Dumb question. Why is 61.5 called wings

Bcause the main satellites are in the middle of the satellite arc.

Sp if you look at the North American Satellite Arc you would see that 61.5 and 148 are on the extreme left and extreme right of the arc.

So instead of being in the center of the arc, they are on the "Wings" of the arc. :)
 
As scott mentioned Dish has several satellite slots.. 148, 129, 121, 119, 110, 105 and 61.5. So 148 and 61.5 are called the wings! Also notice the separation between the two "wings" versus the "core".

See ya
Tony
 
Separation

TNGTony said:
As scott mentioned Dish has several satellite slots.. 148, 129, 121, 119, 110, 105 and 61.5. So 148 and 61.5 are called the wings! Also notice the separation between the two "wings" versus the "core".

Is that larger separation between the wing satellite slots by design or just the way the spots got allocated? Would D*s configuration look similar?
 
It's the way the satellite slots are allocated. Remember that there is only a narrow ring around the equator where you can put a satellite for geostationary orbit. We in the US have to share the slots we can see with the rest of the western hemisphere. As it is Dish is already using a Canadian slot (129) and trying to use a mexican slot (77) and DirecTV is using a Canadian slot (I think) at 72 degrees.

DirecTV has satellites at 72 (I think), 101, 110 and 119.

See ya
Tony
 
By the way raylock - Don't be afraid to ask anything. As I'm sure Scott would echo, the whole point of this place is to learn. And as you can see, your "basic" question sparked another conversation that I found interesting. So thanks for contributing!
 
lakebum431 said:
By the way raylock - Don't be afraid to ask anything. As I'm sure Scott would echo, the whole point of this place is to learn.

Yeah, this is a great forum. I have been learning a lot. But I have several decades worth of experience asking dumb questions:D

Best
Ray
 
raylock said:
Yeah, this is a great forum. I have been learning a lot. But I have several decades worth of experience asking dumb questions:D

Best
Ray

"Dumb" is akin to unspoken. Ergo, the only "dumb" question is the one that remains unasked...

Concur - great forum...!
 
That would be because they probably aren't DBS slots. The dish slots at 105 and 121 are FSS slots. FSS slots use lower power satellites and can be closer together. I'm sure someone will chime in with the FSS spacing and more detail.
 
FSS can be 2 degrees apart
DBS has to be 9 degrees apart

DBS is at 61.5, 72.5, 82, 91, 101, 110, 119, 129, 148
FSS is at (for sats that mainly have CONUS slots)
61, 72, 74, 79, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 116.8, 121, 123, 127, 129

StarChouice (Canadian DTH company) uses 107.3 & 111.1 for their satellites (KU)

There are C-Band slots too..they can be 2 degrees apart

Also you can have a FSS and a DBS at the same spot (91, 101, 129) because they run on 2 separate frequencies. Its not the same satellite, but when they get beamed down 22000 miles it looks like they're at the same spot :)

You can have C-Band and KU on the same satellite
 
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TNGTony said:
It's the way the satellite slots are allocated. Remember that there is only a narrow ring around the equator where you can put a satellite for geostationary orbit. We in the US have to share the slots we can see with the rest of the western hemisphere. As it is Dish is already using a Canadian slot (129) and trying to use a mexican slot (77) and DirecTV is using a Canadian slot (I think) at 72 degrees.

DirecTV has satellites at 72 (I think), 101, 110 and 119.

See ya
Tony
Directv has 72, 95, 99, 101, 103, 110, and 119.
 
61.5 would also feed locals to the eastern side of the conus and the 148 bird feeds the locals on the western side of conus to cities that require that second dish for locals
 
TNGTony said:
DirecTV has satellites at 72 (I think), 101, 110 and 119.

See ya
Tony

You forgot a couples of slots.

DirecTV has sats at 72, 95 (leases), 99 (Ka), 101, 103 (Ka), 110, and 119.
 
hey whats up with the 139 slot... I know its for testing birds but what I wonder is who's slot that is and why isnt there a dbs bird there ? :)

Who wants to start a new voom like service with me :) from the 139 slot :)
 
Sorry I didn't list the other slots for DirecTV. I was going by the ones that actually have programming on them and not just the ones that are leased/owned but unsused.

Dish has 61.5,105 fss, 110 dbs, 119, 121 fss, 129, 148 actually in operation.
Dish either controls or has liceses or is attempting to get lease or license for the following:
77°, 85° fss, 97° ka, 109° KUx, 113° Ka, 119° KUx, 125° fss

Dish has also abandoned 157° and 175°.

I knew DirecTV had a similar list. :)
 
hi everyone the fss satellites lower power need a lot bigger dish like SUPER dish.the can be speced closer than 9 degres.
 
goaliebob99 said:
hey whats up with the 139 slot... I know its for testing birds but what I wonder is who's slot that is and why isnt there a dbs bird there ? :)

Who wants to start a new voom like service with me :) from the 139 slot :)

I believe this slot belongs to Canada, also it is farther west than 129 so pretty much the east coast would not be able to see. There is a lot of capacity out west, it is the east that has the constraints given the population distribution.
 
StarChoice

Iceberg said:
FSS can be 2 degrees apart...
StarChoice (Canadian DTH company) uses 107.3 & 111.1 for their satellites (KU)...
And yet somehow...StarChoice seems to be able to cover Canada, USA, and well down into Mexico with their signal.
The dishes required in most of that area, are not outrageously large.
Just a case of running more power with a better satelite?
I believe their fleet is pretty new.
Anyone know much about this dark horse?
I know a number of the members subscribe.
 
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