SuperDish


DISH Network's SuperDISH 121 mounted on a rooftop.

The SuperDish is a satellite dish that was deployed by Dish Network in November 2003 as a means to provide more channels for subscribing customers. Its elliptical reflector is 36" x 20" - more than 50% larger than the round 20" Dish 500. The SuperDish receives signals from three orbiting satellites, as opposed to two signals with a DISH 500. The three satellites are at 110°W, 119°W, and either 105°W or 121°W depending on customer requirements. The 105-degree orbital slot provided local channels via Ku band from SES Americom's AMC-15 satellite. The other, 121-degree orbital slot provided local channels and international packages via Ku band from EchoStar 9, which is also known as 'Galaxy 23/EchoStar 9 due to a joint partnership with Intelsat.

Technology

These two satellite services, and their older Fixed Service Satellite technology, were provided to add additional capacity that lets DISH Network satisfy the Federal Communications Commission's "must-carry" requirements for local channels, and make room for HDTV. In addition, several dozen international services have been added to DISH Network's channel line-up. The SuperDish receives standard Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) services in circular polarization at 12.7 GHz from Echostar's existing 110°W and 119°W slots. The 105°W and 121°W slots are received in linear polarization at 11.7 GHz at a much lower power. As a result, SuperDISH-compatible receivers must be able to receive circularly-polarized and linearly-polarized signals at two different frequency ranges from up to four satellites.

Services

SuperDISH enabled Dish Network customers to receive High-definition television (HDTV), international, and/or local channels, on one dish system. Local channels in most major cities were available as digital broadcasts over DISH Network using SuperDish but HDTV has since been moved to the 61.5 and 129.

In 2007 most of the services at the 121-degree location were moved to the Anik F3 satellite at the 118.75-degree location. Existing SuperDish subscribers were retrofitted with a "repoint kit" to receive most of the same services via the Anik F3 satellite, also in the medium-power FSS band.

Some services, such as those of Wachovia Bank??, remain at the 121-degree location and will continue to use the SuperDish.

See also