This was the year I finally indulged in a hobby I’ve long wanted to try: satellite reception! In January, as a birthday present, I answered a Craigslist ad for a few Free-To-Air (FTA) satellite receivers and dishes that were being sold. I got a few used receivers and dishes for a great price and went right to work figuring out how to get everything connected.
What resulted was an opening to a world I had only imagined before. So many TV and radio stations were available to me, many of them from distant lands. I became obsessed with finding new signals and perfecting my reception. I even planted two dishes instead of just one, working around the trees in my yard as best I could.
I’ve seen news channels, foreign programming, sporting events, news events, product announcements, live interviews, political campaign stops, and numerous other offbeat programs that defy explanation. There is something for everyone up there if you’re willing to find it.
But it’s not just been about watching TV, something for which I have little patience. It’s mostly been the thrill of the chase, the education that comes from figuring a technology out on your own. That’s the hacker ethic.
My satellite setup has provided me a year’s worth of fun. That’s a pretty good birthday present, in my book!