n00b to satalite

[thauge]

Hey guys and gals, I'm an IT Geek and have been looking into FTA Satellite to add to stuff I can watch since I 86'd cable and stream content typically. I was wondering what is available on C band? I don't think I can get away with a large C band dish where I currently live (south facing apartment) but a friend of mine is about to cut the cord and has a house in the country, so a C band capable dish might be a better option for him.

 

[FaT Air]

Here's my 'list'. Sorta up to date. No list can be but these have been for quite a while and listed on other sites. I've just 'removed the searching' through them. For Ku there's the PBS on 125W. the English language channels on 97W, and 103W for COZI as the 'main' 24/7 channels.
You can also check TheList(top of page), Mike's Mpeg Central, and sathint.com
(IMHO - C band 'is where it's at')
In addition, there's itinerant WX and news feeds and other events, that are not published in the open form, that is 'the chase' to find. The hobby of finding these can become an addiction. MANY of these on Ku.
AND to SatelliteGuys.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Yeah, there's lots of stuff on Ku that comes and goes, ie, news feeds on location, etc. Example, couple of years ago I scanned 72W and found a highway chase going on somewhere out in the desert southwest. Watched that thing for about 20 minutes and in the end saw the guy get out of the car, run up a dirt road and then proceed to shoot himself in the head there on that live feed! Turns out that was a Fox News helicopter and that scene was accidentally broadcast live on Shepherd Smith's afternoon show.

But yeah, there a bunch of stuff up there and the problem with some of it is it's here today and gone tomorrow, or sooner. It's a good hobby though and there's a bunch of good ppl on this site that will help you any way they can.

Oh and to the forum!!

 

[KE4EST]

to the site!!

FaT has a good list there.

 

[thauge]

Sweet. Thanks. So, what is the smallest sized dish you can pick up C band on? Just curious to see if I have any multi-band possibilities where I live in my apartment or if I'm stuck with KU.

 

[updatelee]

Ive seen people do it with a 1m dish, but very few channels will actually be receivable. I have a 5ft dish and can get pretty much all QPSK stuff and some of the easier 8PSK stuff, but only the easier stuff. 1/2 and 2/3 stuff. the odd time a 3/4 fec, defn non of the 9/10 ones lol ! So Im missing out on ALOT of 8PSK stuff. The other issue as you get smaller is the beam width gets wider, so many signals even if they are an easier fec, get washed out by adjacent satellites. So I cant view them anyways.

UDL

 

[FaT Air]

Getting 'C' on an offset Ku dish is 'experimental'. You have to experiment to see if it will get what you're after. Here's one members results http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...C-band-in-North-Georgia?p=3248084#post3248084
And another http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/317880-99w-c-band
For C band look for a 7.5 or larger BUD. Bigger IS better. 10 FT is the most commonly desired.
Keep an eye on Kijiji, eBay, and Craigslist dishes for you to take a look at in the C Band section.

 

[danristheman]

C band on small dish is not for the rookie go with ku first the work from there. I live in apartment I use a 1 meter dish and get 99w c band about 50 channels I get. I started out with ku first then went from there. We are here to help jusk ask.

Dan