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With more people upgrading to the F2 dish, I'm wondering if, for a new install, I should just bite the bullet and go with the F2. In particular, it would be nice to have Internet coverage when I travel down to Mexico.
I don't anticipate needing Internet in Canada, so the only other concern would be having DirecTV availability. My understanding is that you can't do the bird-on-a-wire thing with the F2. Any ideas?
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Carey, Generally, you would not install an F2 only for additional coverage as the F1 can receive a great signal throughout all of Mexico on SatMex5. You are also correct that if you purchase an F2 you will need a separate antenna to pick up the satellite TV signal. For Mexico that doesn't make much difference since the F1 is only usable for TV a couple of hundred miles South of the border. Beyond that you are going to need a separate, larger, TV antenna anyway. The advantage of the F2 antenna is the ability to make use of the faster (more expensive) services available through Hughes, Unasat and iDirect. These plans start with service in the 200K up 1500K down range and go up from there. Monthly access starts at $120 and, again, go up from there. Most F2 owners are running a business of some kind and need better performance than is available with the F1. We have traveled for almost 5 years with our F1 and not found anywhere we didn't have coverage and an acceptable level of service (stay away from the trees!) but we don't do much more than surfing, e-mail and only occasional maintenance of our website (which is painfully slow but acceptable).
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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Carey, much of Mexico is usable with an F1 if the correct satellite (SatMex5 or SatMex6) is used but the F2 does provide extra punch in fringe areas. The F2 will allow you to upgrade to a higher (faster) rate plan not available with the F1.
You are correct that with the F1 you can use the BOW on many of the internet satellites but not all but the BOW does not work on the F2 due to the way the F2 skews.
-------------------- Michael Day F1|D3|7000 5.8.0.72|Currently no Hughes|1 Laptop: XP Home|1 Desktop:Vista, 1 Win7|Cradlepoint 1400|Verizon MiFi 4GLTE| Newell Coach, PT Cruiser Turbo Find Me Here (Map) Donations Help Support This Site Posts: 2815 | From: Everywhere (home is Austin, TX) | Registered: May 2003
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Carey, I worried that speed would be a big concern of mine with the F1, coming from a cable modem environment in my home office,so I went with the F2 "right out of the box" and I've been very happy and never looked back. Micheal's comment about a little more "bang" in the fringe area is consistent with what I was told by my dealer/installer/VAR.
If you've been used to "speed" with your current internet connection,it is my opinion that you would do yourself justice to go F2.
-------------------- Member #3007 2007 Newmar London Aire 4541 iRV2.com Administrator F2/Idirect on 93W See my location today Posts: 167 | From: Virginia Beach, VA | Registered: Jan 2006
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Carey, You have received lots of good information from the members here... so I'll just throw in my 2 cents. I have an F1 with a DTV bow on SatMx5. It has performed very well throughout most of the U.S. and All of Mexico, northern Belize and Guatemala.
Problem area's in the U.S. for SatMx5 is the northern part of Oregon and Washington State. There were no problem area's in Mexico. It should be noted that you will loose DTV in central and southern Mexico where 1meter and larger dishes are required.
When/if you ever travel outside the SatMx5 footprint, a quick call to your VAR will/should get you moved to a more suitable satellite.
If you must have 24/7 internet access then go with the F2, if you can live with the occasional rain fade the F1 should work just fine.
I think the general consensuses is that the size of the dish has little or no correlation to speed except on the higher speed [priced] business plans. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I get that part wrong.
-------------------- Holiday Rambler LE/Chevy Tracker 4wd F1/D2/7000s/117w/1070/WRT54G See where I am today Posts: 807 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Liveneasy: I think the general consensuses is that the size of the dish has little or no correlation to speed except on the higher speed [priced] business plans. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I get that part wrong.
You are correct. If you use a rate plan that is supported on the F1, the F2 will operate at the same speed with the possible exception of very fringe areas where the error rate of the F1 could at least theoretically make some difference. Obviously, if you want to use a higher speed rate plan that isn't available for the F1, then the F2 would be faster.
-------------------- Michael Day F1|D3|7000 5.8.0.72|Currently no Hughes|1 Laptop: XP Home|1 Desktop:Vista, 1 Win7|Cradlepoint 1400|Verizon MiFi 4GLTE| Newell Coach, PT Cruiser Turbo Find Me Here (Map) Donations Help Support This Site Posts: 2815 | From: Everywhere (home is Austin, TX) | Registered: May 2003
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Paul, I can see you're trying to make a Baja traveler out of me. Very nice presentation on that web site. A little sound effects and dust and it would have been just like being there.
If the pocket book allows then go with the F2. It will give you better connectivity AND you are far more likely to get the higher rate code (4/5)which can mean as much as 50% faster downloads! The 2 watt transmitter makes a difference.
-------------------- Don Marr WWW.OREGONRV.NET 541-683-5361 See where I am Country Coach Concept 40' F1 - D3|7000s|99W|LinkSys wireless with 1000mw WiFi amp & Ext. antenna Posts: 3414 | From: Eugene, OR | Registered: Jun 2004
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Carey, The e-mail to your bounced. (HEY EVERYBODY, CHECK YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESSES IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO FULLY UTILIZE THIS SITE). If I can help you in any way, just drop me a line or give me a call.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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Here's what happened. If you don't enter your *password* along with the new email address, the change doesn't take. Unless you go back to check, you don't realize that nothing was changed. When I entered both email AND password, then a refreshed screen came up, where I could verify the change was correct. Live and learn . . .
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