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nointernetguy

Last reply Jun 14, 2025 · posted in Free To Air (FTA) Discussion

Wondering what channels I can get with some old equipment.

I want to get some FTA channels out at my camp because I stopped using Directv a little while back. I currently just have like 10 OTA antenna channels but I see there are lots of FTA satellite channels out there. I have a very old sat dish from like 2007 or something and a newer oval one from around 2018. I also have a old DIRECTV R15 Receiver and a Directv Gemini receiver that I'd prefer not to use because I lost the remote. I'd honestly be happy with even 1 new channel off Galaxy 19 or a different one. According to my research I should be able to use the new satellite dish with the R15 and still get some of the MPEG-2 channels. Should I spend my time setting this up or no?

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Pepper

Sep 22, 2024

If your dish antenna looks like the ones in the photos above (DirecTV Slimline or the 5LNB cluster), I have had good luck with those. I currently have one of each pointed at 87W and 129W. Replaced the stock LNBF assembly with a linear by drilling a hole in the appropriate spot and adding one of Hyper Casey 's LNB holders with a linear LNBF. I did have another of them for a couple of days in the front yard* on a temp mount pointed at 67W, with a DishPro tacked to the side for 77W.

If you can find locally an old SuperDish, or even better HughesNet, those work great too. I have one of the Hughes dishes pointed at 97W, with additional LNBs for 101W and 105W.

For multiple dishes, you'll want to look into DiSEqC 4x1 or 8x1 switches, and there are more complicated ways if you want multiple dishes and multiple receivers. But sounds like you'll be happy with one dish into one receiver at least until the bug bites you.

* until Mrs Pepper said no dish antennas in the front yard!

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Brct203

Sep 23, 2024

Those dishes should be ok for most Ku signals as long as you don't mind losing them during heavy rain/snow. They might be a tad too small for weaker signals like Montana PBS on 99W or LPB on 87W, depending on your location. But once you get a new LNBF mounted, they are definitely worth a try. They would probably work fine for the NHK multiplex on 101W, maybe for the PBS multiplex on 99W, and 97W

Have fun!

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nointernetguy

Sep 23, 2024

Brct203 said:
Those dishes should be ok for most Ku signals as long as you don't mind losing them during heavy rain/snow. They might be a tad too small for weaker signals like Montana PBS on 99W or LPB on 87W, depending on your location. But once you get a new LNBF mounted, they are definitely worth a try. They would probably work fine for the NHK multiplex on 101W, maybe for the PBS multiplex on 99W, and 97W

Have fun!

Do you think I could get byu on 116.8 w?

Pepper

Sep 23, 2024

nointernetguy said:
Do you think I could get byu on 116.8 w?

Just checked my notes. I was able to get BYU and BVN with a dish that size. With a slightly larger (SuperDish 105) I am getting basically everything there.

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nointernetguy

Sep 28, 2024

Pepper said:
Just checked my notes. I was able to get BYU and BVN with a dish that size. With a slightly larger (SuperDish 105) I am getting basically everything there.

I just remembered about my old very small circle DirecTV dishes. Do you think those would get me BYU and BVN because it's only two channels or are they just junk.

Jim S.

Sep 28, 2024

BVN has a low symbol rate and a high error correction rate, so it doesn't take a huge signal to receive it properly. However, I have no idea what the actual output power on their transponder is, or how to do the math anyway. So unless someone comes up with that, the only way to tell would be to try it.

cyberham

Sep 28, 2024

Jim S. said:
BVN has a low symbol rate and a high error correction rate, so it doesn't take a huge signal to receive it properly....

If Lyngsat is correct, then BVN uses DVB-S2 QPSK FEC 1/2. This means you need 1.0 dB to lock it. Very low and should be easy to lock with minimal signal. It broadcasts exclusively in the Dutch language.

On the other hand, BYU uses DVB-S2 8PSK FEC 2/3. This means you need 6.6 dB to lock. So it's going to be tougher. BYU has some interesting shows in English.

nointernetguy

Sep 29, 2024

cyberham said:
If Lyngsat is correct, then BVN uses DVB-S2 QPSK FEC 1/2. This means you need 1.0 dB to lock it. Very low and should be easy to lock with minimal signal. It broadcasts exclusively in the Dutch language.

On the other hand, BYU uses DVB-S2 8PSK FEC 2/3. This means you need 6.6 dB to lock. So it's going to be tougher. BYU has some interesting shows in English.

All of the lnbfs that I find when I search "ku band fta lnb(f)" are all saying .1 db. Where can I find a higher one?

waylew

Sep 29, 2024

nointernetguy said:
"ku band fta lnb(f)" are all saying .1 db.

That's just a "noise" figure for the lnb.The db levels others are talking about are for actual signal levels you need to receive a channel.

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Hyper Casey

Sep 30, 2024

nointernetguy said:
All of the lnbfs that I find when I search "ku band fta lnb(f)" are all saying .1 db. Where can I find a higher one?

A good selection here:

LNBs/LNBFs

LNB's and LNBF's for your Free To Air FTA Dish

hypermegasat.com

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nointernetguy

Oct 1, 2024

nointernetguy said:
I just remembered about my old very small circle DirecTV dishes. Do you think those would get me BYU and BVN because it's only two channels or are they just junk.

Re-asking this question here. I know I'll need knew lnbs for them but would they work?

HoppertheKangaroo18

Jun 14, 2025

Pepper said:
If your dish antenna looks like the ones in the photos above (DirecTV Slimline or the 5LNB cluster), I have had good luck with those. I currently have one of each pointed at 87W and 129W. Replaced the stock LNBF assembly with a linear by drilling a hole in the appropriate spot and adding one of Hyper Casey 's LNB holders with a linear LNBF. I did have another of them for a couple of days in the front yard* on a temp mount pointed at 67W, with a DishPro tacked to the side for 77W.

If you can find locally an old SuperDish, or even better HughesNet, those work great too. I have one of the Hughes dishes pointed at 97W, with additional LNBs for 101W and 105W.

For multiple dishes, you'll want to look into DiSEqC 4x1 or 8x1 switches, and there are more complicated ways if you want multiple dishes and multiple receivers. But sounds like you'll be happy with one dish into one receiver at least until the bug bites you.

* until Mrs Pepper said no dish antennas in the front yard!

129w is still around? I thought ciel 2 died long ago lol...if that's the same satellite idk probably not

cyberham

Jun 14, 2025

HoppertheKangaroo18 said:
129w is still around? I thought ciel 2 died long ago lol...if that's the same satellite idk probably not

SES15 is a Ku-only satellite at 129W. It has the Reuters new feed 24/7 and lots of data transponders.

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Houston Rockets

Last reply 3 minutes ago · posted in FTA Receiver / Equipment Support

OTHER Mini Multiswitch

I just received 6 receiver 2 port mini Multiswitch and it work great, no external power need it, and you can connect 6 receiver instead of 4 on most Mini Multiswitches... If anyone is interested in where they can get one PM me....

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Titanium

Today at 2:00 PM

Have you tested using external power? Over the years, have found unpowered polarity switching to be unreliable. Especially problematic when used with DiSEqC motors or switch stacking.

Houston Rockets

Today at 2:39 PM

No I have not. I just got it the other day and it is connected to six receivers working just fine. What I do is non power mini multi-switches work best with LNBF's and with LNB's

Houston Rockets

3 minutes ago

It also has a IPS and a OPS switch on the side of it with a power led light showing when is on. It seems to be very nice build switch

dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply 12 minutes ago · posted in Internet Television (IPTV) Discussion Forum

Hughesnet cancelling email addresses

Wasn't exactly sure where to post this. Just had a customer come in inquiring about internet. He has HughesNet and had heard good things about mine. He asked if we provided email addresses and it kinda caught me off guard. I said he should be able to keep whatever email he had been using....my sister in law is still using a BellSouth email addy and they haven't been around here for many years. He said he had gotten a letter from HughesNet stating that they had until Nov 16th to save, move, forward, whatever, their Hughesnet emails because they would lose them after that date.

I have never heard of a company simply mass-deleting email accounts (the customer still has his HughesNet service). From what I understand, in the past, the company who was ditching their email service simply sold the customer base to a company like Google.

Anyone else getting this letter. He said he would show it to me tomorrow when I go out there and set up his internet.

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Foxbat

Today at 2:37 PM

Doing a Google of the HughesNet Email notice, it seems that HughesNet has been trying to eliminate hosting emails since 2019. And with HughesNet filing Chapter 11 back in August, it would be a smart move to switch to a more stable Email provider. Even AT&T farmed out their Email to Yahoo! years ago.

SpaceX's Starlink and the Cellular 5G Home Internet solutions have pretty much relegated HughesNet and its high latency, low bandwidth Internet service to History. If Earth had shorter days, maybe a Geostationary Internet Solution might have stood a fighting chance…

dishstaller

Today at 2:57 PM

Well, I helped him set up a gmail acct....I actually wanted to see what the new process is for setting up a gmail acct since it had been years since I set mine up. Anyway, I showed him how to forward the emails he wanted to keep over.

navychop

Today at 3:16 PM

Foxbat said:
If Earth had shorter days,

Wouldn't we then die of old age sooner?

Reactions: Bobby

Foxbat

Today at 3:30 PM

navychop said:
Wouldn't we then die of old age sooner?

Still the same number of years, just more Sunsets…

klang

12 minutes ago

Foxbat said:
Even AT&T farmed out their Email to Yahoo! years ago.

I still have one of those although I've been trying to wean myself off it.

Bobby

Supporting Founder Lifetime Supporter

Last reply 36 minutes ago · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Dish 4K Event Listings (No Discussion)

This is a thread that will keep you apprised of 4K events that will be showing on Dish channel 540. Keep looking here for information.

As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.

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Bobby

Sunday at 11:00 AM

MLB, Brewers at Dodgers, Wednesday 10-14, 5PM PDT, Channel 148-02.

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Bobby

Tuesday at 8:48 PM

MLB, Brewers at Dodgers, Thursday 10-15, 6PM PDT, Channel 148-02.

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Bobby

Tuesday at 8:50 PM

CFB, Notre Dame at BYU, Saturday 10-27, 4:30PM PDT, Channel 148-03.

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Bobby

Tuesday at 8:52 PM

NASCAR, Freeway Insurance 500, Sunday 10-18, 12PM PDT, Channel 148-04.

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Bobby

36 minutes ago

CFB, Ohio State at Indiana, Saturday 10-17, 9AM PDT, Channel 148-01.
CFB, Arizona State at Texas Tech, Saturday 10-17, 12:30PM PDT, Channel 148-01.

Reactions: charlesrshell

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Former member 209992

Last reply 51 minutes ago · posted in SatelliteGuys Support Center

Site is slooooow

For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.

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Foxbat

Today at 1:22 PM

Yeah. It's probably something going on with the MacBook as my iPhone has been pretty snappy.

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Scott Greczkowski

Today at 2:49 PM

I have been optimizing the site the past few days... and got us here now.

We are rocking now!

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Foxbat

55 minutes ago

Foxbat said:
Yeah. It's probably something going on with the MacBook as my iPhone has been pretty snappy.

I rebooted my MacBook Air and it's zipping right along. Sorry, but it was taking over 20 seconds to load pages, with the pulsing blue bars so it was munching on something.

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Scott Greczkowski

55 minutes ago

Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.

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Foxbat

51 minutes ago

Scott Greczkowski said:
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.

WTF… …What the Foxbat!

Reactions: TRG, Bobby, charlesrshell and 1 other person

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dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 3:00 PM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Man falls to his death on roller coaster at 6 Flags in GA

Can't help but wonder if a worker overlooked checking the harness. I rarely ride a roller coaster anymore but when I do I check the harness myself pretty aggressively.
Can't imagine what the son is going through.

Dad levitated and bled then fell to his death from coaster

Eyewitnesses have shared fresh details of the horrific accident that happened at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday afternoon.

www.dailymail.com

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Jimbo

Yesterday at 11:02 PM

Back on the Goliath Roller Coaster ... I'm interested to find more details as well ...
Like where on the track did this happen (somewhere I read that it was on the climb up the top), which is impossible ...

They really need to take that ride and add at the very least, seatbelts ...

The Park is opening back up on Friday, the ride will Not be opening ... personally, I would keep it closed until different type of restraints can be designed and installed (over the winter).

I find it hard to believe that this ride is even allowed to be running with the restraints that exist at the moment, there are other rides that use the same type and they have been shut down across the country.

You got to believe that every ride has at least 2 types of restraint systems in place.

I wonder what and when we will hear from the Manufacturer ... and whatever governing bodies control these ...

Just think, this is a Major Amusement Park .... I would not have any problem getting on the Roller Coasters I have rode ...

Imagine what these County Fairs and others like them, I would not be caught Dead on one of them ... they get put up and tore down every other week, where is the safety for those rides ... No Thank You.

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Jimbo

Yesterday at 11:10 PM

Could B&M’s Patent on the “Clamshell” Ride Restraint Design Offer Clues as to What Happened on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia?

Incredibly sad news out of Six Flags Over Georgia as it’s being reported one man was killed after being ejected from Goliath, the B&M hyper coaster. Many news outlets have posted pictures of pe…

bgtsafari.com

navychop

Yesterday at 11:17 PM

Jimbo said:
I would not be caught Dead on one of them

Yet IF you were on one, you might be caught dead.

dishstaller

Today at 10:07 AM

Jimbo said:
Could B&M’s Patent on the “Clamshell” Ride Restraint Design Offer Clues as to What Happened on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia?

Incredibly sad news out of Six Flags Over Georgia as it’s being reported one man was killed after being ejected from Goliath, the B&M hyper coaster. Many news outlets have posted pictures of pe…

bgtsafari.com

Had no idea there were that many redundancies built into those restraints.

Jimbo

Today at 2:18 PM

dishstaller said:
Had no idea there were that many redundancies built into those restraints.

It makes sense, however, I would want more types of restraints, so if one doesn't work, the other does ... the restraints coming over the shoulder I would have expected ... with a Seat belt as last resort.

Fwiw, I inquired with what they use on Coasters at Cedar Point, various Coasters, different restraints according to what the car and track requires ...

NONE of the Coasters at CP use THAT particular system

I'm glad to see ...

dishstaller

Today at 3:00 PM

Jimbo said:
with a Seat belt as last resort.

According to the article, when you see a seat belt on a ride like this, it is basically used as a way of making sure the rider isn't too large/fat to safely ride the ride.

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Ham Radio 2.0

Today at 2:52 PM · posted in Ham Radio 2.0

Kenwood TM-D750 vs ICOM ID-5200: Don't Buy One Before Watching This!

Time for another AWESOME video from Ham Radio 2.0!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGlC_BDgwZo

Direct YouTube Link - Kenwood TM-D750 vs ICOM ID-5200: Don't Buy One Before Watching This!
Ham Radio 2.0 Website
Ham Radio 2.0 on Facebook

0 Replies · 8 views

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Today at 2:32 PM · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Tech News Weekly 459

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELCVXF_wXA

Direct YouTube Link - Tech News Weekly 459
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

0 Replies · 9 views

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TheRatPatrol

Last reply Today at 2:13 PM · posted in TV Shows

NCIS

Anyone else watch this show? Any guesses as to what was in the box Gibbs gave to Abby that was on her desk? It look liked it was glowing.

I also heard that someone was leaving the show at the end of this season. Any guesses as to who thats going to be?

2129 Replies · 214624 views

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TheRatPatrol

Monday at 11:11 AM

Wait, Tony is the director now? Apologies, I stopped watching a while ago.

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Jimbo

Monday at 11:47 AM

TheRatPatrol said:
Wait, Tony is the director now? Apologies, I stopped watching a while ago.

Was Gibbs still there when you quit watching ?
If so, A Lot has happened ....

It's been pretty good all along , once you get use to Gibbs being gone.

Reactions: MikeD-C05

Jimbo

Monday at 11:41 PM