Minibud is it still worth it?

[danristheman]

I have been out of the satellite game for the past several years. I know about 5g but I didn't know if its still worth going after.

 

[FTA4PA]

Good to have you back! Hopefully you can get a dish going again.

 

[cyberham]

I have been out of the satellite game for the past several years. I know about 5g but I didn't know if its still worth going after.

That's a subjective question. Knowing how hooked you were in the past with playing with a mini-BUD, I'd say Yes! There are now some stronger transponders on C-band satellites such as 103W SES 18 that didn't exist when you played before.

I haven't tried a 1.2m or 1m dish for a long time since I now have my 7.5-footer. If you try a 1.2m (or 6-footer?!), you would definitely receive some transponders. If you speak Spanish, go for 117W. I think there are well over 50 active transponders, lots of them unencrypted, and some quite strong.

Out of date, but received on a 1-metre dish 2 1/2 years ago. A lot more can be received on a 1.2-metre dish. And on a 6-footer?? Who knows? Tell us.

 

[cyberham]

Walking down memory lane....from 5 years ago. This is what could be seen using a 4-foot dish from 63 degrees W longitude:

 

[primestar31]

Dan, I wouldn't bother with any dish smaller than an 8 footer right now. 5g is out there, and everything is packed tighter into a much smaller spectrum. You need a lot more signal to lock some of the channels than before. You might get one or two channels, but not much more than that. Is that worth the hassle of starting back from scratch? I don't think so, but that's where we are now

 

[cyberham]

Dan, I wouldn't bother...

A challenge issued if ever I've heard one.

I happen to have a 1-metre dish installed with a motor that precisely covers 150W through 72W. I'd rather use a 4-foot dish but that would be too much trouble right now and interrupt my service from Tahiti. It won't be too much trouble to install my C1-PLL C-band LNBF on the 1-metre dish and motor across the arc to see what's available on the west coast. My goal will be to come up with a list that simply labels satellites/transponders as "watchable" if they are to keep things simple.

One of the issues is going to be encryption. The strongest tps are often encrypted.

Installation used previously:

 

[cyberham]

This is what a 41-inch dish with GT Media V9 receiver can receive at this location (123W longitude) at this time. I used the V9 since it is my most sensitive receiver (better than the Edision osmio4k+ w/TNAP7). But the V9 is not good at blind scanning when there are a lot of weak tps like on 117W. It seems to hang requiring reboot, or at least becomes very slow at scanning. However I already had all tps that scan in on a 7.5-foot dish scanned in advance which helped. When using a normal C-band dish, then it blind scans fast and well.

I didn't take a lot of time to precisely tune the offset scalar on the LNBF. I just put it where it worked best last time as shown in photo in Post #6. I definitely recommend using at least a 1.2-metre (4-foot) dish which is much more satisfying and can still be motorized with a conventional USALS motor.

139W:

• 4047 H 500 (SQ 58%): Alaska Public radio
• Several strong data tps for tuning purposes.
• Note: I used to get the Alaska TV channels on this dish but not today.

135W:

• Several strong data tps for tuning purposes.

133W:

• 4150 H 11934 (SQ 58%): EWTN religious TV mux. Also has audio channels.
• 4180 V 31248 (SQ 71%): BigTen Network (encrypted)

127W:

• 4009 V 13235 (SQ 62%): Sony TV USA (India) (encrypted)

123W:

• Several strong data tps for tuning purposes.

117W:

• 4037 H 2338 (SQ 58%): Data transponder. Probably actually on 115W.

115W:

• 4037 H 2338 (SQ 76%): Data transponder for tuning.

105W:

• 3834 H 6660 (SQ 67%): Cepropie Mexico
• 3991 V 5833 (SQ 69%): VA+ mux Mexico (2 active channels)
• 4110 V 7135 (SQ 58%): Audio channels but only one active.
• 4122 V 2499 (SQ 73%): SQCS Quintana Roo, Mexico
• Several strong data tps for tuning purposes.

91W:

• 4067 H 6620: Word Network (only received in late afternoon/evening, not in morning)

 

[mr3p]

I initially did the 4ft miniBUD thing. After not being satisfied with the limited feeds that quickly lead to an inexpensive 6ft dish and then the 10ft I have now. If you have a 1.2M dish and enjoy the challenge, I'd say go for it but don't expect to receive too much given the loss of spectrum to 5g. I'd agree with primestar31 a 8ft+ dish is really needed.

 

[Comptech]

I have been out of the satellite game for the past several years. I know about 5g but I didn't know if its still worth going after.

Dan you are as the longitude as me. don't know the latidue but I am giving away a high end system for freel Looke at my posts.

 

[primestar31]

Dan you are as the longitude as me. don't know the latidue but I am giving away a high end system for freel Looke at my posts.

Unless he has moved since he last posted years ago, he's in Indiana.

I sure HOPE somebody comes and gets your system, because it would be an absolute shame to trash it all.

 

[cyberham]

...I sure HOPE somebody comes and gets your system, because it would be an absolute shame to trash it all.

I agree with that. I inherited a good condition 10-footer mesh dish in 2006 which I took down myself, disassembled and transported on my car roof rack (driving slowly...). When I moved from that rural location 3 years later, I took that dish to the dump. What a waste and I regretted it! I could have had the cross-country moving van throw it in their big truck for the big move for no extra cost. I learned don't throw away from that experience.