New member setup design

[drg]

Hello, I'm new(kinda...I've lurked and researched for a while) to the forum and to FTA.

I've read the FTA Wiki entry and a probably a hundred+ posts here on this forum as well as the FAQs.
I've collected some goodies...dishes(1-meter), receiver, LNB, mount hardware, Ku LNBs, RG-6 and 11 cable and compression tool and connectors...most for free off of Craigslist.

I'm going to try to find an Android sat installation helper app/tool. I hit links for a Winegaurd one recommended on this site...but, no luck. They must have pulled it from the market? I found the Sathint site and that should help.

Some info about where I want to go:
I like music, so I want access to as many unencrypted music channels as is practical. My taste leans toward the indie/underground/import/college/ALT, Australian, Brit-pop/Swed-pop/Norwegian, Danish, German-pop. I looked up channels on the Lyngsat site and will be using that as a guide. I might also be interested in a news channel and that Liberty Radio that I see mentioned on that site. (I wish that there were a channel guide that explains what type of format each station has. I looked up station call letters one by one in a search engine. If you're aware of a programming guide for audio channels...please pass on some wisdom)

 

[drg]

I also have a good UHF/VHF antenna for OTA and a good HD radio setup.

My receiver is a Traxis DBS3500(I know...it's not cool, new, up to date, feature-laden, no HDMI, etc. But, it'll help me get my feet wet as I explore this as a hobby)(Oh, but it does have an optical/TOSLINK audio connector, so that's kinda cool!)

 

[drg]

I intend to start off simple. I'm thinking that I'll set up a fixed, roof mount...or side of the house(or chimney) mount like a Dish Network/DTV dish installation with a fixed one-meter dish to test the water. But, I'm open to adding a second fixed dish or a STAB HH-90? or HH-120? type of motor later.
There's also an unused C-band/BUD nearby in case I like this hobby and want to broaden my horizons into the C-band.(I've been looking at Titanium PLL LNBs for that possibility)

Since this is my first setup design and installation, I'm reading/researching a bunch on this site and welcome any criticism/recommendations about my plan.

If I fail or hit an impasse, my first plan is to come here to ask for help. My backup plan is to enlist the aid of a local pro(Atlanta area) at:
satproatlanta (also, please let me know if you've any experience with them)
Thanks for reading and for this cool site!

 

[KE4EST]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys!
Yes, that receiver will get your feet wet and that is about it. But, I agree start with what you have.
I would recommend to start with this dish: 36 Inch 90 cm Free To Air FTA Satellite Dish & HD LNBF | eBay

 

[cookies]

As far as music goes, you might be a little disappointed in the ku-band offerings. There are plenty of "hidden" radio channels on 103w that have to be manually added, with a pretty wide range of genres, but it's more like shopping mall music or satellite TV music channels, if you've ever had those before. No DJs, no breaks or discussions, just song after song. There's a classical station on 103 if that's your thing.
Also like you mentioned, LRN is on 97w. Some interesting topics sometimes. Plus the billion religious and foreign language channels on 97 (and... Camel racing).

What kind of sucks is that although PBS has a big presence on KU (125w, and LPB on 87w) - NPR basically has nothin'. There may be some weak feeds but I can't even catch a whiff of them on my equipment. I'm guessing it's probably because of NPR's licensing and distribution, that they don't wanna blast it in the clear.

I'm not sure about the c-band side of things, since I've never had a BUD. I recall Minnesota Public Radio having a mux available, but I don't know if it's still there or what. There's probably a lot more radio available on the c-band side.

 

[harshness]

I like music, so I want access to as many unencrypted music channels as is practical. My taste leans toward the indie/underground/import/college/ALT, Australian, Brit-pop/Swed-pop/Norwegian, Danish, German-pop.

I suggest that Internet radio would be a much better route for you to pursue (unless you don't have full-time Internet). There are a number of sites that index stations and some of the devices (such as those from Grace Digital) have curated collections based on location and genre.

 

[drg]

Sure, but I don't have internet (except a very limited data package through my mobile phone)

 

[drg]

As far as music goes, you might be a little disappointed in the ku-band offerings. .... but I don't know if it's still there or what. There's probably a lot more radio available on the c-band side.

Cool, thanks for the info! There's an unused(I think) C-band dish about 5 miles away. Maybe I can get it if Ku band doesn't work out.(and if I can figure out how to keep the neighbors from complaining about a BUD)
Yes to your point about classical. I dig some Renaissance/Baroque.
No to the religious and camel racing stations.
Yes to the foreign stations. That'd be cool. I studied Latin, French, Spanish, German(and English) and it'd be cool to experience them...well, except for the Latin.
No sat-NPR is no big deal. There are two(and their multiple HD subchannels) local stations that broadcast NPR programming.

 

[drg]

Question: Are the music channels difficult to receive? IOW...is any special equipment necessary...like with updated codecs or something? If so, my receiver is a bit old and may not have things like that.

 

[harshness]

Sure, but I don't have internet (except a very limited data package through my mobile phone)

It may be worth bumping it up.

Uplinking music is likely a relatively expensive proposition compared to casting it on the Internet. I can't imagine that any of the available music is indexed or curated such that you could readily find it.

 

[cyberham]

My best advice is design your system so you can easily adjust the azimuth and elevation of your dish, especially if it is fixed with no motor. Preferably without climbing onto the roof or getting out a ladder if at all possible. You're going to want to endlessly do the adjustments to explore different satellites on Ku.

Sent from my SM-G950W using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[drg]

My best advice is design your system so you can easily adjust the azimuth and elevation of your dish, especially if it is fixed with no motor.

Great advice. Anyhow, I just bid on a local STAB motor in an auction. We'll see if I get it.

 

[Brct203]

you can find some NPR on 91W in Ku, should be receivable on a 90 cm, I think. Also some store music channels on 95W Ku and 2 music channels on 123W Ku (I believe they are for the military Exchange stores). Also many radio stations on 30W, mostly in Arabic, Spanish (Spain, Cuba, Argentina) and French, and about 20 French stations on 34.5W Ku (you need a Universal LNBF for those). Nothing in German that I can think of.

All those can be received on a 90cm dish, and often a re-purposed Dish Network or DirecTV dish will work too but will lose the signal during heavy rain/snow

 

[drg]

you can find some NPR on 91W in Ku, should be receivable on a 90 cm, I think... and often a re-purposed Dish Network or DirecTV dish will work too but will lose the signal during heavy rain/snow

Awesome. I avoid NPR, but the rest sounds like something cool to explore...especially since I have some Winegard, Hughes DirectWay, Dish Network, and DirecTv Slimline types of dishes I've scrounged and stored in the basement. Maybe I can cobble together a pretty good array of fixed dishes, pointed at the satellites that you've recommended, or have my largest on a motor mount to augment a few fixed ones? Sounds like I need to experiment.

 

[cookies]

Question: Are the music channels difficult to receive? IOW...is any special equipment necessary...like with updated codecs or something? If so, my receiver is a bit old and may not have things like that.

Nope, in fact the 103w radio channels are on a strong transponder in regular mpeg2 audio. Only problem is that most of the channels have to be manually added - so your receiver may not have that capability. A basic blind scan will reveal the classical station and a classic rock station, plus a religious talk/news channel (iirc), but nothing else. On the same transponder is a couple good video channels: NHK World Japan and CGTN.

Also of interest for regular dvbs is
87w: CNN raw feeds
91w: ABC news feeds (for now)
95w: CCTV documentaries and news
97w: Almost everything available
103w
123w: KBS America

Definitely enough to get started playing with. DVB-S2 would unlock a whole new world if you catch the FTA bug.

 

[cyberham]

DVB-S2 is mandatory minimum requirement now for a receiver or you will miss most of the good stuff. But a non-DVB-S2 receiver is still useful to get trained on how to catch FTA satellite signals.

Sent from my SM-G950W using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Brct203]

Nope, in fact the 103w radio channels are on a strong transponder in regular mpeg2 audio. Only problem is that most of the channels have to be manually added - so your receiver may not have that capability. A basic blind scan will reveal the classical station and a classic rock station, plus a religious talk/news channel (iirc), but nothing else. On the same transponder is a couple good video channels: NHK World Japan and CGTN.

Also of interest for regular dvbs is
87w: CNN raw feeds
91w: ABC news feeds (for now)
95w: CCTV documentaries and news
97w: Almost everything available
103w
123w: KBS America

Definitely enough to get started playing with. DVB-S2 would unlock a whole new world if you catch the FTA bug.

agreed, and also 30W is still mostly DVB-S

But 34.5W and 125W are all DVB-S2

 

[drg]

...You're going to want to endlessly do the adjustments to explore different satellites on Ku.

Do you ever recommend a tripod to new users?...so they're not going up and down ladders to the roof and it makes adjustments easier and more accessible.

 

[cyberham]

One of the best experimental setups I had was a palette ($0) sitting on my balcony with the dish mounted on a J-mount ($0) supplied with the new satellite dish. I could move the dish while looking through my house window at the TV display in my living room. I could move the dish within minutes to a new satellite at any time.

 

[Titanium]

Do you ever recommend a tripod to new users?...so they're not going up and down ladders to the roof and it makes adjustments easier and more accessible.

I always dreaded when a customer provided one of these style tripod mounts for an FTA dish install. It takes an Act of God to keep a 30-36" dish aimed and optimized. Seemed that no matter how well this tripod mount was anchored or the hardware tightened, something would shift and the dish would slip out of alignment. Definitely prefer a Non-Pen, standard j-pole on pallet with ballast or anchored into blocks.