Equipment for Peace TV on Galaxy 19

[Ramshot Rowdy]

I'm fairly knowledgeable about Dish/DirecTV type systems, but totally new to FTA. I have a meter and could aim the dish, that's not an issue. My question is, what equipment would I need to receive Peace TV:

GALAXY 19
Position: 97º West,
Downlink Frequency: 11929 MHz
Symbol Rate: 22000 Msyb/s,
FEC: 3/4, Polarization: Vertical,
Transponder: 11,
Modulation: DVB-S, MPEG-2
Reach: USA, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean Islands

Any dish/receiver/equipment recommendations for a single satellite setup for Galaxy 19? Also any other suggestions?

I assume I could get most of the FTA programming on G19 with this setup, correct?

Thanks.

 

[Jim S.]

As long as it stays DVB-S and MPEG-2 (as opposed to DVB-S2 and MPEG 4 or 5), absolutely any FTA receiver will work. I don't think there are any full-time DVB-S2 transponders on Galaxy 19, but there are a few MPEG-4 channels.

A 36-inch / 90-cm dish should be fine. On the east coast a 30-inch dish works, but just barely for some transponders.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

So would getting a receiver that supports both DVB-S and DVB-S2, plus MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 be a bit of future proofing even if I don't need it at this time?

Galaxy 19 is almost directly south of me, no LOS issues, hopefully reception would be alright.

 

[Titanium]

So would getting a receiver that supports both DVB-S and DVB-S2, plus MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 be a bit of future proofing even if I don't need it at this time?

Galaxy 19 is almost directly south of me, no LOS issues, hopefully reception would be alright.

A MPEG4 DVBS2 receiver is backwards compatible. A very reliable set top box is the Amiko Mini HD RE that is up for drawing in this contest (also on sale).

Contest: Amiko Mini HD RE

 

[Magic Static]

to the forum Ramshot Rowdy!
You will also need a linear LNBF, not circular like Dish and DTV. Preferably a STANDARD one with a LOF of 10750.
Check out this Maverick Store - Michael Electronics  Satellite Dish Accessories

 

[KE4EST]

to SatelliteGuys Ramshot Rowdy!!!!

I see the other guys have educated you. Any more questions feel free to ask!!

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

After a month of considering it, I think I'm going to go ahead and try to setup a FTA system for Peace TV. Thanks for all the welcome messages, I do have a few more questions.

So the suggested Amiko Mini HD RE looks pretty nice, and it's only around $100. Does everyone think that's a pretty good receiver? Any problems/limitations/concerns I should know about the Amiko Mini HD RE? Any other receiver recommendations?

Any suggestions on a dish other than a 36" one? What are some recommended places to purchase a dish? Any certain brand dish/lnb better than another? What size pole do most of the 36" dishes require? I have a 2" OD pole in my yard that's not being used, and it has good RG6 cable run to it. Can most dishes be fitted with a motorized unit that moves the dish later, or is a specific dish required for those units?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[FTA4PA]

After a month of considering it, I think I'm going to go ahead and try to setup a FTA system for Peace TV. Thanks for all the welcome messages, I do have a few more questions.

So the suggested Amiko Mini HD RE looks pretty nice, and it's only around $100. Does everyone think that's a pretty good receiver? Any problems/limitations/concerns I should know about the Amiko Mini HD RE? Any other receiver recommendations?

Any suggestions on a dish other than a 36" one? What are some recommended places to purchase a dish? Any certain brand dish/lnb better than another? What size pole do most of the 36" dishes require? I have a 2" OD pole in my yard that's not being used, and it has good RG6 cable run to it. Can most dishes be fitted with a motorized unit that moves the dish later, or is a specific dish required for those units?

Thanks again for the help.

From what I understand the Amiko Mini HD RE is a re-release of the Amiko Mini HD SE which had stopped production a while back. The SE was/is a great receiver so the RE should be fine as well. You can purchase one from Michael Electronics here. A 36" dish will be fine for almost everything. The GeosatPro is one that many members here recommend. It is available on Amazon for $99 + $24 shipping. These are also available on eBay but I see they now only list a two pack now for $179 and free shipping or a single dish with a 4 degree kit for $189 and free shipping. Not sure if that will fit by itself on a 2" pole but it would work if you motorize it with a Stab HH90.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

Hmm, so with this Stab HH90 and the Amiko Mini HD SE (Since it supports DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS) I could get a motorized multi-sat setup for around $300ish? Is this configuration hard to get setup and aligned correctly? Once setup is it easy to switch satellites, like from a menu or something?

 

[Magic Static]

Hmm, so with this Stab HH90 and the Amiko Mini HD SE (Since it supports DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS) I could get a motorized multi-sat setup for around $300ish? Is this configuration hard to get setup and aligned correctly? Once setup is it easy to switch satellites, like from a menu or something?

Your 1st dish setup is always difficult but once it's setup it's all automatic. After scanning just select the channel you want and it moves the dish to the correct satellite. Or select the satellite you want to scan and it moves there automatically with the USALS function.

 

[KE4EST]

Yes that price sounds about right, not counting coax, connectors, etc.
For someone who has never setup a motorized dish there is a learning curve but it is not to bad. I have a motor install guide up as a sticky and there is a very extensive one in the FTA FAQ sub-forum on this forum.

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

Your 1st dish setup is always difficult but once it's setup it's all automatic. After scanning just select the channel you want and it moves the dish to the correct satellite. Or select the satellite you want to scan and it moves there automatically with the USALS function.

This was my experience. When you first set up your dish, SKIP THE MOTOR. Get used to lining up a single satellite first. The motor adds a bit more complexity. I'm still tweaking my motor setup to try to get everything I want on it, months after first setting it up. Luckily for you, 97W has a pretty strong signal, so you may still receive it while making adjustments for satellite on the far east and west sides.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

Seems like most of the channels (According to FTAList.com) are in the 87W to 125W area. I know I can get 110W-129W on my Dish 1000.2, which isn't in as good a location as the preexisting pole I plan to use. I've also had HughesNet pointed at 95W I believe. So shouldn't be any LOS issues. Would the 36" dish likely pick all those up alright? I'm in the south central US (Southeastern Oklahoma) so it's a pretty good location to pickup a lot of satellites generally.

I have an extra RG6 coming into my living room where I would put the FTA receiver, and a solid copper center dual RG6 run out to the 2" OD pole in the yard from where it all junctions under the house. So I should be set on coax, etc...

 

[KE4EST]

Would the 36" dish likely pick all those up alright?

Yes, I would say 99% of channels on a 36".
You will have the occasional one that would require a 4' but you should be just fine. Especially to start out with. If you get hooked, like most of us, you will end up with more than one dish eventually anyway.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

I got my Amiko Mini HD RE today (very nice) and LNB from www.nc-electronics.com Still waiting on my GEOSATPro 36" which should be here Monday, may have to sink a new pole for it though.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

GEOSATPro 36" came in today, fashioned an adapter for the pole this morning, and put it together and aimed it as soon as Fedex dropped it off. The dish came with an LNB, but I already had the LNB from www.nc-electronics.com unboxed, so I just used it. My satellite meter worked very well for aiming it after a little trial and error. After that I just ran the blind scan and I had lots of channels available. The receiver is showing signal strength 70-90 and the quality meter in 30s and 40s (Most are 40-50 range). Is that pretty decent?

Many thanks for all the answers to my questions, and the equipment recommendations. I really think it turned out great for my first FTA system.

One last question, the receiver has an EPG built in, but it seems mostly like a channel list more than anything. Is there anything I need to setup to get better EPG data, or will it show up if it's available for that particular satellite/channel?

Thanks again.

 

[Pepper]

There are a small few with guide but most FTA stations simply have no EPG data. Their target market is not consumers like us, so they don't bother.

 

[Ramshot Rowdy]

I'm getting a lot of channels, but not Peace TV, the blind scan identified both the English and Urdu versions twice, the settings were the same except one was Vertical and one Horizontal. The website for Peace TV (http://peacetv.tv/en-gb/how-to-tune-into-peace-tv) identified it as Vertical, which was the one I had good signal and quality on. But there is nothing when I tune to either the English or Urdu versions, just a black screen. I though maybe it was off air, but I've now had the chance to check it multiple times throughout the day and there is never anything on that channel. It does have good signal and quality (Signal 87, Quality 65) on the Vertical one it identified.

The receiver (Amiko Mine HD RE) says "97W Gal19 Ku/3971/V/22000", I know the 97W Gal19 Ku is the satellite my dish is pointed at, not sure about the 3971, I assume transponder. The V I assume is for vertical, and the 22000 is the symbol rate.

Have I done something wrong, or can anyone else confirm this channel is off air and nothing but a black screen?

 

[. Raine]

Looks like it's the channel, I just looked and I have just a black screen on both the English and Urdu, Q of 74% on my MicroHD. I never watch this channel, so I don't know if they go off air for certain periods of time or not.

 

[Cham]

Ramshot, your "LNB type" should be set to "Standard" and "First Frequency" set to 10750 for that satellite. You might want to delete the transponders and channels you have scanned in and re-scan in the for the proper frequencies.