfield has a strong HD feed as well. There is the entire CBC canadian network with a feed for each province. Several SD movie channels... Lots of 24/7 stuff to watch that isnt scrambled...but of course, live sports feeds are the biggest draw to keeping a working C band system. You are correct though, all the "cable" channels are scrambled, and I seriously doubt you can find either a programmer offering the channels anymore, or the equipment to receive it. Considering the cost of lower tier cable or DirecTv/Dish systems, I wouldnt even consider spending the money to install and maintain a C band system for routine cable channels.

 

[WB4CS]

Good to know. When my DIRECTV system was installed last year, the install tech mentioned the live sports feeds but I had already forgot about that

If I had the money to put into another hobby, I'd love to get a C/Ku band system like I had in the 1990s. Not sure I could convince the better half to allow a 10ft BUD in the back yard.

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

My family had a C-band dish in the latter half of the 80's. Right at the start of scrambling.
I would like to be able to afford a dual C/Ku band system for fun, alongside OTA with a rooftop antenna, and a Dish subscription. (I like having options lol) Maybe one day...

 

[KJ4TDM]

Thanks for all the info. I really wish i could get his motor to work right. I'm going to try to lock onto 99W for a little while. Thanks again!

 

[KJ4TDM]

NASA channel

Is there a FTA sat that i can receive NASA channel on?

 

[davenlr]

Is there a FTA sat that i can receive NASA channel on?

Yes, AMC18, but its C band, not KU. Would require at least a 6' dish.

 

[KJ4TDM]

Yes, AMC18, but its C band, not KU. Would require at least a 6' dish.

Ok, well that sucks. Thanks