okay , but at least how do I get those fta channels with the dish I currently have? I am totally clueless about this and what other equipment I need, so can someone please let me know what I need to do
Do you have a Dish Network receiver? If you do and it was previously subscribed, it will be able to pickup NASA & Angel, plus the promo type channels. You just need to mount the mast pole, point the dish, run a cable, etc. The ftalist page gives a basic overview.
If you only have the dish itself, I would say go to Sadoun's web site (at the top of this forum) and check out the motorized dish packages. That will give you an idea of the cost to get into FTA, unless you can find parts cheap or free locally. Basically you need an FTA receiver and a dish, typically larger than 30", but 36" is recommended. Don't be confused by the people selling FTA receivers with only Dish Network dishes. That is not really FTA. Those dishes only get you two real channels and a couple that are good for background noise or elevator music.
It is possible to get an older FTA receiver cheap on eBay or Craigslist, but if you're just starting out you might not want to risk getting a broken unit. Not finding any satellites can be pretty frustrating when you're starting out.
Check out FTAList and the satellite Galaxy 18 (@ 123°W) in particular. See if those channels are interesting to you. Also check out Galaxy 25 (@ 97°W) and see if those International channels intrigue you. Those are two satellites with some of the most interesting permanent Ku band content.
After you look at those channel lists, let us know what you find interesting and we can help you get setup to watch it.