LA HD Locals Spotbeam Expanded?

[southcoastHD]

I have LA Locals in SD (8000-8021) but not HD...Today I found that LA major Locals HD (6000-6017) were now active in HD for me. I am about 175 mi N of LA and have always subscribed to locals, if only SD, now I get HD, which were cut off when Dish went Spotbeam. Has the Spotbeam radius been expanded?

 

[DishSubLA]

The only thing I notice tonight as being different is the addition of KDOC 56 (Ch 6319), Huntington Beach now in HD and two more Spanish language stations: KVEA, 52 (Ch 6322), and KWHY, 22 (Ch 6328). Channels 6306 - 6317 have been there for quite a while. You said in your post you are seeing them in the 6000's. Did you mean 6300's? Can you see the HD LIL's at the 2 digit channel positions that match their OTA virtual channel number?

Perhaps the three new additions for LA HD LIL's also caused a bug that allows you to see them? I don't know.

With the exception of KAZA, 54 and KPXN, 30, Dish has now put up all LA locals who broadcast in HD. However, Dish really should put up KPXN, 30 because ion & ion West is NOT provided in HD on Dish and this would mean a lot of the good programming can finally be seen in HD, and just about all the content on KPXN is in HD as we watch it via OTA. It makes a big difference, but Dish probably feels they offer the national feeds--not in HD--so they may not want to put up KPXN at all for that reason because the virtual channel 30 on the guide is mapped to the ion West national feed is SD that Dish provides to all.

Oh, and what city or town are located? I don't wan to have to guess by using your distance? .

 

[Tampa8]

I didn't see anything in the uplinks reports to indicate any wholesale changes. When you say you found they are active for you now, exactly how did you find that. I am also confused, if you are in the DMA for the LA locals, I would be surprised if Dish didn't provide them for you in the first place. I certainly could be wrong, but I don't think Dish denies HD channels because their spot beam does not cover a DMA....

 

[garys]

If subscribed but outside of the spotbeam, the HD channels would have still be in the guide and you getting an error message when you tuned to one of the channels. Any idea how long you didn't have the HD or maybe you didn't check them and have had them the entire time?

 

[Tampa8]

If subscribed but outside of the spotbeam, the HD channels would have still be in the guide and you getting an error message when you tuned to one of the channels. Any idea how long you didn't have the HD or maybe you didn't check them and have had them the entire time?

That's my thought, I'm thinking he did have them but somehow didn't realize it, or somehow just never got added to his account when they went spotbeam and he never checked with Dish and just assumed he could not get them. That's why I asked him to be more descriptive in just how he now found them. I just don't think there is any such case of you being in the DMA Dish gives you locals for and dish not providing them because you are out of the spotbeam.

 

[southcoastHD]

Thanks guys...Garys: Today(daylight hours) the HD channels got the familiar "Complete Signal Loss" on HD's 6306 (ABC) through all the rest. Figured my luck ran out. Tested again this PM (7pm) and the HD's 6306 (ABC) thru 6313 (KFTR) were back on! I have checked variously since the spot turned on a few years ago. Have always received the LA SD but no HD's..until last night (could have been on for a few weeks but gave up checking before then). The HD's have always been in the guide, just "signal lost" when turning to them...I have seen the spotbeam map and I am not in the reception area (just barely out)... Just glad to have them, especially when there is something in HD on the indies...BTW, I have always had the LA channels since I started with Dish.

 

[dfergie]

Might check your signals and see what comes up, Dish might need tweaking or LNB might be failing.

 

[mike123abc]

More likely the satellite is wobling slightly moving the fringe edge of the spot in an out of your area.

 

[bigrich]

i would try using a larger dish for 129 and see if that would bring them in all the time.

 

[levibluewa]

Where in CA are you South?

 

[DishSubLA]

There are at least 2 spotbeams being used for LA HD LIL's. I think you are on the fringe and lock or lose the HD spot as the sat moves slightly throughout the day and night. All geosynchronous sats do, in fact, move a bit and are not in geosync such as tethered by concrete (an RF tether isn't absolutely spot on) as another suggested.

You could try a larger reflector as suggested and see how that helps.

 

[Tampa8]

Yes get someone out there, you do get those......

 

[digiblur]

There are at least 2 spotbeams being used for LA HD LIL's. I think you are on the fringe and lock or lose the HD spot as the sat moves slightly throughout the day and night. All geosynchronous sats do, in fact, move a bit and are not in geosync such as tethered by concrete (an RF tether isn't absolutely spot on) as another suggested.

You could try a larger reflector as suggested and see how that helps.

It also changes with the seasons from what I have been told...but there could be a thousand different things going on.

I would just get a bigger dish and get the locals you sub to.

 

[TheKrell]

And trim any trees that might plausibly be in your LOS!

 

[runner861]

Is the poster in San Luis Obispo? Where does the LA spotbeam end?

 

[southcoastHD]

Just back after five days away...Dish is in Santa Maria CA...The Satellite "wobble" theory and seasonal flux seems to make sense...late mornings and afternoons are HD-less but they start to show up around 5:30pm so it works for me....I won't need a larger reflector as I don't watch much Local TV during daylight hours...Thanks all for your help and suggestions...

 

[Tampa8]

Just back after five days away...Dish is in Santa Maria CA...The Satellite "wobble" theory and seasonal flux seems to make sense...late mornings and afternoons are HD-less but they start to show up around 5:30pm so it works for me....I won't need a larger reflector as I don't watch much Local TV during daylight hours...Thanks all for your help and suggestions...

Lmao. And there's the difference between Cali and here. He's laid back about it, I would be getting whatever was needed to get them working all the time......

 

[levibluewa]

Does anyone know? Once the sat is up and operational do engineers ever go back in and ADJUST / WIDEN / SHRINK the spotbeams.

 

[levibluewa]

I recall that subs in the Denver DMA had issues with the spotbeam not covering the entire market, but I never read anything to indicate that DISH had enlarged the beam.

 

[mike123abc]

Does anyone know? Once the sat is up and operational do engineers ever go back in and ADJUST / WIDEN / SHRINK the spotbeams.

Yes Dish has the ability to increase/decrease power for each transponder in each spot. This is how they meet their power budget and can cover wider areas with some transponders. I do not believe they have a satellite up now with steerable spot beams. The one they launched with that feature did not make orbit.