So, you turn off all the state TV coming by satellite... so that you hope that all the satellite receivers get unplugged from the wall (else, they're likely to be listening to reacquire and get program guide etc)... so that you can drive around in vans and look for the -remaining- satellite receivers as a conduit of information coming in.

I mean, I guess it's possible. But probably not your top priority during a time of potential unrest. And it probably won't work that well as a way to find people with the links.

Any non zero amount of incoming radio signal to a hot dish would be suspicious, and easily identifiable, if all the registered broadcasters are offline.