I was standing next to a mobile satellite news gathering truck recently. It is owned by my local cable company's local news channel. The live news signal was uplinking to a satellite from a large dish on the roof of the truck. Then I noticed that the tech had placed a small DBS style dish on the ground right next to the truck and spent a minute or two aligning it. I can only assume the small dish is used to monitor the studio so the reporter can be properly cued, etc. Would I be assuming correctly? If so, I would like to find out the freq. and sat. so I can also monitor. Or is it likely to be videociphered?
Cable ENG trucks use small dish...
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the DBS dish is probably just to monitor the channel so if there is a technical issue they can see it. The station probably subs to D* or E* just like other folks 
24/7 ?
Is it likely that their cable channel is being rebroadcasted 24/7 from the sat or is it turned-on an as needed type of thing?
Is it likely that their cable channel is being rebroadcasted 24/7 from the sat or is it turned-on an as needed type of thing?
I think uplinkers just have a sub so that they can see what their shot looks like when all the elements are put together in the studio. But uplinkers can monitor themselves by viewing their signal on the same dish they use to uplink. It's on the downlink freq and opposite polarity. If it's D* or E*, then the channel is up all the time, not just occasionally. The talent in the field does not use this for studio cues as it is way too delayed to be useful. Also, the reporter would hear themselves in their ear, which would stop even the most seasoned reporters dead in their tracks. Instead, reporters are dialed into the station using IFB (interruptible foldback) and their mics are taken out of the mix that comes back to them in the field. This is called mix minus. Somtimes if a reporter isn't receiving mix minus, they tear their earpiece out right as they start talking because they're hearing themselves, but delayed.
Ok, that clears up a lot, now how do I start some digging to determine for sure what that small dish is for? And whether or not the signal is up all the time? D* or E*, etc. Other than the sat provider that is selling the time, is there anyone that tries to keep track of that type of info? Or are transponders constantly reassigned?
Stations use D* or E* receivers to monitor their signal on those services, usually in Master Control. Are you asking whether the signal is up all the time on D* and E*? Transponders for 11.7 GHz through 12.2 GHz are typically reassigned for occasional feeds. The same is true for occasional feeds on C-band. I'm not quite sure what you are asking.
Comtech,
You would be basically looking for the wildfeeds. Some are open (in the clear) some are encrypted and some are using specific transmission formats only detectable with specific equipment. If you want to watch these signals in the clear, you have to go hunting! Feed Hunting, that is. Here is where a IRD (STB, receiver) with a very superb blind scanning ability will do you justice.
Pick a satellite, align your dish to it using a known non-feed channel, then blind scan for spurious broadcasts from these feed sources. No easy way to know very far in advance what sat you'll find them on, which TP or what frequency/polarity specifics they will use. Feeds are quite impromptu unless you have a friend or a spy in the company who 'feeds' you the information (sorry for the pun)! LOL.
RADAR
Think I'll put your "feed" bag back on, then try and sell you to the glue factory for that one. Punster that you are...
Being an uplinker myself and have worked in the feild for a while, the small "DBS type" of dish is acutally a microwave dish that points to he stations point of presence (POP) Depending on the area, that may be at the station its self, or a remote site that is linked to the station by microwave or fiber. Usually, especally with the newer systems, typically a station will microwave back to the station, and have their uplink dish pointed on a bird for backup redundancy. It's not for monitoring a station as the station isnt bruadcasted over ku or cband, 99 percent of the time. Also, through microwave they can see the return as its a two path communication and do PL & IFB (hear the station's producer and talk back to the station through engneering channels for cue) Typically when they are on the bird, they dont have this type of return, and have to use phone lines in place of what they normally would have with Microwave.
Microwave is a two way street as they can both transmit and recive over a given amount of distance.
Satellite is typically a one way street unless someone puts a feed up. IFB and PL (stations engeneering channels) are typically not done through satellite due to the delay, allthough it has been done. Typically this is done over telephone lines.
Microwave is a two way street as they can both transmit and recive over a given amount of distance.
Satellite is typically a one way street unless someone puts a feed up. IFB and PL (stations engeneering channels) are typically not done through satellite due to the delay, allthough it has been done. Typically this is done over telephone lines.
Here's the real deal...
Panavision,
I was trying to be inconspicuous about what I am asking, but I guess I'll have to be more blunt...I am an SBCA certified DBS installer (freelance). Although I am technically minded, I have no knowledge of how professional live remote trucks operate. OK now, here is what I am trying to accomplish: I subscribe to DirecTV at my home. No cable TV connection at all, not even for internet access. The local cable company's news channel is something that I would like to be able to view for various reasons. The locals that I can get over DTV are not local enough, but the cable news channel is (much more local news, more accurate weather for my area, etc.). I would like to buy a receiver, a new dish, and whatever else would be required to view what the tech in the remote truck is looking at. Whether it's from the main downlink or from whatever his small dish is pointed at. Price is really no object (within reason), as long as I am buying the minimum amount of equipment needed to accomplish this.
Panavision,
I was trying to be inconspicuous about what I am asking, but I guess I'll have to be more blunt...I am an SBCA certified DBS installer (freelance). Although I am technically minded, I have no knowledge of how professional live remote trucks operate. OK now, here is what I am trying to accomplish: I subscribe to DirecTV at my home. No cable TV connection at all, not even for internet access. The local cable company's news channel is something that I would like to be able to view for various reasons. The locals that I can get over DTV are not local enough, but the cable news channel is (much more local news, more accurate weather for my area, etc.). I would like to buy a receiver, a new dish, and whatever else would be required to view what the tech in the remote truck is looking at. Whether it's from the main downlink or from whatever his small dish is pointed at. Price is really no object (within reason), as long as I am buying the minimum amount of equipment needed to accomplish this.
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More info...
The cable company has about 20 headends (towers, 200-300 ft tall) within their licensed area. All are fed with fiber from their large dish downlink antenna farm, as well as from the news studio. It wouldn't surprise me if there is an omnidirectional tx/rx microwave antenna on each tower. Simulcasting maybe? If this scenario is correct then it is probably broadcasting the news channel continuously? I live only 1 air mile from a headend, so I should have no signal strength problems if that is the case. Such a microwave system would probably be in the 2GHz band? Now that I think back to the times I have been on scene of a remote shot, they only get the small dish out when telephone lines are not available. Hope this helps.
The cable company has about 20 headends (towers, 200-300 ft tall) within their licensed area. All are fed with fiber from their large dish downlink antenna farm, as well as from the news studio. It wouldn't surprise me if there is an omnidirectional tx/rx microwave antenna on each tower. Simulcasting maybe? If this scenario is correct then it is probably broadcasting the news channel continuously? I live only 1 air mile from a headend, so I should have no signal strength problems if that is the case. Such a microwave system would probably be in the 2GHz band? Now that I think back to the times I have been on scene of a remote shot, they only get the small dish out when telephone lines are not available. Hope this helps.
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Let's make this simpler
Let's make this simpler and assume the small dish is microwave for duplex IFB operation only. Now, how can I find out if the stations downlink is up all the time and in the clear?
Let's make this simpler and assume the small dish is microwave for duplex IFB operation only. Now, how can I find out if the stations downlink is up all the time and in the clear?
Why not just sub to cable and be done with it! 
Basic package cant be no more than 30 bucks locally. Also, I'm not aware of any consumer devices that can recive such programming, and there is nothing you can buy (that I'm aware of) short of spending several thousands of dollars to see those feeds. Even then tehy may be encrypted.
Basic package cant be no more than 30 bucks locally. Also, I'm not aware of any consumer devices that can recive such programming, and there is nothing you can buy (that I'm aware of) short of spending several thousands of dollars to see those feeds. Even then tehy may be encrypted.
"On the ground" isn't going to pick up a local microwave link.
"Small DBS dish" would have a logo, maybe?
Around here, the trucks do microwave to the local mountain, and the studio uplinks to the network if necessary.
The trucks use a helical antenna (under a weather cover).
So, I'd guess your local TV station IS on Dish/Direct, and the logo on this ground hugging dish probably says which.
Often an ENG truck will use a DirecTV or Dish Network to view their station and the final package including the roll-in packages and graphics. Often this is the only way to view if they wish to view their package as being broadcast if they are outside the terrestrial coverage area of their station. We refer to this as the "Confidence or Broadcast Verification Monitor". This verification is unnecessary and usually the truck does not watch the final broadcast package and are simply talked in by the station staff via the IFB (if terrestrial microwave link) or cell phone.
ENG trucks have the same packages and equipment that is available to you or me. Often the truck will have a RV account subscription, but have the same constraints and cannot be authorized to receive out of area stations. For example, if an uplink truck is feeding a story to an affiliate outside of their area, they are unable to receive or be authorized to receive the out of area station on their subscription service satellite system.
BTW.... Yes, it is possible to watch terrestrial microwave links and usually they are not encrypted. The signals are highly directional and you would need to very close to the point-to point transmission to receive.
ENG trucks have the same packages and equipment that is available to you or me. Often the truck will have a RV account subscription, but have the same constraints and cannot be authorized to receive out of area stations. For example, if an uplink truck is feeding a story to an affiliate outside of their area, they are unable to receive or be authorized to receive the out of area station on their subscription service satellite system.
BTW.... Yes, it is possible to watch terrestrial microwave links and usually they are not encrypted. The signals are highly directional and you would need to very close to the point-to point transmission to receive.
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