Re: [A/S] Dish or Direct TV?

[Jerry Flanders <jeflanders@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Never used Direct TV, but used DISH almost 6 years. I don't know what they 
"require" to activate the east+west commercial network feeds, but years ago 
I mailed in a copy of my AS registration, phoned and asked for the networks 
and got them activated with no hassle even before the mail got there. I 
have never been asked anything about them since, and have maintained a 
continuous subscription even when not on the road. We are not full-timers.

Concerning the North coverage, I have used DISH in Canada along the ALCAN 
highway and Alaska and had no difficulty except signals were weaker in 
Alaska. In Alaska, DISH only claims a standard 70 channel package compared 
to the standard 100 sold in the lower 48, but that is only because some of 
the transponders are weak and the weaker 30 channels may not be 100% 
watchable.  Up there, people regularly buy larger dishes, and you can get 
2.5 - 4 foot ones in the TV shops. My 24 incher worked fine for what I 
wanted to see, even in Fairbanks. I don't remember if I could use my 18 (18 
mounted atop the AS, 24 on a portable outside tripod).

In Canada, I have watched my DISH programming down to where my antenna 
elevation was so low I had difficulty pointing it near the horizon. I think 
this was in the middle of Manitoba, just 200-300  miles South of Churchill.

Make sure you know about the advantages of PVR (personal video recorder) 
before you buy a receiver. DISH has especially sweet deals for new 
subscribers with their PVR receivers (501 508, 721).

Jerry W4UK