FTA Free To Air TV

Background
Antenna System
Choosing the LNB
DISEqC Digital Satellite Equipment Control
4 LNB Switch
Post/Mast
Satellite Signal Strength Meter
DVB-S Digital Video Broadcast - Satellite Computer PCI bus Receiver
Another FTA system from Mike Murphy
Related
Links

Fig 1 Kit of Parts
FTA Free To Air TV kit of antenna parts

Background

I live where there is no off the air TB and a couple of miles past where there is cable TV and cable internet access. Subscribing to satellite TV does not make since you need to pay a lot to get the few channels that have anything worth watching. So I'm looking into this Free To Air (Wiki: FTA) TV so see if any of the few channels available is worth watching.

The antenna kit arrived with the dish bent because of poor packaging (the 4-way switch had come out of it's taped shut box and the dish was loose in a box that had one end partially opened.

This system also may be able to work with a DVB-S PCI card receiver (see below).

Antenna System

As received (Fig 1) there are a number of parts to be assembled.

Choosing the LNB

This kit came with three Linear LNBs and one Circular LNB. The polarization of the feed needs to be matched to the satellite you want to watch.

Sat Pos West	Name	Service	Polarization	Transponder	Az True	El	Pol
83	AMC 9	Retro Television Network	H/V		126.8	29	-38
87	AMC 3	NASA TV	H/V		131	31	-36
89	Galaxy 28	BYU, ABC News	H/V		133	33	-35
97	Galazy 19	GlobeCast World TV	H/V		142	37	-28
97	Galazy 19	AMGTV	H/V		142	37	-28
101*	Dish				147	39	-25
101	AMC 4		H/V		147	39	-25
103	AMC 1	NBC, Pentagon Channel	H/V		150	40	-23
110*	Dish				160	43	-16
118.7	Dish				173	44	-5
119*	Dish				173	44	-5
121	FTA				177	45	-3
123	Galaxy 18	Vets, Daystar			180	45	0
125	AMC 21	PBS Satellite Services PBS	V V	22 24	183	45	2

* all three needed for HD TV, i.e. triple feed dish

	DGL-900D LNB KU Band LNBF Linear Polarization RF: 12.2 - 12.7 GHz IF: 950 - 1450 MHz LO: 11.25 GHz Gain: 60 dB NF: 0.5 dB
	DGL-1189S LNB Ku Twin LNBF Circular/Linear Polarization RF: 11.7 - 12.2 GHz IF: 950 - 1450 MHz LO: 10.75 GHz Gain: 60 dB NF: 0.6 dB

DISEqC Digital Satellite Equipment Control

Wiki: DISEqC - The specs starting with 2 add the ability of the remote devices talking to the receiver.
EUtelsat: Specs -

Switchs & LNBs

a DISEqC LNB can have the following controlled:

H or V Polarization (instead of 22 kHz tone and/or 13/17 V switching)
Hi/Low Frequency (9.75 or 10.6 GHz)
B/A Loop Through (this is why the two connectors on DISEqC LNBs.

GD-41A DISEqC 4 LNB Switch

	Marked: Digiwave GD-41A Freq: 950 - 2400 MHz IL: 3 dB Pwr: 500 mA Max DISEqC 2.0

Post/Mast

The supplied post/mast is 1-5/8" O.D. tubing (smaller than the 2-3/8" O.D. tubing used on the Starband VSAT system.
Possible sources of a replacement post/mast are:
Chain Link Fence posts - NO, 1-1/2" or 1-3/4" are the closests sizes
Metal Electrical Conduit - NO, 1-1/2" or 1-3/4" are the closests sizes
Automotive exhaust pipe -
Chain Link Fence posts - A friend found this one.

	Chain Link Fence Post used for Free To Air (FTA) satellite dish Red device is a three way level used to plumb the post while the concrete was wet. at the lower left is the top of a ground rod.
	Free To Air (FTA) Dish on Fence Post Short F-type cable installed getting ready for signal strength meter.
	Degree marks enhanced w/Photoshop. Clamp Bolts to prevent movement in azimuth not yet installed.
	Factory mounting tubing and brackets.

Satellite Signal Strength Meter

Sat Finder Satellite Signal Strength Analog Meter
Designed to work with 12 Volt LNBs (not the Starband 24 V LNB)

DVB-S Digital Video Broadcast - Satellite Computer PCI bus Receiver

Got this in the hope it would work with my extra Starband disk, but it's 12 Volt not 24 Volt. But it might work with this FTA equipment which is 12 V.

Supports DiSEqC .0/1.2 protocol which can drive a DiSEqC 2.0 switch.
Supports LNB with 13/18 V < 400 ma.

	The cable shown plugged into the PCI card is the IR remote sensor. The red and green LED are marked READY and WORK. The two type-F connectors are marked LNB IN and LNB OUT. Mini CD-ROM not shown in photo. Has: Driver Application rDirect X 9
It turns out that my desktop computer after upgrading the power supply still has marginal capacity so no new hardware will be added to it. Maybe it's time to get another desktop computer?

Another FTA system from Mike Murphy

The problem with the above system is that it would require installing another card into my desktop system which now has just enough power supply capacity to keep running (after installing the largest power supply I could get for it) so no more addons are going to be installed. Maybe I'll use the first FTA system on my next computer.

This is a complete FTA system purchased from Mike Murphy.

	The receiver is a Traxis DBS4000 It has the Easy Find system that should make pointing the dish easier. Not shows by included is a remote, instruction booklet and set of cables.
	DMS International USA - lots of FTA info Twin Ku LNBF p/n: JSC322 RF Freq: 11.7 to 12.2 GHz LO Freq: 10.75 GHz IF Freq: 950 to 1450 MHz NF: 0.2 dB clamp size: 40mm They now have the Spitfire 0.1 dB NF LNB p/n spitfire and they have the DBS4000 Receiver This LNB uses the DISEqC Digital Satellite Equipment Control and in addition has the Easy Find feature that blinks an LED on the LNB to indicate signal strength and that you are pointed to the correct satellite.
	Radio Shack 15-1218 Passive 3-way Splitter i.e. A, B C Switch The idea is that you can select one of three RF sources to feed a TV set that does not already have it's own input selection capability. For example Off Air Antenna, Cable or VCR. Don't know if this splitter works with DISEqC Digital Satellite Equipment Control in terms of DC paths or frequency response.
	Cables and hardware package
	Dish mount bracket
	40mm LNB support
	1 Meter circular dish.

Home Theater - 8 speaker sound and large screen TV set (really monitor)

Links

FTA-Gods - forums
LyngSat - America -
Mike Murphy (if you're in the S. California area - 97.0°W,Galaxy 19 where Mike has his pointed

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01963 hits since March 27 2010 page created 27 Mar 2010.