Local Channels out of Market

[bsomppi]

Hello all! First time posting here. I have somewhat of a complicated question. Today, I got a Directv rep to give me access to local HD channels (Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC) that are technically not in my market. Everything went through customer service no problem, but when I checked to see if I got the channels (3,5,6,21, & 50 btw) I got the infamous "771 signal loss on satellite in 2". I called Directv and they went through all the processes, checking the equipment, etc, and still nothing. They believe it's a dish alignment issue, and wanted to send out a rep, however where I actually live is not what's on the installation info I gave to Directv. Every other channel comes in no problem, and my signal strengths are strong.

My 2 questions i have is...1. Are local channels a little more finicky to receive? 2. Any ideas on how I can get them in?

Advised Coordinates for me and the place I say I'm living (if it matters):

My actuall coordinates: Elevation: 34.0
Alzimuth 148.9
City where locals are coming from: Elevation: 34.6
? Alzimuth: 148.9

 

[ejb1980]

You are probably outside the spotbeam. Do the SD channels work? What town/state do you live and what town/state are you trying to receive?

 

[bsomppi]

The SD local channels don't show up in the lineup. I have HD receivers. I live in Scobey Montana, and I'm trying to receive programming from Great Falls Montana.

 

[ejb1980]

Do you have SD channels viewable? Do you see them with the channels (above channel 200)? Some smaller markets are HD-only, so you might not have SD locals. To show SD channels, you can find an option to show all channels in the settings menu. However, looking at a map, I am guessing you are too far away. Locals are on spotbeams which don't cover too large an area.

I have a feeling you're in the no-man's land that is supposed to have the reportedly terrible Bismarck, ND locals and can't get waivers for DNS. I also believe the Bismarck Fox channel is not on Directv, for some reason.

 

[bsomppi]

So adjusting my dish wouldn't fix the problem?
?

 

[ejb1980]

If the national SD and all the national HD channels in your lineup work, then the dish is properly aligned. Sorry, I know that crappy locals (or no locals) is not a good thing.

I would still check for SD channels, you never know. They seem to "come in" easier than the HD channels.

 

[bsomppi]

I'm looking for spot beam maps for montana and north dakota (ugh!) I found some of alot of other markets. Do you have a link???

 

[raoul5788]

You are about 350 miles from Great Falls. That's likely too far from the spot beam for hd channels, and since I don't think you have normal sd channels, you are probably sol for locals from Great Falls.

 

[Marg]

I heard there is a 300 or 400 mile spot beam for locals on a trip last winter we still got our Phoenix locals down south of Ajo AZ 160 miles away.

 

[texasbrit]

Great Falls is an MPEG-4 only market which means there are no SD locals, they are all from the "HD" satellite at 99. It's pretty obvious you are out of the spotbeam so you can't receive them.

 

[ejb1980]

What do people in that region of the country do for Fox? That's a HUGE geographical area. I know not many people live there, but you'd think Fox would step in for them.

 

[raoul5788]

According to the lil maps at dbstalk, they get KFBB. bsomppi, what are your signal strengths on 99s transponder 16? That's where the Great Falls local hd channels are.

 

[Blackloz]

Unfortunately as Someone else said I think all you can get are the Minot & Dickinson, Bismarck HD locals , and yes there is no Fox feed so it's either Am 21 or nothing. You can also forget about a waiver as it will be denied 100%.

 

[Mr Tony]

What do people in that region of the country do for Fox? That's a HUGE geographical area. I know not many people live there, but you'd think Fox would step in for them.

Fox is on a subchannel of the ABC in the state. All the ABC's are owned by same folks (Max Media) and they have Fox as a subchannel in HD EXCEPT Billings where Fox is a stand alone station and Glendive where there is just one station (KXGN)

Fox affiliates
KHMT 4.1 (Hardin) - KFBB 5.2 (Great Falls) - KWYB 18.2 (Butte) - KHBB-LD 21.2 (Helena) - KTMF 23.2 (Missoula)

 

[Mr Tony]

an AM21 will do no good as Scobey has a couple low powered translators for TV

there are only 2 translators...one for KXGN (CBS & NBC) and one for KUMV (NBC/MeTV)

 

[ejb1980]

So Directv just doesn't have Fox for them? That's outrageous. Fox is "vital" and if you pay for TV, you should be able to pay for channels - ANY channel, and not be subject to some pompous, greedy local broadcaster. In my DMA, Greensboro, most of the DMA is overlapped by other DMAs (Raleigh, Roanoke, and Charlotte) Our ABC (and most of the Greensboro locals, for that matter) is a waste of bandwidth, and most people are within easy OTA range of other cities. I am convinced that if people had access to neighboring cities channels on pay TV, the terrible Greensboro locals would be forced to improve or go away. Plus, the Raleigh DMA includes a county in VA that is COMPLETELY ignored, and those people have no connection to their state. Richmond locals are too far away for most of that county to get OTA. Raleigh only reaches the southern border towns. These are all reasons to abolish Dumb Marketing Areas - this is America. Let's have capitalist competition. People in MT/ND should be able to get a Fox station - from their state. Rant over.

 

[texasbrit]

It's not as easy as that. Your local station has a contract with the network that gives them exclusive right to network programming in their area (DMA). It's just like any other distribution contract. The station will point out if they don't have exclusivity, then their rates for commercials will fall and they won't have enough money to run the station, in particular to generate any local programming (news etc).

 

[Mr Tony]

People in MT/ND should be able to get a Fox station - from their state. Rant over.

You are thoroughly confused. In the MT markets where Directv carries locals they have Fox. Again in the state of Montana Fox is a subchannel (in HD) on the ABC stations (except in billings where it is its own statioon) as I posted above.
Glendive is a 1 station market and is not on Directv.
The county where the OP is located is in the Minot/Dickinson/Williston (Western ND) market. Fox is in a pissing match with Directv (and Dish and in some parts cable too) when it comes to money to be carried.

 

[ejb1980]

The OP is no where near ND, though. How did they decide that his town is in a ND DMA? He has no local OTA Fox signal... they should use closest local (in-state where possible, both states for legit border towns) if spotbeam allows, or DNS. It should be that simple. If the ND Fox station doesn't provide his area with an OTA signal, he's not in their coverage area so why are they allowed to deny DNS waivers? The FCC allows greedy local broadcasters from other areas to deny people channels they are willing to pay for?

 

[TigerpounceTN]

Is a "move" to Los Angeles or New York acceptable to the OP? That would get ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, but nothing else as far as locals go.