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OBJECTIVE: The student will become aware of their rights and
know what type of system components makes up their
system.
These are answers to some of the questions most often asked
about satellite television. However, other problems might
arise with equipment that requires a certain amount of
technical knowledge. Your best source of information will
always be your local satellite television dealer/installer.
QUESTION: How large a dish will I need?
ANSWER: That depends on where you live. If you live in
California, for example, you may need a larger dish than if
you live in the Midwest, where satellite signals are stronger.
However, you can use a smaller dish if you compensate by using
a more powerful LNA to boost the signal. Ask your dealer for
more details about this.
QUESTION: An article in my local newspaper referred to dish
owners as "pirates." Are dishes legal?
ANSWER: Yes. In October 1984, President Reagan signed a bill
called S.66 containing a section that completely legalized
satellite dishes for homeowners.
QUESTION: I wear a pacemaker. Could the signal that comes to
the satellite receiver be harmful to me?
ANSWER: No. The frequency of a satellite signal is very weak,
about the same as a CB radio, and has no effect on pacemakers.
Besides, satellite signals are all around you anyway, whether
or not you own a dish.
QUESTION: Will rain or snow interfere with my satellite
reception?
ANSWER: Severe rainstorms can cause a slight amount of
interference, about the same as regular television. Snow can
cause interference if you allow it to build up on your dish.
Sweeping it off with a broom will take care of the problem.
QUESTION: How close to my house should my dish be?
ANSWER: Ideally, it should be no more than 100 feet away from
your home, but it can be farther away if your dealer installs
special cable equipped with amplifiers to make sure you
receive a strong signal.
QUESTION: I have trees on my lot. Will this cause problems
with reception?
ANSWER: Your dealer will conduct what is called a "site
survey" to determine the best position for your dish. A few
trees usually won't matter, as long as they are not directly
in front of the reception path for the dish.
QUESTION: A member of my family is hard of hearing. Is there a
special satellite network for the hearing impaired?
ANSWER: Yes. The Silent Network features both open-captioned
and signed programming for the hearing impaired.
QUESTION: How many channels are there on satellite television,
and how can I tell what's on?
ANSWER: There are about 100 channels on satellite television and
more are being added all the time. However, only about 70 to 80
of these channels carry regularly scheduled broadcasts.
Satellite ORBIT magazine carrier hour-by hour listings of
regularly scheduled satellite broadcasts and also lists services
that are planned for the future.
QUESTION: I have a small yard. Can the dish be mounted on the
roof of my house?
ANSWER: Yes, but your dealer will need to determine whether
your roof is sufficiently strong to support the weight caused
by wind blowing against the dish. It's generally better to mount
the dish on the ground.
QUESTION: If I sell my home, can I take my dish with me?
ANSWER: Yes. Most dishes can be disassembled in half a day or
less.
QUESTION: Should I guard against lightning striking my dish?
ANSWER: The probability that lightning will strike your dish
is about the same as it is for lightning striking a normal
rooftop television antenna.
QUESTION: Could I share a dish with my neighbor?
ANSWER: Yes, however, if you and your neighbor also share only
one satellite receiver, you both must watch the same program
on the same channel. If you and your neighbor each buy a
satellite receive, you both can watch different channels on
a satellite at the same time.
QUESTION: If I have more than one television in my home, can
I watch the satellite on all of them?
ANSWER: Yes. Your dealer can run cable to each TV set.
QUESTION: Is it legal to tape satellite shows on my VCR?
ANSWER: Not only is it legal, but with the right kind of
equipment you may also tape shows on one channel while you
are watching another.
QUESTION: Can I paint my dish to blend in with the environment?
ANSWER: Yes, as long as you use a paint that does not have a
metallic base, as the metal in the paint would cause
in the paint would cause interference. The proper paint to
use is light-colored, latex -based paint, applied with a
nippy roller.
TLA COMPETENCIES: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
questions listed in this TLA.