99(s) spotbeam question

[mecro]

For the longest time, I used a single 18" LNB dish, and pulled in Cincinnati locals from about 200 miles outside city center with a signal strength of about 80 on a sunny day, 95-100 for everything else. I got a hair up my butt, and decided to upgrade to HD. I ordered the slimline 3LNB dish. I've had a hell of a time aiming it myself (its a whole different ballgame compared to a single lnb dish!!) but I've got most of 101 peaked at about 95, and most of 99 and 103 peak at around 75-85 (conus).

No where in my hair-up-my-butt thinking did I realize that the spot beams for Cincinnati are probably a whole heck of a lot different on 99 than on 101. According to my research, Cincinnati HD locals are broadcast on 99, tp 21, if I read the TP map correctly. I'm getting a whopping 0 signal strength for 99(b) on TP 21. I noticed that Dayton locals are on a different spot beam, which I thought was odd.

Is it possible that the Cincinnati spot beam is skewed in such a way that I have no prayer in heaven in getting this TP to come in? TP 23, which carries Indianapolis locals (45 miles south of Lafayette, where I am now) is coming in at 95. Am I totally SOL?

 

[Jimbo]

For the longest time, I used a single 18" LNB dish, and pulled in Cincinnati locals from about 200 miles outside city center with a signal strength of about 80 on a sunny day, 95-100 for everything else. I got a hair up my butt, and decided to upgrade to HD. I ordered the slimline 3LNB dish. I've had a hell of a time aiming it myself (its a whole different ballgame compared to a single lnb dish!!) but I've got most of 101 peaked at about 95, and most of 99 and 103 peak at around 75-85 (conus).

No where in my hair-up-my-butt thinking did I realize that the spot beams for Cincinnati are probably a whole heck of a lot different on 99 than on 101. According to my research, Cincinnati HD locals are broadcast on 99, tp 21, if I read the TP map correctly. I'm getting a whopping 0 signal strength for 99(b) on TP 21. I noticed that Dayton locals are on a different spot beam, which I thought was odd.

Is it possible that the Cincinnati spot beam is skewed in such a way that I have no prayer in heaven in getting this TP to come in? TP 23, which carries Indianapolis locals (45 miles south of Lafayette, where I am now) is coming in at 95. Am I totally SOL?

It kinda depends on how large the actual spot beam is for the Cincy locals and if your still in it.
Maybe someone else in the Dayton area can chime in and say what thier SS is on the 99 sat TP23. That would help if you knew for sure that you are suppose to have a signal.

I would imagine that you have a few high TP's on the 99 , they are probably the local Dayton ones.

 

[texasbrit]

Cincinnati locals are on TP21 from DirecTV11 on the 99s signal strength screen.
The HD local spotbeams are in general much narrower than the SD local spotbeams, so it's quite common to be able to see an out-of-town SD local spotbeam with decent signal in an area where the HD local spotbeam from the same city reads zero.

 

[mecro]

Does anyone know of a map, similar to the one that's available for 101, for spotbeam coverage?

 

[texasbrit]

Does anyone know of a map, similar to the one that's available for 101, for spotbeam coverage?

No, I don't believe there is such a map. Apart from the difficulty of developing a map like this, it would change as DirecTV changes the satellites/transponders used for the HD LIL. Also the two spaceway satellites Spaceway I and Spaceway II have "steerable" spotbeams, DirecTV can control these from the ground station.
Remember by receiving locals from the "wrong" DMA you would be in breach of both DirecTV's conditions of service and also of FCC regulations, since it is illegal for DirecTV to deliver you the Cincinnati locals if you are not in that DMA.

 

[Jimbo]

Does anyone know of a map, similar to the one that's available for 101, for spotbeam coverage?

Cincinnati locals are on TP21 from DirecTV11 on the 99s signal strength screen.
The HD local spotbeams are in general much narrower than the SD local spotbeams, so it's quite common to be able to see an out-of-town SD local spotbeam with decent signal in an area where the HD local spotbeam from the same city reads zero.

It kinda depends on how large the actual spot beam is for the Cincy locals and if your still in it.
Maybe someone else in the Dayton area can chime in and say what thier SS is on the 99 sat TP23. That would help if you knew for sure that you are suppose to have a signal.

I would imagine that you have a few high TP's on the 99 , they are probably the local Dayton ones.

Sorry Mecro,
I inadvertently typed the wrong transponder as texasbrit mentioned it should have been transponder 21.

 

[boba]

Mecro I would guess that you need a little more dithering on the 103/99 conus signals 75/85 is kind of low. You should still be able to receive the SD locals still they are still on the same spotbeam and you do have a larger dish.

 

[mecro]

I know the signal strengths aren't super high, and I still receive the SD locals off 101 just fine...I guess I'm SOL for HD locals from Cincinnati out here in Lafayette. Oh well, thanks for the input (and criticism)...