Hi, My name is Al

[amaldo2835]

Good Morning to ALL, I just found this important site, I am new to this first time. I live in Milford PA 18337 . We dont get regular tv signal here ,I was told to get a dish and lnb with a receiver to get free to air tv. can someone help me and direct me on what to get to secure a free tv signal here in Milford 18337 zip. Cable company here is blue ridge very expensive monthly so I am trying to get the set up i need to get the signal. please help I amapologizing in advance if I sound like an idiot but I know nothing about this. Thank you in advance.
AL

 

[navychop]

Abandon all hope, ye who enter The Hobby.

Do you have good enough Internet service to try streaming?

FTA is a hobby, not a good way to “set it and forget it” and just watch TV.

 

[FTA4PA]

Good Morning to ALL, I just found this important site, I am new to this first time. I live in Milford PA 18337 . We dont get regular tv signal here ,I was told to get a dish and lnb with a receiver to get free to air tv. can someone help me and direct me on what to get to secure a free tv signal here in Milford 18337 zip. Cable company here is blue ridge very expensive monthly so I am trying to get the set up i need to get the signal. please help I amapologizing in advance if I sound like an idiot but I know nothing about this. Thank you in advance.
AL

Hello amaldo2835! Welcome to Satellite Guys! First off, you should know in advance that much of what is offered on a cable tv system is not available via FTA so it is not a direct replacement for that. Not that the channels aren't there - they are - but are scrambled.

Now, there is indeed still a lot that is available in the clear. It would be helpful to know what kinds of tv programs are you interested in before proceeding so we can tell you if there is anything like those in the clear. Also, a good portion of what is available is on C band. Depending on your channel preferences it might require installing a dish that is 10 foot or larger across. Is this an option for you at your present location? Let us know.

 

[dfergie]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys!

 

[amaldo2835]

Hello amaldo2835! Welcome to Satellite Guys! First off, you should know in advance that much of what is offered on a cable tv system is not available via FTA so it is not a direct replacement for that. Not that the channels aren't there - they are - but are scrambled.

Now, there is indeed still a lot that is available in the clear. It would be helpful to know what kinds of tv programs are you interested in before proceeding so we can tell you if there is anything like those in the clear. Also, a good portion of what is available is on C band. Depending on your channel preferences it might require installing a dish that is 10 foot or larger across. Is this an option for you at your present location? Let us know.

Ok I am looking at the regular channels that are offer free with the regular antenna that should suffice I am not looking to get cable channels for free unfortunately we get nothing at my location with any antena I had purchase. Any idea and help is greatly appreciated.

 

[amaldo2835]

Ok I am looking at the regular channels that are offer free with the regular antenna that should suffice I am not looking to get cable channels for free unfortunately we get nothing at my location with any antena I had purchase. Any idea and help is greatly appreciated.

Yes sorry I got the option of installing a dish if one is found

 

[primestar31]

unfortunately we get nothing at my location with any antena I had purchase.

Click this link, and follow the directions to run a signal reception report on the exact location of your house (not just zip code) (where you would install your antenna if doable). Set Minimum Search Distance to 100 miles. Set Height to 30 feet. Press GO, and when it generates the signal map, post the RESULTS link in this thread. Then we can advise you IF there really IS anyway to get antenna tv at your location: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php

 

[amaldo2835]

Click this link, and follow the directions to run a signal reception report on the exact location of your house (not just zip code) (where you would install your antenna if doable). Set Minimum Search Distance to 100 miles. Set Height to 30 feet. Press GO, and when it generates the signal map, post the RESULTS link in this thread. Then we can advise you IF there really IS anyway to get antenna tv at your location: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php

Thank you Mike, I will check and get back to you.

 

[amaldo2835]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys!

Thank you. A pleasure I feel welcome

 

[amaldo2835]

Thank you Mike, I will check and get back to you.

https://www.rabbitears.info/s/1360479

 

[primestar31]

https://www.rabbitears.info/s/1360479

YIKES! You are right, your reception situation is pretty bad. Unless you are willing to spend around $300~ for some equipment in the HOPES of getting some OTA tv MAYBE. Personally, I wouldn't bother.

Your only possible hopes are streaming, FTA satellite for a few things, and/or Dish Network/DirecTV.

Now for FTA satellite, there's the smaller 3-4 foot dishes that are good for KU signals. Those are mostly foreign stations, many religious broadcasts only type things. Along with the occasional feeds of interesting things that do a quick broadcast, and then it's over. You mostly have to keep moving the dish and scanning in HOPES of catching a lot of those. IF you buy everything needed, you are likely going to spend at least $400 or so to put this together.

Then, there's C-band, the old BIG dishes people used to have. That has a lot more on it that might be worth watching for you. However, it also pretty much entails you driving around, finding somebody that still has one of these dishes in their back yard, then knocking on the door and asking IF you can have it. IF you do this, do NOT settle for a dish smaller than 10 FEET across.

You'd then have to buy a new digital receiver, LNBF, coax cable, and a dish positioner to move it. Install a pole for it, and do all the install, adjustments, and aiming yourself. IF you can find a dish worth having, you'll likely still spend maybe $600~ or so getting the whole thing up and running.

Do some more research before even trying that. From Google Maps, get your exact coordinates (they must be Decimal degrees (DD) like this: 41.3223, 74.8024) of your back yard (wherever you think would be a good site for a dish), and put them in here: DishPointer - Align your satellite dish

Scroll down in the satellite selection list, and look for: 101W DIRECTV SES 1 Then hit SEARCH. See where the line draws that points to that satellite, and see if you are where you aren't aiming through a tree or bush or something.

 

[amaldo2835]

YIKES! You are right, your reception situation is pretty bad. Unless you are willing to spend around $300~ for some equipment in the HOPES of getting some OTA tv MAYBE. Personally, I wouldn't bother.

Your only possible hopes are streaming, FTA satellite for a few things, and/or Dish Network/DirecTV.

Now for FTA satellite, there's the smaller 3-4 foot dishes that are good for KU signals. Those are mostly foreign stations, many religious broadcasts only type things. Along with the occasional feeds of interesting things that do a quick broadcast, and then it's over. You mostly have to keep moving the dish and scanning in HOPES of catching a lot of those. IF you buy everything needed, you are likely going to spend at least $400 or so to put this together.

Then, there's C-band, the old BIG dishes people used to have. That has a lot more on it that might be worth watching for you. However, it also pretty much entails you driving around, finding somebody that still has one of these dishes in their back yard, then knocking on the door and asking IF you can have it. IF you do this, do NOT settle for a dish smaller than 10 FEET across.

You'd then have to buy a new digital receiver, LNBF, coax cable, and a dish positioner to move it. Install a pole for it, and do all the install, adjustments, and aiming yourself. IF you can find a dish worth having, you'll likely still spend maybe $600~ or so getting the whole thing up and running.

Do some more research before even trying that. From Google Maps, get your exact coordinates (they must be Decimal degrees (DD) like this: 41.3223, 74.8024) of your back yard (wherever you think would be a good site for a dish), and put them in here: DishPointer - Align your satellite dish

Scroll down in the satellite selection list, and look for: 101W DIRECTV SES 1 Then hit SEARCH. See where the line draws that points to that satellite, and see if you are where you aren't aiming through a tree or bush or something.

Your Location
Latitude: 41.2900°
Longitude: -74.9157°
Satellite Data
Name: 180E INTELSAT 18
Distance: 43855km
Dish Setup Data
Elevation: -19.5°
Azimuth (true): 100.1°
Azimuth (magn.): 112.4°
LNB Skew [?]: 47.7°

This info I got from dishpointer with my Address.

 

[primestar31]

Your Location
Latitude: 41.2900°
Longitude: -74.9157°
Satellite Data
Name: 180E INTELSAT 18
Distance: 43855km
Dish Setup Data
Elevation: -19.5°
Azimuth (true): 100.1°
Azimuth (magn.): 112.4°
LNB Skew [?]: 47.7°

This info I got from dishpointer with my Address.

You need to change that satellite to 101W as I said. You CAN'T receive 180E at your location.

Then YOU need to use the information to find a location at your property that has an UNrestricted view of 101W to tell IF you are likely to be able to receive some C-band sats at all.

 

[amaldo2835]

You need to change that satellite to 101W as I said. You CAN'T receive 180E at your location.

Then YOU need to use the information to find a location at your property that has an UNrestricted view of 101W to tell IF you are likely to be able to receive some C-band sats at all.

Your Location
Latitude: 41.2900°
Longitude: -74.9157°
Satellite Data
Name: 101W DIRECTV 9S | SES 1
Distance: 38154km
Dish Setup Data
Elevation: 35.4°
Azimuth (true): 216.6°
Azimuth (magn.): 228.9°
LNB Skew [?]: 26.6°

 

[navychop]

FTA, as noted, will cost you more than $300. I daresay, more than $600.

Satco or streaming.

 

[cyberham]

Here is a brief summary of some of the FTA satellite English language channels that you may be able to receive on Ku band with a 3- to 4-foot dish (depending on visibility in your particular yard to the sky). Trees or neighbor's buildings may get in your way.

Reuters news feeds; religious channels such as Daystar, 3ABN, GODTV, Hope, many more; Brigham Young University; AWE-Encore; Heartland; OAN-Encore; CBN-News; Veterans Administration; NHK Japan; Voice of Germany; Nigerian Television; NewsNation; Taiwan; Reach; Movie previews; Montana PBS; PBS East; PBS West; PBS Kids; PBS Create; PBS World; PBS feeds; Infowars; miscellaneous news feed channels; Wedo Big Stories; Positiv; Kazakhstan; Press TV news from Iran; China government TV; Iranian movie channel; Louisiana PBS, Create, Kids; Florida government; plus many commercial-free music channels of all genres.

 

[amaldo2835]

FTA, as noted, will cost you more than $300. I daresay, more than $600.

Satco or streaming.

Thank you . streaming is not a possibility.

 

[amaldo2835]

Here is a brief summary of some of the FTA satellite English language channels that you may be able to receive on Ku band with a 3- to 4-foot dish (depending on visibility in your particular yard to the sky). Trees or neighbor's buildings may get in your way.

Reuters news feeds; religious channels such as Daystar, 3ABN, GODTV, Hope, many more; Brigham Young University; AWE-Encore; Heartland; OAN-Encore; CBN-News; Veterans Administration; NHK Japan; Voice of Germany; Nigerian Television; NewsNation; Taiwan; Reach; Movie previews; Montana PBS; PBS East; PBS West; PBS Kids; PBS Create; PBS World; PBS feeds; Infowars; miscellaneous news feed channels; Wedo Big Stories; Positiv; Kazakhstan; Press TV news from Iran; China government TV; Iranian movie channel; Louisiana PBS, Create, Kids; Florida government; plus many commercial-free music channels of all genres.

Do you know a place I can get the things i need for KU band . and the names of parts i need.

 

[cyberham]

Do you know a place I can get the things i need for KU band . and the names of parts i need.

HyperMegaSat

Owned and Operated by FTA Enthusiast's. Your trusted source for Free To Air equipment since 2006. FREE SHIPPING in the USA.

hypermegasat.com

https://www.glorystar.tv/dishes-mounts/

 

[phlatwound]

Thank you . streaming is not a possibility.

Cost may be a factor but have you considered Starlink internet?

You will need to see a pretty good piece of sky, generally to the north.

We have had it for going on a year now and it has been incredible with uptime at approximately 99.999%.

We see speeds of 125-250 down, 10-20 up and pings in the 20-30 range on the average, depending on the time of day.

Good luck in your search for tv viewing however you can get it!