HOW TO GET SCPC -- the hookups for either the TV Band Radio Method or the Scanner method. By Robert Smathers A TV band radio will do the trick to receive SCPC. You can get a new one for $20-$40 (depending on where you look) or probably $5-$10 at a flea market. To use the TV band radio, you will need a splitter. Follow this diagram to get set up: ------ 70 MHz in | 70 Mhz out ------- | ------ To TV Band radio The splitter is the "[" thing above. One output goes to the 70 MHz in while the other output goes to the TV band radio. Clip the middle lead to a TV band radio antenna, and you are in business with the setup. Put the TV band radio selector on the band that does channels 2-6 and tune from one end to the other. Set your receiver to G6/3 and you should be able to hear all sorts of signals. Should you choose to use a scanner with the 70 MHz loop, you would want to replace the "To TV Sound Receiver" above with "To your Scanner". -=-=-= Now, for the method I personally prefer. It involves your scanner and the LNB input (950-1450 or 930-1430 -- depends on your LNB block frequency). You will need a scanner (such as the R100) that can tune this frequency range. Having two bandwidths will also help out on reception -- the normal 15 KHz FM bandwidth is too narrow for the majority of SCPC services and therefore you'll get distortion. I use the 150 KHz bandwidth of my R100 for great results. Hooking up your scanner to the LNB is tricky (as it involves voltages). You will want to block the splitted signal to your scanner (in other words, don't let voltage go into your antenna port on your scanner). Your setup in ASCII drawing form would look like: ------ To receiver (which delivers 18V DC | to your LNB to power it). Keep | power going through this branch | of the receiver to your LNB | From outside LNB ----------- | | ------(DC BLOCKED HERE)--- to scanner input Block power to this branch so you don't send 18V DC to your scanner and probably destroy the input stages of your scanner If you have a 930-1430 MHz Block IF LNB, tune 930-1430. For a 950-1450 MHz block IF LNB, tune 950-1450 MHz. Narrowband FM is great for finding services, and then you can improve reception quality by changing to wide FM. I like the connection to the LNB method best because it gives the least hum/"more broadcast quality sounding" result than using a 70 MHz loop with either the scanner or the TVBR. Hope this helps. If you have any questions, please contact me at roberts@triton.unm.edu and I can provide you further help with setting up your SCPC listening gear. Robert