Somehow I have become interested in FTA viewing, so I have been searching information to learn more about it. It appears it can become addictive but for the moment I would like to keep it as inexpensive I can to see if my interest continues. Someone gave me a old hughes direcway dish, it has a LNB on it...it is more oblong than round...It has two cables coming from it, one connected to the LNB, tyring to find where the other one is going made out of heavy fiberglass I think.. The same day someone also gave me a Direct TV 18" dish with 3 LNB on it...I also came up with a Monterrey 100C Chapparral receiver just like new...given to me as well...can these items be a starter system for FTA or do I need to buy new stuff...So whether they can work or not it has been fun just collecting the items..
Where to Start?
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to Satelliteguys! FTA is a fun and rewarding hobby!The DIrectWay dish will work well fixed for a single KU band satellite. There are several types of DirectWay dishes, so it would be great if you could take a photo of the feedhorn. Likely it is set-up to receive one polarity, so a 2nd LNB will need to be added or replace with a voltage switching polarity LNB.
The DirecTV 3 LNBF dish might be saved for a future project, but it isn't much use for most FTA. The Monterrey receiver is analog only and all KU band analog is long gone. Once again, keep for a future project.
You will need a good MPEG2/4 receiver and I might suggest the Amiko mini HD SE. Great value and quality. Less than $100 on Ebay. If you get a used receiver, make sure it is MPEG2 and 4. While there is quite a bit of MPEG2 programming, a lot of the good stuff is in MPEG4.
What programs/channels do you want to watch and were do you want to mount the dishes? Will they have an unobstructed view of the satellite? Search satellite dish pointing http://www.satelliteguys.us/thelist/ Your will also need a signal meter, receiver, and cable to get started. The Sat at 97 W has a lot of stuff on it. In the end I think your just recycle the 100C receiver. It just analog and there is not much up there to test it out with? http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/forums/satelliteguys-classifieds.12/
Good luck with it all.
Good luck with it all.
Welcome to SatelliteGuys and FTA!
Yes it is a very fun and can be addictive. Lots of stuff to find out there.
I echo Titanium's recommendation on the Amiko Mini HD SE, very solid receiver.
Yes it is a very fun and can be addictive. Lots of stuff to find out there.
I echo Titanium's recommendation on the Amiko Mini HD SE, very solid receiver.
The DIrectWay dish will work well fixed for a single KU band satellite. There are several types of DirectWay dishes, so it would be great if you could take a photo of the feedhorn. Likely it is set-up to receive one polarity, so a 2nd LNB will need to be added or replace with a voltage switching polarity LNB.
The DirecTV 3 LNBF dish might be saved for a future project, but it isn't much use for most FTA. The Monterrey receiver is analog only and all KU band analog is long gone. Once again, keep for a future project.
You will need a good MPEG2/4 receiver and I might suggest the Amiko mini HD SE. Great value and quality. Less than $100 on Ebay. If you get a used receiver, make sure it is MPEG2 and 4. While there is quite a bit of MPEG2 programming, a lot of the good stuff is in MPEG4.
Thank you for your quick response and the added information...I will be glad to shoot a photo of the feedhorn on the direcway but it appears the equipment is out of date for today's technology. Guess I will look at some packages, scary thing is....there is some equipment that operates poorly even though it is new..so will research it further, I have found what you mention above is the focus area...thanks again
Since I am very new to this subject, some of you have given me tips already on some equipment.
If it was you and you where just starting out and you know what you know now, what equipment would you buy as a novice and get the most bang for your bucks. I think a motorized system, signal meter, good receiver with HD capabilities MPEG 2 & 4 with DS2 , and a 36" or 48" Ku dish is a good start. Any other great suggestions anyone may have to add to the wish list? Do I need multiple LNBF (s) to search multiple sats, your input is much respected and thanks!
If it was you and you where just starting out and you know what you know now, what equipment would you buy as a novice and get the most bang for your bucks. I think a motorized system, signal meter, good receiver with HD capabilities MPEG 2 & 4 with DS2 , and a 36" or 48" Ku dish is a good start. Any other great suggestions anyone may have to add to the wish list? Do I need multiple LNBF (s) to search multiple sats, your input is much respected and thanks!
If you go with a motorized system you will not need multiple LNBFs. However, it can and is done for odd skews and other things. Go to eBay and order you a Amiko Mini HD SE receiver, and a GEOSATpro 90cm dish with LNBF. Get that all set up and get familiar with how things work and then get you a STAB HH90 motor for it. Unless you want to speed a lot on a meter, I would just use a TV and receiver set up at the dish to get it set-up. Cheap meters are mostly a waste of money.
Let me tell you one addictive nature is wanting to get every channel that is available. If you use the dish you have, you will have to pick a satellite that has content that interests you. You will quickly find that you should have just got a motorized system so you can hit all the satellites. And, if you do that, as everyone says here, bigger is better. Because, if your dish is not large enough, you will loose signal every time there is rain, and you will have hellish experiences trying to get in certain low powered signals.
Good luck. Its fun!
Ps. I would suggest the Amiko HDSE receiver.
Good luck. Its fun!
Ps. I would suggest the Amiko HDSE receiver.
Absolutely, the Amiko HDSE receiver.
I would suggest the GeoSatPro 120 48" with the STAB HH120. Ke4EST suggested the smaller one, but i had a 90cm and ended up having to enlarge it to get FreeSpeechTV and a couple other hard ones to get, although they received increased the power levels of FreeSpeechTV.
I would agree with KE4EST on just hooking up your receiver and tv close to the dish to initially setting it up. Although, i bought the SatLink WS6906 USED from ebay and got a great deal on it. Only paid 50.00 bucks for it and makes it very easy for me to fine tune as i just plug that little bad boy in.
My sure you get a PLL LNBF. They are very inexpensive. Only about 15 bucks, but the PLL's make it a lot easier to tune in those hard to get signals.
I would suggest the GeoSatPro 120 48" with the STAB HH120. Ke4EST suggested the smaller one, but i had a 90cm and ended up having to enlarge it to get FreeSpeechTV and a couple other hard ones to get, although they received increased the power levels of FreeSpeechTV.
I would agree with KE4EST on just hooking up your receiver and tv close to the dish to initially setting it up. Although, i bought the SatLink WS6906 USED from ebay and got a great deal on it. Only paid 50.00 bucks for it and makes it very easy for me to fine tune as i just plug that little bad boy in.
My sure you get a PLL LNBF. They are very inexpensive. Only about 15 bucks, but the PLL's make it a lot easier to tune in those hard to get signals.
I did what KE4EST posted. Sat AV dish and LNB package http://www.ebay.com/itm/36-Inch-90-...820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b5aa816c, AMIKO Mini HD both installed and working GREAT! The STAB motor is on the short list if there is any $ left after Christmas.
I would like a picture or two of the sky pointing around south to show us what the dish/dishes will see. Thanks
Seeker also start out with your home satellite find that one its your due south mine is 85w. Keep things simple most importantly have fun with this hobby. Ku band is best the one to start out with it gets you familiar with how this stuff works. If you need help just ask we are here to help you out.
To know which satellite, you must know your latitude and longitude. (Actually just your longitude) Easy way, maps.google.com Zoom into your yard, right click on your dish install location and click 'What's Here'. The lat and long will appear in the upper left 'info' screen. The nearest satellite to your longitude is 'south'. http://www.dishpointer.com/ ('plug in' your Lat. and Long to 'see' where to aim.
Also has an app available for an easy 'site survey': If you have a smart phone, apps to 'see' the satellites in the sky, and 'see' what may be blocking the satellites, from your location.
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