Husker Sports Network

Digital Satellite System

Husker Sports Network programming on the DCR-974 Digiceiver is delivered via the AMC-8 satellite (formerly known as Satcom C-5), located at 139 degrees West Longitude.  This is the same satellite as the major national radio networks, therefore you will not need a new or separate satellite antenna (dish) for the Husker Sports Network DCR-974.

Since you will be connecting the Husker Sports Network DCR-974 to an existing dish, we shipped the receiver with LNB power turned off.  This is the normal mode, as one of your existing satellite receivers will already be providing LNB power.

Basic connections for the DCR-974 are as follows…

1. Connect a coax cable from the receiver rear panel coax “F” connector to an open port on your existing AMC-8 satellite dish splitter.  If you do not have any open ports, you’ll need to obtain a larger or additional splitter.
2. Connect audio to the proper audio connectors on the Husker Sports Network DCR-974.  Channel “B” will be used as the primary NET-1 Husker Sports Network channel (please note, this is channel “B” and not channel A).  Channel “D” is used as our NET-2 secondary programming channel, and Channel “C” is used as our NET-3 tertiary programming channel.   Channel A is reserved for future use.  The Husker Sports Network channels are mono, but feed to both the LEFT and RIGHT outputs - therefore you should install the receiver with stereo wiring to station equipment for future stereo network programming.  Audio connector pinouts are below.
3. Connect AC power to the DCR-974.  Make sure the receiver is plugged into adequate surge protection.  Replacement cost for the receivers is about $5,500.00.

Contact Closures

The Husker Sports Network DCR-974 uses digital contact closures instead of subaudible tones.  Eight contact closures are available, four for our NET-1 programming and four for our NET-2 programming.  Access is via the ICP Remote Switch Closure Module (part # 100368).  Install the module into the connector labeled REMOTE CLOSURE PORT 1 on the back paned of the DCR-974.  You cannot connect contact closures directly to the DCR-974, they must be via the Remote Switch Closure Module! 

An excellent source of a breakout board for the contact closure module is Winford Electronics.  We suggest ordering a DB-37 male to female cable in addition to the breakout board, so the board does not break the satellite receiver connectors.  Total cost for both the breakout board and extension cable is less than $50.  We use these at our uplink.

The following contact closures are used (no contact closures are available for programming on our NET-3 channel)…

Audio Connector Wiring

4: Left+             2: Right+           1: Ground
9: Left-              7: Right-            3: Ground

There are several front panel lights on the DCR-974…

POWER – Indicates AC power has been applied to the receiver.

LNB – If this light is off, conditions are normal.  If the light is on, it can indicate a LNB problem.

FAULT – Indicates some type of fault/error with the receiver.  Power down the unit for 30 seconds then turn it back on and see if the fault alarm clears (it will illuminate for the first few seconds when the receiver reboots…this is normal).

DEMOD – If on steady, the receiver is locked onto Husker Sports Network digital audio.  If flashing, indicates a marginal satellite signal.  If off, you will not have any audio.

CXR ID – Husker Sports Network transmits a unique digital carrier identification signal.  When this indicator is lit, the receiver is positively locked on to the Husker Sports Network digital system (and not another satellite signal).

DN LOAD – If flashing, new software has been downloaded to your receiver.  If steady, you may have a software error and should reboot the receiver.

LOCAL – Blinks when in local control mode.  You must be in local control mode to be able to change receiver settings.

Rear Panel Indicators…

PORT1 – not used

PORT2 – not used

Ethernet RX – future use when receiver connects to your computer LAN

TX - future use when receiver connects to your computer LAN

DRIVE – blinks when the internal hard drive is being accesses

LED1 & LED2 – blinks when playing internal audio

Signal Strength…

The front panel display will show a bar graph and numeric readout of signal strength.  To bring up the signal strength display…

1. Press the right arrow CURSOR button until you see DEMOD, then press ENTER.

2. Press the PAGE UP button until you see SIGNAL STRENGTH.

A signal strength of 10.0 or above is acceptable, although your receiver will work with lower settings. 

You may also check signal quality by displaying the receiver SYMBOL ERROR RATE.  While viewing the signal strength, press the PAGE DOWN button once.  The receiver should now display Symbol Error Rate.  A good dish alignment and system will display a SYMBOL ERROR RATE of 0.0

Husker Sports Network DCR-974 Receiver Settings

The following settings were pre-programmed into your receiver before it was shipped, and should never need field adjustment.  In case your station would suffer a major satellite failure, please prepare contracts.  Do not change these settings unless you are under the supervision of Husker Sports Network technical support staff.

Testing Contact Closures From The Front Panel

To run these local user commands, you must first put the receiver into local control mode...

1. Press CURSOR right until the display reads "DEMOD".

2. Press ENTER

3. Press PAGE DOWN until the display reads "LOCAL CONTROL".

4. Press ENTER

5. The yellow front panel LOCAL light should now be flashing.

To run the relay test commands (yellow LOCAL light must be flashing)...

1. Use the left or right cursor arrow buttons to navigate to the ENTER TO RUN SCRIPT menu.

2. Use the up/down VALUE buttons to select the two digit number of the script you want to run and press ENTER, the script will run and you should see the corresponding relay contact closure activate for one second.

Relay test User Script codes...

31 - NET-1 Local Break Start on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

32 - NET-1 Legal ID on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

33 - NET-1 Local Sponsor Liner on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

34 - NET-1 End of Game on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

35 - NET-2 Local Break Start on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

36 - NET-2 Legal ID on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

37 - NET-2 Local Sponsor Liner on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

38 - NET-2 End of Game on the standard REMOTE CLOSURE 1 port

41 - NET-1 Local Break Start on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

42 - NET-1 Legal ID on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

43 - NET-1 Local Sponsor Liner on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

44 - NET-1 End of Game on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

45 - NET-2 Local Break Start on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

46 - NET-2 Legal ID on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

47 - NET-2 Local Sponsor Liner on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

48 - NET-2 End of Game on the alternate REMOTE CLOSURE 2 port

Questions…

Contact Mike Elliott at the Husker Sports Network: 402.742.8624 or Mike.Elliott@huskersportsnetwork.com

Affiliate hotline: 402-742-8680