LOS Issue

[MadCabbit]

Hey, all.

I've been trying to get some sort of satellite installed, considering cable is so expensive and the channel lineup (especially HD) is lacking, however I have a large tree by my apartment completely blocking the SW, causing LOS problems for both DirecTV and Dish.

I'm aware of the alternate satellite for Dish to the SE and after talking with a supervisor after having several Dish techs out, they say they could use that, but no locals. He did, however, mention alternate satellites he's heard of thorugh DirecTV.

Being DirecTV was giving a better offer on equipment, and with the possiblity of getting locals, I tried them again. The Dish guy mentioned hearing about other satellites to the SE and the North. Googling the North seemed to indicate more international programming, however the SE (DirecTV-1R 72.5W) seemed a viable option.

However the DirecTV contractors say they only use the SE sat and told me that 72.5 W is leased and is no longer used effective this month. Since I can't find any information on this, can anyone clarify this for me?

Much appreciated.

 

[Jimbo]

Hey, all.

I've been trying to get some sort of satellite installed, considering cable is so expensive and the channel lineup (especially HD) is lacking, however I have a large tree by my apartment completely blocking the SW, causing LOS problems for both DirecTV and Dish.

I'm aware of the alternate satellite for Dish to the SE and after talking with a supervisor after having several Dish techs out, they say they could use that, but no locals. He did, however, mention alternate satellites he's heard of thorugh DirecTV.

Being DirecTV was giving a better offer on equipment, and with the possiblity of getting locals, I tried them again. The Dish guy mentioned hearing about other satellites to the SE and the North. Googling the North seemed to indicate more international programming, however the SE (DirecTV-1R 72.5W) seemed a viable option.

However the DirecTV contractors say they only use the SE sat and told me that 72.5 W is leased and is no longer used effective this month. Since I can't find any information on this, can anyone clarify this for me?

Much appreciated.

D*uses the 101 sat for the core programming and the 99 and 103 for the HD stuff.
the 110 sat is mostly not used anymore and the 119 is used for very little.

Any chance of a pole mount out past the tree thats in your way ?

 

[MadCabbit]

D*uses the 101 sat for the core programming and the 99 and 103 for the HD stuff.
the 110 sat is mostly not used anymore and the 119 is used for very little.

Any chance of a pole mount out past the tree thats in your way ?

Unfortunately no, the tree is too tall/too close, and I'm not able to get a clear shot around it. I guess my only other option to cable would be Dish with no locals, then.

 

[raoul5788]

Can you give us your zip code? We can figure the azimuth and if you can post a picture in that direction an alternative might be there.

 

[Jimbo]

Unfortunately no, the tree is too tall/too close, and I'm not able to get a clear shot around it. I guess my only other option to cable would be Dish with no locals, then.

What sats are you hitting with DISH that you cannot get with D* ?

 

[Liquidforce88]

What sats are you hitting with DISH that you cannot get with D* ?

D* hits 99, 101, 103, 110 & 119

E* hits 110, 119, & 129 for western arc and 61.5, 72.7 & 77 for eastern arc.

So I would guess he is looking at eastern arc if he cant get D*

 

[Jimbo]

D* hits 99, 101, 103, 110 & 119

E* hits 110, 119, & 129 for western arc and 61.5, 72.7 & 77 for eastern arc.

So I would guess he is looking at eastern arc if he cant get D*

Looks like it, hope he can get his locals OTA.

 

[MadCabbit]

My zip is 43613.

Here's a shot from dishpointer.com pointing at 110W. Center of tree is red pointer, but the line still goes through enough of it to be blocked, since it is a large tree. Red areas are where I am permitted to place the dish (no common areas, not in neighbor's yard, not on roof.

And yes, the SE sat I was trying to get through Dish was the eastern arc.

Edit: Ignore the random dot in the south field. I must have clicked there in paint without realising it.

Also, the other information from dishpointer.com about that particular spot (Lat/Long snipped for security):

Name: 110W DIRECTV 5 (TEMPO 1) | ECHOSTAR 10 | ECHOSTAR 11
Distance: 38199km
Elevation: 34.8°
Azimuth (true): 216.7°
Azimuth (magn.): 223.5°
LNB Skew [?]: 26.5°

 

[Jimbo]

My zip is 43613.

Here's a shot from dishpointer.com pointing at 110W. Center of tree is red pointer, but the line still goes through enough of it to be blocked, since it is a large tree. Red areas are where I am permitted to place the dish (no common areas, not in neighbor's yard, not on roof.

And yes, the SE sat I was trying to get through Dish was the eastern arc.

Edit: Ignore the random dot in the south field. I must have clicked there in paint without realising it.

Also, the other information from dishpointer.com about that particular spot (Lat/Long snipped for security):

Name: 110W DIRECTV 5 (TEMPO 1) | ECHOSTAR 10 | ECHOSTAR 11
Distance: 38199km
Elevation: 34.8°
Azimuth (true): 216.7°
Azimuth (magn.): 223.5°
LNB Skew [?]: 26.5°

How much different is it when you point at the 101 sat ?

Where abouts are you, looks like your up north somewhere ?

What kind of tree is it, I think I would try it.
Looks like a scrawny tree, but it could be decieving on the picture.

 

[cypherstream]

With all of the advancement in technology in the last 10 years, it's amazing they can't design an antenna that just has to sit anywhere outside and pull in the signals that you need. Why can't engineering teams get beyond this LOS issue? It would rake in millions of dollars of revenue from customers who couldn't previously get dish or direcTV due to LOS issues. SiriusXM satellite radio pretty much needs a small half dollar sized antenna outside. True under heavy cover it does cut out, but hell, it doesn't even need to point in a specific direction. It even works when driving at fast speeds!

You mean to tell me we can put a man on the moon, develop supercomputers, collide particle beams in the Large Hadron Collider, cure diseases and alter many fundamental biological factors in humans and animals, but we as a human race cannot develop a simple antenna system? What's with that? My iPhone has more power in the palm of my hand than a regular TV set top box. Seems when it comes to TV and Entertainment, we have a long ways to go.

 

[Jimbo]

With all of the advancement in technology in the last 10 years, it's amazing they can't design an antenna that just has to sit anywhere outside and pull in the signals that you need. Why can't engineering teams get beyond this LOS issue? It would rake in millions of dollars of revenue from customers who couldn't previously get dish or direcTV due to LOS issues. SiriusXM satellite radio pretty much needs a small half dollar sized antenna outside. True under heavy cover it does cut out, but hell, it doesn't even need to point in a specific direction. It even works when driving at fast speeds!

You mean to tell me we can put a man on the moon, develop supercomputers, collide particle beams in the Large Hadron Collider, cure diseases and alter many fundamental biological factors in humans and animals, but we as a human race cannot develop a simple antenna system? What's with that? My iPhone has more power in the palm of my hand than a regular TV set top box. Seems when it comes to TV and Entertainment, we have a long ways to go.

IF you didn't have to hit a satellite 22,300 miles away, they could.
Sat is not like RF where the signal is everywhere...

 

[cypherstream]

I wonder if they could ever augment cellular towers with "repeaters" that could work in this fashion. SiriusXM has terrestrial repeaters in big city area's where tall buildings, tunnels and bridges block signals.

And if bandwidth is an issue, make it two way - so if I tune into ESPN HD for example, the receiver requests the stream. If my neighbor's receiver requests the same channel, then perhaps they can ride the same stream.

 

[raoul5788]

I agree with Jimbo, try checking just 101. It just might give you enough space for the 99 and 103 sats.

 

[Stargazer]

I am surprised that they did not make it a requirement to have the cell phone companies lease space at an affordable rate or provide for free to repeat certain signals on their towers instead of having to put up two or three at the same location and not utilizing all those towers that are out there.

 

[Jimbo]

I agree with Jimbo, try checking just 101. It just might give you enough space for the 99 and 103 sats.

Generally speaking, if you can peak the 101 you can get the 99 and 103 as well.