Need a dish for locals on 129

[probinson]

So today's uplink report was bittersweet for me. Shockingly, they've uplinked all of the Youngstown, OH local channels in HD, but they're obviously on 129. I currently have a dish pointed at 119, 110, and 61.5. So how do I go about getting Dish to hook me up with a dish to point at 129? Is this something they'll give me, or am I going to have to pay for it?

I know the channels are not available yet, but I want to be ready for when they turn them on.

 

[dak32]

repoint

Just repoint the dish to 129 instead of 61.5. Run check switch. Dish probably wont do it for you for free.

 

[chainblu]

Just my 2 cents: IF they do for free, you WILL have a 24 month commitment. That may not be an issue for you, however.

 

[probinson]

Thanks for the replies.

So to repoint my 61.5 dish (which is currently mounted to a pole), is all I have to do is loosen the u-bolt and turn the dish the other way, or will I also have to change the angle on the dish? Also, will I lose anything I currently have on 61.5, or is all national HD mirrored?

 

[QCK]

Yes you will need to change the angle of your dish. With being pointed at 110W 119W & 129W you should not lose any programming.

 

[boba]

That is not a TV antenna that you just generally point in the direction of the broadcasters. It must be aimed exactly at the satellite 22,300 miles out in space.

 

[probinson]

Yes, I understand it must be pointed exactly at the satellite. What I'm wondering is where I can get the information for the angles. I did my own Dish install back in 2000, but that was a long time ago.

 

[CowboyDren]

Under "Installation" and "Point Dish" on your receiver menu, select Dish 300 as the system, 129W as the satellite, and give it your Zip code. It'll tell you how to set the elevation and azimuth on the dish. Or you could pay $85 + S&H for DishStore.net to send you a 1000.2 dish that covers all three satellites and leave the 61.5 dish where it is.

 

[probinson]

Thanks. I thought it was something like that. I'll give that a try when I get home from work tonight.

 

[Grandude]

Thanks. I thought it was something like that. I'll give that a try when I get home from work tonight.

Mark the exact positions on the pole and elevation with a magic marker so that you can easily go back to 61.5 if you fail to find 129.

 

[pirana]

boba
That is not a TV antenna that you just generally point in the direction of the broadcasters. It must be aimed exactly at the satellite 22,300 miles out in space.

that is why dish installers go to study at NASA................. lol

 

[probinson]

I came home for lunch, and I checked my ViP 622. When I select the Dish 300 system from the Point Dish screen, it asks me to select 61.5, 110, 119, or 148. When I select the 129 sat, it says N/A for Azimuth and elevation angles....

Now what?

 

[probinson]

I guess I should have searched the forum first, as I found this;

Satellite Angle Calculator - SatelliteGuys.US

Ciel-2 isn't listed in the calculator, but since it replaced Echostar 5, I assume I can use that data?

 

[osu1991]

Satellite Angle Calculator - SatelliteGuys.US

put your zipcode into the calculator here on the site and it will give you the azimuth and elevation settings.

edit: I really type too slow, see you found it already

 

[probinson]

Well, I tried re-pointing my 61.5 wing dish to 129, with no success. I used the angle calculator here, and spent about 30 minutes trying to find it. So it's sitting back at 61.5 again.

I guess I'm wondering why they're putting all these new east coast HD locals on 129? Wasn't the whole point of EA to migrate people in the east AWAY from 129, since it's hard for many of us to get, due to the low elevation angle?

I'm starting to think I'll never get Fox in HD... *sigh*

(Fox in Youngstown, OH is on a digital subchannel of CBS, and they're currently attempting to send two 720p OTA signals concurrently, which doesn't provide great results on either channel.)

 

[Laddyboy]

Well, I tried re-pointing my 61.5 wing dish to 129, with no success. I used the angle calculator here, and spent about 30 minutes trying to find it. So it's sitting back at 61.5 again.

I guess I'm wondering why they're putting all these new east coast HD locals on 129? Wasn't the whole point of EA to migrate people in the east AWAY from 129, since it's hard for many of us to get, due to the low elevation angle?

I'm starting to think I'll never get Fox in HD... *sigh*

(Fox in Youngstown, OH is on a digital subchannel of CBS, and they're currently attempting to send two 720p OTA signals concurrently, which doesn't provide great results on either channel.)

There are many eastern DMAs and transponder space is very limited on the EA satellites presently. In the not too distant future, the EA will have its own big spot beam bus parked in the sky.

 

[KAB]

The fact that you have a 61.5 dish makes me think you had a line of site problem with 129, as is the case with me. It is lower to the horizon and a tree was blocking it.

 

[probinson]

The fact that you have a 61.5 dish makes me think you had a line of site problem with 129, as is the case with me. It is lower to the horizon and a tree was blocking it.

That's probably true. The elevation angle for me on 61.5 is 40° while 129 is 21.6°. Even if I could get it now, I wouldn't really feel confident that once the trees had leaves on them again that I could still get it.

 

[KAB]

That's probably true. The elevation angle for me on 61.5 is 40° while 129 is 21.6°. Even if I could get it now, I wouldn't really feel confident that once the trees had leaves on them again that I could still get it.

BTW, I'm in the same boat as you, as Indy stations will be on 129. I do think I will be able to move one to another part of the house.

 

[probinson]

BTW, I'm in the same boat as you, as Indy stations will be on 129. I do think I will be able to move one to another part of the house.

I thought of that too. Maybe if I moved the wing dish from the pole in my backyard to my front porch roof, I could get it. But then I'd need more coax, running new wire, etc.

Nothing easy is ever simple....