Is there any FTA sats I can get in Davenport IA?

[justagreatguy]

First of all i just want to say hi to everyone!! I am new to this and I want free TV. I bought a old but never opened Starcruiser DSR 5000 with a 30 in Dish with LNB all in box never opened at a used store for $20. I know its a old unit but I guess the dish was worth it. After I opened it, I seen it has a foreign plug on the receiver (2 round pins) so I just cut it off and installed a us plug and it works. But I dont think the menu for setting it up has the list of satellites for where I live. I think there for somewhere els. Well anyway I also have a VisionDTV 1020A card I got from ebay a long time ago but I never understood setting it up. I also have a Direct TV Dish with 1 LNB and I have a Super Dish from Dish Network with the 3 LNB's on it. Well do I have anything I can get Free TV with were I live and (or) is there anything I can buy that I need to get free sat if possible, and the visionDTV card supports Internet, is this something I can pay for and use where I live and who do I go threw to get it? Gee I want so much and know so little

 

[Anole]

The 30" dish sounds good. The old SuperDish might be pressed into service later on.
Not sure about the receiver. I'm sure someone will comment on it.

As for the programming available, you might look on 97° west, as it carries a lot of various programming to get started with.
Look over FTA list (the most simple one around) and see if anything strikes your fancy.
Or, tell us what you'd like to watch on FTA.

You'll need a clear view of the southern sky to aim the dish at a satellite of your choice.
As you get familiar with the equipment, and zero in on what you like to watch, we can help you with more dishes, if necessary.

 

[justagreatguy]

I got all kinds of southern sky Im just looking for almost anything I can watch to get started in this and get my 20 bucks worth! All I was able to get with the receiver is Direct tvs sat that was all scrambled. I found and locked onto other sats with the hand meter but I could not get the receiver to work with them. Im going to try the VisionDTV card again with the new dish.

 

[Anole]

If you use the SuperDish, and align one of the circular LNBs (just not the center one) with 119°, you should be able to get NASA, and a couple other channels which are not scrambled.
That'll get you some familiarity and initial confidence.

Use this forum's own The List for more info.

I don't recommend the Pci card to a newbie. I tried starting out with something like that and it's a big mistake.

 

[DirectDishNet]

Gee I want so much and know so little

Welcome! Glad your here, I'm in Davenport also!....

 

[justagreatguy]

Thanks for all the replays and all the help!!!
Its great that the help is here when it is needed,
I need names of the sats for the reciever, it only ask for what the name of the sat the dish is on.So if anyone wants to give up the names for the sats I can pick up here in Iowa please let me know and I will also need the degrees of what the sat is as I dont know what is what. BIG THANKS!!!

 

[Anole]

From your location, you should be able to see all the satellites on either list I linked above.
Satellite names and orbital locations are listed, too.
And on TheList, there's also a satellite calculator, to help you know where to aim to get each one.
You want the magnetically corrected azimuth (east-west) and elevation to a given bird.

Like I said, if going for FTA, your 30" dish and a standard or universal LNB (you'll need to set the LO frequency appropriately) should work.
But far easier, is the satellite at 119° as I mentioned above - LO = 11250

As a first step, we're not trying to get you something you WANT, we're just trying to get you SOMEthing to build confidence.

 

[justagreatguy]

Great BIG THANKS AGAIN!! I did not see the link, Sorry! Well im on it now. Its what I was looking for!!

 

[DirectDishNet]

Great BIG THANKS AGAIN!! I did not see the link, Sorry! Well im on it now. Its what I was looking for!!

Justagreatguy, I'm in Davenport also and everything on that list I can get up to 148. Past that there are several oak tree's in the way.


You mentioned that you think that the pre set satellites listed in your menue might be for somewhere else? You also mentioned that you had AC plug that looked foreign, So that tells me that your pre set satellite list is set for either Asia or Europe. if this is true then you will have to delete those preset satellite list and manually enter new satellites & settings. (easy)

Have fun!, Today is going to be sunny and warm-ish...

 

[justagreatguy]

ok I got the 97 west it was on my receiver as Telstar 5k and it worked well. But from reading on the net I think its Galaxy 19, Right? Now im trying to get AMC 3 87w, I see its close to
AMC 9 85w.
AMC 3 should have some FTA channels I can get, Right? I need to add AMC 3 to my receiver and I dont know what to put in the Frequency box or the Symbol Rate box. Is 22Khz on or off?
BIG THANKS for all the help!!

 

[phlatwound]

ok I got the 97 west it was on my receiver as Telstar 5k and it worked well. But from reading on the net I think its Galaxy 19, Right? Now im trying to get AMC 3 87w, I see its close to
AMC 9 85w.
AMC 3 should have some FTA channels I can get, Right? I need to add AMC 3 to my receiver and I dont know what to put in the Frequency box or the Symbol Rate box. Is 22Khz on or off?
BIG THANKS for all the help!!

jagg, the freq and symbol rate info can be found in the ftalist.com that you found above.

You can also find it here:

SatelliteGuys.US - TheList

AMC3 @ 87W does have a few channels, and unless you have some switches inline in your setup you should have 22Khz set to Off.

 

[justagreatguy]

RE:
DirectDishNet
Welcome! Glad your here, I'm in Davenport also!...

Im interested in FTA and im thinking of a new Receiver and Dish if needed. I might want a big ugly dish, I just dont want Direct tv or Dish Network. I was wondering if you can send me a email if you can help me out with some info on the dish thing? junkmail2040@gamil.com

 

[DirectDishNet]

RE:
DirectDishNet
Welcome! Glad your here, I'm in Davenport also!...

Im interested in FTA and im thinking of a new Receiver and Dish if needed. I might want a big ugly dish, I just dont want Direct tv or Dish Network. I was wondering if you can send me a email if you can help me out with some info on the dish thing? junkmail2040@gamil.com

hahaha, You want me to send a email to your junk mail?

Don't you mean GMAIL not gamil?....lol


UPDATE:
Just sent you a email but it was returned :-(

 

[justagreatguy]

lol, ya its gmail and I use junkmail email that the world can see who knows what I will get!!

 

[DirectDishNet]

lol, ya its gmail and I use junkmail email that the world can see who knows what I will get!!

No problem, I'll be glad to give you hand. I am a Satellite installer here in the Quad Cities doing Dish & Direct and sometimes Gloystar & Globecast.

I don't sell receivers or dish's tho, They are ordered through my retailer but they are only Dish & Directs. The Gold sponsors at the top of the forum have the best reputation in my opinion. I would consider them before going to feebay or craigslist.

If you need help I will be more than happy to stop by and guide you in the right direction. Please don't take this the wrong way but the one thing I do not want to do is take the fun out of your new found hobby. FTA can be a challenge to say the least but the fun starts when you accomplish your goal and find the channels that you were looking for.

It's one thing when a person orders a FTA system and wants me to install it for them but it is another thing when a person acquires a FTA system for the fun of shooting birds..... I would hate myself if I took away the fun of bird hunting.

As mentioned, I will be more than happy to stop by and give you a hand...Seriously, I hope you did not take the above comments the wrong way. I'm sure others will agree with me.

PM me anytime, This week is slow and I only have 1-2 jobs per day this week so if you need me to stop by, I will be more than happy to do so. Don't hesitate to ask.

 

[justagreatguy]

Just tried to install new sats on my receiver and you have to put in a frequency for each but then it ask for a Symbol Rate, then I see that each transponder has a different frequency and how am I to know how many transponders and freq and Symbols for each one. This is why im thinking of getting a new receiver! This was new in box never opened but its a old model and now I see why people upgraded! Is it a good idea to go big dish for fta?

 

[DirectDishNet]

There should be a way to get the numbers in your box.....

Is it a good idea to go big dish for fta?

I would say stay with what you have for right now. Lets see if we can get you on the right path and then after you get used to your new system, Then you can decide to go bigger.

Want me to stop by tomorrow or sometime this week and take a look at what you got? Just send me a PM with your address and the times that your available. I would like to see what you have.

 

[DirectDishNet]

PM sent

 

[justagreatguy]

Should I get Big Dish or stay small?

Im new to this and I bought a new in box (never used) StarCruiser DSR 5000 with a 30 inch dish with LNB, I only paid $20 for it. I got it at a used store and its a old model. But I thought the dish was worth $20! So I hooked it up and hate it for many reasons. So after I owned it a hole week I knew its time for a new setup. What I want and what I get are 2 different things. I want fta if I only get 10 good channels (like local channels) I would be happy. I live in Davenport IA. I think all local channels should be free and it seams if you have a satellite you should be able to some of the local tv around the US now thats its all digital, guess it dont work like that Well anyway I dont want pay tv at all. I feel we should not have to pay for tv. Im not looking for showtime or nothing like that, just free local channels. I want my tv in English (like cable but without the pay channels)So am I asking to much? What type of setup should I get Big Dish or just a new receiver and keep my small dish and put a motor on it? Or just forget it as free tv was just not mint to be.

 

[justagreatguy]

Just to clear things up im looking for channels that has the same shows our local tv has from around the US. Not my local Channels.