FREE Dear SatelliteGuys Forum. ChatGPT knows who you are!

[ILoveSats]

I asked ChatGPT the following; How much does it cost to get started in free to air satellite? Specifically KU band?

ChatGPT said:

Based on the information provided in the search results, I can provide you with an overview of the cost considerations for getting started with free-to-air (FTA) satellite broadcasting in the KU band.

The search results include a link to a SatelliteGuys forum post titled "New to FTA. Basics, Equipment, Costs?"[4]. In this post, a newcomer explores the setup and costs associated with FTA satellite broadcasting, particularly in both Ku and C Bands. The post highlights the required equipment, which includes a dish, LNBF (Low-Noise Block Downconverter), coaxial cable (RG-6), and a receiver. The post discusses different receiver options, such as the Amiko Mini HD265 and Edision OS mio.

Installation tips are provided, including using a compass for accurate alignment towards the true South, considering mounting options, using accuracy tools, conducting site surveys, and understanding coaxial cable insights. The post also explains rain fade and mentions FTA vendors like Ke4est, HyperMegaSat's Casey, and Titanium Satellite's Brian.

The popularity of FTA is discussed in the context of cost savings and hobby interest. The comparison between present availability of C Band and Ku Band channels with their past availability is also touched upon. The decline of Ku Band around 2009 due to channel losses is noted. Enthusiasts' motivations, such as live sports and backhauls, are mentioned as reasons for their involvement.

While the post provides valuable insights into the equipment and costs associated with getting started in FTA broadcasting, it doesn't explicitly mention specific cost figures for getting started in the Ku band. It's advisable to research further or consult with experts in the field to get more accurate and up-to-date cost estimates.

In summary, getting started with free-to-air satellite broadcasting in the Ku band involves purchasing equipment like a dish, LNBF, coaxial cable, and a receiver. The specific costs can vary based on the equipment you choose and additional installation expenses. It's recommended to research further and consider advice from experienced FTA enthusiasts to get a clearer understanding of the costs involved.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Not sure why the FREE header is applicable here?

 

[ILoveSats]

Oh yeah... ChatGPT costs money and I'm offering the response here for free as I already paid for it. That's fair and legit isn't it?

 

[arlo]

I don't get it. Really. Nor ChatGPT. The big guys use data mining companies to scour the Internet for things about individuals that you would never think about. Anonymity in the realm of the temple of the screaming electron is a difficult thing.
One example is. There was "this guy" who purchased a flea market FTA receiver from a booth that also happened to be on the sly and sell shady subscriptions for "things".
He used a credit card for the purchase but declined on the other things. Just to get his feet wet.
Almost simultaneously the guy was on a project for work. A used piece of production machinery purchased by the company had preset parameters as well as manual settings. The presets were entered with a smart card. Originally issued by the internal client security department at the beginning and retrieved at the end of each shift.
As the machine was several years old and purchased from the original company. It did not come with the tools available to program job specific parameters in the smart cards used.
Leaving operators and techs left with the task of entering all of the settings manually for each job that may have only taken an hour to produce.
Wouldn't it be nice to find out how to make those cards? Being a good guy he scoured the Internet for card programmers and what was needed to make their own cards to simply slip in the machine and run a job out.
Saving at least 10-15 minutes of setup time and assuring no errors were made in doing it.
Well. The flea market got traced down and busted. Big time. From what I heard.
And the guy who bought a receiver from him. And many others. Were traced down from the credit card transaction records seized.
He received a nasty gram with pages of evidence against him from the company who had the flea market dude busted. Fortified by information dug up by the data mining company hired by the busting company.
I read it. The data company had all sorts of things printed in the report they dug up.
Not just that he purchased a receiver capable of doing what he didn't do. But that he was surfing the Internet asking about smart card programmers and the software to do it. New, eBay, Ali Baba. It didn't matter. It was there.
The guy was freaking out. They were demanding thousands of dollars from him. I guess it all blew over because he never really talked about it again.
Just a true story. Personally. I use a VPN installed in my router. Not that I use it all that much.
Yahoo came up in Svenk with the headlines resembling borken-der-schporken. And a lot of Voor stuff.
Yahoo.com.en or something like that fixed it. VPN's are cheap and Sweden supports anonymity. As well as VPN vendors. And with the US being what it has become. Watching old shows like when Stymie was sick and the doctor told mom to put him in bed away from everyone. Doctor showing up and Stymie was in bed with the blankets pulled up to his neck. Shivering terribly. Doc pulling the covers down to find he was covered in ice cubes. Mom saying.
"Well, you told me to iso-late him". Yeah. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

 

[comfortably_numb]

 

[ILoveSats]

View attachment 164252

And that's putting it nicely..... IMO