New to FTA

[TERRWEN]

Hi I am a new member and need some guidance from the 'PROS' on how to get into FTA and what is the best help I could get on:
- equipment
- training
- etc........
I live in Portland, OR and have the okay at our HOA to install a dish.
I looked over the dishnet / directtv and then FTA.
FTA appears the most interesting and also a fun hobby.

Thanks in advance to those whom reply!

 

[digiblur]

Hi I am a new member and need some guidance from the 'PROS' on how to get into FTA and what is the best help I could get on:
- equipment
- training
- etc........
I live in Portland, OR and have the okay at our HOA to install a dish.
I looked over the dishnet / directtv and then FTA.
FTA appears the most interesting and also a fun hobby.

Thanks in advance to those whom reply!

What are you looking to watch?

 

[TNGTony]

Moving this thread to the FTA forum.

 

[Tron]

You'll need a 30" or larger dish with a Ku band linear LNB for most of what's up there.

Aside from a couple of satellites with plenty of programming (IA-5 at 97w and G-10R at 123w), most channels are spread across numerous satellites. You may want to consider a dish motor to see all of them.

www.lyngsat.com/america.html has the information on whats up there. You won't get anything like premium channels, although there are a lot of interesting programs. Many of us got into FTA for the uncensored news feeds

Do plenty of reading here (starting with the FAQs and equipment reviews), this site is a wealth of info!

 

[updatelee]

http://www.satcodx.com is another good site for the regulars, now the interesting stuff is in the wildfeeds though thats what Im interested in as well.

 

[PSB]

HELLO and WELCOME to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum, as mentioned above you have found the best place to learn all about FTA. Please also have a look at our GOLD sponsors when it comes to buying a system. Read as much as you can here and take your time when choosing a FTA system. Blind scan, USALS are a MUST (IMO) for any receiver.

Here are all the angles to the satellites from your area................

                      Portland, OR.
        Latitude 45° 28.572'N Longitude 122° 33.576'W

                       Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)    El  Skew
---------------------------------------------------------------
                               

                               
                          Pas 9   58.0W 108.7  90.8   8.9 -41.6
                               
                       Amazonas   61.0W 111.1  93.2  11.0 -40.9
                               
                     EchoStar 3   61.5W 111.5  93.6  11.3 -40.7
                               
                      Rainbow 1   61.5W 111.5  93.6  11.3 -40.7
                               
               Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 112.7  94.8  12.3 -40.3
                               
               (C) Brasilsat B2   65.0W 114.4  96.4  13.6 -39.7
                               
               (C) Brasilsat B1   70.0W 118.6 100.7  16.9 -38.0
                               
                       Nahuel 1   72.0W 120.4 102.4  18.2 -37.2
                               
                      DirecTV 1   72.5W 120.8 102.9  18.5 -37.0
                               
                          AMC 6   72.0W 120.4 102.4  18.2 -37.2
                               
                          SBS 6   74.0W 122.2 104.2  19.5 -36.4
                               
                 Echostar/G4R 4   77.0W 125.0 107.0  21.3 -35.1
                               
                          AMC 5   79.0W 126.9 108.9  22.5 -34.1
                               
                      Nimiq 2/3   82.0W 129.8 111.8  24.3 -32.6
                               
                          AMC-9   83.0W 130.8 112.8  24.8 -32.1
                               
                (C)Brasilsat B3   84.0W 131.8 113.9  25.4 -31.5
                               
                          AMC 2   85.0W 132.8 114.9  26.0 -30.9
                               
                          AMC 3   87.0W 134.9 117.0  27.0 -29.8
                               
                           IA-8   89.0W 137.1 119.1  28.1 -28.5
                               
                      Galaxy 11   91.0W 139.3 121.3  29.1 -27.2
                               
                     Nimiq 1/4i   91.0W 139.3 121.3  29.1 -27.2
                               
                (C)Brasilsat B4   92.0W 140.4 122.4  29.6 -26.6
                               
                           IA-6   93.0W 141.5 123.5  30.1 -25.9
                               
                      Galaxy 3C   95.0W 143.8 125.8  31.0 -24.5
                               
                           IA-5   97.0W 146.1 128.2  31.9 -23.0
                               
                      Galaxy 16   99.0W 148.5 130.6  32.7 -21.5
                               
                     Spaceway 2   99.2W 148.8 130.8  32.8 -21.3
                               
                DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 151.0 133.0  33.5 -19.9
                               
                          AMC 4  101.0W 151.0 133.0  33.5 -19.9
                               
                     Spaceway 1  103.0W 153.5 135.6  34.2 -18.2
                               
                          AMC 1  103.0W 153.5 135.6  34.2 -18.2
                               
                         AMC 15  105.0W 156.1 138.1  34.8 -16.5
                               
                       Anik F1R  107.3W 159.1 141.1  35.5 -14.5
                               
                     (C) AnikF1  107.3W 159.1 141.1  35.5 -14.5
                               
                      DirecTV 5  109.5W 162.0 144.0  36.1 -12.5
                               
                  EchoStar 8/10  110.0W 162.6 144.7  36.2 -12.1
                               
                        Anik F2  111.1W 164.1 146.2  36.4 -11.1
                               
                       SatMex 6  113.0W 166.7 148.7  36.8  -9.3
                               
                  Solidaridad 2  114.9W 169.3 151.4  37.1  -7.5
                               
                       SatMex 5  116.8W 171.9 154.0  37.3  -5.6
                               
                         AMC-16  119.0W 175.0 157.1  37.5  -3.5
                               
                     DirecTV 7s  119.0W 175.0 157.1  37.5  -3.5
                               
                     EchoStar 7  119.0W 175.0 157.1  37.5  -3.5
                               
          EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 177.8 159.9  37.6  -1.5
                               
                     Galaxy 10R  123.0W 180.6 162.7  37.6   0.4
                               
                  (C) Galaxy 14  125.0W 183.4 165.5  37.6   2.4
                               
                   Galaxy 13/H1  127.0W 186.2 168.3  37.5   4.4
                               
 Intelsat Americas 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 189.0 171.0  37.3   6.3
                               
                     (C) AMC 11  131.0W 191.8 173.8  37.0   8.2
                               
                  (C) Galaxy 15  133.0W 194.5 176.5  36.6  10.1
                               
                     (C) AMC 10  135.0W 197.2 179.2  36.2  12.0
                               
                      (C) AMC 7  137.0W 199.9 181.9  35.7  13.8
                               
                      (C) AMC 8  139.0W 202.5 184.5  35.2  15.6
                               
                   EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 213.7 195.8  31.9  22.9

        Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

 

[iafirebuff]

WELCOME! Be warned though, FTA is addicting!

 

[TiminMb]

Run past us any equipment you are thinking of before you buy. Someone on here will know the lowdown on it. There is an equipment review section that has a lot of good information.

I would think a good basic setup would be:

A brand name, blind scanning fta receiver (apparently not all that claim blindscan can do so, so ask first or check equipment review section)
A 36" dish (39" or 1.0 m would be better)
An SG2100 motor
linear LNB and possibly a second circular or a quad polarity invacom lnb.

 

[zoonker]

i am also new to fta. i received some eq from a customer and am tring to figurfe it out. i install direct for a living and know all the basics, and have all the tools, but i cannot locate the ia5 with my birdog. i loaded both versions on it (ia5 kv,kh and universal lnb), but when i set the dish up, i do not get any reading.
i am using a standard directv lnb, with a 39" dish, and a fortec star mercury 2 receiver. im thinking the lnb is wrong, but shouldn't i still pick up something?

 

[TiminMb]

You need a linear lnb. Also make sure you have set the correct LO frequency for the lnb (something I've done wrong) and tune to an active frequency (which will only be correct if you have set the lo frequency right) while making your adjustments (with I'd have known this when I first got started, I thought all listed frequencies for the satellite would be active).

 

[CWOPS]

WELCOME! Be warned though, FTA is addicting!

Like watching all those Emergency episodes! KMG365

 

[Morecoffee]

Hi, I'm Another newbee shopping for parts right now. I live in the Sacramento CA. I think I'm going to wait until some of the new receivers come out in 07 but a buddy of mine mentioned This dish, http://www.electronicsandmore.ca/catalog/eliptical-quad-dish-with-dual-lnbs-p-45.html can anyone chime in on this is this a good roof top. and do I need a motorized setup or is static install good. I have no subscriptions just looking for U.S. FTA signals.
Thanks for any input.

 

[digiblur]

Hi, I'm Another newbee shopping for parts right now. I live in the Sacramento CA. I think I'm going to wait until some of the new receivers come out in 07 but a buddy of mine mentioned This dish, http://www.electronicsandmore.ca/catalog/eliptical-quad-dish-with-dual-lnbs-p-45.html can anyone chime in on this is this a good roof top. and do I need a motorized setup or is static install good. I have no subscriptions just looking for U.S. FTA signals.
Thanks for any input.

It all depends on what channels you are looking for. Let us know which ones and then we can recommend a setup for you.

 

[Mr Tony]

Hi, I'm Another newbee shopping for parts right now. I live in the Sacramento CA. I think I'm going to wait until some of the new receivers come out in 07 but a buddy of mine mentioned This dish, http://www.electronicsandmore.ca/catalog/eliptical-quad-dish-with-dual-lnbs-p-45.html can anyone chime in on this is this a good roof top. and do I need a motorized setup or is static install good. I have no subscriptions just looking for U.S. FTA signals.
Thanks for any input.

that wont work for FTA. You'll get a couple free chanenls like NASA and Angel One. But to get legal FTA, you need a 30" dish & KU Band LNB

 

[Wescopc]

Morecoffee
Look at the SatelliteAV site (Gold sponser above). The are close to you. You wouldn't have to pay shipping.
Bob

 

[SatelliteAV]

Please drop by ...... We will be happy to talk shop and maybe even sell something!

Corner of Roseville Parkway and Washington Blvd. in Roseville, CA.