How long have you been messing about with sat systems?
It must be since the early 90s, just after BSB stopped tramsmitting.
What was the catalyst for you to begin messing about with sat systems?
See above! I have been an electronics enthusiast (dabbler I like to say - messing around and wasting time according to my wife) and satellites were the next logical step. I bought a Squarial and Ferguson BSB DMAC receiver at a radio rally. The Fergy was converted to a D2MAC receiver with a replacement chip and then I watched channels on TDF1/2 at 19W until they disappeared.
I then moved on to Astra 1 at 19E using a very second hand Amstrad SRX 100. 16 channels. Luxury!!
Are you strictly a hobbyist, or is this a profession as well?
Hobbyist although I have installed a few systems for friends in the UK and France.
How long would you say it took you to become (if you are) competent at installing non standard (more than single sat) systems?
If you class France as non standard it was just a progression from "normal" sized dished. The dish size in the area of france that I go to is only 80 - 90 cm for reception of Astra 2D so it's not really exotic stuff.
Where is the best place to learn about how to install and service non-standard systems?
Well, I did a lot or reading of magazines. What Satellite was a good magazine in those days (and looks to be on a resurgance now). It helped to have radio knowledge from my electronics dabbling as well. |