Anik F1, F2, F3 south of the Rio Grande

[John Popper]

Im new to FTA and wanted to know if it's even worth it to scan for these satellites (since im using my old analog receiver to position the BUD) being that I live in Central Mexico. If I remember correctly aren't these Satellites mainly for Canada? I would love to get those Quebec channels as well as those Univision feeds but want to know if you guys in the South even get them?

 

[AcWxRadar]

Im new to FTA and wanted to know if it's even worth it to scan for these satellites (since im using my old analog receiver to position the BUD) being that I live in Central Mexico. If I remember correctly aren't these Satellites mainly for Canada? I would love to get those Quebec channels as well as those Univision feeds but want to know if you guys in the South even get them?

Hello John,

I can't tell you a whole lot about these satellites. I think they are well encrypted or using Turbo 8PSK modulation for the Ku-band signals at least. The C-Band stuff might be FTA and the C-band TP listed on Anik F3 is shown as FTA on Lyngsat, but I can not check that for you since I only have a KU-Band setup right now.

I know 111.1 W Anik F2 as that is the satellite where I derive my WildBlue internet service from, but that is about all I know.

Lyngsat, SatCoDX and SATBeams.com are the sites outside of our forum that you should investigate. Here on the forum, there is the tool "The List". Research this, too.

The Anik sats are generally for Canada, but not entirely so. Anik F3 is for DN in the US and as I mentioned, F2 serves Wild Blue for the US as well.

Check out the sites that I mentioned above for more specific details. Check them all as sometimes they are not updated immediately. You need to double check each one against the other to be certain.

RADAR

 

[John Popper]

Thanks Radar, hopefully someone with a C band hook up can answer as well

 

[Mr Tony]

AnikF1 & F2 do go to the border of Mexico but after that I dont know exactly how far. I use a 6 footer and can get AnikF1 really well.

There isnt much C-Band on F2...I know the KU side of F1 & F2 do go into Mexico as there are folks who have Star Choice which is a Canadian sat provider (they use both of the KU side of these sats)

F1 you should be able to get pretty well

 

[guapoharry]

OP, Are you interested in C band only? If so, the coverage maps don't look promising.

How big is your BUD?

As for Ku, there isn't much, FTA. Some feeds, and commercial stuff that goes ITC once in a while.

 

[turbosat]

all three

I get good signals on all three, watched CBC for years until they went digital and cut off all us freeloaders. The digital side comes in fine here too, KU also, what little there is on ku. I'm at about 33.6N with a 10' dish for c-band, 1m for ku.

 

[John Popper]

Thanks folks, yeah Im interested in both C and KU band and I do have a big big dish, so I will test them later!

 

[John Popper]

UPDATE: wasnt able to get any C Band FTA feeds from the Satellites I mentioned, Im thinking the signal is not strong enough for Central Mexico. Which reminds me that I was never able to get the Aniks even in the good ole days of analog C Band

 

[AcWxRadar]

Here are some footprint maps to help you with these specific satellites.

This series is for Anik F1 and F1R @ 107.0 W

RADAR

 

[AcWxRadar]

These two are the C and Ku footprints for Anik F2 @ 111.1 W.

RADAR

 

[AcWxRadar]

These last few are for the C and Ku band from Anik F3 @ 118.8 W.

The Ku band here would be the best receivable signal in your area, but I don't think that any signal here is FTA. This would all be DN and encrypted. These signals also require a different LNBF variety. The frequency is similar to FSS band, but it is a circular polarized signal.

These footprint maps are from Satbeams.com. I thought you would find them interesting and informative. It appears that central Mexico is not served very well by the Anik satellites.

RADAR

 

[John Popper]

Thanks radar! yeah it looks like Anik C Band is a no go for me, will try KU Band once I get my whole LNBF situation fixed

 

[Mikhel]

Thanks Radar, hopefully someone with a C band hook up can answer as well

UPDATE: wasnt able to get any C Band FTA feeds from the Satellites I mentioned, Im thinking the signal is not strong enough for Central Mexico. Which reminds me that I was never able to get the Aniks even in the good ole days of analog C Band

A friend who lives in Puebla can get the Univisión channels @ 118ºW so he doesn't has to pay to watch the soccer games. He is using an 8ft prime focus dish with a digital BCS-421 LNBF.

Also from other people living in Querétaro and Jalisco, it seems the footprint acts a little bit weird in some places since the can only get a sniff of the signal, being able to watch the channels only using 4 and 5 meter dishes.

Still... those people who told me are relatively new to FTA since they only used to steal Dish channels and have acquired prime focus dishes to fulfill their needs (altough i suspect that once they can steal the signal again, they'll do it), and judging by their past, i am fairly sure they don't know how to properly install a prime focus antenna and might be getting less than what they can.

In the northern border and part of the NorthEast coast it's viewable even with a 6ft-8ft dish.

If you need to watch univisión try to get the channels at either 91ºW or 95ºW and Telefutura at 135ºW. Telemundo, the other channel a lot of people use to watch the sport i despise the most because of the sissiness of their players always crying non-existing fouls: soccer, can be received with a 90cm offset dish for Ku band (a Sky antenna is of that size).

Cheers

M.

 

[John Popper]

Thanks Mikhel, great info! I don't approve your opinion about soccer though lol

 

[AcWxRadar]

John Popper,

There are many other satellites to research. Other sats may provide you with the programming you are looking for and since you do have a BUD, you are in a better situation than someone with only Ku facilities.

I highly recommend the SatBeams site. This site is not as well established as Lyngsat or SatCoDX. These two other sites have been around longer, but I think that SatBeams is setting up a much better site and I like what they are doing there so far. I find myself going there more often than the other two sites.

I think that the information is more accurate from SatBeams regarding the dish size recommendations. If you register as a member at their site, you can edit and add information to the satellite reception details listed on the site. It is akin to Wikipedia where the members can take a more active part. I think that the information on this site will eventually become more accurate because they will utilize real world responses and not just estimates from the satellite providers or their engineers.

I take a large interest in your satellite endeavor as I want to determine how accurate (or inaccurate) these footprint maps are. So, please keep us informed of what your results are.

What size is your BUD? Also, you mentioned something about a dilemna with your LNBF - what was this? And, what receiver are you using or planning to use? Up here in Nebraska I am using three receivers (AZBox, Coolsat 5K and Fortec Star Dynamic). All excellent receivers in my opinion.

I have more time during the winter to play with my hobby (inside the house), but the weather here isn't conducive to standing out in the yard in the wind when the temperature is 15 degrees and "playing" with my "toys"! I am sure you don't have that problem in Central Mexico. I bet it is pretty nice there right now - not too hot nor too cold???

Well, keep us up to date with what you do. And.. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!

RADAR

 

[guapoharry]

John, If you use Lyngsat, there are coverage maps on that website also.

Click on links under the "Beam" column.

 

[John Popper]

John Popper,

There are many other satellites to research. Other sats may provide you with the programming you are looking for and since you do have a BUD, you are in a better situation than someone with only Ku facilities.

I highly recommend the SatBeams site. This site is not as well established as Lyngsat or SatCoDX. These two other sites have been around longer, but I think that SatBeams is setting up a much better site and I like what they are doing there so far. I find myself going there more often than the other two sites.

I think that the information is more accurate from SatBeams regarding the dish size recommendations. If you register as a member at their site, you can edit and add information to the satellite reception details listed on the site. It is akin to Wikipedia where the members can take a more active part. I think that the information on this site will eventually become more accurate because they will utilize real world responses and not just estimates from the satellite providers or their engineers.

I take a large interest in your satellite endeavor as I want to determine how accurate (or inaccurate) these footprint maps are. So, please keep us informed of what your results are.

What size is your BUD? Also, you mentioned something about a dilemna with your LNBF - what was this? And, what receiver are you using or planning to use? Up here in Nebraska I am using three receivers (AZBox, Coolsat 5K and Fortec Star Dynamic). All excellent receivers in my opinion.

I have more time during the winter to play with my hobby (inside the house), but the weather here isn't conducive to standing out in the yard in the wind when the temperature is 15 degrees and "playing" with my "toys"! I am sure you don't have that problem in Central Mexico. I bet it is pretty nice there right now - not too hot nor too cold???

Well, keep us up to date with what you do. And.. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!

RADAR

Thanks for the info and interest Radar!
I have a 10 ft dish and just bought a used Coolsat 6000 Premium. The LNBF dilemma has to do with me probably blowing its voltage due to connecting both analog receiver and coolsat at the same time without a dc block, so I'm gonna have to get another LNBF in order to continue searching for FTA sats, in the meantime im using a very old chaparral feedhorn and LNB which kinda hinder my ability right now, but I will keep you posted when im at 100% strength!

Merry Christmas to you and everyone here in satguys.com

 

[Mikhel]

Since there isn't a lot left to watch analog and you're interested in digital, just let the servo connected to the analog receiver and the coaxial only in the coolsat, you should be fine since only the FTA receiver is going to keep sending voltage to the LNBF.

P.S.
I'm from BC and all my family is from Sinaloa, so, that explains why i don't like soccer LOL, in Sinaloa, Sonora, both Baja Californias and most of the atlantic coast are purely baseball-istic .

Cheers :-D

 

[AcWxRadar]

Thanks for the info and interest Radar!
I have a 10 ft dish and just bought a used Coolsat 6000 Premium. The LNBF dilemma has to do with me probably blowing its voltage due to connecting both analog receiver and coolsat at the same time without a dc block, so I'm gonna have to get another LNBF in order to continue searching for FTA sats, in the meantime im using a very old chaparral feedhorn and LNB which kinda hinder my ability right now, but I will keep you posted when im at 100% strength!

Merry Christmas to you and everyone here in satguys.com

May I joke with you now?.... If you get any receiver to read 100% signal quality (without faking it) I will bow down before you and kiss your feet! Well.... maybe just bow down. LOL!

Good choice on the Coolsat 6K! Keep that receiver no matter what!

RADAR

 

[John Popper]

lol I meant 100% strength as in having a working LNBF