D&E Johnson
Ontario, Canada/Quartzsite, Arizona
Senior Member
Joined: 08/30/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
Would like to hear from any Canadians already sitting in one of the LTVA's or boondocking areas in Quartzsite. If you have starchoice satellite, are you using the basic 60cm. dish set up and if not, what dish are you using.! We have an extra receiver and 60cm dish and are thinking about bringing it with us. Also have the satellite finder. We put the dish on a 2x2'plywood. Did you have to call Starchoice and get the coordinates, and have them switch you to the west stations? Don't want to bring something if it won't be suitable..
Thanks for your help.
Dona
Dona and Elvin
2010 Dodge Laramie 3500 4x4 Mega cab-in Pearl black/tan
2007 Open Road 359RL3S
2004 Yamaha Kodiak 400 ATV
|
skip298
Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
I can only reply to one of the questions....DO NOT CONTACT STARCHOICE and advise them that yu will be using the system in the US...they will shut your account down....If it works down there, then just use it..there is some discussion in another thread about bell not working south of Los Vegas or something similiar... search that out...the other stand you might construct is an 1 1/2 ABS pipe in the form of a square with a cross member in the center and a vertical "T" and post for the dish.... 4 90* elbows....3 "T"s approx 12' pipe ...ok it was more than one I could asnwer..there are more knowldgeable members here ..
2008 Keystone Montana Mountaineer Edition 305RLT
2004 Ford F350 Lariat,S/D,CC,SRW,6.0L PSD
Good Sam Club "Standby Sam"
Co pilot just graduated to Senior Citizen.
|
robatthelake
Vancouver Island
Senior Member
Joined: 08/24/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Hi,
We aren't there yet but will be Star Choicing it this year! Ma Bell just lost another customer!
The secret ,well hardly a secret is to have at least two receivers. Leave one at home plugged in and connected to the phone line , as per your agreement. Take the second one with you and enjoy! What they don't know won't hurt them!
As far as getting the same coverage as at home well that may be another subject. As far as I can tell we will be ok, but then we live in BC. You might have to adjust your viewing times a bit!
As to getting the co-ordinates don't sweat that as someone camped near you will have their dish aimed just right, so you can ask for help to tune your's in! Also an inexpensive satelite finder will help you! Also the co-ordinates for almost any place in North America are available free on the internet!
Rob & Jean
Dutch Star Diesel Pusher ..Tracker 4X2
|
balvert
Windsor, Ontario
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2003
View Profile
|
I called Star Choice three years ago regarding settings for Gulf Shores and they were quite helpful. They know people take their dishes with them. You can also download a program from http://www.smw.se/smwlink/smwlink.htm that will give you the settings depending on lat and long. Other programs are out there where you choose the closest city. Not sure how well the 60 cm dish will work, but I bought the 75 cm dish just for travelling. It works great although I have not used it in the west part of the country but I would suspect it will work fine there as well. I use the Bullseye RV dish mount as they were willing to supply the larger mast that the 75 cm dish requires. I have three receivers and bought the one in the RV specifically for that purpose. Star Choice also does not require a phone connection unless you are using pay per view.
Casey
Casey & Karen, Border Collies, Polly & Babe
04 Newmar Mountain Aire 34RDCK with tandem duals & XPS Ribs, Pullrite 25.5K Super 5th, MorRyde, Solar, RotoChoks
03 Dodge DRW Sport, Cummins, 4.10, 6 spd, MBRP SS Exhaust, Jacobs E-Brake, Tire Sentry, BrakeSmart
|
Diplomat_St_Poodles
Louis Creek BC, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 10/11/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Dona
We are on our way to Quartzsite in January but we have used our Starchoice dish in different areas in the USA and Canada. I just go to kusat.com web site and using longitude and latitude coordinates for the area we are in they calculate the azimuth, skew and elevation for you. You need to select either;
Use the look angle calculator 1 (for standard oval dish). or
Use the look angle calculator 2 (for Star Choice or ExpressVu elliptical Dish).
http://www.kusat.com/go.php?path=/install/look.php
Actually it was the technician at Starchoice that told me about the web site. We did not change anything with our service, we get all the same stations that we get at home. Even our favorites are still saved.
* This post was
edited 11/01/04 01:55pm by Diplomat_St_Poodles *
2005 GB Cruise Air XL DP
3 slides, 350 Cat
2002 Ford Explorer, drag along
4 Standard Poodles
Louis Creek BC, Canada
Diplomat Standard Poodles
|
|
|
D&E Johnson
Ontario, Canada/Quartzsite, Arizona
Senior Member
Joined: 08/30/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks for all the good advice. We do have the satellite finder, and Rob and Jean, hopefully we will park next to you-and get our neighbors to align the dish for us-LOL LOL>
Casey, thanks for the website, will look at it tonight. Don't think we will get a phone connection in the LTVA!!
Also to diplomat-thanks for your info too..just didn't want to haul that dish(not really a place for it in the TT) if I don't have to. Bringing a DVD player also.
All this is First time for us! hope I don't pack to much-or to little..
Thanks to all the Canadians!!You are great group-hope to see you in Quartzsite! Have a good trip down..
Dona
|
rontam
Brighton, Michigan USA
New Member
Joined: 11/01/2004
View Profile
|
We hear you are going to Quartzsite. Tam and I are going to Quartzsite for Jan and Feb 2005. We hear it is very busy then. We are wondering if we should reserve site for a month in town or camp BLM for less. Is it difficult to drive into town each day? We have a 22 ft Class B-PLus motor home. We have never been in this area but plan to explore the mining , rockhounding and stuff like that.
|
ebulman
Anywhere
Senior Member
Joined: 09/17/2003
View Profile
|
StarChoice will work all the way to PV Mexico....we have never asked anyone for permission etc, keep fiddling and presto, then remember the vertical/horizontal coords for next stop etc etc
|
djp
Legal, Alberta, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 09/19/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
Here's a site that will give coordinates for most every place in Canada and the USA. http://www.global-cm.net/ Download and store on your computer and you'll always have it. We use our dish in South Texas and never have any problem. Only problem is you remain on the same time zone as you are at home.
Dave & Carol
Full Timers
2003 GMC HD 3/4 ton D/A White Crewcab
2005 Titanium 34E39QS
|
