FTA Startup Questions

[briansanders007]

I'm almost ready to take the plunge and buy my gear. I really think this could be a great hobby. I have a couple questions before I buy my equipment. I'm looking at going with Sadoun to buy my gear. They have a great website and I really hear they are friendly\helpful. For a starter system, would it be worth getting a motorized rig? Or should I just buy a stationary dish? Is there one sat that i will probally watch more...with the best fta or is it so spread out that I should probally get a motorized dish?Should I buy a reciever that has a built in card slot or not? I'm not sure why I would need one for FTA. Thanks for helping a novice. You guys really know so much, it's facinating just reading all these posts.

 

[PSB]

I highly recommend a motorized system to take full advantage of your system, if you do not get one now you WILL want one in the future. (Its like buying a car without wheels)
A receiver without a card slot will bring you LOADS of FTA channels so unless you plan to subscribe to specialized channels in the future I would say you could do without a receiver with card slots.

If you can try to get at least a 1m sized dish.

 

[briansanders007]

Thanks for the tips! Sounds like I should do it right the first time. Sadoun does have very good upgrade prices. Is there software or a website I need to go to check out my true south satellite location for 68504? How hard is it to aquire? Assuming I get a larger dish (>32"). I have setup directv and dishnetwork systems (minus the superdish).

Is it better to get a U bolt dish or Pole mounted? I plan to put it in the yard since it might take my roof off.

 

[PSB]

With FTA satellite its slightly harder to find and peak the satellite signal. But if you have done a few DBS installs you are off to a great start.

Your True South satellite is Intelsat Americas 5 @ 97.0W same orbital location as your longitude.

                              Lincoln, NE 68504
          Latitude 40° 50.352'N Longitude 96° 39.192'W

                         Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
----------------------------------------------------------------
                                 
                                 
                     Intelsat 901   18.0W  97.5  92.7 -0.1 -48.6
                                 
                     Intelsat 603   20.0W  98.8  94.0  1.4 -48.4
                                 
                            NSS 7   22.0W 100.2  95.4  2.9 -48.1
                                 
                     Intelsat 905   24.5W 101.9  97.1  4.7 -47.8
                                 
                     Intelsat 907   27.5W 104.0  99.2  7.0 -47.2
                                 
                   Hispasat 1C/1D   30.0W 105.8 100.9  8.9 -46.7
                                 
                     Intelsat 801   31.5W 106.8 102.0 10.0 -46.4
                                 
                     Intelsat 903   34.5W 109.1 104.2 12.2 -45.6
                                 
              AMC 12 & Telstar 11   37.5W 111.3 106.5 14.4 -44.8
                                 
                          NSS 806   40.5W 113.7 108.9 16.6 -43.9
                                 
                        PAS 6B/3R   43.0W 115.7 110.9 18.4 -43.0
                                 
                           PAS 1R   45.0W 117.4 112.5 19.8 -42.2
                                 
                     Intelsat 705   50.0W 121.7 116.9 23.3 -40.1
                                 
                     Intelsat 707   53.0W 124.4 119.6 25.3 -38.6
                                 
                     Intelsat 805   55.5W 126.8 122.0 27.0 -37.3
                                 
                            PAS 9   58.0W 129.3 124.5 28.6 -35.9
                                 
                         Amazonas   61.0W 132.4 127.5 30.4 -34.0
                                 
           EchoStar 3 & Rainbow 1   61.5W 132.9 128.1 30.7 -33.7
                                 
                 Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 134.5 129.7 31.6 -32.7
                                 
                     Brasilsat B2   65.0W 136.7 131.9 32.8 -31.3
                                 
                     Brasilsat B1   70.0W 142.5 137.7 35.5 -27.4
                                 
                 Nahuel 1 & AMC 6   72.0W 144.9 140.1 36.5 -25.8
                                 
                            AMC 6   72.0W 144.9 140.1 36.5 -25.8
                                 
                        DirecTV 5   72.5W 145.6 140.7 36.7 -25.3
                                 
                            SBS 6   74.0W 147.5 142.6 37.4 -24.0
                                 
                            AMC 5   79.0W 154.0 149.2 39.4 -19.3
                                 
                          Nimiq 2   82.0W 158.2 153.4 40.4 -16.3
                                 
                            AMC 9   83.0W 159.6 154.8 40.7 -15.3
                                 
                     Brasilsat B3   84.0W 161.1 156.2 41.0 -14.2
                                 
                           AMC 16   85.0W 162.5 157.7 41.3 -13.2
                                 
                            AMC 3   87.0W 165.4 160.6 41.8 -11.0
                                 
              Intelsat Americas 8   89.0W 168.4 163.6 42.1  -8.8
                                 
                 Galaxy 11/Nimiq1   91.0W 171.4 166.6 42.4  -6.5
                                 
                     Brasilsat B4   92.0W 172.9 168.1 42.5  -5.4
                                 
                        Telstar 6   93.0W 174.4 169.6 42.6  -4.2
                                 
                        Galaxy 3C   95.0W 177.5 172.7 42.8  -1.9
                                 
              Intelsat Americas 5   97.0W 180.5 175.7 42.8   0.4
                                 
                        Galaxy 4R   99.0W 183.6 178.8 42.7   2.7
                                 
                            AMC 4  101.0W 186.6 181.8 42.6   5.0
                                 
                            AMC 1  103.0W 189.7 184.8 42.3   7.3
                                 
                           AMC 15  105.0W 192.6 187.8 42.0   9.5
                                 
                          Anik F1  107.3W 196.0 191.2 41.5  12.1
                                 
         DirecTV 6 & EchoStar 6/8  110.0W 199.9 195.1 40.8  15.0
                                 
                          Anik F2  111.1W 201.5 196.7 40.5  16.1
                                 
                    Solidaridad 2  113.0W 204.2 199.3 39.9  18.0
                                 
                         SatMex 5  116.8W 209.3 204.5 38.5  21.7
                                 
          EchoStar 7 & DirecTV 7S  119.0W 212.2 207.3 37.5  23.7
                                 
  EchoStar 9/Intelsat Americas 13  121.0W 214.7 209.9 36.6  25.5
                                 
                       Galaxy 10R  123.0W 217.1 212.3 35.6  27.2
                                 
                        Galaxy 12  125.0W 219.5 214.7 34.6  28.8
                                 
             Galaxy 13/Horizons 1  127.0W 221.8 217.0 33.5  30.3
                                 
 Intelsat Americas 7 & EchoStar 5  129.0W 224.1 219.3 32.4  31.8
                                 
                           AMC 11  131.0W 226.3 221.4 31.2  33.1
                                 
                        Galaxy 1R  133.0W 228.4 223.6 30.0  34.4
                                 
                           AMC 10  135.0W 230.4 225.6 28.8  35.7
                                 
                            AMC 7  137.0W 232.4 227.6 27.5  36.8
                                 
                            AMC 8  139.0W 234.3 229.5 26.2  37.9
                                 
                     EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 242.4 237.6 20.0  42.1

        Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

Is there software or a website I need to go to check out my true south satellite location for 68504?

Looks like IA5 for true south.

 

[briansanders007]

Thanks for all the info! I will get my order in. any idea how long it takes? second day worth it?

 

[PSB]

I do know Sadoun is VERY prompt : ) Good luck with the install!

 

[riffjim4069]

I too am getting ready to take the FTA plunge and purchase a motorized system. Silly question, but is there any FTA HD out there? And what about FTA HD receivers? I'm pretty sure the answer is nothing, but I though I would ask...if so, what are the future plans for FTA HD?

 

[PSB]

There is some HD FTA out there but most seems to be on C-Band. FTA cards used with a computer are usually used for HD, but there are some very expensive receivers out there that also do HD FTA.

 

[Sadoun]

Thanks for all the info! I will get my order in. any idea how long it takes? second day worth it?

Hi

It is too expensive to ship a system (dish,Receiver,LNBF,Motor) 2nd day. I would recommend you stick with ground and use the shipping cost difference in upgrading your equipment.

Here is my recommendation for a top motorized system (but this could get expensive (around $535 delivered) and not necessary for a starting up FTA hobbyist):

Fortec Star Lifetime ULTRA
Invacom QPH-031 LNBF
Fortec Star 100cm DISH
Stab HH120 motor
SDS21 2-Way DiSEqC switch
Floor or Wall Mount for the DISH (or you could use a Pole in the ground)

The M-1 System is a good startup system at around $300 delivered.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I too am getting ready to take the FTA plunge and purchase a motorized system. Silly question, but is there any FTA HD out there? And what about FTA HD receivers? I'm pretty sure the answer is nothing, but I though I would ask...if so, what are the future plans for FTA HD?

PBS has a fulltime HD channel. Also sports such as racing, baseball and tennis.

http://www.pbase.com/wtracyparnell/image/48769438

As PSB said you need alot of money for a receiver or use a PC card such as a Twinhan 102g. See the PC card section here for more info.

 

[riffjim4069]

Thanks for all the great info!!!

 

[Xevious2K]

I was just wondering, What receiver is HD? (Besides the PCI Cards)

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I was just wondering, What receiver is HD? (Besides the PCI Cards)

The Quali receiver does HD and 4:2:2. here is a review:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=80778