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  1. USDownlink

    Diseqc switch question.

    The primary difference is the cost of the coax. There might be a redundancy issue to consider if you really need to care about that (and you probably don't), and there might be a concern about protecting the switch. From a signal strength point of view, it is a non-issue. Distance is distance...
  2. USDownlink

    Scratchbuilt Wooden Satellite Dish

    Dude. You built your own dish. That is so cool. Not just any random person has the patience and skill to tackle such a project. Okay, enough praise. Now motorize it. :biggrin2 Just kidding. (Sort of.) No, wait, I'm not done with the jokes yet. You know, in about fifteen years, someone is...
  3. USDownlink

    Spy Satellite Tracking Article - Wired

    Humanity is putting more stuff up than orbital decay brings down, and it shows. If you're in a relatively dark area and have a clear night sky, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two to spot something gracefully arcing overhead. I taught my wife what to look for a couple years back. She...
  4. USDownlink

    Spy Satellite Tracking Article - Wired

    I've never contributed data to those groups, but I have used their data to track and observe such satellites in the past. That article keeps talking about binoculars, but that's the hard way. You need a good telescope. If the quality of the TLE data is sufficiently high, you'll point right to...
  5. USDownlink

    67W and 50W dishes install, please help

    Claro appears to be operating in Brazil, so presumably they would carry a lot of Portuguese content. That alone might make them an attractive option. If lost_mesa is correct about the footprint, and vsolovyov already negotiated the grey market (or otherwise has a valid IRD, again, perhaps as...
  6. USDownlink

    67W and 50W dishes install, please help

    Something seems very off here. First time installing dishes and you're heading straight for the massive commercial type stuff. And you're targeting two pay services that don't sell to US consumers. I'm not saying it's completely impossible, but unless this is indeed a commercial venture, it's...
  7. USDownlink

    Is such there a 1.3 meter Ku band dish?

    All other things being equal, isn't it fairly obvious that 1.2 < 1.3 <1.4 <1.5 < ... ? You're talking "spill-over" from Mexico? I've received perfectly watchable signals from Central American footprints here in Oregon using a 1.2m, specifically on 113W and 116.8W, although admittedly I've had...
  8. USDownlink

    Help Needed

    Well, I'm sure glad Mike got here, because I apparently asked all the wrong questions. ccrippy, you just tell Mike how you know stuff and if you've got another working box. I'm sure everything will quickly get resolved to your satisfaction.
  9. USDownlink

    Help Needed

    Well, the good news is that all your equipment (the dish, LNB, and receiver) are in good working order. The issue would seem to be, in a general sense, your dish is pointed at the wrong satellite. Or perhaps at the correct satellite, but you are locked on to channels that only have encrypted...
  10. USDownlink

    Android Satellite Dish Aiming

    You know, I guess I got lucky. That was the first app I tried, and I found it plenty sufficient. Not at all incidentally, too; I'm in the process of buying a house. My friends and family and wife and agent only had a vague understanding of why "southern sky" was important, but I am certain they...
  11. USDownlink

    Spectrum Analyzer

    A spectrum analyzer, in its purest form, measures signal strength versus frequency and does not inherently know anything about modulation. There are spectrum analyzers geared specifically toward satellite use, as I suspect you've seen. These will typically trade bandwidth options and perhaps...
  12. USDownlink

    My Brand New Channel Master 1.2M dishes

    Excellent price for what you received and they are fantastic dishes. I'd be thrilled too if I were you!
  13. USDownlink

    Portable high voltage DC power supply

    If I am understanding this correctly, he isn't producing 120AC. So, something said earlier is worth repeating. For those that don't have the proper skills, this really isn't a good idea. Not just because of the high voltage involved, but familiarity with and ability to identify power supply...
  14. USDownlink

    Contest: Enter to Win a Titanium Satellite PLL C-band LNBF - Ends Oct. 20, 2014

    The dual output LNBF arrived! Thanks all and thanks Brian!
  15. USDownlink

    Contest: Enter to Win a Titanium Satellite PLL C-band LNBF - Ends Oct. 20, 2014

    In under the wire! Thank you much, Brian! I was away last week, and finally got caught up enough to check in here. What a surprise awaited! Thank you for this contest.
  16. USDownlink

    Contest: Enter to Win a Titanium Satellite PLL C-band LNBF - Ends Oct. 20, 2014

    I'd be quite happy to receive a C2PLL Wideband™. Dual output mean more versatility.
  17. USDownlink

    Different question...radio programming distribution

    With the last statement in your post (I'd love to listen to that show again but it's not on any stations in my area), may I point out that Bartley's show is on a number of radio stations which freely stream their material over the internet? At home on your PC is great, or if you have a phone...
  18. USDownlink

    Tried fta on small dish

    Dish gnomes?
  19. USDownlink

    screen quality on OmegaSat DSB-6000U

    An interesting experiment, if I am looking at the correct image of the rear panel of that receiver, might be to hook up the RF out to your TV if possible. You'll be able to see the picture on channel 3 or 4. It's the same basic signal that's coming out on the yellow connector, just modulated up...
  20. USDownlink

    Oh, no! That wasn't a PCI slot...

    I've never used one of this sort, but this gadget plugs in to a PCIe slot and provides two PCI 2.2 slots via a USB (!) link. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/PCI-Express-PCI-E-X1-X4-X8-X16-to-PCI-32bit-Adapter-Dual-PCI-Bus-Slot/1925762681.html Of course, there is always the possibility...
  21. USDownlink

    How important is the noise rating on an LNB, really?

    You've taken a slightly more jaded view than I, but I don't doubt you for a moment. When there is still a residual connection between the company that designed the product and the retailer and/or you have a high-quality customer, my experience suggests there is at least a minimal attempt to pull...
  22. USDownlink

    How important is the noise rating on an LNB, really?

    For a difference of 0.1dB, it's marketing hype. The manufacturer is going to use super-ideal conditions and cherry pick the noise floor data in order to arrive at their figure. Further, if you're relying on a 0.1dB margin to receive a signal, you're going to be steadily disappointed with the...
  23. USDownlink

    Sony DSS SAT -A3

    A user manual, from which you can glean a little background information: https://docs.sony.com/release/SATA3.pdf Maybe if you had a Phase III dish to go with it, you could watch a DirecTV info card if they broadcast any. Seems pretty useless. ;)
  24. USDownlink

    Contest: Enter to Win an Amiko A3 Android Satellite Receiver & Media Center- Ends July 14th, 2014

    I'd be happy with a black one! Actually, I'd be happy with a red one too, but for official contest thread related purposes, I pick black. ;)
  25. USDownlink

    Contest: Enter to Win an Amiko mini HD SE from Titanium Satellite - Ends 5/27/2014

    I had been looking for a way to do FTA for many years prior, and finally in 2006 got the opportunity. 80cm Fortec Dish and Classic NA. Excellent receiver and dish which I still have installed and use to this day. I'm pushing the limit these days with what I can install on a property I don't own...