HI! Saddelite N00B here

[ACD]

Yes I know how to spell Satellite, but I have horses, and you use saddle lights to see where you are going at night!

OK now that that is out of the way, I have a few questions regarding FTA. I am planning to order the coolsat 4000 pro Universal package. Can this pick up any european feeds, like from Germany and England? I live in Northern IL, and other than setting up the Directv dish a few years back, I know nothing about satellite systems.

Are there any channels that have decent programming that you cant get over the air? After having Directv and paying huge sums for it, and watching more regular TV with the Wineguard TV antenna on the roof than what was on the dish, I decided to pack the stuff away and cancel the service. Since then I moved out into the country and the TV reception is rather poor, and then I heard about FTA and would like to know just what is available?

Also, once I get this system, what is the first step to getting the dish aligned? Is there any particular sat that I should start with? I read the reviews on the Pansat 2500, 3500 and the coolsat 4000, and since the Coolsat had the best review out of the box, I decided to go with that.

Finally, I read about the DSS, is that the directv stuff, and can I use the LNB that I have with the old dish? It has never been used since I got a second receiver that included a dish that I didnt need before I decided to cancel the service. Actually on retrospec, cancelling was partially because they were billing me for the second receiver even thought they couldn't get it to work for more than a few days even after replacing the card and the unit twice. If I can, what else will I need to order?

 

[Mr Tony]

OK now that that is out of the way, I have a few questions regarding FTA. I am planning to order the coolsat 4000 pro Universal package. Can this pick up any european feeds, like from Germany and England? I live in Northern IL, and other than setting up the Directv dish a few years back, I know nothing about satellite systems.

not reqally and that is due to line of sight. Since they are on the other side of the globe you can't get it...unless you cut the earth in half

Are there any channels that have decent programming that you cant get over the air? After having Directv and paying huge sums for it, and watching more regular TV with the Wineguard TV antenna on the roof than what was on the dish, I decided to pack the stuff away and cancel the service. Since then I moved out into the country and the TV reception is rather poor, and then I heard about FTA and would like to know just what is available?

On Galaxy 10 (one satellite) there is all the nets, except for NBC. Yes they are from around the country, but you can watch the network programming

Also, once I get this system, what is the first step to getting the dish aligned? Is there any particular sat that I should start with? I read the reviews on the Pansat 2500, 3500 and the coolsat 4000, and since the Coolsat had the best review out of the box, I decided to go with that.

I would get the Pansat 3500 because it has AC-3, so if you have a receiver that outputs digital audio, you can watch (and listen) to the PBS stations

Finally, I read about the DSS, is that the directv stuff, and can I use the LNB that I have with the old dish? It has never been used since I got a second receiver that included a dish that I didnt need before I decided to cancel the service. Actually on retrospec, cancelling was partially because they were billing me for the second receiver even thought they couldn't get it to work for more than a few days even after replacing the card and the unit twice. If I can, what else will I need to order?

yes, there is TONS of audio out there on Dish 119 and ExpressVu 91. There are 30 radio stations from Canada on ExpressVu

 

[PSB]

Hello and Welcome to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum

To get started give us your zip code and we will give you all the angles you will need to the satellites from your exact location.

There are some Euro channels up there FTA (RTPi, and BVN) and the occasional feeds, recently we have had LOADS of live news feeds from London, unfortunately.

There are some nice channels In The Clear right now using a DBS/DSS LNB and there is even a new LNBF from Invacom that does both (CP/LP). I guess you will be getting a motor but its always a good idea to setup just the dish and LNBF first to find and store a few satellite as it will make the motor install a lot easier.

Nice to have you here

 

[ACD]

Thanks Iceberg, I thought the review on the coolsat mentioned it might comeout with an AC-3 upgrade? As far as the audio receiver, I have a Pioneer VSX-D812, but I dont know if it will decode AC-3.

Now you got me confused again about receivers after I decided on the COOLSAt, good thing I havent checked out yet.

Edit: I now know AC3=Dolby and found my receiver can do the trick. Man, just wish I had more inputs on it. I currently have a DVD/VCR, USDTV, and a TIVO/DVR hooked to it, so cabling the new unit in will be a chore. :shocked There are only two optical inputs and both are in use.

 

[ACD]

My Zip is 61012.

Just placed the order and purchased the Pansat 3500s. I also ordered a 2 LNB bracket so I can mount my never before been used DSS LNB. I take it the 4x1 DiSEqC switch is where I would cable in both LNB's. So I will need to run two cables off the dish into the house and connect them to the switch and from there into the receiver?

 

[PSB]

Looks like your true South satellite is the new IA-8 bird at 89w

Capron, IL 61012
          Latitude 42° 24.522'N Longitude 88° 44.790'W

                        Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
---------------------------------------------------------------
                                
                                
                    Intelsat 901   18.0W 103.3 105.8  5.4 -45.9
                                
                    Intelsat 603   20.0W 104.7 107.3  6.9 -45.6
                                
                           NSS 7   22.0W 106.2 108.7  8.3 -45.2
                                
                    Intelsat 905   24.5W 108.0 110.6 10.1 -44.6
                                
                    Intelsat 907   27.5W 110.3 112.9 12.3 -43.8
                                
                  Hispasat 1C/1D   30.0W 112.3 114.8 14.1 -43.1
                                
                    Intelsat 801   31.5W 113.5 116.0 15.1 -42.6
                                
                    Intelsat 903   34.5W 115.9 118.5 17.3 -41.6
                                
             AMC 12 & Telstar 11   37.5W 118.4 121.0 19.3 -40.5
                                
                         NSS 806   40.5W 121.0 123.6 21.4 -39.2
                                
                       PAS 6B/3R   43.0W 123.3 125.9 23.0 -38.1
                                
                          PAS 1R   45.0W 125.2 127.7 24.3 -37.1
                                
                    Intelsat 705   50.0W 130.0 132.6 27.4 -34.4
                                
                    Intelsat 707   53.0W 133.1 135.7 29.2 -32.6
                                
                    Intelsat 805   55.5W 135.8 138.4 30.7 -31.0
                                
                           PAS 9   58.0W 138.6 141.2 32.0 -29.2
                                
                        Amazonas   61.0W 142.0 144.6 33.6 -27.0
                                
          EchoStar 3 & Rainbow 1   61.5W 142.6 145.2 33.8 -26.6
                                
                Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 144.4 147.0 34.5 -25.4
                                
                    Brasilsat B2   65.0W 146.9 149.5 35.4 -23.8
                                
                    Brasilsat B1   70.0W 153.3 155.9 37.5 -19.4
                                
                Nahuel 1 & AMC 6   72.0W 156.0 158.5 38.2 -17.5
                                
                           AMC 6   72.0W 156.0 158.5 38.2 -17.5
                                
                       DirecTV 5   72.5W 156.6 159.2 38.3 -17.0
                                
                           SBS 6   74.0W 158.7 161.3 38.8 -15.6
                                
                           AMC 5   79.0W 165.7 168.3 40.0 -10.5
                                
                         Nimiq 2   82.0W 170.1 172.6 40.6  -7.3
                                
                           AMC 9   83.0W 171.5 174.1 40.7  -6.3
                                
                    Brasilsat B3   84.0W 173.0 175.6 40.8  -5.2
                                
                          AMC 16   85.0W 174.5 177.0 40.9  -4.1
                                
                           AMC 3   87.0W 177.4 180.0 41.0  -1.9
                                
             Intelsat Americas 8   89.0W 180.4 183.0 41.0   0.3
                                
                Galaxy 11/Nimiq1   91.0W 183.3 185.9 41.0   2.5
                                
                    Brasilsat B4   92.0W 184.8 187.4 40.9   3.6
                                
                       Telstar 6   93.0W 186.3 188.9 40.8   4.6
                                
                       Galaxy 3C   95.0W 189.2 191.8 40.6   6.8
                                
             Intelsat Americas 5   97.0W 192.1 194.7 40.3   8.9
                                
                       Galaxy 4R   99.0W 195.0 197.6 39.9  11.0
                                
                           AMC 4  101.0W 197.9 200.4 39.5  13.1
                                
                           AMC 1  103.0W 200.6 203.2 38.9  15.1
                                
                          AMC 15  105.0W 203.4 206.0 38.3  17.0
                                
                         Anik F1  107.3W 206.5 209.0 37.5  19.2
                                
        DirecTV 6 & EchoStar 6/8  110.0W 210.0 212.6 36.5  21.6
                                
                         Anik F2  111.1W 211.4 214.0 36.0  22.6
                                
                   Solidaridad 2  113.0W 213.7 216.3 35.2  24.2
                                
                        SatMex 5  116.8W 218.3 220.9 33.4  27.2
                                
         EchoStar 7 & DirecTV 7S  119.0W 220.9 223.4 32.3  28.9
                                
 EchoStar 9/Intelsat Americas 13  121.0W 223.1 225.7 31.2  30.3
                                
                      Galaxy 10R  123.0W 225.3 227.9 30.1  31.6
                                
                       Galaxy 12  125.0W 227.4 230.0 28.9  32.9
                                
            Galaxy 13/Horizons 1  127.0W 229.5 232.0 27.7  34.1
                                
             Intelsat Americas 7  129.0W 231.5 234.0 26.5  35.3
                                
                          AMC 11  131.0W 233.4 236.0 25.3  36.4
                                
                       Galaxy 1R  133.0W 235.3 237.9 24.0  37.4
                                
                          AMC 10  135.0W 237.2 239.7 22.7  38.3
                                
                           AMC 7  137.0W 239.0 241.5 21.3  39.2
                                
                           AMC 8  139.0W 240.7 243.3 20.0  40.1
                                
                    EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 248.1 250.7 13.7  43.3

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

 

[ACD]

Whoa, thats a lot of birds!

 

[mkm4]

Whoa, thats a lot of birds!

Remember, just because you can see the satellite, doesn't mean that you can receive the satellite. Some are C Band only; some don't transmit towards North America; etc...

 

[ACD]

OK, I take it I set the motor to 42 degrees for the latitude, and the dish elevation to 41 degrees.

Now I set the compass to which one, 180 or 183?

89.0W 180.4 183.0 41.0 0.3

 

[PSB]

Let the compass land on 180 deg. but the satellite will be at 183 in the sky : )

 

[ACD]

Gotcha, all the other settings are correct though?

 

[PSB]

What motor do you have?

Use this TP. on IA-8 for aiming the dish/motor.

DFreq. : 11974(V) SR : 5.632 Msps

 

[ACD]

Hh90

 

[PSB]

I get 42 deg. elevation for the motor.

38 deg. elevation for the dish.

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/STAB-Installation-Angles.htm

 

[ACD]

Well, I set it up today, looks like I was able to decipher what you said above and insert the IA8 bird into the 3500s and was able to scan it. I have to fine tune the dish though the signal is weak. So now, if I choose another one from the list, provided the first one locked in good, the rest should come up as well, provided my trees dont block the signal, Correct?

 

[PSB]

"Should" Good Luck!