Advice for novice

[Anton 1917]

I live on the top (4th) floor of a garden apartment in suburban Maryland (20 miles from Washington, DC). The outdoor balcony faces East but I can view part of the southern sky. Most residents have Digital TV Satellite dishes. I do not want to subscribe to cable or Dish Network or Direct TV for many reasons but seek a free-to-air system to receive US network feeds as well as overseas broadcasts hopefully in English.
The balcony can not realistically accommodate a 10 foot dish antenna - three foot would be ideal with four foot being the maximum size antenna.

What type of system(s) if any that could meet the above criteria?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Shawn95GT]

C-band isn't going to be much help given your dish restriction .

Your true south is 77w (or so), but there isn't anything FTA on this bird.

Magnetic South is more like 70w. Just East of South East for you will be roughly 31.5W.

The bad news is that most of that far East programming isn't in English. I'd check out Lyngsat and see if what's out there appeals to you. With you view of the arc, what you can see is very limited.

 

[Anton 1917]

Shawn,

Thank you!!!!!

 

[WyrTwister]

Shawn,
Thank you!!!!!

Lots of stuff on Ku band & 3' dish . Some analog feeds , I am told . Digital , lot of foreign language and religious .

I am presently seeing an ESPAN * Pluss basket ball game on analog C band on a 90 cm dish . Some sparkles .


But this size dish on C band is more of a hobby sort of thing .

Wyr