Distant Locals and signal tests

[shippert]

I just got a letter telling me my distant locals are not long for this world. However, when I signed up with DISH in November 1999 I paid for a signal test, which was what let me get the distants in the first place. The signal test shows all local stations below 40 dBu; the grade-B signal limit is 64 dBu for UHF stations (which is what all the locals are).

I know signal tests could qualify you for distants under the old (pre-2000) rules; does my signal test do me any good these days? If DISH is forced to requalify me via the grade-B address database, shouldn't my piece of paper saying I'm not actually getting a grade-B signal give them some justification for continuing to sell me distants? (At least until another court case makes them redo all the signal tests...)

[cj9788]

Good luck getting E* and your local channel to agree on a company to do the test.

Also it turns out there is no enforcement that was written into SHIVA.

You may find out it will be easier to "move"

[mjschuyler]

The Miami court case is probably the reason for your loss of Distant Nets. The Judge ruled that even "Grandfathered" subscribers were to be shut off! Signal tests will not be allowed anymore. You will have to apply for new waivers from your local stations. If your local stations will not give you a waiver you will lose your distant nets.

As far as I know the only way around this is a RV waiver. If you could get any camper registation you could get the RV waiver. They never recheck so if you bought one then sold it E* would not know.