Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

N2Futur

Apr 27, 2010, 11:44 AM

Post #1 of 23 (7635 views)

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Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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In anticipation of Dishnet being a thing of the past, we finally installed a Shaw antenna and a 401 receiver (the new Motorola DVR530 we bought never worked, had to send it back via a visiting friend and am awaiting replacement next month). We got it tuned in as best as we could.

Got 46 reception on one sat and 52 on the second sat. We live in Melaque and are wondering if this is the best it will get (reception).

Gracias!

Elke
___________________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to pick the one I never tried before." - Mae West

johanson / Moderator

Apr 27, 2010, 12:36 PM

Post #2 of 23 (7626 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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The problem is that you can have two like receivers and LNBs set up next to each other and not get the same readings. That could be because the electronics on one are hotter than the other, because of better siting of one of the antennas or because the signal strength meters are not that accurate.

Sure up north I can get in the 90s which is better than the suggested minimum of 70 recommended by the technicians when in Canada, but this far south, your readings sound reasonable. Might you be able increase said reading by better siting in the dish. Possibly. But I am not sure about signal strength in your area

Here in Ajijic, I have two receivers (505 and 530) connected to the same LNB attached to the 75 E Star Choice dish. With each receiver I get a signal strength score of 76 (channel 289) when pointed at Anik F2 (HDTV channels) but when I point at Anik F-1R, (channel 379) I get a reading of about 48 on one and 56 on the other receiver.

So you would think that when it was raining, that the first satellite to loose it's signal would be the one that shows the smaller signal strength number on my receiver. But note although I get a reasonable 76 from the HD satellite, when it starts raining hard I always seem to loose the signal on the satellite with the highest signal strength first.

I just know that it doesn't often rain hard enough to knock out the signal from both satellites. My DISH system always looses its signal with much less rain intensity

N2Futur

Apr 28, 2010, 7:52 AM

Post #3 of 23 (7580 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Pete, we had a friend bring over his HD receiver yesterday afternoon, HD reception was horrible. I did some more searching and found someone that lives in Manzanillo and claims his HD reception is fantastic. Vern is going to adjust our dish to this guys settings when we get our new receiver next month, supposedly he gets up to 76 signal strength...

Elke
___________________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to pick the one I never tried before." - Mae West

johanson / Moderator

Apr 28, 2010, 9:08 AM

Post #4 of 23 (7571 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Elke, from what little I have heard about the signal strength where you are and when I have looked at footprint maps of signal strength for the HD bird which was quite a while ago, I bet with a little work you will be able to get a reasonable signal where you are. Good luck and please share your results with us once you do bore site in the HD bird.

Good luck. Let's hope you can make the changes in 20 minutes, but if you are new at this, it may take a lot longer.

Pete

johnv

Apr 28, 2010, 9:08 AM

Post #5 of 23 (7571 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Setting the dish is simple, especially if it is already pointed, and receiving some kind of signal. Take a small TV to the roof, along with tools to loosen and tighten the dish adjustment nuts. Attach the TV and tune it to the ShawDirect built in signal meter using the remote control. Once you have a signal reading, loosen the nuts on the dish and move it vertically and horizontally a milimeter at a time while watching the signal meter. Fine tune it for highest signal reading, and tighten the adjustment nuts.

N2Futur

Apr 28, 2010, 9:26 AM

Post #6 of 23 (7566 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Pete, Vern and I have tuned a few satellite dishes, patience is the key! We don't have a small TV to take up on the roof, we use the intercom option on our phones to communicate, works really well.

Here are the recommended settings for the Manzanillo area: Skew 102, Elevation all the way up about 75 degrees, Azimuth 192 degrees.

I'll report back on signal strength and HD reception when we get the receiver in 2 weeks or so.

Elke
___________________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to pick the one I never tried before." - Mae West

johanson / Moderator

Apr 28, 2010, 11:27 AM

Post #7 of 23 (7558 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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There are several places to get dish pointing information. One site I like is
http://www.global-cm.net/CAN/point/MEXCA.html

They mention several cities in Jalisco including PV. I think your elevation will be closer to 65 or 66 with an azimuth and skew in the general area you mentioned.

Good luck

(This post was edited by johanson on Apr 28, 2010, 11:28 AM)

hodamayo

May 25, 2010, 12:59 PM

Post #8 of 23 (7377 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Hello, I have not been on this forum for a long time. I am a certified Hughesnet installer and I do most other satellites installs in Quintana roo, Mexico. We have seen a big loss here that has a lot of folks upset. I used to use a 1.10 meter dish and now am on a Channel master 1.8 which works perfectly here. Cancun will have a good signal and Playa Del Carmen will have a lessor signal and make have to go to a 1.8 meter dish or larger. We just have to wait and see what is in store for us. As for Shaw Direct. It works very well down here. As for signal strengths you should be getting on a 60 cm dish in the high 50s which HD is not suppose to work, but if you have a 75 cm dish it will work and the signal is in the high 60s. As for aligning the dish to which I use a Super Buddy tat will give you the best tweek you can get. Align for 111 and then skew then 107 will fall into place. Please send me an email if you have questions, I will do my best to get you the answers you need.

hodamayo@hotmail
Mike Mayo
hodamayo@hotmail.com
998 147 2532 Telcel
998 285 2985 office
832 861 5106 Vonage

hodamayo

May 25, 2010, 1:01 PM

Post #9 of 23 (7376 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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You will need the larger dish which is a 75 cm dish to be able to get great quality HD with Shaw Direct

hodamayo@hotmail.com
Mike Mayo
hodamayo@hotmail.com
998 147 2532 Telcel
998 285 2985 office
832 861 5106 Vonage

stevebrtx

May 25, 2010, 1:41 PM

Post #10 of 23 (7368 views)

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Re: [hodamayo] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Pete,
Where are you when I need your Sat meter? So, I fell back to doing it the hard way and if johnV thinks it's "easy" then I guess I'm just plain stupid (and my graduation thesis for my EE degree was in transmitting antennas - but I digress). So, I pulled the existing 75CM dish off the casita and put it up on the casa grande and got it working.

Not having a meter (dear Pete) I pulled one of my wireless security cameras and mounted it on a tripod looking into the TV and brought up the alignment screen, took a little handheld monitor to the roof and started to tweak. Considering the dish can move in 3 axis - yes, left/right, up/down and rotational skew it's far from a snooze. So, I'm up there with the sun blistering my backside and moving the dish the tinyist bit causes biggie changes. I was at 31, dropped to 6, back up, down etc. and then the little monitor screen went blank? - now what?

I head back down the ladder to get what I assumed were needed, new batteries, only to hear my regulator loudly proclaiming the CFE had discontinued power ONCE AGAIN, that was 9:30am, you can only dust and wash so many windows (the only thing you don't need electricity to accomplish) and finally at 1:30 (after a nap or two) we were blessed with 125v vs the 98v earlier which attempted to fry the pressure pump etc.

But, I'm sticking with Canuck TV, any group that still shows Larence Welk, ana one ana two, Canada's Worst Repairman, curling etc. is my kind of TV? - not to forget 38 ways to cook the moose you broadsided on the way home.

Back on the roof I managed to get it back up to 31, but I'd bet in a breeze the dish moves enough to vary, and who knows about rain, it's been 96 days since a drop.
http://www.chapalaweather.net

hodamayo

May 25, 2010, 1:52 PM

Post #11 of 23 (7367 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Here try entering your information here.http://www.dishpointer.com/ have a compass and you should be good to go. I can lock in Shaw Direct in usually 2 minutes here in Cancun
Mike Mayo
hodamayo@hotmail.com
998 147 2532 Telcel
998 285 2985 office
832 861 5106 Vonage

johanson / Moderator

May 25, 2010, 1:53 PM

Post #12 of 23 (7367 views)

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Re: [hodamayo] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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These are actually ellipical dishes. Star Choice uses two different sizes the smaller 60 E with matching LNB measures, using the old fashioned measuring system pproximately 31 by 17.5 inches. The larger one, the 75 E with matching LNB measures 36.5 by 26.5 inches. I use the smaller dish here up north and the larger one is needed down south in your general area

There is no measurement that I could find on the dish that equates to 75 cm

stevebrtx

May 25, 2010, 2:29 PM

Post #13 of 23 (7358 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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You guys are wearing me thin, after no CFE most of the useable day I don't care if it 75 or 80 whatever, you know I don't think in mmmmm's? So, now I have to go up and measure again in inches? - no way.

And Mike, I got a hundred bucks that says you can't do it here in 2 min. But then again? - do you have a Sat meter like Pete has (when he's here - hint hint).

At any rate, it is what it is and like I said, with Lawrence Welk and curling, what more in this life could I want - OTHER THAN CONTINUOUS CFE POWER - AND THAT AIN'T A HINT, I'M TAKING BIDS FOR A GENERATOR!
http://www.chapalaweather.net

johanson / Moderator

May 25, 2010, 3:39 PM

Post #14 of 23 (7345 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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I love your comments about the metric system Steve. I too first learned in inches, F, etc. And although I have lived with the metric system for maybe 20 years of my life, both when I was stationed in Europe, traveled to Canada and Mexico, I still prefer our older system of measurement.

By forcing myself for 20 years to understand the metric system, I kind of sort of do. But I will always like my old fashioned inches etc system best, no matter what my science teachers told me.

Along the shores of Lake Chapala the larger 36.5 by 26.5 inch elliptical Star Choice satellite dish will bring in a very strong signal, so strong that often when it rains, you will have no rain fade.

Steve, I'll be back in early July. It sounds like you found a great way to read signal strength :). That's right. All you need is a sat receiver and a small TV on the roof and you got your meter on the TV

(This post was edited by johanson on May 25, 2010, 3:43 PM)

johnv

May 25, 2010, 7:04 PM

Post #15 of 23 (7325 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Stevebrtx, I said it was easy if it was already aligned and receiving some kind of a signal.

I will tell you how I aligned and then tuned my 1.2 meter dish, believe it or not. I used a 59 cent dime store protractor, a wooden yard stick, and of course a 12 inch TV tuned to the StarChoice signal meter. The yard stick held along the general angle on the protractor yielded the general direction of the satellite, with the yard stick being the pointer. Then 2 hours or less of experimentation produced a signal. Another 10 minutes and the signal was tuned in to a strength of 93% on the meter. This was about 7 or 8 years ago when StarChoice signals were that strong.

On the same system, with the same adjustment, I am now receiving 71%.

taltman711

May 25, 2010, 7:32 PM

Post #16 of 23 (7322 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Quote

I had a long discussion with Laurel Kohl of Global Comm. about dish sizes in central Mexico. She reiterated her husband Mike's position to use a round 90cm dish--one for each satellite. He feels that with this setup, I can pretty much eliminate rain fade. So, that is what I am bringing down. I will find out for myself, I guess. He also warns against using Shaw twin LNBFs as they tend to have a higher rate of failure, and are expensive as they are available only from Shaw. You only need twins if you are going to run more than 1 receiver.

Tim

DavidHF

May 25, 2010, 8:23 PM

Post #17 of 23 (7317 views)

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Re: [taltman711] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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That may all be true. However, I can tell you that the only time we get rain fade is when the storm is literally right on top of us, and that only lasts a few minutes. We live in Ajijic and have the standard StarChoice eliptical dish. We love it!

johanson / Moderator

May 25, 2010, 8:44 PM

Post #18 of 23 (7316 views)

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Re: [taltman711] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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You ought to do very well with that Tim. As you well know, a 35.5 inch in diameter parabolic dish is going to have a much stronger signal than my elliptical E-75 dish with the Quad LNB which is 36.5 by 26.5 inches. And I almost never have rain fade. The trouble is because I am using one 505 and another 530 I need three cables, and of course the 75 E LNB Quad gives me the ability to connect four.

Hey, I haven't talked to Mike Kohl for years. I used to go to their webpage quite often, in the old days. Some of you might want to take a look at their web page. http://www.global-cm.net/ How are Mike and his wife doing these days? I hope Mike is OK. Thanks for the interesting post.

stevebrtx

May 26, 2010, 4:59 AM

Post #19 of 23 (7307 views)

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Re: [taltman711] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Ok, that being the case on using a round dish for ShawDirct, can I use my old Dish 4' with a new LNB? - and what LNB?

Thanks

PS: Oops on the 75E, I was thinking 75cm of course it's more like 96cm.
http://www.chapalaweather.net

(This post was edited by stevebrtx on May 26, 2010, 6:08 AM)

N2Futur

May 29, 2010, 10:07 AM

Post #20 of 23 (7220 views)

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Re: [johanson] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Pete, we finally got the dish fine tuned with the settings from Mike Kohl's website for Manzanillo, Elev. 66.3, Azimuth 200, Skew 108 and getting 74 signal strength - HD comes in great! However, the DVR is rather low-tech when compared to our Dishnet DVR........

Elke
___________________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to pick the one I never tried before." - Mae West

corkycarroll

May 29, 2010, 10:44 AM

Post #21 of 23 (7215 views)

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Re: [N2Futur] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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what is shaw???? we just gave up on our dish network system and got SKY, we live near Zihautanejo. but I hold out hope that some sort of gringo tv will come available somehow, some way some day..... is Shaw usa or canada???
thanks for the info
corky

DavidHF

May 29, 2010, 12:06 PM

Post #22 of 23 (7203 views)

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Re: [corkycarroll] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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Starchoice, a Canadian satellite system, is owned by Shaw Communications. They recently changed the name to ShawDirect.

johanson / Moderator

May 29, 2010, 2:00 PM

Post #23 of 23 (7191 views)

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Re: [corkycarroll] Starchoice/Shaw reception ???

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And remember, that although Canadian, it gives you the US networks in either or both SD and/or HD and with a much smaller satellite dish or two.