Fifteen years ago today I took the plunge (obviously into the deep end) of FTA!
I bought and installed my first dish and receiver (Pansat 3500SD) and pointed it (naturally, at the time) at G10R at 123w for the Equity muxes. Naturally, it took a while to install, it helped when I finally figured out that my house ran basically north/south, so I could use a compass on the ground, put a long stick on the ground, to more or less point the dish in the correct position, rather than on the ladder with the compass on the arm of the dish!
Got lucky when I finally got a signal, not on 123w, but on 127w, and realised that the Fortec Star dish elevation marks weren't totally accurate (off by about 2.5 degrees) and that I was only 4 degrees away from the correct target! Just finding any signal at all was vindication that I might actually be able to successful do it! My elation went up off the scale when after the minor adjustments necessary, I had success in landing on and then peaking and locking down on 123w! I was like a kid in a candy store! As they say, you never forget your first time!
I spent the rest of the day (and night) watching my new free channels, watching shows such as My Three Sons, Hogan's Heroes, etc. What a thrill it was!
Of course, before I decided to get into FTA I had been lurking on this site (later joined on June 2nd) reading all I could, and especially the posting of the resident guru at the time, Iceberg (cheers, Tony, wherever you are).
Anyhow, it wasn't long before this addiction, I mean hobby, had me firmly in its grasp, on June 8th I installed a second LNB for White Springs TV on 129w, on June 27th a third LNB for 119w for NASA TV, and on July 4th my second dish for 97w, etc., etc.!
What a ride it has been, but those early days were definitely the best, and that first install brings the best of memories.
I bought and installed my first dish and receiver (Pansat 3500SD) and pointed it (naturally, at the time) at G10R at 123w for the Equity muxes. Naturally, it took a while to install, it helped when I finally figured out that my house ran basically north/south, so I could use a compass on the ground, put a long stick on the ground, to more or less point the dish in the correct position, rather than on the ladder with the compass on the arm of the dish!
Got lucky when I finally got a signal, not on 123w, but on 127w, and realised that the Fortec Star dish elevation marks weren't totally accurate (off by about 2.5 degrees) and that I was only 4 degrees away from the correct target! Just finding any signal at all was vindication that I might actually be able to successful do it! My elation went up off the scale when after the minor adjustments necessary, I had success in landing on and then peaking and locking down on 123w! I was like a kid in a candy store! As they say, you never forget your first time!
I spent the rest of the day (and night) watching my new free channels, watching shows such as My Three Sons, Hogan's Heroes, etc. What a thrill it was!
Of course, before I decided to get into FTA I had been lurking on this site (later joined on June 2nd) reading all I could, and especially the posting of the resident guru at the time, Iceberg (cheers, Tony, wherever you are).
Anyhow, it wasn't long before this addiction, I mean hobby, had me firmly in its grasp, on June 8th I installed a second LNB for White Springs TV on 129w, on June 27th a third LNB for 119w for NASA TV, and on July 4th my second dish for 97w, etc., etc.!
What a ride it has been, but those early days were definitely the best, and that first install brings the best of memories.
