Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

vetteforron

Mar 12, 2012, 9:20 PM

Post #1 of 19 (8580 views)

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Dish network?

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Is anybody using dish in the Melaque or Barra area? If so will the normal sized dish pick up very much?

johanson / Moderator

Mar 13, 2012, 6:50 AM

Post #2 of 19 (8563 views)

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Re: [vetteforron] Dish network?

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Are you talking about DISH Mexico or DISH USA where you will need larger satellite dishes? How big? I don't know. I just know that DISH USA is so weak lakeside, that even with an 8 foot dish, you don't get all of the transponders.

vetteforron

Mar 13, 2012, 7:06 AM

Post #3 of 19 (8559 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dish network?

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Hi Pete, Dish US. I was hoping that being on the coast would help. My small oval dish with three LNBs worked just fine in Pureto Penasco. Which is about 1500 Kms from here. I was hoping for a little TV here. I know Lakeside you need a giant dish which I plan to buy there. Another question could my LNBs transfer to the larger dish and same a buck or two?

johanson / Moderator

Mar 13, 2012, 10:24 AM

Post #4 of 19 (8533 views)

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Re: [vetteforron] Dish network?

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All I know it that you are farther south there than Lake Chapala where you are now (I presume, you're still here) and that from what I remember of the footprints from the satellites you're interested in for Dish, you're going to need just as large or perhaps a larger dish.

As far as LNB's are concerned. I'm guessing know, because the LNB for the small US dish is really a combination of several and would only work well on one of the satellites, not several like you are pointing at up north.

I sure hope someone from that general area will post giving you better information than I have been able to give, just guessing here in Ajijic, Jalisco.

vetteforron

Mar 13, 2012, 10:31 AM

Post #5 of 19 (8530 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dish network?

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Thanks Pete. I am going to try setting up here. I hope to be back in Ajijic in a few weeks where I will buy a large dish. I wanted Direct TV when I was in the States but they would not put on a tripod. I needed a tripod for my camper. Much easier to carry. I was in Guayabitos a couple days ago and the small dishes were working. I am 200 miles south now. That may be just a little too far. I have contacted someone familier with the system and he will be here in a day of so. I will let you know if it will pick up anything. Thanks again. I always appreciate your advice. Ron

Axixic

Mar 13, 2012, 10:55 AM

Post #6 of 19 (8519 views)

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Re: [vetteforron] Dish network?

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You will get a better signal on the other coast. This is a 119W footprint for Mexico.

https://sites.google.com/...-119w-s8-mexico-city

Other Echostar footprints for MX.

http://satmaps.satelliteguys.us/

110W conus for MX.

http://satmaps.satelliteguys.us/...per-high-power-conus

(This post was edited by Rolly on Mar 13, 2012, 11:40 AM)

johninajijic

Mar 15, 2012, 8:14 AM

Post #7 of 19 (8447 views)

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Re: [vetteforron] Dish network?

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A little off subject, but all I know is that DISH with my 8 foot dish in West Ajijic totally SUCKS compared to my old C Band. It goes out when it rains. DISH is not as clear a picture. C Band NEVER went out. And for the same price of $ 100. a month, it sucks even more.

redevil66

Mar 20, 2012, 6:14 PM

Post #8 of 19 (8345 views)

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Re: [johninajijic] Dish network?

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Yeah but today you can't pick a thing with you BUD!

johanson / Moderator

Mar 20, 2012, 8:12 PM

Post #9 of 19 (8333 views)

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Re: [redevil66] Dish network?

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Redevil66, although I basically agree with you; did you know that there are still folks out there using their C band dishes to search for, find and watch what they can find out there on C-band?

And John, the reason you loose your picture during even the smallest amount of rain is that your satellite dish is too small for the signal strength from DISH Network. If your satellite were properly sized, you would not have this problem. The problem is that a properly sized 12 foot or larger Ku band dish is not readily available in this part of the world, these days. (Lake Chapala-Ajijic, Chapala, etc)

I have a properly sized satellite dish for my Canadian Shaw Direct satellite system, and almost never have rain fade. It's almost as good as the C band system was. How big is the/my satellite dish? It's only 36.5 by 26.5 inches (elliptical for 2 satellites) and gives me TV in all but the heaviest of rains. And yes folks, it has the US NETWORKS to include my home town of Seattle.

How could that be? Because. Shaw Direct (Star Choice) has a much stronger signal this far south than DISH or DirecTV. By the way, these days, DirecTV has a stronger signal in most parts of Mexico than DISH USA, as well. To learn more, check with your local satellite dealer about which system is best for you.

PS, my largest Ku band dish is 12 feet in diameter. I'm not using it now, also neither am I using my 2.4 meter (8 foot), 6 foot or 4 foot Ku dish, which are not for sale. Why because you never know what you may need in the next 5 to 10 years, once Shaw Direct adds/changes satellites.

frito

Mar 20, 2012, 8:33 PM

Post #10 of 19 (8326 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dish network?

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Would you mind telling us how much Shaw costs and how easy/hard is it to get? Any special hoops to jump through for U.S. citizens? I've heard over the years that it's a better company than Dish or DirecTV and the way to go in Mexico. And, if you know, just how far south can it be received with the size dish you use? I'd like to put it on a tripod and use with a RV. Thanks!

sfmacaws

Mar 20, 2012, 9:01 PM

Post #11 of 19 (8320 views)

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Re: [frito] Dish network?

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We've had Shaw (used to be StarChoice) for about 10 years. The first 6 years we used it on a tripod as we were living in the RV. We have gotten a good signal as far south as Guatemala both on the east coast (Rio Dulce) and in the highlands. We now have a fixed dish on the roof here in Merida and I agree with Johanson that it is the best service this far south.

Getting it if you are not Canadian is a bit more expensive unless you have Canadian friends that will let you use their address. There is no problem using a US credit card for the bill but you have to have a street address and phone number in Canada. Without that you need to use a broker that will charge you for providing the address. We did that for years but the problem is that they won't give you your address or account number so you can't call up Shaw and request changes, you have to go through the broker. I pay about $90us for the package we have, you can check the different options on the Shaw TV website. There are cheaper ones than we have and more expensive ones too. As I recall, when we were using a broker it was about $70us a year additional.

You get a choice for US networks and the option of picking two so that you can time shift. We get Seattle and Detroit. All of the cities available are near the Canadian border. You can add KTLA as it is a superstation, so I am happy to get the Los Angeles news.

There used to be a lot of people over on the Caribbean coast with Direct TV out of Miami (or maybe it was Dish, I can't remember) but they started spot beaming and all those 6' dishes were out of luck. There's a huge market now for Shaw over there. The good news is that if you do not want HD you can use one regular Mexican Sky dish and LNB to pick up the Shaw signal. If you want HD, you will need either a real Shaw elliptical dish or a splitter from Shaw and 2 Sky dishes. The receivers are small and light so they can be brought down in luggage. The dish would be a lot harder.

It's definitely a good choice for English TV.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

frito

Mar 20, 2012, 9:17 PM

Post #12 of 19 (8315 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dish network?

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Thank you! Very informative. RVing and good tv makes Mexico an easy choice to retire abroad.

redevil66

Mar 21, 2012, 5:12 AM

Post #13 of 19 (8305 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dish network?

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Mmmmmm I'm not with you about the C band. I have one working with a 4dtv and you basically pick nothing. I have almost 25 years searching the sky and I can tell you that you can find two types of users. One who want the best programming available and buy what he needs to get it and the other guys who see what he finds!

johanson / Moderator

Mar 21, 2012, 6:56 AM

Post #14 of 19 (8304 views)

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Re: [redevil66] Dish network?

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In Reply To

"Mmmmmm I'm not with you about the C band. I have one working with a 4dtv and you basically pick nothing. I have almost 25 years searching the sky and I can tell you that you can find two types of users. One who want the best programming available and buy what he needs to get it and the other guys who see what he finds!" ........................................................................You and I agree. I'm just saying that I know some folks who enjoy using their 4dtvs and moving satellite dishes to look for and find the occasional feed. I tried it a few times, and thought, why bother. Sorry, I'm having trouble with editing this and adding my message

(This post was edited by johanson on Mar 21, 2012, 1:36 PM)

rockydog85251

Mar 21, 2012, 10:16 AM

Post #15 of 19 (8288 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dish network?

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Johanson, we have a dish that is about 1.5 mt - round - but we experience rain fade here in Comala, Colima with our Shaw Direct reception. Could that be because it is round and not eliptical? Thanks for any insights.
Willie

redevil66

Mar 21, 2012, 12:06 PM

Post #16 of 19 (8275 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] Dish network?

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Probably you need to re aim your dish or take a look if you don't have a tree of something that block the signal.

rockydog85251

Mar 21, 2012, 1:13 PM

Post #17 of 19 (8263 views)

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Re: [redevil66] Dish network?

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We are in an area with the satellite facing SSW and nothing in the site line that I could see except possibly the church but I think the LNB is directed to the left of the dome of the church.
Willie

johanson / Moderator

Mar 21, 2012, 1:48 PM

Post #18 of 19 (8254 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] Dish network?

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I don't know about signal strength in your area, but here along the shores of Lake Chapala, a parabolic dish that was 1.5 meters in diameter pointing at one of the two satellites would give me a very good signal in all but the very very worst of weather conditions. Mine is 36.5 by 26.5 inches (elliptical) and gives me a great signal on both satellites

Now, if they placed two LNBs on your parabolic dish, rather than an elliptical dish, one for the satellite at 107.3 and the other at 111.1 W, you might not have a very strong signal, I really don't know.

I too believe that maybe the system could be better bore-sited in, you know better pointed with the LNB properly spaced/positioned.

Axience123

Nov 20, 2012, 3:05 AM

Post #19 of 19 (3814 views)

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