Taking A Trip Down Memory Lane - Satellite TV Magazine, October 1983

[ACRadio]

Look at the ads...look at the articles...look at the hair...

This is part 1 of the October 1983 issue of Satellite TV Magazine, which later became STV Magazine. It was scanned to where it would be big enough to read but still be able to keep the file size manageable...enjoy!

And Here is part 2 of Satellite TV Magazine's October 1983 edition...

 

[qwert1515]

Thanks, that was interesting to look at, In the magazine there was an ad saying how a C-Band 120 degree LNB preformed like a 100 degree LNB

 

[ACRadio]

Thanks, that was interesting to look at, In the magazine there was an ad saying how a C-Band 120 degree LNB preformed like a 100 degree LNB

Hehe...well the ad says LNA...not LNB. This was a time where LNB's were just beginning to appear. Most systems were single conversion, which meant there was an LNA and a seperate downconverter joined either by a piece of RG213 with type N connectors, or by a male-male type N coupler. Block downconverters were next on the scene being used with the existing LNA's, then later in 1984 the LNB started it's predominance.

The first LNB I ever had was in 1984...it was a SpaceVision 100 degree. People who know some things about the history of TVRO will remember SpaceVision. It was owned by Robert Coleman, one of the early satellite pioneers who I had the pleasure to meet a couple of years ago. The failure rate of the first LNB's was not good and the unit failed within the first year. It was replaced with a Panasonic 85 degree.

Here is a pic of Robert Coleman and me at the Shelby Hamfest in 2006...I sold him a couple of FTA receivers at the show.

 

[phlatwound]

Thanks for posting that ACR. I'm reading the article about the beginnings of DBS, interesting stuff.

 

[qwert1515]

Haha, I have never used a LNA so it's hard to think about them my first C-Band LNB is only 17 degrees . If I had a 100 degree LNA I probably would not be able to pick up anything on my 1.2 Meter dish, I am glad that technology has greatly improved since that time.

 

[truckracer]

Some of those old satellite receivers look like vintage police scanners. The simulated wood grain and all. I never knew so many companies sold dishes and receivers.

Wow. All those Comsat and westar satellites. I also like the old analog needle signal gauges like old CB radios have.

Things were so simple back then, Just think, Nobody was trying to lock 7/8FEC digital signals or waiting for their S-2 options to come out. LOL

 

[ACRadio]

Some of those old satellite receivers look like vintage police scanners. The simulated wood grain and all. I never knew so many companies sold dishes and receivers.

Wow. All those Comsat and westar satellites. I also like the old analog needle signal gauges like old CB radios have.

Things were so simple back then, Just think, Nobody was trying to lock 7/8FEC digital signals or waiting for their S-2 options to come out. LOL

It was analog but boy was it fun...using alliance tenna-rotors to change polarity and hospital bed hand crank jacks to move the dish. I would find the spot on the hand crank for each satellite and use fingernail polish to mark a line on the inner tube for each satellite.

 

[dfergie]

It was analog but boy was it fun...using alliance tenna-rotors to change polarity and hospital bed hand crank jacks to move the dish. I would find the spot on the hand crank for each satellite and use fingernail polish to mark a line on the inner tube for each satellite.

Used pencil here, on Sundays I would make a mad scramble in and out of the house finding the NFL feedsl... I subbed to Satellite TV Week back in those days... I looked awhile back for some in storage and couldn't find...

 

[ACRadio]

Used pencil here, on Sundays I would make a mad scramble in and out of the house finding the NFL feedsl... I subbed to Satellite TV Week back in those days... I looked awhile back for some in storage and couldn't find...

I subbed to Orbit...I've still got a couple, then just used STV when they evolved into a guide.

 

[dfergie]

Look at the ads...look at the articles...look at the hair...

This is part 1 of the October 1983 issue of Satellite TV Magazine, which later became STV Magazine. It was scanned to where it would be big enough to read but still be able to keep the file size manageable...enjoy!

The Anderson receiver on page 13 on the left looks about like my Sat Tec receivers...

 

[SatPhreak]

Wow, thats some cool stuff! A friend's parents got the first satellite system I've ever seen around the mid '80s and it was so cool. It was one with a tuner with knobs and a fine tuning knob and no remote, seperate positioner box too. It was cool watching all the channels but shortly after, everything got scambeled and the cool factor was over.

 

[Mr Tony]

good lord. That was fricking amazing

THANK YOU for posting that. That was pretty cool to see some of the "latest and greatest" stuff

 

[tvropro]

I've got that exact magazine in my archives. I have some stuff back to 79 here somewhere. Satellite systems were $27,000.00 back in 79 and you needed an earth station license. Oh the good old days

 

[Lak7]

I could hear the salesman "....this will last for years to come.." .

 

[Techfizzle]

i remebr a 78 magazine form popular mechanics that had an ad for satellite tv saying you could get 40 channels. That was a lot for '78 The company was spacecoast research , never herd of them. and no, i dont have the magazine

 

[Techfizzle]

a google search reveals nothing about this company.

 

[dfergie]

Pretty interesting read starting at page 34

 

[Corrado]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting articles.

 

[truckracer]

120 degree lnb....OMG! We wouldn't touch one with a 10 foot pole today LOL.

Can you lock a digital signal with an lnb that hot?

 

[ACRadio]

120 degree lnb....OMG! We wouldn't touch one with a 10 foot pole today LOL.

Can you lock a digital signal with an lnb that hot?

Sure, it could lock a lot of them. The difficulty would be finding a block downconverter that didn't drift all over the place. An LNA is just a broadband amplifier...it does the microwave amplification. The critical component is the downconverter...that's where the stability for digital signals is needed.