Forget the fancy schmancy interfaces, there is a weekly digital transmission you can receive now with equipment you probably (just about definately) have at home if you are half a techno geek. Here is what you need: 1. Satellite System with audio output (preferably through an audio amplifier so you can adjust the audio level. 2. Computer with a 300 baud modem 3. Misc. connectors and cables to hook it all together. Here is where to tune: Wednesday Night 9:00 pm S3/9@6.8 wide mono What you will receive: Text files that have to do with satellite related political issues. This past week they presented the full text of a Senate Bill (S-12) that deals with TVRO related issues. These are called PAD transmissions. I do not know what PAD stands for. Following the digital text, there is a fairly decent talk show about the issues. HOW TO CONNECT the equipment: Simply run the audio from your audio amplifier to a little telephone modular jack. COnnect the audio line to the red and green wires. The really proper way to do it would be to use a 8 ohm to 600 ohm matching transformer, but if you leave a speaker connected (and don't mind the squeek from the audio tones) you can just connect it direct, and it will work just fine. Connect your modem to the little box, and turn on your terminal software. Enable the modem to receive 300 baud, and put it online manually. Adjust the audio until you receive a clear transmission. If you have a graphic equalizer, pull out the high and low frequencies, leaving only the midrange. This will increase the data quality. You can even record the data on audiotape and play it back through your modem later. I have done this. It works fine. The people doing this are associated with the old CSAT KSAT organization. One of the things that concerns the group is the unfair pricing structure between cable and TVRO. For example. The end cable user pays a buck for Encore, and the Dish owner pays five bucks. Some basic services are 20 times higher for dish owners than cable users (basic services). They also talk about VCII, Piracy, etc. Even if you are not super concerned with the political issues, it is a novelty to receive these transmissions.