What I love about FTA !

[Dee_Ann]

• BAD acting - Highway Patrol - thisTV
• Twilight Zone - MeTV
• The Outer Limits - thisTV
• 3am to 6am on thisTV
• MeTV - pretty much all of it.
• Having to use my brain
• American Pickers
• Pawn Stars
• PBS
• RTV
• My backyard looking like Jodie Foster's playground in "Contact"
• Obscure movies on thisTV
• the occasional Film Noir
• B movies on RTV and Tuff
• The price... It's, FREE!

And lots of other little things.

What are your favorite things about FTA satellite?

 

[Magic Static]

I love this site, the people here, the comaradery.
I love the "hands on" it's not just watchin' TV
Tinkering and finding new ways to do stuff.
And I get a thrill when I find good stuff to watch unexpectantly.
Yes I get my kicks on FTA

 

[Dee_Ann]

Oh and let me add to the list,

• It keeps me home and out of trouble
• It keeps me occupied so I don't go stir crazy(er)

 

[Tron]

What I love about FTA is knowing that I am receiving content on my own, using my own equipment, without relying on a cable coming into my house from an external network (the cable company).

I have cable internet service, so I still get basic cable. But I rarely watch it...

 

[Lone Gunman]

I like the sports feeds that are still available. This spring I watched wall to wall baseball from the training camps in Fla and Az. Was dynamite! Not as many on now as it was before the season started but there's several feeds that are on almost daily.

I also like doing stuff that the "average Joe" doesn't know how to do or can't do. It's frustrating at times but then when you solve a problem it makes it even more rewarding. Being retired, FTA also gives me something else to keep me active, which I believe is the key to long life. Which reminds me, I've got a 12ft Conifer mesh dish on the ground 40 miles from me that I need to bring home and plant! ;-)

And a final note. I enjoy helping others learn the hobby. Not that I'm any kind of guru or anything like that but I do help when I can. I'm not very well versed in the electronics part but the nuts and bolts are a different story. I also have a racing forum where we do pretty much the same thing, ie, racers helping other racers learn to do stuff on their own. That board is a non-profit forum and vendors are welcome there as long as they understand that the board is not there for their advertising needs. If they want to help out with advice, etc then they are welcome to do that.

But yeah, I enjoy the hobby even more now than ever before.

 

[Anole]

Hey, I grew up on Highway Patrol! No bashing.
Well, in truth, the original Star Trek had awful acting, too!
But as a kid, it didn't matter.

As for the movie, "Contact", I own and have watched that 3 hr DVD several times.
Having seen pix of Dee and her backyard Ku mushroom farm, I see the connection.

As for FTA being free, I would hate to think of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it.
I just chalk it up to the friends I've met and the education I've gotten (mostly here on the forum).

Some very recent examples include:
- Recycling Old Dish Parts for FTA by sergei
- Magic Static came up with a feedhorn trick that was unknown to most of us in: Dish + DTV = FTA DISH FSS LNB mod
- and special thanks to toucan-man for posting so many free BUDs for everyone to enjoy!

Just this week I've started studying NPRMs with an eye for raising another dish!
Linuxman was kind enough to send me pictures 'n drawings of his custom design.
And, in looking through pictures of the Non Penetrating Roof Mounts with everyone's 6' Prodelin dishes, I've discovered two more designs.
The forum is a storehouse of knowledge, waiting to be mined.

So, maybe what I love most about FTA is this forum...?

 

[AcWxRadar]

So, maybe what I love most about FTA is this forum...?

AMEN!

It's the people here that I enjoy the most. I don't understand social networking (like facebook etc), but I love interacting with the folks here because we all have a common interest. I think we are all crazy for one and that makes me feel rght at home! Besides that we are all scientists, astronomers, physics engineers, mathematics professors, architects, planners, gardeners, chemists, electronics engineers and technicians, social studies and political science students, artists and painters and sculpters and writers, politicians and lawyers, mechanics and masons, producers and comedians, risk takers and challengers and pursuers of knowledge.

And the most important of all... Is that we are all human and understand that love and compassion for your fellow human being and the pursuit of knowledge of any sort is the ultimate satisfaction, goal and reason for life. This is in God's eye, what we are and what we should strive to be and to improve upon.

I didn't rehearse any of that, I just typed it as quickly as it came to me and to be honest, I don't think it is half bad.

Did I forget? Oh yes... We are CRAZY FUN TOO!

Gordy (RADAR)

 

[Dee_Ann]

Hey, I grew up on Highway Patrol! No bashing.
Well, in truth, the original Star Trek had awful acting, too!
But as a kid, it didn't matter.

As for the movie, "Contact", I own and have watched that 3 hr DVD several times.
Having seen pix of Dee and her backyard Ku mushroom farm, I see the connection.

As for FTA being free, I would hate to think of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it.
I just chalk it up to the friends I've met and the education I've gotten (mostly here on the forum).

Some very recent examples include:
- Recycling Old Dish Parts for FTA by sergei
- Magic Static came up with a feedhorn trick that was unknown to most of us in: Dish + DTV = FTA DISH FSS LNB mod
- and special thanks to toucan-man for posting so many free BUDs for everyone to enjoy!

Just this week I've started studying NPRMs with an eye for raising another dish!
Linuxman was kind enough to send me pictures 'n drawings of his custom design.
And, in looking through pictures of the Non Penetrating Roof Mounts with everyone's 6' Prodelin dishes, I've discovered two more designs.
The forum is a storehouse of knowledge, waiting to be mined.

So, maybe what I love most about FTA is this forum...?

Oh I'm not bashing Highway Patrol, I ~love~ bad acting! B movies (and tv shows), C, D, and even Z are all good in my books.
When I was little my dad watched Star Trek and so I ended up watching it too. To be honest, I kind of like the old Star Trek shows. For the bad acting and silly props like salt shakers and carboard tubes painted silver. Oh, and the dashing fashion show that was always assured!

Free... Hmmm... Well, I guess that's debatable. It started out as free, until I got entangled into the web a bit more than I had expected.

When you figure in I've bought meters and tools and tuners and pc cards and motors and who knows what else, it adds up.. Oh boy....

But yes, I agree with everyone else, this forum is awesome and you guys are the best! I could not have done any of this without this wellspring of knowledge and you very kind and helpful guys that all contribute to make this THE place to go to for all your satellite boggles..

Oh and there is another one of my favorite people (ya either love him ir hate him), Charlie Sheen.. The Arrival is another excellent movie..
And he has some awesome satellite dishes going on in it..

Hmmm... I wonder if one could make a minature Arecibo dish? Where the dish is stationary and you move the lnb around over it to get different stuff?

I read that the Allen Array is shutting down. Maybe they will put a few of those dishes on Ebay?

I think though in Contact that these are the actual dishes they filmed, NRAO Very Large Array

I would love to have just ONE of those.

I wouldn't mind having the Russian "Golden Eye" dish either..
English Russia » The Golden Eye
and http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/09/24/two-interesting-destinations-having-mysterious-past/


But I would settle for Charlie Sheen helping me set up some little old C-band dishes. At least if he could stop banging 7 gram rocks while he's rolling.. What a doof! Still, that was a great movie, I will never tire of it..

 

[Anole]

I would love to have just ONE of those.

Be careful what you wish for. Some of the crazies here on the forum might take it as a challenge!
Then you'll be digging up the back yard, putting in rebar, and pouring a 20 ton slab for your new dish!

 

[Corrado]

What I love about FTA and pretty much any of my satellite equipment is freedom of choice. For me this goes back to having just local channels OTA and no cable in the area. I wanted more and put in the first BUD in my neighborhood. Back then channels were just beginning to scramble on C band. For more than 2 decades now I have been able to pick and choose what I wanted. I was able to watch young FTA channels like Sci-Fi and TV Land from the first day, years before many cable systems carried them. Today I still enjoy finding the gems as they come and go. I have talked about MeTV so much at work I have someone interested about installing a BUD just to get it. It's contagious.

I agree with Anole, I have learned so much of my satellite knowledge right here. My searches routinely find information from posts sometimes years old. I have saved vast amounts of photos, drawings and other interesting thoughts.

BTW, I'm a big "Highway Patrol" fan myself. I have recorded every single episode.

 

[Conky]

I love Highway Patrol
the funniest part of Highway Patrol is it's TV-G rating. Also how the prisoners have to pile in the back of the 2 door squad car like little kids(no cages/lexan like now). The Sergeant ends up being the Sergeant on Adam 12. Almost all of the criminals wear suits and ties. The Clint Eastwood motorcycle gang episode.

Check out your Walmart DVD bargain bin for All the king's men with Broderick Crawford

 

[Corrado]

I watched an episode of CHIPs on DVD recently where they pulled Broderick Crawford over on the freeway. They asked him to say "21-50 to headquarters". They ended up with his pen and got into trouble from the sarge.

 

[stanleyjohn]

I dont think i watch more than just a few hours of cable tv a week since i got my dishes set up last spring.Its been fun.If it wasnt for dr who on BBC america (im a big fan)and some other stations like lifetime that my wife really likes i would have the cable tv gone by now.

 

[Dee_Ann]

I dont think i watch more than just a few hours of cable tv a week since i got my dishes set up last spring.Its been fun.If it wasnt for dr who on BBC america (im a big fan)and some other stations like lifetime that my wife really likes i would have the cable tv gone by now.

I wish I could get LIfetime, WE, LFM, etc.. A few of my fiends have all that on cable and pizza dish and I'm green with envy. But I refuse to subsidize all the other c**p channels that I not only will not watch but am opposed to for many reasons. It's really pretty crummy of them to not allow you to purchase only a few select channels of your choosing so that you don't have to pay for the bs channels you will never, ever watch..

Oh well. FTA to the rescue! It doesn't have all the things I really want but it has plenty to keep my little brain entertained...

 

[Magic Static]

As for FTA being free, I would hate to think of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it.

FTA is free. The thousands of dollars makes it a hobby

 

[Cham]

"My backyard looking like Jodie Foster's playground in "Contact""
Never thought of FTA quite in that way but I suppose some of us have gotten a bit carried away...
Was a great movie though! I agree, you have to use your brain and work a bit in order to reap rewards on FTA. Good for the soul I think. Not enough of that sort of thing around these days. Of course FTA is not for everyone and many do not have the mind or will to tackle setting up their own satellite systems. That is where the DBS and cable companies come in.
-C.

 

[Dee_Ann]

"My backyard looking like Jodie Foster's playground in "Contact""
Never thought of FTA quite in that way but I suppose some of us have gotten a bit carried away...
Was a great movie though! I agree, you have to use your brain and work a bit in order to reap rewards on FTA. Good for the soul I think. Not enough of that sort of thing around these days. Of course FTA is not for everyone and many do not have the mind or will to tackle setting up their own satellite systems. That is where the DBS and cable companies come in.
-C.

Exactly. My girlfriends think I'm kooky. No, actually they are convinced of it. They keep telling me to "just be normal like everyone else and get cable or one of those little dishes.." One of them even thinks I have an OCD problem going on with this stuff.

I show them what I can get and they tell me "Yeah, so? You can get ALL that and lots more on one little bitty dish or cable and you yard isn't all cluttered up with these things!"

Well. I guess it did become an obsession. I didn't intend for it to be. I really didn't, I swear it!

Yeah, it grows on you, especially when you're as hard headed as I am...
(that and my dad mildly encourages this, he's an enabler, gifting me with tools and what not...)


I just wish I could get ONE of my friends into it so I don't feel like I was just dropped off of the mothership onto Planet Normal.

I'll bet I'm the only woman in the entire state that messes with this stuff.
Oh well, to heck with what people think, it's essentially free and there's good stuff up there. You just have to work a little to reap the benefits. I've got the time to mess with it and I'm just barely smart enough to get by with this stuff. It's only because of this place and you guys that I've been able so squeak through and get as far as I have..

I thank you all for your help and patience...

 

[Lone Cloud]

I've spent money on this also, but I am now over a year since I spent a cent. That's a big advantage - not having to spend money if I don't want to, Another advantage is not being bothered with monthly bills.

As far as the content is concerned, I am reminded of when I had like Dish Network. What would I watch? Maybe five stations regularly. Now? About the same. PBS, FX, CW, ION, Caribbean, HD Nets, This, History, BIO. - What's that? 20 stations right there easy. Not bad. My area is kind of wooded. I have two dishes only on my roof which you almost can't see with the trees. I have no field of dishes

But one of these days I will aim both of them at a star and maybe I'll get the first signal from the planet Gnorp

 

[Magic Static]

I just wish I could get ONE of my friends into it so I don't feel like I was just dropped off of the mothership onto Planet Normal.

I think this is very common among FTA people. There just are not that many of us in one spot. If 4 fta'rs had a card game, two of them would be from another state. I don't know anyone who does this around my area. I've met some hackers but nobody knows what FTA is. When I tell people about my 10' transplant, the first thing they all ask without exception, "Is that legal?" "Will the city let you put up a dish?" Where did they get these ideas? Sheep.....everyone of them LOL.

 

[Dee_Ann]

I think this is very common among FTA people. There just are not that many of us in one spot. If 4 fta'rs had a card game, two of them would be from another state. I don't know anyone who does this around my area. I've met some hackers but nobody knows what FTA is. When I tell people about my 10' transplant, the first thing they all ask without exception, "Is that legal?" "Will the city let you put up a dish?" Where did they get these ideas? Sheep.....everyone of them LOL.

BINGO! One of my neighbors has accused me of stealing numerous times. He'll stand right out back in his yard and holler across to me, "You're a thief! You're stealing! There is no free satellite tv and all that stuff is for stealing!"

Idiot... I gave up on trying to explain anything to him so I just told him one day to shut his pie hole and call the police if he thinks my dishes are illegal. That sort of shut him up, he hasn't run his yap at me in a pretty good while, thankfully. He still sits around on his patio glaring at me. I think he's just jealous that he has to pay some crazy high bills, I see he has two little pizza dishes on his roof. I would bet he's getting the super double gold plated platinum package for $199 a month or something insane like that. Doof.......

So yeah, it may cost some $$$ to get all the things you need to set up but after that, you're set. No monthly bills and that is awesome beyond all that is awesome...