Ka band in alaska

[i4tas]

From looking at Satmaps 99 and 103 have great coverage for Alaska. 101 isn't that great but with a HD setup 101 isn't really necessary to have superior signal strength. Has anyone in Alaska or western Canada tried a SL3 Slimline 3 dish? I really don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[raoul5788]

Directv uses a larger dish for Alaska and Hawaii. If a regular sized dish worked properly, I'm sure they would use it.
I think I've read that reception from 101 is needed, perhaps it's for the guide data?
http://www.thesatelliteshop.net/directv-dtv-12-meter-dish-for-alaska-and-hawaii-p-146.html

 

[texasbrit]

You have to have 101 for setup and guide data. And you need to use the larger alaska/hawaii dish.

 

[i4tas]

My point is that the 101 isn't important, although I agree it is needed. So poor signal strength is acceptable, nice and sunny days will bring in the guide. For the technical subscriber who doesn't care about SD or the few SD only channel, I think a SL3 Slimline 3 dish will get the job done. I can double check but believe 101 is receivable with a 36" dish in AK. Still wondering if anyone has tried this, I am curious and might buy one and try it myself. Would at the very least be useful for camping / tailgating.

The directv 1.2m dish here costs 200-500 dollars, so this could save a person money if they self install.

 

[rocket69]

go with the 1.5m dish get some existing customers account number to offset the cost.

use of standard KA/KU dish wont get you bolth 103 and 99 at once. spacing for your location is farther apart then the rest of the US . If you must use 36" dishes you will need two

One peeked on 99 and the other peeked on 103 then you will need 2 lines from dish one into a 6x8 multi switch and same for the peeked 99 dish with 2 lines to the same 6x8 switch each port on the input is marked 99H 99V 103H 103V then you can toss in a swm8 or 16 after the 6x8, and with all this mickey mouse setup your signal could be less then on the AK dish.

Are you still saving money?????

P.S. if you do need a tech to come out to fix it they will charge you and not fix it as its not an AK install

 

[texasbrit]

If you don't have decent signals on 101, you won't even be able to start up the receiver! And you won't get software downloads, or guide data. Signal strength has nothing to do with "sunny days".
Also as posted the geometry of the slimline dish is optimized for the "lower 48". I am not even sure the elevation will go low enough for much of Alaska.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

ahh the days of dual dishing with 6x8s i remember them well, used to miss 119 alot out here, unfortunately HD via the Ka band ended up making this harder as the 103 probably wouldnt be visable from whereever i had to mount to get my 119.