Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

patricio_lintz

Jan 30, 2007, 4:05 PM

Post #1 of 10 (6313 views)

Shortcut

Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

A friend asked the following questions? I am not totally sure of the answers. I would appreciate any input from forum users.

(1) Is it true that I would have to apply for a license for satellite DSL (due to the outgoing signal)? (2) I have Dish Network as well. Assuming you use the same satellite, did you have to make any special arrangements with Dish or the Mexican government to get the dish and receiver(s) into Mexico? I've heard it's difficult to bring some electronic items into the county and we've personally had a used desktop computer confiscated by idiot officals at the border.

(This post was edited by patricio_lintz on Jan 30, 2007, 5:43 PM)

sfmacaws

Jan 30, 2007, 4:36 PM

Post #2 of 10 (6304 views)

Shortcut

Re: [patricio_lintz] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

No license required, the new sat internet modems will not let you connect if you are not accurately on the right sat.

Technically, Mexico owns its air space and controls all communications through it. So, no you are not supposed to get either sat TV or sat internet without using a Mexican company. That said, no one I know has ever been bothered bringing the equipment into Mexico. I do know people who had a hassle at the Belize border with it but not Mexico. The only time my RV was ever really searched at the border by Mexico, the LNB for the sat dish was laying on the bed and the aduana guy asked me what it was. I said it was for my TV dish and he shrugged and went on.

Since TV is more familiar and commonly allowed into Mexico, I'd still say it was for TV if asked.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

patricio_lintz

Jan 30, 2007, 5:46 PM

Post #3 of 10 (6290 views)

Shortcut

Re: [sfmacaws] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks. I had read online from a satellite provider that a licence is required. But of course that is to his advantage.

It could be another case of lax enforcement of Mexican communications laws. I do not know how efficient their equivalent of FCC is.

sfmacaws

Jan 30, 2007, 6:23 PM

Post #4 of 10 (6283 views)

Shortcut

Re: [patricio_lintz] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

The FCC doesn't even keep track of it or of the Canadian dealers selling StarChoice and the other Canadian TV sat in the US. So, Mexico would have to be a lot more efficient than the FCC to get on this. It could happen I suppose, I don't have a lot of belief that the FCC is very efficient. I think they have too many political hacks and too much congressional juice flowing to be efficient. If Mexico decided there was money in getting interested in what gringos brought down to watch tv or get online, then they could start paying more attention. If it started cutting into Carlos Slim's lunch money, then I know they would start paying more attention. It's just such a small number that no one cares.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

patricio_lintz

Jan 31, 2007, 6:55 AM

Post #5 of 10 (6255 views)

Shortcut

Re: [sfmacaws] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks. Just two more quickie questions. Are satellite internet installations in RVs as expensive as the fixed systems which seem to run $3000- $5000 at on-line advertised companies? Are the RV systems 110V a.c. as well as 12 V d.c.?

Thanks again for the info.

johanson / Moderator

Jan 31, 2007, 8:21 AM

Post #6 of 10 (6246 views)

Shortcut

Re: [patricio_lintz] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

I am sure glad you are there Jonna, to answer the technical RV satellite questions. I'm pretty good at home satellite systems, but my knowledge is lacking about RV setups.

I may have posted this earlier, but the last Star Choice dish I installed was about a month ago, its on a plank of wood which is on my desk in my Condo in Seattle and points out through the window. Sure the signal is a little weaker, looking through glass, but still works just fine. The trouble is, every time I dust or raise and/or lower the curtain, I end up having to re-boresite the satellite dish in.

sfmacaws

Jan 31, 2007, 12:11 PM

Post #7 of 10 (6232 views)

Shortcut

Re: [patricio_lintz] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

In an RV you basically have 2 options. One is an automatic sat finder mounted on the roof of the RV. You just push a button and, most of the time, you are online in a few minutes. Those cost between $5k - $6k US. The 2nd option is a portable dish with a surveyors tripod that you set up somewhere with a good shot at the southern sky. You put it up and find the sat yourself whenever you stop. Obviously, you don't do this at a lunch stop which you can do with the auto ones. The tripod setups cost about $1500 US. With both systems, the installer and the support you get from them is the most important part. Hughes is worthless, you will get very little from them.

We have the tripod system from Scott at http://www.dustyfoot.com It has some benefits for us as we can take it upstairs to our condo in Akumal and set it up on the deck. We couldn't do that with the auto one. If we could park the RV close enough we could use an auto one and a wireless router, not an option in our situation but some folks do it at their houses.

They all operate on AC through an inverter. They don't use a lot of juice, at least the modem for the manual one doesn't. The auto dishes use more while finding the sat but you can then shut that part down.

Pete, I'm surprised that dusting knocks yours off the sat. Ours had gone through some high winds, heavy rains, etc and not lost the bird. We will get momentary outages in heavy rain but not always and it is back onto the sat quickly.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

patricio_lintz

Jan 31, 2007, 3:05 PM

Post #8 of 10 (6220 views)

Shortcut

Re: [sfmacaws] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks. Now I have the info. that I needed. I know about the situation with Dish network.

johanson / Moderator

Jan 31, 2007, 5:30 PM

Post #9 of 10 (6202 views)

Shortcut

Re: [patricio_lintz] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Jonna, don't laugh, I just mounted the smaller 60E Star Choice dish on a 25 inch long 2 by 12 inch board that rests on my desk. When I am in Seattle, I keep the curtains open: when I come south I slide the 2 by 12 inch board back a few inches so that I can lower the curtains. The smallest force, probably not dusting will move that 2 by 12 inch board around. But like you, I have re-installed my satellite dish so many times as I travel around, that if it takes me more than ten minutes, I have screwed up. I guess I can do it so fast because I have a compass and know what direction to point the dish.

When I have the dish almost correctly positioned and am getting a signal it can only take a minute to move the dish (LNB) closer to the window or farther away and tune it in better.

(This post was edited by johanson on Jan 31, 2007, 5:33 PM)

sfmacaws

Jan 31, 2007, 9:19 PM

Post #10 of 10 (6185 views)

Shortcut

Re: [johanson] Satellite Internet

Can't Post | Private Reply

OK, that makes sense. It is really easy to find the TV sat, the internet one needs to be a little more exact and can take a little longer. Usually not much longer though, the whole thing is an amazing feat to someone my age. I endlessly marvel at how cool it is to be online in the middle of nowhere or on the shores of Lake Atitlan and using it for voice over IP as well, just awesome! It has made my life what it is, I don't know if we could have spent the last 5 years living in the RV and traveling all the time if I didn't have these options. I'm pretty sure I would have gotten tired of no internet fairly quickly, internet cafes just don't do it for the long haul.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán