Channels from the "Glory Days"

[comfortably_numb]

Back in the mid 90's, I used to cruise the sky with my parents' C-Band dish. I remember being able to watch "wild feeds" with newscasters prepping for their spots, out-of-market local stations, and all kinds of other fun (and often bizarre) stuff. I used to listen to free radio stations, some of which were intended for re-broadcast to FM, and some that were intended for grocery stores (anybody remember the ones on S-1 that were broadcast to Thriftway stores?) "Remember to check out our meat aisle. And don't forget to buy your dog food!"

I also remember a channel called Sky High Television, which broadcast from the Brewster Uplink Center in Washington State. I remember seeing a bunch of guys on that channel who worked at the satellite center who apparently had a LOT of free time on their hands, rolling around their offices in skates and pushing each other around on office chairs lol.

Nowadays I don't have enough space at my house for a C-band dish, and I'm guessing a lot more of the "wild feeds" are encrypted. Does anybody else have fond memories of stations that are long gone? What were your favorites?

 

[turbosat]

How about the Caribbean SuperStation? lol
That's just one of the many that come to mind...

 

[SatelliteAV]

Dan Rather chewing out an assistant with colorful language during a break.

A female reporter getting a full football hit during a sideline interview.

A young couple "romantically entwined" in the upper bleachers during a break in a college pregame feed.

Numerous reporters using the lens to apply make-up, clean teeth, or complain about the location, interview, crew, manager, etc. (not realizing that the feed was up).

Not many of the SNG (Satellite News Gathering) feeds are encrypted, in fact, I would suggest that there are more than ever at the top of the news hours.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I do remember seeing some of Dan Rather's "off-air" antics. Always a good laugh.

 

[xtgold]

"behind the scenes" with a female reporter bending over in front of the camera.
I still listen to in-store radio on 95w Ku when I get bored.

 

[eurosport]

Back in the mid 90's, I used to cruise the sky with my parents' C-Band dish. I remember being able to watch "wild feeds" with newscasters prepping for their spots, out-of-market local stations, and all kinds of other fun (and often bizarre) stuff. I used to listen to free radio stations, some of which were intended for re-broadcast to FM, and some that were intended for grocery stores (anybody remember the ones on S-1 that were broadcast to Thriftway stores?) "Remember to check out our meat aisle. And don't forget to buy your dog food!"

I also remember a channel called Sky High Television, which broadcast from the Brewster Uplink Center in Washington State. I remember seeing a bunch of guys on that channel who worked at the satellite center who apparently had a LOT of free time on their hands, rolling around their offices in skates and pushing each other around on office chairs lol.

Nowadays I don't have enough space at my house for a C-band dish, and I'm guessing a lot more of the "wild feeds" are encrypted. Does anybody else have fond memories of stations that are long gone? What were your favorites?

I used to use the Christmas music from one of them on S-1 to play on a PA speaker all night Christmas Eve. My brother who lives next door thought the "Head on over to our produce aisle for a great special on....." was hilarious.... he said "Only you!" Yep, been into satellite for a while!

 

[Kraven]

American XXXtasy. IIRC, is was on S10 or S9.

Cheers, K

 

[andrewj0781]

Wasn't there a feed that if you watched a Football game there were no commercials? I was very little but I could of sworn my relatives had one of this big black satellite dish (not sure if that's c band or whatever it's called) and when we be over to visit and football was on there was no commercial breaks. (The players rested of course)


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[comfortably_numb]

I used to use the Christmas music from one of them on S-1 to play on a PA speaker all night Christmas Eve. My brother who lives next door thought the "Head on over to our produce aisle for a great special on....." was hilarious.... he said "Only you!" Yep, been into satellite for a while!

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the local "mom and pop" grocery store in my home town was playing what sounded like the one of the audio feeds from S-1, 17. So I snuck around the back of the store and sure enough, large C-band dish out there. Guess it shouldn't have been that surprising, but back home in Ohio where I grew up, all the big grocery stores were Kroger, and I'm pretty sure they used their own cassette tapes or KU-band dishes, so this little store having that huge dish outside seemed cool to me.

 

[dfergie]

Wasn't there a feed that if you watched a Football game there were no commercials? I was very little but I could of sworn my relatives had one of this big black satellite dish (not sure if that's c band or whatever it's called) and when we be over to visit and football was on there was no commercial breaks. (The players rested of course)


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All the football games and premiums were in the clear in the early 80's, that's what I think of as the "glory days" ...

 

[chadg2]

Anyone remember that satellite talk show with a hot host named Gee-Gee? And Skyvision tech talk they used to do. I remember someone trying to sell the King Viper satellite receiver. Those were the good old days of satellite. I remember when I got my first VCII+ board and subscribed only to programming I wanted for cheap. Didn't mind the 4DTV receiver and all the extra channels. It's a shame it didn't last very long. So sad!

 

[comfortably_numb]

I remember Skyvision.

I also remember when my dad and I built an SCPC radio receiver. That added an insane amount of radio station scanning to my evenings.

 

[andrewj0781]

All the football games and premiums were in the clear in the early 80's, that's what I think of as the "glory days" ...

I agree. Now you can't get your locals free without having to buy something yo get them. No more free tv.


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[stecle]

I miss Shaun Kenny with Boresight and yellow rain.

 

[dfergie]

I still have some football games from those days on VHS, watched the first half of a MNF game last week from the 80's or 90's, no commercials from the feed.

 

[Xizer]

I'm assuming that the infamous Bill O'Reilly meltdown was captured from a backhaul.

It's a shame that so few of these moments have been preserved.

 

[Tron]

It is really impressive how fast the on-air talent can go from a heated argument to perfect composure when they are told they are going live in 5... 4... LOL...

 

[JFOK]

My C-Band viewing goes back to April of 1991 when I set up my first BUD.
I remember Shaun Kenny, a guy named Ali who used to sell BUD equipment, the wild feed coverage from WTVJ Miami of Hurricane Andrew, being able to watch the then entertaining KTLA Morning News from my home in Connecticut, news reporters applying makeup in front of camera and seeing what entertainers are really like before the little red light goes on.
I also remember you could order satellite channels al la carte and pay less than $100 per year for a HUGE amount of channels.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I still have some football games from those days on VHS, watched the first half of a MNF game last week from the 80's or 90's, no commercials from the feed.

Is that OJ Simpson in the second photo?? I remember watching his high speed chase on KTLA (which was in the clear back then, I believe)

 

[stecle]

I can't believe that I forgot to mention the first gulf war in Iraq. I didn't get much sleep for the first month of the war with so many back haul feeds available. Lucky I was self employed installing dishes.