Confused about Springfield, MO HD locals

[OverRHeads]

Hi everyone! I am glad I found this forum!

I recently moved (in the literal sense, not "moved") from St. Louis to north Arkansas (within Springfield, MO DMA). I installed and pointed my own dish so that I could keep my St. Louis locals (HD locals which are currently ConUS) since HD locals were not available from Springfield. I have a 1000.2 dish picking up 110, 118.75 (St. Louis HD Locals), 119, and 129.

I have been reading alot lately that the St. Louis locals will be switching to a spot beam now that Ciel-II is active. Is this true? Will they then be removed from 118 if they go to 129? Can anyone provide me with a picture showing the footprint for the new St. Louis spotbeam so I can see if I still fit in it?

Secondly, Springfield HD locals are now available through DISH but they are currently on 77 as far as I can tell. I cannot get this satellite with my current setup. Are they going to be added to a spot beam at 129 now that Ciel-II is there? If not, will I have to get another dish to point at 77? Can I get one of the new 1000.4 dishes for the eastern arc? I sure hope they add the Springfield DMA to 129 so I don't have to add another dish or get a new one!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[ryotgz]

I am also interested about the St. Louis HD Locals. I live in Evansville and believe we are on the same spot beam if I am not mistaken.

I did some looking and it looks like St. Louis is set to move to 129 sometime "soon". It currently shows as unavailable

 

[Laddyboy]

Hi everyone! I am glad I found this forum!

I recently moved (in the literal sense, not "moved") from St. Louis to north Arkansas (within Springfield, MO DMA). I installed and pointed my own dish so that I could keep my St. Louis locals (HD locals which are currently ConUS) since HD locals were not available from Springfield. I have a 1000.2 dish picking up 110, 118.75 (St. Louis HD Locals), 119, and 129.

I have been reading alot lately that the St. Louis locals will be switching to a spot beam now that Ciel-II is active. Is this true? Will they then be removed from 118 if they go to 129? Can anyone provide me with a picture showing the footprint for the new St. Louis spotbeam so I can see if I still fit in it?

Secondly, Springfield HD locals are now available through DISH but they are currently on 77 as far as I can tell. I cannot get this satellite with my current setup. Are they going to be added to a spot beam at 129 now that Ciel-II is there? If not, will I have to get another dish to point at 77? Can I get one of the new 1000.4 dishes for the eastern arc? I sure hope they add the Springfield DMA to 129 so I don't have to add another dish or get a new one!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Anyone can purchase a 1000.4 dish for the eastern arc. You have a 1000+ dish for 118.7 so you should have a DPP44 switch in use for that, correct? It is possible to add a 77W wing dish but you'll have to add more switches and cables to the mix and it isn't worth it. You'll have to have all mpeg4 capable receivers and the new purple smartcards though for the eastern arc. STL is likely going up on a 129 spot beam. Whether they also stay on 118.7 is the question. I'd guess not forever but who knows. Here's a couple of links to the Ciel 2 spot beam maps:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/150304-ciel-129w-footprints.html#post1540380
Coverage from 129°

Your best bet would be to wait and see what happens if STL goes up on a 129 spotbeam. You may be able to get it depending on what beam it is on. If they take down 118.7 and you aren't covered by 129, an eastern arc 1000.4 would probably be the way to go.

 

[OverRHeads]

Anyone can purchase a 1000.4 dish for the eastern arc. You have a 1000+ dish for 118.7 so you should have a DPP44 switch in use for that, correct? It is possible to add a 77W wing dish but you'll have to add more switches and cables to the mix and it isn't worth it. You'll have to have all mpeg4 capable receivers and the new purple smartcards though for the eastern arc. STL is likely going up on a 129 spot beam. Whether they also stay on 118.7 is the question. I'd guess not forever but who knows. Here's a couple of links to the Ciel 2 spot beam maps:

Your best bet would be to wait and see what happens if STL goes up on a 129 spotbeam. You may be able to get it depending on what beam it is on. If they take down 118.7 and you aren't covered by 129, an eastern arc 1000.4 would probably be the way to go.

Thanks for the reply! I could not tell from the map you provided if I will still be in the spot beam for St. Louis when it switches to 129. I do not mind switching from St. Louis to Springfield locals as I can only receive KY3 (NBC) from my OTA antenna and would like a choice for local news. Adding another dish is not an option at this point but a new 1000.4 may be. I guess for now I will watch the uplink lists closely and as soon as St. Louis is switched to 129 I will check and see if I am receiving St. Louis locals from 129 instead of 118.75 and go from there.

By the way, I noticed that map was cut from Google maps. Is there anyway I can get an interactive version of that map so I can zoom in and see if I will fit into the new spot beam?

 

[Laddyboy]

Thanks for the reply! I could not tell from the map you provided if I will still be in the spot beam for St. Louis when it switches to 129. I do not mind switching from St. Louis to Springfield locals as I can only receive KY3 (NBC) from my OTA antenna and would like a choice for local news. Adding another dish is not an option at this point but a new 1000.4 may be. I guess for now I will watch the uplink lists closely and as soon as St. Louis is switched to 129 I will check and see if I am receiving St. Louis locals from 129 instead of 118.75 and go from there.

By the way, I noticed that map was cut from Google maps. Is there anyway I can get an interactive version of that map so I can zoom in and see if I will fit into the new spot beam?

There are individual spot beams maps prepared by nelson61 that digi will link in the uplink report when HD locals are uplinked to the spots. It should be very easy for you to see when that happens whether the beam will reach you. There are some other maps around the web but I've switched systems and don't have the links right now. The only way to ever know for sure is to check the transponder signal strength for that beam.