Using a Satellite Radio Antenna for Music

[Pittsville]

I am wondering if it would be possible to use one of the small satellite radio antennas with an FTA receiver for radio-only reception? Maybe the FTA signals on 119 might be the only ones strong enough to work with?

Also I'm thinking that the little antennas probably don't downconvert the signal to something an FTA receiver could use but I haven't been able to find information on the antennas, other than installation instructions for them. I have been able to find out that they also use ground repeaters and the receivers have storage and delay to deal with signal dropouts but I thought that maybe from a fixed location there might be a way to receive the radio signals without the dish.

Has anyone ever tried pointing a loose LNB into the sky to see if anything comes in on it? I'm sure they have and I will try it myself sometime just for fun. I was thinking that if one of the satellite radio antennas wouldn't work, then maybe an old LNB from an 18" dish might work instead?

 

[Mr Tony]

satellite radio broadcasts at a different frequency that KU Band so that wont work

As for the LNB only, you need something to reflect that signal when it comes down from the satellite...hence the dish

 

[Pittsville]

Thanks.

That will save me from wasting some time trying something that won't work!

I don't have a satellite car antenna anyway but I thought I might try it if I ever came across one.

I also don't have any FTA receivers that I would want to fry by experimenting like that , except maybe the BJU Homesat, but it actually belongs to someone else and he might want it back in one piece some day.