Big ugly dish
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A c-band dish (often abbreviated to BUD or UGLY) is a colloquial name for a satellite dish used to receive satellite television signals from FSS-type satellites on the C band. BUDs are usually about ten feet or three metres in diameter and have been a source of much consternation (even local zoning disputes) to neighbors of those with the dishes. Although some dishes are made of fiberglass, a common alternative is a metal mesh — such BUDs shed snow and have reduced wind loads; in addition, some critics consider them less unsightly.
Recently, DBS services have reduced or eliminated the need for BUDs. Signals from DBS satellites (operating in the Ku band) are higher in power and therefore require smaller dishes than C band, and the digital signals now used require far less signal strength at the receiver. General advancements in noise abatement have also had an effect. For these reasons, significantly smaller dishes are now used for home satellite reception.
A dual-band or Ku band LNB may be retrofitted to some big dishes, however there is a more restrictive maximum mesh size (anything less than the diameter of a pencil) if anything other than a solid dish is used at these shorter wavelengths. Usually, a solid fiberglass or spun aluminum dish is ideal for dual-band LNB operation.
In the 80s and 90s, before the emergence of the DBS system, BUDs were sometimes jokingly referred to with the term "West Virginia state flower" [1] Since West Virginia is very mountainous and rural, reception with aerial antennas was difficult and cable TV systems hadn't been established. Therefore, the over-abduance of BUDs seen in the area lead to the short-lived term "West Virginia State Flower", as there was one in pretty much every yard. The expansion of cable TV systems into rural areas and the arrival of the DBS system have reduced the number of BUDs being used in the areas, however, because of their size, they're usually left in place when disconnected. Some have been removed and minidishes placed on the pole, or, in some cases, a newer LNB was retrofitted onto the dish and them the dish aimed at the appropriate service. The term was regional, known mostly to those living in West Virginia and surrounding areas.
Big Ugly Dishes are still popular today. There are many free to air (FTA) channels in both Ku and C-Band. Due to the smaller waves of C-Band frequencies, a much larger dish (4-20 foot) is needed. Some people will ad a KU lnb to the dish to pick up fta on the ku side and also for Dish Network or Directv, since the dish much greater in diameter, the signal will not fade out in heavy rain or snow.
Also some people will subscribe to a satellite tv company, called 4DTV, that mainly transmits in c-band, because of this, people can enjoy satellite tv in any sort of weather. Another advantge is you can pick which channels you want to pay for, called ala-carte. The small dish market has not yet done this.
In the late 70's when Bud's first arived, the were $20,000 to 26,000 new. A ground station permit was also needed. Most channels were in one polarity, dual polarity (H/V) was introduced in the eary 80's. The prices of system have come down, a new one, in 2008 prices, is about $400-$1000 new.
Most Channels were free, until the mid to late 80's when HBO started to scramble its channel and other followed suit. Today there are only a dozen or so channels still free. Wild feeds (channels only on for a limited time, such as a sports game or news feed) are mostly in the clear.
Most People don't realize the popularity of Big Ugly Dishes today, with the small dish market claiming they are long obsolete, though this is a lie.[citation needed] Cable TV relies heavily on C-band for it channels.
Because of this, a person wanting a BUD system can typicaly get them for free, due to the fact some people consider them an eyesore.
