Why do you have FTA?

[GaryPen]

As for upgradeability, I was talking about ease of applying firmware updates.

And, I realize there is no EPG, but does the Mercury II have customizable channel lists? That would be important, to be able to point and click the desired channel.

The Mercury II sounds interesting. Nice price too. Ease of setup (and use) for a virgin is very important. (Although, I do have a pretty good technical aptitude.)

I wonder if I should start with a Mercury II and stationary dish pointed at G10R, just to get my feet wet? What do you think? I can always add a motor later, right?

 

[drhydro]

And, I realize there is no EPG, but does the Mercury II have customizable channel lists? That would be important, to be able to point and click the desired channel.

The Mercury II has several favorites lists. As for ease of setup, the Mercury II is fairly easy to set up.

A stationary dish pointed at g10 is how lots of us started out, as you said you can always add a motor later. Make sure to get a decent sized dish in the beginning, as large as you can afford / have room for.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I wonder if I should start with a Mercury II and stationary dish pointed at G10R, just to get my feet wet? What do you think? I can always add a motor later, right?

Right! Not a bad idea at all.

 

[GaryPen]

The Mercury II has several favorites lists. As for ease of setup, the Mercury II is fairly easy to set up.

A stationary dish pointed at g10 is how lots of us started out, as you said you can always add a motor later. Make sure to get a decent sized dish in the beginning, as large as you can afford / have room for.

I'd like to go no bigger than 80cm, if possible. Unfortunately, due to trees, I would never be able to pick up the eastern sats, anyway. Maybe I've got LOS as far east as AMC3, if I'm lucky. So, would the 80cm be big enough for me to receive 87w from San Jose, CA? (I would think it's good enough for G10 at 123w.) Actually, I notice my Chinese neighbors with what appear to be 80cm dishes. And, they are most likely pointed to 97w, so I'm probably cool.

 

[Mr Tony]

I wonder if I should start with a Mercury II and stationary dish pointed at G10R, just to get my feet wet? What do you think? I can always add a motor later, right?

Thats how alot of us started out

 

[GaryPen]

Great minds think alike.

Edit: removed awful pun.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I use the FTA systems, to play and learn, so that I can help our Clients get the special programming that they want... We install the GlobeCast, and several of the other brands, for our Clients.

Pete got me interested in the Motorized stuff, and because I had installed the C-Band Systems for a few years, I found some of these systems to be money makers for us.

I have an SG-2100, to replace the HH-90, (too much slack in the motor shaft) and I have been playing with a Coolsat (which I have sent in once for repairs) and a Traxis DBS 4550. I also have some SkyStar PCI Cards, that I am going to start playing with, so that I can network the programming over to the Televisions... most of what we do, is just Techno stuff anyway, and is a lot of fun, besides making money at it...

 

[quadtrac]

I have my system set up in a remote location where you can only get snow over the air and was hoping to find somthing to watch with out the snow. Im using a old BUD that I got in the 80's that hadn't been used for years. I'm using both analog c band with a tobisha and digital ku with a fortec life time NA reciever. My wife thinks I'm loosing it but I'm having fun looking for stuff.

Quadtrac

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome quadtrac

 

[drhydro]

Hey Quad,
Welcome to satellite guys! I started out much the same way you did, old BUDs never die, they just pop up again

 

[sidekick]

A couple other things that I love about this hobby: 1) The satisfaction of having the darn thing work after several days of trial and error. The learning curve was steep, since I had never attempted setting up a sat dish before. Once I hit the belt and started tracking the sats, the satisfaction was enormous. 2) I also like the quality and variety of radio stations you can get. Just last week while selling my house, I directed the sat to IA-5 and the Smooth Jazz station. Many people commented on the station during the open house. When I showed them the number of "free" commercial-less radio stations, they were amazed.

I almost forgot number 3: I really enjoy talking to the people here on this site. For the most part, I enjoy everyone's feedback, suggestions and the sense of comraderie on this site. Though I've never met anyone here in-person, I love being able to share a find in the WUT area and also being able to reach out for help when this hobby becomes perplexing. Without fail, someone has always chimed in to help out a fellow sat friend. One day it would be a nice idea to set up a party of some kind, some where in the US where everyone here could get together, shake hands and share stories and a good time!

 

[quadtrac]

Thanks for the welcome!!

Im realy impressed at how much the electronics have improved from the old days. I had an old Lexor back then and it was supposed to be the state of the art.

Quadtrac