Returning After 10 Years – Is the Satellite Hobby Still Alive?

[SEOShamsher]

Thanks! Will definitely keep posting updates and pictures as the project progresses!

Right now running a pretty jugaad setup — old MPEG2 box paired with an analog signal meter for tracking and honestly working surprisingly well for now. Sometimes old school tools just get the job done!


Here is the first temporary mount sitting in an old plant drum filled with soil
Borrowed from the garden


Permanent installation will be serious business though — dishes going up at 45ft height from ground so need a rock solid base and proper polar mount fabrication before anything goes permanent. Taking time to plan it right rather than rushing it.


Got these dishes from an old satellite hunter who sold most of his collection — apparently had more than 10 dishes at his peak! He is older now and cannot make it up to the terrace anymore so sold off most of his gear. But you can tell he was seriously passionate about the hobby — the kind of dedication you just do not see much anymore. Really respect that. Glad his equipment is going to someone who will put it to good use and carry the hobby forward!

Will post proper pictures once the permanent installation is underway. Exciting times ahead!

 

[Magmax]

First off all Hello and welcome back. Yes it still alive for me and many other people here and on other forums.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks! Will definitely keep posting updates and pictures as the project progresses!

Right now running a pretty jugaad setup — old MPEG2 box paired with an analog signal meter for tracking and honestly working surprisingly well for now. Sometimes old school tools just get the job done!


Here is the first temporary mount sitting in an old plant drum filled with soil
Borrowed from the garden


Permanent installation will be serious business though — dishes going up at 45ft height from ground so need a rock solid base and proper polar mount fabrication before anything goes permanent. Taking time to plan it right rather than rushing it.


Got these dishes from an old satellite hunter who sold most of his collection — apparently had more than 10 dishes at his peak! He is older now and cannot make it up to the terrace anymore so sold off most of his gear. But you can tell he was seriously passionate about the hobby — the kind of dedication you just do not see much anymore. Really respect that. Glad his equipment is going to someone who will put it to good use and carry the hobby forward!

Will post proper pictures once the permanent installation is underway. Exciting times ahead!

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Some image(s) of the feeds would be useful to confirm they match the reflector design(s).

 

[SEOShamsher]

right now just using normal ku universal LNB. it focal need to be adjusted. Once I've pole base ready then will set it and share images and experiment with focal and feed as well.

However, until now I've see people just using it with 5 6 inch scaler ring no special c120 feedhorn just normal regular LNB.

 

[skybot1]

I too are back on the forum , I had satellite tv in 1989 and it gave me a challenge had a 1.2 mtr dish motorised hours of fun filmnet D2 Mac days as well , I still have a dish , and now have a Apple TV for IPTV but the picture is no where near satellite UHD 4k , just upgraded my tv to a LG OLED 65ins is amazing, nice to see a few old guys still here

 

[SEOShamsher]

I too are back on the forum , I had satellite tv in 1989 and it gave me a challenge had a 1.2 mtr dish motorised hours of fun filmnet D2 Mac days as well , I still have a dish , and now have a Apple TV for IPTV but the picture is no where near satellite UHD 4k , just upgraded my tv to a LG OLED 65ins is amazing, nice to see a few old guys still here

Exactly quality is also one of the reasons for me to bring back satellite tv

 

[Magmax]

Welcome back and enjoy satelite tv.

 

[SEOShamsher]

Dish poles has been done.

Will post update soon.

 

[SEOShamsher]

Quick update from the roof

Got the poles sorted and concreted into proper RCC bases now. Mast is up and aligned, just letting it cure for a few days so it goes properly rock solid before I start mounting dishes.

Didn’t want to rush it and end up with any wobble later on, so giving it the time it needs

Setup is on a ~13 metre high building, so getting a nice clear view of the arc.

These current ones are just my little toys — 3.6 metre monster coming soon as well.

Centre pole is for the 1.8m, and the side poles will take 1.2m dishes.

Plan is to track the full arc from 156°E all the way round to 4°W.

Will post another update once everything’s bolted on and tracking sats.

 

[Channel Hopper]

You could do with putting a perimeter fence up, if only a wire one.

What are the worst storms for wind shear ?

 

[SEOShamsher]

Will be putting a ~2.0 m fence, with wire runs at ~1 ft spacing for safety.

From my location, the worst wind shear comes from pre-monsoon thunderstorms (Nor’westers)—especially when they produce microbursts/downbursts.

After that, squall lines/gust fronts are the next main concern, as they can bring sudden, sharp wind shifts even before the rain starts.

 

[Llew]

Will be putting a ~2.0 m fence, with wire runs at ~1 ft spacing for safety.

From my location, the worst wind shear comes from pre-monsoon thunderstorms (Nor’westers)—especially when they produce microbursts/downbursts.

After that, squall lines/gust fronts are the next main concern, as they can bring sudden, sharp wind shifts even before the rain starts.

Good luck with your install. Keep us in the loop.

Can't remember when we had the last monsoon in East Anglia. Just need to tighten down my dish when the next named storm comes this way.

 

[SEOShamsher]

 

[SEOShamsher]

4ft dish set on 80 deg east Express 80

6ft center LNB 13 deg East Hotbird

Side LNBs
21.5°E Eutelsat 21B
26.0°E Badr
16.0°E Eutelsat 16A
9.0°E Eutelsat 9B
7.0°E Eutelsat 7B
will add 3.0°E Eutelsat 3B soon

another 4ft dish still not set to any satellite.

 

[rodscha]

Whereabout is Zinga? Google says Centrafrique (Bangui) So,Equatorial position?

 

[SEOShamsher]

Whereabout is Zinga? Google says Centrafrique (Bangui) So,Equatorial position?

What zinga?

Do you mean stb brand I mentioned?

Its actually zenga satellite receiver made by Indian dth brand called dish tv in past

 

[rodscha]

thank you!! now i see your re in Penjab!

 

[SEOShamsher]

thank you!! now i see your re in Penjab!

yes exactly

 

[Barkey1988]

I started a good few years ago when i started learning German just before covid. During lockdown i was living at my parents at the time and got a sky 2 dish and used canes on the floor to point in the general area i needed to point to and after a bit of manoeuvring i got there.

Days later i stumbled upon people who had multiple lnbs on the single dish and thought i'd give it a go so a diseqc later and 3 more lnbs manage to get 3 out of the 4 lined up out of trial and error peaking at about 3500 channels across 16, 19.2 and 28.2.

Moved out and i have just put a triax 65 dish up and managed to get a good solid 85% intensity and 71% quality from 19.2e and awaiting a long horn lnb in order to get three more on a multi feed setup.

I love scanning and pushing to see how many channels i can pick up without going motorised.

 

[Analoguesat]

I started in the last years of the 1990s with a satellite dish propped up on bricks, some ratty old cable and a cast off Pace analogue receiver. I knew the analogue channels from 19E but it was great fun to chase down those from 16E & 13E and watch new stuff for the first time
The dish used to blow over regularly so I switched to an old tyre rescued from the woods

Then the Turkish stations on 42E were logged, then as I spotted more then I started the old Analoguesat website to record what was findable at minimal cost using redundant equipment.

I never used any content management systems - everything was coded manually using MS Front Page