Different question...radio programming distribution

[oldsmobile]

About 18 years ago, I was a board operator and commericals/public service announcements producer at a small FM station. It really was a dream job…I lived at home half a block away, and had always been completely fascinated by broadcasting. Getting to work for two years in a radio station really was a highlight of life.

My technical knowledge is admittedly limited, but I do try to understand things. Now that I’ve learned a bit about FTA, I keep thinking about working in radio where I first learned that term “birds”. We got a new satellite receiver one day, and the engineer installed it and gave me a really quick rundown of what buttons/settings I needed to do for the Saturday night oldies show. That show was Dick Bartley’s Rock & Roll’s Greatest Hits, which ran from 1900 to 0000.

I still drive by the station, which is still in operation albeit under different ownership with a different format, and there are two C band dishes in the back yard. I got to wondering if I could figure out whether Dick Bartley’s show is still on, and if it is still distributed through satellite, and if it is still on the bird, which bird and is it scrambled.

Google has yielded some results.

Dick Bartley’s shows are distributed by United Stations Radio Networks (USRN).

USRN tech support pages suggest usage of birds AMC-8 at 139 degrees, and AMC-1 at 103 degrees, under Clear Channel Satellite Services. From here in Pennsylvania, 139 degrees would be below the horizon, so that leaves 103.

USRN Network Operations gives this satellite info.

X-Digital Carrier (All USRN programming except Starguide)

Frequency: 1026380 kHz
Symbol Rate: 5787234 sps
Receivers: USRN-owned XDS-Pro 1 or XDS-Pro 4

• Pro 1 Quick Start
• Pro 4 Quick Start
• Pro 1 Discovery Tool
• Receiver Manuals/Tech Support

Program your X-Digital receiver here!

Starguide Carrier (Bloomberg, Peter Greenberg)

Frequency: 1017800 kHz
Data Rate: 06912000 bps
Symbol Rate: 5655272 sps
Provider: Clear Channel
Receivers: Starguide III, XDS-Pro 1-SG, or XDS-Pro 4-SG
​

So, I conclude that this programming is not available without the proprietary equipment. Anyone here a broadcast engineer who can confirm? And I am totally not attempting to circumvent anything or bring up any question of hacking. Just curious...I'd love to listen to that show again but it's not on any stations in my area.

 

[USDownlink]

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 with a reasonable data plan you can likely listen wherever.

Of course, I don't mean to hijack your satellite discovery. I don't have immediate answers to those questions about it being available and scrambled and equipment and whatnot, so if that was really the point, then just ignore me!

 

[Kraven]

Damn computers....always ruining the fun


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[Titanium]

The audio services are trransmitted in the clear and no special receiver is required. You may listen legally listen to these channels in a non-public setting and in the privacy of your home. Never contact the broadcaster and it is not a great idea to discuss the programming specifics in the open forums. I listen to these radio feeds all of the time, but there are so many that I have not run across this particular feed.

The satellite is AMC 8 at 139w. There are several thousand unencrypted radio feeds on this satellite. Use a 8 - 10 foot dish, C-band LNBF and a MPEG2 satellite receiver. Maybe the sation wants to get rid of an old dish or look on Craigslist for a freebee just for hauling away. The actual satellite parameters for that transponder is: Frequency - 4124, Polarity - Vertical, Symbol Rate 5787.

Some receivers automatically scan in these channels, while on other receivers the channel data (APID) must manually entered. A few days ago I was scanning with my new Amiko A3 and noticed that it automatically would scan in these audio channels, but it would take several scans to log them all!

 

[FaT Air]

139W is NOT below the horizon in Pennsylvania.
http://www.satbeams.com/footprints?position=221
May be 'in there' but I don't see "Bartley" listed in the list I have (attached) so maybe it's 'in there' but scrambled. (and require proprietary equipment) Don't know for sure.
I 'think' some have 'done these' with an 8 foot BUD.

 

[drunk247]

139W is NOT below the horizon in Pennsylvania.
http://www.satbeams.com/footprints?position=221
May be 'in there' but I don't see "Bartley" listed in the list I have (attached) so maybe it's 'in there' but scrambled. (and require proprietary equipment) Don't know for sure.
I 'think' some have 'done these' with an 8 foot BUD.

I'd be surprised if he could hit 139W from this area. I've looked at it and it isn't below the horizon but it is darn close. The rolling landscape and random trees make that a very difficult one to hit.

 

[Titanium]

Address: Allentown, PA
Latitude: 40.6084°
Longitude: -75.4902°

Satellite: 139W AMC-8 (GE-8)
Elevation: 11.3°
Azimuth (true): 252.0°
Azimuth (magn.): 264.2°

-----------------------------------

Address: Pittsburg, PA
Latitude: 40.4406°
Longitude: -79.9959°

Satellite: 139W AMC-8 (GE-8)
Elevation: 14.7°
Azimuth (true): 248.7°
Azimuth (magn.): 258.0°

 

[Cosmo Blatz]

If you do get the audio, might want to put a high pass filter (or equalizer) in line with the audio output. Those low frequency station control tones could get annoying.

 

[drunk247]

Oldsmobile,

If you are really interested in getting that bird drive past the old Citadel Broadcasting building by the Camp Hill Mall. You should see their massive old solid dish (that is missing parts of the lnb mount) sitting next to the building. It appears to be oriented for that satellite. I would think that this is what would be needed to get that satellite reliably. They are lucky there because they have a clear LOS since the highway runs that path and that means no neighbors trees. I thought about calling the number of the lease board about their dishes but I can't even imagine where I would store that thing or how I could transport it to where I would want to use it.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/...ill/@40.2333214,-76.9324165,80m/data=!3m1!1e3

Hopefully that link works. You can compare the size of the dish to the size off the pool that is next to it. The dish is between the large building and the pool.

 

[Titanium]

The Op certainly will not need a large dish as the affiliates use. The broadcasters have a need for 99.9% reliability and we as hobbyists usually don't require this level. For 139w reception, a 8 -10 foot consumer type dish (mesh or solid / fixed or motorized) will be fine for these services from PA.

 

[oldsmobile]

Guys, thanks for all the input. I appreciate it, and I do reminisce about my days in radio. And I think I would delight in hearing the 25Hz tones and think about how many automation systems get kicked in on such prompts. Wouldn't want to go back to earning $5.00 an hour, though.

I suppose I could burn some data on my phone by listening to a stream, but it's just not the same. You know. This hobby doesn't attract the people who want the easy way out.

No, I would never want to breach any etiquette. It would be awesome to be able to use a C dish, but as drunk247 points out, it'd be challenging in this area. Attached is a photo of the dish and tower that I used to use.

Well, I suppose you can't always get what you want. I kinda wish I knew about FTA and such before I bought a house...the house came first. Next place I live, though, WILL come with clear LOS to everything.

 

[FaT Air]

It appears that the ground mounted BUD is 'looking' towards a lower elevation satellite than the one on the tower. (???)
""This hobby doesn't attract the people who want the easy way out. "" Hear hear.

 

[TheHamNerd]

""This hobby doesn't attract the people who want the easy way out. "" Hear hear.

NO DOUBT!!!

 

[davhamer]

Starguide III which is being replaced by XDS, is encripted and the receiver is authorized by the content provider.

I work with these receivers all the time as I work in radio. We get nearly EVERYTHING on AMC 8 at 139.