Shaw Direct, New Satellite launch

Zed asked me this morning if I knew anything about the new Shaw Direct satellite that was supposed to be launched in January 2013. The launch was delayed. Anik G-1 is now scheduled to be launched on April 5 and positioned at 107.3 and share the space with Anik F-1R but at a slightly higher frequency.

Those folks within the footprint will need a new LNB to pick up the broadened bandwidth at 107.3. The footprint map I saw suggests that the signal will not reach very far across the Canadian US boarder and the there is no way that the signal will reach Mexico. Yet some folks are saying that the footprint is wrong and that indeed we will get same, here in Mexico. I hope the footprint map I saw is wrong.

For info, (and/or to get more confused, go to http://www.lyngsat.com/launches/2013.html

Pete, are we going to lose any programming @ Lakeside?

Jim W wrote:Pete, are we going to lose any programming @ Lakeside?

Rumors are new bird will be mostly HD. But you know about rumors.

Z

I hope you are right Z.....after living through the Dish Network new bird issue a few years back.

Jim: I would like to add that what I have heard is that what will be on the new bird will be mostly new HD channels. And that Shaw will not be moving any existing channels from the older satellites.

That is what the techs at Shaw Direct told me and what my Satellite dealer in BC told me that he had heard from SHAW.

But remember that the satellite Anik F-1 that went active Feb 21, 2001 and should have had a life of about 15 years and that about 5 or 6 years later, it partially failed and had to be replaced by the existing Anik F-1R (Yes R means replacement or replaced or etc.)

So who knows what will happen.