PDA

View Full Version : Remote Set-up, 72 Dish?


atridox
09-10-09, 12:36 PM
I have a Slimline 3 on a tripod which I wanted to use for receiving Direct TV while tailgating away from my home. While I am submitting the necessary paperwork with DTV to make this all legal, it takes up to 45 days. (waiver for mobile vehicle). Once that waiver is approved I will be able to get the national NBC, CBS and ABC wherebever I go. However, I need to be able to get NBC while tailgating in the State College, PA area in two weeks (for a big gathering).

I had a dry run last week and took my dish from Bowling Green KY (zip 42101,to State College PA. I am a newby but I was able to get the dish set up on a tripod and properly tuned to the coordinates for STate College. I had direct TV change my local address to one at State College so that I could get the local channels. I was able to get all of the DTV channels EXCEPT the local ones.

While the local channels show up on the channel guide they will not come in on the TV - i get message saying "searching for satellite".

After numerous hours on phone with DTV the tech suggested that TWO dishes are necessary in the State College area to get the local channels. He said that I also need a 72 Dish which they could get to me for use while I am at STate college. HOWEVER, he cautioned that tuning in the 72 DISH was way more difficult than the Slimline -3 and chances are that if they had a tech come out and set up the 72 Dish I would not be able to re-set it once I took it off the tri pod and came back another day.

Can I purchase a 72 Dish and reliably tune it in? Is it really difficult? Is there any other way that I can get NBC in zipcode 16802 without waiting for the waiver that will eventually allow me to pick up the national NBC via DTV?

A fellow tailgater in the parking lot at State College had a brief case looking thing which was opened and sitting on the roof of his car. The case had a perfectly flat square panel which had the DTV logo on it. It was pointed in the direction of the satellite and he was able to get local and all other channels. Is this some other type of new "dish" that I could use?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and would probably keep the taligators from skewering me and putting me on the grill in two weeks if I can not get the TV to work.

jodyguercio
09-10-09, 01:47 PM
1) I don't see why you can't purchase a 72 dish. Try EBay.

2) Use an OTA antenna to get it locally

3) That briefcase looking thing was the directv Sat-2-Go receiver.

Stuart Sweet
09-10-09, 01:57 PM
Here's a link to the review of the SAT-GO:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=83951

doctor j
09-10-09, 05:08 PM
72 is no harder to tune than 101. (95 may be a different matter)
A meter to ID sat such as Birdog makes it a snap.
Well worth the dollars if you plan on tailgating often.

Setup overall becomes more complex since you will need a multiswitch
(WB68) to add in the 72 sat.

Doctor j

jdspencer
09-10-09, 05:21 PM
Does DirecTV even offer State College channels?

Yup! I just checked the DirecTV website for zipcode 16801 and got the news that locals are available. But no mention of what dish is needed for reception!!!!

texasbrit
09-10-09, 09:07 PM
You don't need a 72.5 dish, what you need to use is a receiver that will receive signals from 99. The DMA is a 72.5 area but all the locals have now been duplicated on 99s, TP6, so any HD receiver or HD DVR will receive them with a slimline 3. .

dishrich
09-11-09, 07:54 AM
And the OP DOES realize the 72.5 days are numbered... ;)

atridox
09-11-09, 12:18 PM
Which type of antenna should I use to pick up NBC in zipcode 16802?

jdspencer
09-11-09, 12:26 PM
Check the following websites.
http://antennaweb.org
and
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29