Maybe, but the increased gain of the Alaska/Hawaii dish may still not be enough to push the received signal from the edge of the spotbeam over the 60-70 threshold needed for stable reception. It's a lot of money for what might be a failed experiment.
True, but if it works for AL and HI, I would think it would make a difference for him. Perhaps driving around and seeing what others are using would prove helpful. They may be getting locals from somewhere closer though.