How to Use Free to Air
Is there really such a thing as free satellite TV? Although most people would say no, a wide variety of free TV is legally accessible to those who know how to get it. Free to Air, commonly referred to as FTA, is the method of receiving free, unscrambled satellite signals anywhere in the world. The channels available run the gamut from foreign television to U.S.-based stations that make their signal available to those who want to receive it.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- FTA receiver Satellite dish 30 to 48 inches in diameter with the proper mounting equipment Coaxial cable long enough to run from your dish to your receiver Compass Component cables (optional) HDMI cable (optional)
Instructions
-
How to Use FTA
-
1
Determine, based on your location, what satellites are available to you. This can be done by visiting Lyngsat.com.
-
2
Set up your satellite dish. You will need the signal reception information for the satellite or satellites that you are trying to hit. This includes the elevation, azimuth and skew of the dish. Visit the "Satellite Calculator" link in the Resources section below to find the coordinates based on your geographic location in relation to the satellite whose signal you are attempting to receive.
-
-
3
Use your compass to locate the proper azimuth. This will be the direction that your dish will need to face in order to receive a signal from your target satellite. Once it is found, lock the azimuth in place.
-
4
Adjust the elevation on your dish to meet the proper coordinates. Remember that the elevation is the up-and-down tilt of your dish and is controlled on most units by an adjustable piece directly behind the dish itself. Once found, lock the elevation in place.
-
5
Adjust the skew (if necessary) to the proper coordinates by rotating the dish accordingly. The skew helps compensate for the curvature of the Earth's surface when receiving a satellite signal and is usually only necessary when you reside on the fringe of the reception area of the satellite you are trying to hit. Once found, lock the skew in place.
-
6
Connect your FTA receiver to your television using component cables, coaxial cables or HDMI cable.
-
7
Run the coaxial cable from your dish to the "satellite in" jack on your FTA receiver.
-
8
Turn on your receiver and in the menu select antenna settings. From there, select the satellite or satellites that you are receiving. Choose "autoscan" and your receiver will automatically populate the channels that you will be able to receive from the signal coming in.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you are interested in receiving signals from multiple satellites, look into purchasing a dish motor. They are remotely controlled and programmable to move the dish to the predetermined coordinates required to receive a signal from your chosen satellites.
Never place third-party software on your FTA receiver. It is illegal to augment your receiver in any way to receive scrambled signals. There are hundreds of free channels to be enjoyed at it is.
