Approximately two months have passed since the release of the hacked H series plastic authorization cards. As of this issue of the SWN, no ecm's have been encountered by the folks using the newly hacked H series card. Those in charge of sending the countermeasures are probably biting their nails, waiting for the right time to strike.
The cost of the H card has been dropping somewhat and is presently hovering around $400.00 U.S.
For those of you who were using a battery or emulator card, the rumored retrofit device to make those old cards compatible with the new data stream, still has not appeared. However there have been many rumors that the underground is still hard at work.
As usual, it looks like we’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds. We will continue to keep you posted as more information becomes available.
Howdy All,
Looking at todays satellite industry gives me the jitters. From a dealers standpoint, what was once a thriving industry is now no more than a fart in the wind. Why do I say this? As little as 5 years ago, the small satellite dealer could make a fair living selling and installing TVRO satellite equipment. You know, make the monthly mortgage payments, buy the kids clothes and pay a few necessary monthly bills. It was the small competent and trained satellite dealer who built the satellite industry, selling and maintaining the lovely large dish.
Then came the little dish DBS people. At first the price structure of these little dish systems allowed the small dealer to still make a buck and buy a package of weenies for the dinner table. But not any more, as every month another satellite dealer or two goes out of business The DBS companies are primarily interested in marketing their products through big chain stores, and not through the small dealer. Why? These large chain stores have buying power that allows them to purchase DBS products in quantity at a price far below that of a small dealer, and in turn retail these little jewels for the same price that the small dealer pays for them.
This is where the small dealer is being snubbed out of a once great industry. You see, the DBS folks had a great strategy in the beginning. Convince the small satellite dealer that he or she could make money selling and servicing their DBS product. This was accomplished by holding a one day, for satellite dealers only, wine and dine seminar at large hotels around the country. Pump up these C-band dealers with their well constructed, "Yes you too can make money selling our DBS product".
Many dealers jumped at this chance. Heck, it looked good. As I look back at these DBS seminars, the real message delivered there was, we will let these small satellite dealers make a few bucks for a short time ,let them get our product out to as many consumers as possible, scare the hell out of the C-Band manufacturers and they will go away, or get licensed to build our DBS equipment, and when all is said and done, mass market through the BIG Q. You can definitely tell a how long a small satellite dealer has been in the business by the amount of bend in his posture
Until Next Month
Dan Morgan
Hi!! I hope you are having a great summer and reading your Satellite Watch News and getting some good ideas from it. My writing skills are being honed (not like hone your cone either... although I am here to consume mass quantities!). Let us say that my bonehead English composition skills are being used!!! I am also glad that you have been reading, using and enjoying it too.
As you may know, the Bill Cooper has not let us on the uplink to air the Home Satellite Radio Show and, to the best of my knowledge, although all monetary obligations had been met, we were not permitted access to the uplink. My point is, that even though we were not on the air, we went right on writing and doing what we do; getting the news out to you, our faithful readers/listeners.
True to the good ole' "put it together with bubble gum and bailing wire", Dan was able to get us on the Internet via the Real Audio system and tonight (August 20) we had a great time with you listeners doing the simulcast on the W0KIE (wookie) network and the internet. I feel that the same people, who were using this information to get the truth out to the micro powered stations and using the C-band units to rebroadcast, are still with us. We had one of the best call-in counts ever. So be patient because we are still inventing it all and we are all very greatful for your continued interest and support. I might add that we are having a very good time also!!
So now on to business. We have covered some other topics and in this part of my techo corner I will review the antenna that we have tested and give you a rundown on what we have found, giving you a benchmark for comparison you can use to evaluate your own situation. Sort of a see one, do one, teach one thing.
In the area of the antenna, test we found that it was a very durable unit and the construction, a conductor within a graduated pvc conduit, is a very good choice because of the lack of corrosion and the resistance to any electrical conduction from any stray voltages of an accidental-incidental contact nature. Also, the antenna design has a gain factor which is excellent for our low power application. For the new guys out there, let's say we input 3 watts, we will get an effective radiated power of about eight watts. This is very desirable, and would help in any situation.
Well, I have gone down the particlars on a few things, but I promised you the framework on how to do your own comparison. So let me list some (but maybe not all) of the important facts so you may do this on your own. What is the frequency coverage? It may seem too basic, but you do want this to fall into the range of what we need, and that is: 88 to 108 megahertz. If you plan to go up or down in frequency, DON'T!!!!! We went over that. We do not in any way want to be a bad neighbor. Any other frequency range will be out of the FM band and could, in some cases, cause harmful interference to aircraft frequencies and even endanger life.
What is the measured reflected power at the useful frequency? We want a LOW reflected power. It is usually expressed as standing wave ratio. Usually a 1.5:1 is a good bench mark. Anything lower is even better. On this unit, you will need to follow instructions on trimming the wire to specified length for your frequency. For those of you with access to GOOD equipment, you may measure it directly. Do NOT use equipment for CB or ham use because you will get a false reading (good or bad). And you will have enough other unknowns as you go without going looking for more.
Yet another factor to look for, is this antenna at DC ground? What this means is, if you get a static or fairly minor DC charge, this SHOULD go directly to ground (do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars). However this will not be likely to protect your transmitter if MA NATURE decides to strike your station with her lightning option. Hopefully the DC ground will not let the static potential build up too much anyway.
Another important factor is wind loading. You do not want your antenna to come down in the big blow of spring or the great snow storms of the land of endless drifting, like here.
And, last but not least, is the cost of the unit. Well, this is really the tuffie. Do you want to go commercial? They are great but who the heck can afford them? This is where asking others who have done it and maybe even made some mistakes can be good. This concept of using pvc is a good one. How do I know? This type of antenna has been used cut for Ham use for sometime. I believe it to a good and useful idea. We all have to work from a belief system, do we not? So there.
This was the short and sweet course from the Docazoid on antenna evaluation and other needful things. As we go to press I have tidings of great joy. The micro broadcasting venue, as we (and others) have described, is now being officially avoided for enforcement by the FCC (funny candy company) and the full story is on the Internet at the Society Of Broadcast Engineers. I do not have the Web site address, but I am sure that you can find it with judicious use of your search engine. With my next installment of this get together, I will go into the greatest of detail on the fine points and invite your questions and comments. My PC is just about to recover from the ashes as a Pentium 100 MHz unit, etc etc. Anyway, please email me at docazoid@i-star.com.
A word before I QRT. These are very important times for us all. I believe that we have, as the concerned private Citizens of this wonderful land, a golden opportunity to get the TRUTH out to our friends and neighbors as never before. All this and without the censorship of the bought and paid-for "news" that we see on that "little dish". Take the ball and run like hell with it, being responsible and fair in your actions.
73 'till next time Good night Megan wherever you are!