Which sat for a 301?

[Phils]

Bobby gave me what I asked for on an earlier thread (thanks again). I wanted a list of channels for each satellite and got it. I had no idea there were SO MANY channels on each one!

I should've said why.

I signed up with Dish when they first started. Had a 301. No installers back then but it was an easy install.

Later got a 501. Later still, added a 622.

Started with a single LNB dish, then to two, then to three. Still have the old dishes.

I also still have the 301. I called Dish and was surprised that they still support it. They're sending a new smart card.

I'm installing it in an RV and using my old single LNB dish.

What bird should I be aiming for on our camping trip? 110 or 119? In other words, what bird was the 301 using years ago?

I'm building a cheap portable dish stand like this:

satellite stand

I've ordered a satellite finder:

SF-95c Satellite Signal Finder Kit*::*Satellite Meters*::*Signal Level Meters*::*InstallerOasis.com

For years we just took a DVR receiver since we camp mostly in heavily treed campgrounds. Never bothered to try to pick up a bird since nobody else around us could. Just watched recorded shows while camping. This trip will be longer and not so much in trees.

So we're moving up in the "camping world" and looking for any other advice or recommendations members here might offer.

Phil

 

[Bobby]

The 301 will give you channels from both 110 and 119. The receiver is not satellite dependent, unless you are eastern arc and you're not. Just take a look at the channels on each satellite and decide what you want to look at. If you had a Dish500 you could look at both.... If you are going to use a standard 300 dish you should look into one of these instead of building one yourself.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...og_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CD0Q8wIwAA#

 

[Phils]

The 301 will give you channels from both 110 and 119. The receiver is not satellite dependent, unless you are eastern arc and you're not. Just take a look at the channels on each satellite and decide what you want to look at. If you had a Dish500 you could look at both....

That's exactly what I did when I looked at the link you provided. But it seemed like there were so many duplications I didn't see an obvious advantage to either one. Then I remembered that the 301 originally only looked at one bird, and I had all the channels I'd signed up for, so I figured I could just aim at that one and be fine. Just like the old days :

A friend was giving me a hard time about having satellite TV while "camping" and I reminded him we WILL be roughing it --- NO HD!!

Phil

 

[Phils]

If you are going to use a standard 300 dish you should look into one of these instead of building one yourself.

Winegard TR-2000 - Satellite dish portable tripod

The one I'm building is 1) cheap and easy 2) won't blow over in the wind 3) doesn't require screwing anything into the ground (at lease one site will be paved) and 4) isn't very valuable and hopefully won't walk off when we are out of camp.

Phil

 

[Bobby]

That makes some sense to me.

 

[boba]

Phil that 301 isn't as old as you seem to think. The first DISH receivers were the 3000/4000 then the 2000 and 1000 then3700/4700/3800/3900/4900/5000 and maybe some more all before the 301 and many are still supported.

 

[Phils]

Phil that 301 isn't as old as you seem to think. The first DISH receivers were the 3000/4000 then the 2000 and 1000 then3700/4700/3800/3900/4900/5000 and maybe some more all before the 301 and many are still supported.

Yeah, boba, I probably realized that since I'd seen references to those models here at satguys. I got my first unit (the 301) when Dish finally came to OUR area. I bought it at the county fair. Good... since I can still use it.

I watched for many years as DBS was the next great thing (Popular Science, etc.).

When Primestar came out, I called. Because we live 'off-grid', power is removed from all-things-entertainment at night to conserve batteries. Primestar said that our receiver would be queried sometime each month at night. If no answer, it'd try again to instruct the machine to "call home". No answer on the third try and the receiver would be deactivated because they assumed I was "messing with it".

So I had to wait for Dish. That was my first question: "does it need 24hr power?" and Dish said "no". Been with 'em since.

And never had any noticeable problems because of the power interruption every night, all night. Of course, gotta wait to "acquire satellite signal" every time we want to watch TV but we're used to it.

Thanks for all the help.

Phil