Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

buffdaddymex

Sep 23, 2013, 7:28 PM

Post #1 of 11 (258 views)

Shortcut

Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

Does anybody have any experience putting dual LNBs in a 2.4 meter dish in the Puerto Vallarta area in order to get Dishnetwork programming from both the 110 and 119 satellites from the same dish? I have a 2.4 meter dish that is focused on the 119 and it works great since 2009. I'm at my place in Puerto Vallarta now trying to sort out how to add 110 programming content to my 2.4 meter dish that is focused on 119. My regular guy and another provider in the area wants to put another 2.4 meter dish on my roof which will make my house look like a NSA listening post. But i spoke with another satellite TV guy in the US who said he knows someone in the area who has put two separate lnb's in a 2.4 meter dish and is getting both signals. He says that the 110 only needs a 1.8 meter dish and the 119 probably about a 2 or 2.2 meter dish and that by putting the 110 lnb slightly off center you get what you need in a dish as big as 2.4 meters.

This would be a great solution for me if it were true. My other guys say it can't be done and you need to do it the 'Mexican Way' with two separate dishes. the US guy is trying to put me in touch with the other person in the Puerto Vallarta area who supposedly has done it, but until now, no response. As usual, confusion and conflicting information is the order of the day with these 'outside-the-grid' set ups. Bottom line for me is, I want to know if someone is actually doing it and it works. Does anybody in the forum have any real life experience with dual lnbs with DishNetwork in Mexico (this far south & west) or know anybody who has?

I will appreciate any input. Thanks.

johanson / Moderator

Sep 23, 2013, 8:01 PM

Post #2 of 11 (255 views)

Shortcut

Re: [buffdaddymex] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

Scott:

I hope someone has a better answer. But my experience as been that along the shores of Lake Chapala. And just like you, (along the coast) we find that the DISH USA satellites are so far apart, you know 110, 119, and 129 degrees west that you need a separate parabolic satellite dish for each bird.

It's too bad that there isn't an elliptical dish that is large enough and built for the satellites you are talking about. Luckily, the Shaw Direct 75 E dish and matching 75 E Quad LNB works great for the much stronger signals from the Canadian birds. The elliptical dish is only 36.5 by 26.5 inch dish, which is much larger than what I need up north on Vancouver Island or in the US along the Northern border

Now, when it comes to DirecTV where the satellites are much closer together, you know 99.2, 101.0 and 102.8 one parabolic 2.4 meter dish with three LNBs works just great, well almost just great. One gets most of the HD stations but doesn't do that well from the middle bird that carries mostly SD stations. We are told here near lake Chapala and Guadalajara that one can not get a larger Ku dish than 2.4 meters {about 8 feet} in our part of Mexico, you know Jalisco. (I sure hope I am wrong.)

Yes know, you have seen a message much like this on the Yahoo group, "Tech SoB" which you can guess who wrote :)

(This post was edited by johanson on Sep 23, 2013, 8:26 PM)

Mexipatdf

Sep 23, 2013, 10:20 PM

Post #3 of 11 (247 views)

Shortcut

Re: [buffdaddymex] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

I don´t have specific experience with dual lnbs for Dish, but maybe the following info could give you some ideas about what you could do about it.

In Mexico City I have succesfully used 2 lnbs in a single 1.8 mts dish for Shaw, that is a 4 degree separation for sats at 107 and 111, it worked fine.

Jogging my memory I remembered a fellow in Mexico City who was using a 2.4 meter dish for Dish, using 2 lnbs, if I remember correctly for 110 and 119, note this is a 9 degree separation in Mexico City and as I remember he was able to get both sats back in the day with that setup.
I was able to trace that report and found the attached photo from his setup, take a look at the lnb separation.

hodamayo

Sep 24, 2013, 7:08 AM

Post #4 of 11 (236 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexipatdf] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

I do that all the time here in Cancun and it works fine. Your set up may be different than mine as for 119 I use an elevation of 47 degrees, and my LNB for 110 would be just opposite of what your picture is, but I think Sandy Coffen can do that, If he has problems we have a whole lot of support available. Let me contact him and see what he says, he lives in your area as well.

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

johanson / Moderator

Sep 24, 2013, 2:17 PM

Post #5 of 11 (212 views)

Shortcut

Re: [hodamayo] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks Mexipatdf and hodamayo for suggesting that I could be wrong. Really:) What's most important is to find a solution that will work. And on second thought, here along the shores of Lake Chapala most dealers would recommend a 4 and 6 footer for 110 and 119 and hoped that the 2.4 meter or 8 footer would work for the DISH satellite at 129. I gave up DISH USA because I couldn't get a reliable signal on the bird at 129 degrees W. which at one time and perhaps still has most of the HD signals. So just maybe there would be sufficient signal strength with 2 properly positioned LNBs for that 2.4 meter to pick up signals from 110 & 119 in PV. I hope you find someone with the knowhow who can help you.

I guess I do have a dish farm I still have my old C band 12 foot sat dish, the 4,6,&8 footers for DISH USA that I gave up and the very small 26.5 by 36.5 inch elliptical (75 E) that I use with Shaw.

Oh and that old 8 footer (2.4 meters) I am now using with 3 closely spaced LNBs for the DirecTV package,

Again, good luck finding someone who can help you with the dual LNB hookups.

Mexipatdf

Sep 25, 2013, 3:10 PM

Post #6 of 11 (173 views)

Shortcut

Re: [johanson] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hey Johanson,

Sweet ¡ sounds like you have a pretty decent dish farm there.

About the dual setup shown in the photo I attached, I think it was useful until mid 2010 (at least here in the big city), when Dish´s footprint narrowed down to the CONUS, and then many of us in Mexico had to ditch Dish and switch to Shaw.

Anyway, I will attach another photo which gives a better feel on the separation,

Now, for our friend in Vallarta, please note the separation in your location could vary from the lnb separation used in Mexico City, and once you lock signal with the main lnb, the other one will have to mirror the other satellite, e.g. if the sat is to the east of the main lnb, then the second lnb will have to be to the west of the lnb.

BTW, Johanson how is Shaw reception with your 75E dish ?

Are you still using your C band dish ? I have to get me one of those, I would like to point it at 58W and get NHK World, France 24 (available in English and French), and a few other international channels.

Mexipatdf

Sep 25, 2013, 3:13 PM

Post #7 of 11 (170 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexipatdf] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

Here´s another photo.

johanson / Moderator

Sep 25, 2013, 5:24 PM

Post #8 of 11 (166 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexipatdf] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

The Shaw Direct 75 E elliptical satellite dish which measures 36.5 by 26.5 inches with it's matching Quad 75 E LNB works quite well lakeside. And although a moderate rain will knock out the HD signals from Anik F-2, one can always switch to the simulcast SD channel from Anik F1-R. Signals from Ank F1-R wont fade until its raining rather hard.

I understand that signals from the new Satellite, Anik G-1 also located at 107.3 W are not watchable much farther south of Canada than the mid US (using a very large satellite dish) at least that is what I have been reading on one of the satellite forums. (And therefore not watchable in Mexico)

Sure Sky Mexico has a stronger signal than Shaw Direct, but using the 75 E, Shaw Direct comes in only somewhat worse than Sky, but much better than either DISH or DirecTV US using Ku satellite dishes up to 2.4 meters.

Why do we not use larger Ku band offset sat dishes than 2.4 meters? Because that's what the satellite dealers in our area say are the largest available. I would love to have about a 3 meter offset Ku dish so that I could get better signals from the DirecTV bird located at 101.

My problem is I don't watch that many channels, but I keep on thinking of the old ham radio days, where being able to pick up new radio stations or ham radio operators, was more important than being able regularly listen thereto.

So yes, I have a wonderful time, wasting my time trying to find way to watch over the air or via satellite TV channels.

No I don't stream that much :)

johanson / Moderator

Sep 25, 2013, 5:30 PM

Post #9 of 11 (162 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexipatdf] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

You also asked "Are you still using your C band dish ? I have to get me one of those, I would like to point it at 58W and get NHK World, France 24 (available in English and French), and a few other international channels"

The mesh on my C [really ku] band is so tight that it will reflect Ku signals. It's not hooked up to my 4DTV receiver right now, but I was thinking of getting the right type of LNB and see what I can get from the DirecTV 101 bird

(This post was edited by johanson on Sep 25, 2013, 6:59 PM)

Mexipatdf

Sep 25, 2013, 7:02 PM

Post #10 of 11 (155 views)

Shortcut

Re: [johanson] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

With your C band dish you could get some fta (free to air) channels from SES-1 satellite at 101w, since the Directv birds only carry their scrambled channels.

SES-1 Ku band footprint will not cover your area, but only northern Mexico, anyway not much there other than the Pentagon channel and a few international channels (a dutch channel is there).

Now SES-1 C band footprint reaches well into your area (and even mine) and according to the footprint map, a 2.5 meter dish is enough to get the signal, so I guess with your 12 footer you would be covered.

Not many channels there in FTA, but one that I would certainly love to get is ME-TV (Memorable Entertainment TV), with old classic shows, from B&W shows to old shows in color, I Love Lucy, The Twilight Zone, Hawaii 5-0, Leave it to Beaver, Kojak, Cannon, Columbo, MASH, Perry Mason, ......and many classics more.

johanson / Moderator

Sep 26, 2013, 12:36 AM

Post #11 of 11 (148 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexipatdf] Experience with dual DishNetwork LNBs in single dish in Puerto Vallarta

Can't Post | Private Reply

I love METV too. The station which is spot beamed to our area comes from KVOS Bellingham, channel 12 half way between ttle and Vancouver BC. It not only comes in via a DirecTV spot beam but via a $39 US digital antenna pointing north. My location is fantastic for TV reception. My condo is located on the top of one of the highest hills in Seattle and although only on the 19th floor of a 33 story condo. My antenna is line of site with every TV antenna in the greater Seattle area.

I haven't seen METV on a CONUS beam that is watchable lakeside other than FTA. But I bet its out there

Well, I've got to pack and get ready t return to Mexico

(This post was edited by johanson on Sep 26, 2013, 7:09 AM)