Help selecting Right FTA Setup

[tunamanz]

Hello,

Currently my facility in Tampa FL has a Galaxy 19 setup from about 6 years ago. Many of the international channels of interest have disappeared. Looking for guidance and possibly an installer.

The objective is to get the best international news related channels in Arabic, Farsi, Russian, and Spanish. Would prefer channels from within various regions that speak those languages. What would be the best FTA approach? Upgrade the G19 equipment and if so to what? Have another FTA setup installed?

Appreciate any help and recommendations on an installer in the Tampa FL area.

 

[Titanium]

You shouldn't need a new receiver. Most 97w channels are still using the same modulations, but may have changed transponder frequencies. You may need to simply delete the existing channels the perform a new blind scan to program the new locations.

Also check the Signal Quaity readings on several transponders. Channels may be disappearing because the dish is moving out of alignment and the Signal Quality meter readings may be dropping.

Sorry. Don't have any suggestions for installers in your area.

 

[spongella]

I noticed that at least in my area, 97W has less channels than several years ago but there are still many to choose from. It wouldn't hurt to check all your cables and connections for wear and tear. Check your LNB and make sure you have the right skew, check to see that the mechanical parts of the dish aren't loose or sagging. Is your feedline in good condition, are the connections clean and tight? Give it a good going over.

As for channels disappearing, that's the nature of FTA. Yes, some channels are gone on 97W but new ones are there now.

 

[Keith Brannen]

What receiver are you using? As Brian says, it should be OK (as long as it does DVB-S2 and MPEG4/HD).

There has been a substantial loss of channels since your installation. For example, just in the last three years G19 has gone from 18 transponders down to 13, and from around 200 channels down to around 140. So there has been much movement/loss.

As Brian notes, if you haven't been keeping you channel list current (by blind scanning and removing channels) then your list will be very outdated, and needs to be completely re-done.

The only other Ku satellite with a lot of foreign language channels are those at 30W, so if you wanted to add those, you would need another dish.

 

[arlo]

Certainly not meaning to hijack this but it's interesting. Thinking of adding ku to my c band dish.
I see some setups with an actuator on the elevation pivot. Purpose of it and what sats does it affect?
Brian you mentioned some change position.

 

[Titanium]

Arlo, I was suggesting that transponder parameters are often changed and programmed transponders may no longer be accurate.

An elevation actuator installed on a polar mount is used to adjust the dish to aim outside the normal tracking arc for reception of inclined orbit satellites. Aging satellites are often placed in an inclined orbit to minimize fuel usage. Inclined positions require less navigation to maintain positioning near the arc. Transponder cost is significantly reduced on inclined orbit satellites.