Ok Guys, I am now starting to get addicted to Satelite Communications.....

[firstmode]

I have some basic, probably stupid questions, but here we go:

1. C-band, Ku-Band, DBS, FTA, Is the only difference between these different frequency ranges?

2. can you get a large Sat Dish (6 to 10 Feet) and use it for FTA, C-band, and Ku-band at the same time?

3. Would you need a separate reciever for each "Style" Of Satelite use?

For instance: here is a description of a FTA reciever the kicks all form of butt:

The Fortec Star Ultimate satellite receiver provides digital satellite reception with 2 Common Interface slots and CONAX embedded.

The receiver also provides Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functions with dual Tuner capabilities when the user installs their own Hard Disk Drive. A Hard Disk Drive ranging from 40 GB to 120 GB can be installed. Depending on the HDD installed Timeshifting capability from 2-8 hours can be achieved, as well as up to 60 hours recording time.

Now looking at this reciever. If I used this reciever with 1 large dish + an LNB for DBS, KU, and C Band, 4DTV(not a frequency, just including it), and FTA(not really a frequency, just including it) does that mean that this reciever would pick up programming from all of these LNB's and be able to store all of those channels and record from them, etc? I know that it cannot get encrypted signals from Dish and Direct TV, I understand this. I am just wondering if you could use one reciever to get all of the channels available on teh sats up in the sky?

4. If not, does that mean you need a C-Band reciever, Ku-band Reciever, DBS reciever, and FTA reciever all running off the LNB's of one dish, or I guess multiple dishes in my LNB question is false.

I am sorry for asking about such trivial matters, i am just getting interested in this hobbie. it is not like I even care to get that much programming, i just want to setup all of this equipment to learn more about Sat communiations, installations, and data communications as i think it is a valuable skill to know and would be SO MUCH FUN!

 

[firstmode]

Oh yea, if you get a motorized mount with a large dish, do these recievers point the dish automatically to all the different satelites that it knows about and find programming on them? Or do you have to manually put in the coordinates, get the programming off of that sat, then manually point it to another sat to get to those channels? I was not sure if you hit the channel up button if the sat starts repositioning outside and you just have to wait, then bam, the programmin shows up on the screnn.

thanks guys! What a cool subject and hobbie!

 

[tdti1]

With a 10' dish you will need a c/ku feedhorn and lnb's, also the actuator, you can hook up the 4dtv as the main box, and then slave a dvb unit to it, the 4dtv will get the DCII feeds and the analog ones and the DVB will get the free to air dvb feeds, both the 4dtv and dvb are c/ku compatible.

 

[Satellite Expert]

Go for the 10 foot C/Ku dish. It is the only way to discriminate between 2 degree C Band satellites. Also, Ku birds are allowed by ITU to have 1 degree spacing, although now the closest spacing is 1.8 degrees (Canadian and Mexican slots)

 

[firstmode]

Thanks for the info. I am planning on pursuing this project slowly over the next year and a half and was not sure if I needed to build a satelite farm in my back yard ;-)

What do you guys think of that The Fortec Star Ultimate satellite receiver? Thing looks pretty crazy to me, great features.

If you guys could help me with this question, it would be very informative and helpful to me:

"Oh yea, if you get a motorized mount with a large dish, do these recievers point the dish automatically to all the different satelites that it knows about and find programming on them? Or do you have to manually put in the coordinates, get the programming off of that sat, then manually point it to another sat to get to those channels? I was not sure if you hit the channel up button if the sat starts repositioning outside and you just have to wait, then bam, the programmin shows up on the screen."

 

[raydio]

The thing with receivers is, the newest one out at the time is pretty much the state of the art. However, things change and new features are always being added. That's part of the fun of this hobby...buying new receivers when new features are added! If you wait for the newest thing to come out...you'll always be waiting and will never buy a box.

 

[firstmode]

Ok, so for a KU band, C band and FTA dish, I would need a 10 foot dish, a feed horn, a KU Band LNB, a C band LNB, a motorized mount and mounting poll, a feed horn, a 4dtv reciever, and a FTA reciver?

What is a feed horn?

 

[tdti1]

A dual band feedhorn is what the C-band and Ku-band lnb connect to.

 

[Texanmutt]

I think you might be assed out on the DBS end. DBS runs at 12.2 to 12.7 GHz (vs 11.7 to 12.2) and with circular polarization. I'm not sure you can find an LNB for a BUD that will accommodate that. Someone please correct me if im wrong.

 

[tdti1]

For dbs I would pop up a smaller Ku reflector, though if you want to use the bud for everything like myself, you can get the corotor II plus wideband, and then drill a hole in the scalar ring and pop a lnbf inside, there you will have it all, though the lnbf will be off a touch and you will need to use another position for it, or just bump when looking for that bird.

If you do not need circular C-band then you can get the ADL RP3 plus DBS, this has the circular Ku-band built in just like the corotor wideband has the circular C-band built in, so you can do it but keep in mind these feeds have some signal loss, and if you are a real feed hunter you may want a 10'-12' solid to make up for the loss, though for regular 4dtv and most dvb feeds you should pull in everything with the mesh.

 

[firstmode]

OK, so the bigger the dish the better?

So 12 feet is optimal, or just as big as I can go?

I think for DBS fta I will use a separate dish.

I really just want to get the Ku and C together.

SOOOOOO what is the difference in quality between a mesh dish and a solid dish?

 

[firstmode]

Hey guys, any inputs on my questions? I am trying to figure out what i need to start buying.

thank you guys so much in advance!

-Firstmode

 

[tdti1]

OK, so the bigger the dish the better?

So 12 feet is optimal, or just as big as I can go?

I think for DBS fta I will use a separate dish.

I really just want to get the Ku and C together.

SOOOOOO what is the difference in quality between a mesh dish and a solid dish?

The best choice would be a solid reflector like the Patriot 3.1 or 3.8 meter.

 

[firstmode]

Thanks tdti1,

I am going to go with a 36 incher initally with a motor and a cheap reciever at first.

I will then be going after a BUD soon thereafter.

Does anyone know if you need to specifically get an HD-FTA reciever like you would for a dish network or Direct tv type deal?

If so, what do you guys recommend for an HD-FTA-Reciever?