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Do any of you oldtimers remember the spherical dishes that the homebrewers were building when Bob Cooper was just a teenager? For those not so old, TVRO (Television Receive Only) was the term used to describe the first backyard satellite dishes. Just about everyone involved in it was an electronics buff that had built ham equipment. The plans and construction article I read were in a Popular Electronics project written by Coop himself.
The spherical dish could be thought of as a section cut out of a big basketball 50 feet in diameter and supported by a stationary wooden framework. It looked to the untrained eye (today's HOA) like a flower trellis. It was tilted back at the top so as to reflect the satellite signal to an LNA about 25 feet away on a post about 6' tall. Each satellite had it's own LAN or you moved the post to what satellite you wanted to watch. The post locations, or additional posts were marked to simplify the positioning of a single LNA. You mowed your yard very carefully because of the coax running across he backyard.
The dish's reflective surface was 1/4" square mesh hardware cloth (C band). Today you'd have to cover it with 1/16" mesh aluminum screen wire for Ku band. The only Ku band around back then were the radar guns that the local Police used for speed limit control The hardware cloth was stapled or tacked to thin strips of redwood or cedar that were suspended above the framework on allthread rods that could be adjusted in or out to fit the radius of the sphere. The center of the sphere was the focal point. During construction, or later tweaking and retuning, a string was tied at the focalpoint and stretched towards the screen surface. The allthread was threaded in or out to make the wood strip touch the free end of the string, which might have a plumb bob or something similar on the free end.
Don't know how many of these were built, but for several years there weren't many surplus or used dishes around.
Harold
The spherical dish could be thought of as a section cut out of a big basketball 50 feet in diameter and supported by a stationary wooden framework. It looked to the untrained eye (today's HOA) like a flower trellis. It was tilted back at the top so as to reflect the satellite signal to an LNA about 25 feet away on a post about 6' tall. Each satellite had it's own LAN or you moved the post to what satellite you wanted to watch. The post locations, or additional posts were marked to simplify the positioning of a single LNA. You mowed your yard very carefully because of the coax running across he backyard.
The dish's reflective surface was 1/4" square mesh hardware cloth (C band). Today you'd have to cover it with 1/16" mesh aluminum screen wire for Ku band. The only Ku band around back then were the radar guns that the local Police used for speed limit control The hardware cloth was stapled or tacked to thin strips of redwood or cedar that were suspended above the framework on allthread rods that could be adjusted in or out to fit the radius of the sphere. The center of the sphere was the focal point. During construction, or later tweaking and retuning, a string was tied at the focalpoint and stretched towards the screen surface. The allthread was threaded in or out to make the wood strip touch the free end of the string, which might have a plumb bob or something similar on the free end.
Don't know how many of these were built, but for several years there weren't many surplus or used dishes around.
Harold
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Thats great stuff Charles, thanks for sharing. I'd forgotten all about those long dish movers, I never had one but have seen them. We had hand crank dishes until about 1990, sounds pretty low tech now but back then running out to the dish in January wasn't a big deal....but, I was younger then too.
I see you have a GI 2750, nice unit. Do you remember Gary Kabetta? He used to sell "ice" lnbs all over the satellite arc, they were really cal-amps, hehe, he sucked me into paying big bucks for one. He used to sell the GI 2750 and called it the "king viper". He had a pseudo name for everything he sold, you never knew what brand you were going to get until it arrived.
Joe Overholt, I believe he was the originator of Shop At Home sold satellite equipment on his show and was a pretty cool guy. I bought a data feed system from him called Skylink. They uplinked files to Westar 4 24 hrs a day, I fed the files into my computer via a serial port in real time and made them available to callers to my BBS. He sold an upscale version of skylink called planet connect but it was too $$ for me. So....how many people here remember bulletin board systems?
I see you have a GI 2750, nice unit. Do you remember Gary Kabetta? He used to sell "ice" lnbs all over the satellite arc, they were really cal-amps, hehe, he sucked me into paying big bucks for one. He used to sell the GI 2750 and called it the "king viper". He had a pseudo name for everything he sold, you never knew what brand you were going to get until it arrived.
Joe Overholt, I believe he was the originator of Shop At Home sold satellite equipment on his show and was a pretty cool guy. I bought a data feed system from him called Skylink. They uplinked files to Westar 4 24 hrs a day, I fed the files into my computer via a serial port in real time and made them available to callers to my BBS. He sold an upscale version of skylink called planet connect but it was too $$ for me. So....how many people here remember bulletin board systems?
I used Planet Connect for my BBS, which was a 4 line system called Cheers which was running RemoteAccess software. I had to run Desqview to get all the lines to work (first realy multitasking I guess)They uplinked files to Westar 4 24 hrs a day, I fed the files into my computer via a serial port in real time and made them available to callers to my BBS. He sold an upscale version of skylink called planet connect but it was too $$ for me. So....how many people here remember bulletin board systems?
Those were the days.
I used Planet Connect for my BBS, which was a 4 line system called Cheers which was running RemoteAccess software. I had to run Desqview to get all the lines to work (first realy multitasking I guess)
Those were the days.
Wow! a four line system, mine was only 1 for a few years, at the end I had two lines. What a nightmare it was, getting com ports and irqs assinged so everything would work. I ran the Omega BBS for about 7 years. I ran Wildcat software although I did try Remoteaccess and most of the others as well as I'm sure you did too. I still have the Desqveiw floppies and manual. I used the OS/2 operating system in the early years, it was the first real multitasking os that could actually time slice the cpu. You are right...those were the days!
I used Planet Connect for my BBS, which was a 4 line system called Cheers which was running RemoteAccess software. I had to run Desqview to get all the lines to work (first realy multitasking I guess)
Those were the days.
Jeez...bringing back memories. I co-sys'd for a board running Renegade. Desqview was a dream come true!
I ran a nightly FidoNet node to pull the mail between two boards since I was a local call to both of those since they were long distance between the two. Had a crazy custom batch file that would swap the FrontDoor config files between the USRobotics HST modem and the V32bis modem at night.
That was the time I taught myself TurboPascal and started writing my first shareware programs including my big one that made it worldwide... TagDude. Amazing that I can still find it on Google today when it was designed back in the 286 days.
Pub Member / Supporter
Pissed off at the crappy healthcare costs
My health Insurance renewal for 2027 just came in. Going from $827 a month to $1,187 a month. Deductible going up a $1k to $9,350. Max out of pocket also going up $1k to $11,000. Doctor co-pay of $40. Urgent Care co-pay $50. ER 50% coinsurance after deductible. That's all in network. Out of network is double, should it be needed.
Have to think about this. I'm really tempted to just go without now. I only go to the doctor once or twice a year. I pay out of pocket for Tirzepitide and can do without the Rosuvastatin (crestor) now. Really tired of spending over $10k a year and getting nothing out of it.
After years with Blue Cross I switched last year to Ambetter as my Blue Cross premium was going from $1200 to $1800 for a Silver plan and the Bronze plan was still going to be $1300 at BCBS. Ambetter was $827 for the same coverage with a Bronze plan. Didn't think it would jump this much so soon.
I'm guessing a Silver plan is probably over $2,000 a month for 2027.
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Staff member
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Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
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2680953 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Obg_1yMsldU
Direct YouTube Link - Apple's New Touchscreen MacBook Pro with Tandem OLED Display
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Obg_1yMsldU
Direct YouTube Link - Apple's New Touchscreen MacBook Pro with Tandem OLED Display
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
I figured some of the guys would be looking here for an answer. You'll need to use this link
I'll mention what happened over there. I don't want to cause Scott any issues or put him in a bad spot.
I'll mention what happened over there. I don't want to cause Scott any issues or put him in a bad spot.
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Linus Tech Tips
Time for another AWESOME video from Linus Tech Tips!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9st7OYkUHJk
Direct YouTube Link - Ep. 35 - Best Tech for a Deserted Island...
Linus on Facebook
The LTT Store
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9st7OYkUHJk
Direct YouTube Link - Ep. 35 - Best Tech for a Deserted Island...
Linus on Facebook
The LTT Store
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7 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
We have a Breakfast and Dinner thread so...
Continuing from the Breakfast thread, found Cornbread mix so ...
Yellow Cornbread Mix
2 Hatch Green Chiles -diced
1 Egg
2/3 cup of milk
add to greased pan
Bake for 400f 20-25 minutes(From instructions)
now to put together and try... this to go with pinto beans...
Continuing from the Breakfast thread, found Cornbread mix so ...
Yellow Cornbread Mix
2 Hatch Green Chiles -diced
1 Egg
2/3 cup of milk
add to greased pan
Bake for 400f 20-25 minutes(From instructions)
now to put together and try... this to go with pinto beans...
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336196 views
Breakfast for lunch. Crispy corned beef hash, home fries, two over easy eggs and sourdough toast.
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HERE TO HELP YOU!
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TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4JfcPctpQmk
Direct YouTube Link - Cyberattacks Are Coming—Is Your Company Ready? #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4JfcPctpQmk
Direct YouTube Link - Cyberattacks Are Coming—Is Your Company Ready? #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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10 views
Staff member
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
If you are a former Cuttinge Edge member who has converted to Stream, please contact me.
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Over the past few weeks, I have had problems connecting to streaming services (Netflix, HBO et al). When I go to the TV's native Channels, I have no problem. The Dish internet troubleshooter shows I have a good internet connection. I'm wondering whether it's an issue with my internet provider or a problem with the Dish software on the Hopper Plus. Anyone else seeing this?
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