[mongooze]

I live about 100 miles southwest of Washington, DC. HD locals are not offered for my zip code. Therefore, I'm considering the ever-popular "move" to a Northern VA address, with the goal of receiving DC-area HD local channels.

That being said, I know that the Ku spot beam covering the Washington DC area is enormous (I have a friend nearby receiving SD locals from Washington DC), but what about the Ka spot beam with the MPEG4 HD locals? Is there anyone picking it up a significant distance away?

If not, I suppose I'll be the first to try Thanks in advance for any replies, and thanks in general for such a great resource!

 

[videojanitor]

I don't know about your particular situation, but I can tell you that from where I am, about 100 miles from San Francisco, the MPEG-4 SF spotbeam is very strong, resulting in a 99-100 signal level. Your results would likely be the same. 100 miles isn't very far.

 

[mongooze]

I don't know about your particular situation, but I can tell you that from where I am, about 100 miles from San Francisco, the MPEG-4 SF spotbeam is very strong, resulting in a 99-100 signal level. Your results would likely be the same. 100 miles isn't very far.

Thats great news. My hope then is that the Washington DC Ka spot beam isn't any smaller than SF.

Which 5-LNB dish are you using, the big one or the slimline? I assume it probably doesn't matter, but I don't really know.

 

[videojanitor]

I am using the big (aka AT9) dish. I imagine the results with the slimline would be comparable.

If you already have a receiver and dish, check the signal levels that you are getting on the 99 satellite -- that's where the D.C. locals are. If you see a decent signal on all available transponders, you're good to go. If you see a few that have low readings, those are probably from beams that are aimed considerably farther away.

 

[mongooze]

I am using the big (aka AT9) dish. I imagine the results with the slimline would be comparable.

If you already have a receiver and dish, check the signal levels that you are getting on the 99 satellite -- that's where the D.C. locals are. If you see a decent signal on all available transponders, you're good to go. If you see a few that have low readings, those are probably from beams that are aimed considerably farther away.

I don't yet have a 5-LNB dish, so I can't see the Ka signals at all.

I plan on getting DTV to install a 5-LNB dish (either they bring it or I'll buy one from Solid Signal) and an HR20 after the holidays. We'll see how it goes.

 

[mongooze]

So, a month and a half later, I have an HR-20 installed with my existing 3-LNB dish, but no 5-LNB yet. Long story short, the installer refused to install the HR-20 because I don't have a land line, so I ended up buying it off the shelf from Circuit City. Of course it works just fine without the phone line, but because I cancelled that install, I now can't get a dish-only install until the second week of February. I like the HD package stuff, but I really wanted to see the NFL playoffs and the Superbowl in high definition.

I think I'll be "moving" to a location that qualifies for DNS for now, and then "moving" back later and getting the 5-LNB installed, then "moving" one last time to pick up the Washington DC HD locals for good. Do you think thats too much "moving", even if I spread it out over several months?

 

[tonyd79]

You can't get HD OTA in the meantime?

Try www.antennaweb.org to see what you can get locally OTA. The HR20 will support that.

 

[mongooze]

You can't get HD OTA in the meantime?

Not reliably, and not without a huge antenna. From both a cost and a simplicity perspective, dealing with DirecTV seems to make more sense.

 

[Sackchamp56]

I live about 100 miles southwest of Washington, DC. HD locals are not offered for my zip code. Therefore, I'm considering the ever-popular "move" to a Northern VA address, with the goal of receiving DC-area HD local channels.

That being said, I know that the Ku spot beam covering the Washington DC area is enormous (I have a friend nearby receiving SD locals from Washington DC), but what about the Ka spot beam with the MPEG4 HD locals? Is there anyone picking it up a significant distance away?

If not, I suppose I'll be the first to try Thanks in advance for any replies, and thanks in general for such a great resource!

I live in Shepherdstown WV and receive washington DC HD locals. I get 96- 97 signal consistently accross all sats. I am about a 75 mile drive from DC. Not sure how far in actual miles as the crow flies.

 

[mongooze]

I live in Shepherdstown WV and receive washington DC HD locals. I get 96- 97 signal consistently accross all sats. I am about a 75 mile drive from DC. Not sure how far in actual miles as the crow flies.

Thats great news!

I gave up on the national feeds, seeing as it takes 30-45 days to get the waivers (even though I thought it would automatic for the location I gave). I'll just have to suffer with SD playoff games and Superbowl for now

Hopefully I'll only give one more update, after the 5-LNB is installed in February...

 

[tonyd79]

I am in Columbia and after I get my 5LNB dish later this spring (waiting until leaves are on trees), I will probably move to DC, too (I get Baltimore OTA with indoor antenna in cond fine), so I can get DC HD locals.

 

[mongooze]

Alright, the 5-LNB dish is installed.

My transponder signal levels on the 99 satellite are as follows:

1-8: 0 89 57 91 15 0 N/A N/A

Only the first six transponders show any numbers whatsoever, and only two of those (#2 and #4) look at all reasonable. My question is, does one of those transponders carry the Washington DC HD locals?

Sackchamp56 - what do your transponder levels look like on the 99 bird?

 

[Sackchamp56]

Alright, the 5-LNB dish is installed.

My transponder signal levels on the 99 satellite are as follows:

1-8: 0 89 57 91 15 0 N/A N/A

Only the first six transponders show any numbers whatsoever, and only two of those (#2 and #4) look at all reasonable. My question is, does one of those transponders carry the Washington DC HD locals?

Sackchamp56 - what do your transponder levels look like on the 99 bird?

I am at work until midnight tonight , but I'll check and see. If I remember correctly that doesn't look too far off though. I'll double check and let you know.

Ok here you go man. It seems to me that transponder 3 is the one:

0 74 96 80 35 0 and the rest are n/a. Hope this helps. let me know how it works.

 

[mongooze]

I am at work until midnight tonight , but I'll check and see. If I remember correctly that doesn't look too far off though. I'll double check and let you know.

Ok here you go man. It seems to me that transponder 3 is the one:

0 74 96 80 35 0 and the rest are n/a. Hope this helps. let me know how it works.

Argh. I hope its not 3, because a 57 level seems like it would be too low. I really hope its 2 or 4 instead

Regardless, I'll try the move this afternoon and see what happens.

 

[matty8199]

I live in southeastern PA and have "moved" to a NYC address, and I rarely lose picture even though there's fluctuation in the spot beam that sometimes takes some of the locals down into the high-50s/low-60s. Granted that's for SD and I have no idea how the HD on the new sats might do, but I would think 57 should be fine except in bad weather...