Tingting

FWIW, I think it's safe to say that we all need to get this document as soon as possible if we don't already have it. We have RFCs, but were never given anything else. It's only after this whole CFE brouhaha happened that I started digging a bit. While things may be loosey-goosey now (something on paper from SAT being accepted by CFE), you just know that eventually things will tighten up and "official" documents will be required. Why wait? Save yourself a headache and get whatever documents you're missing.

Natasha, do you have a laptop with a camera or a friend with one? That's exactly what happened to me. I had to down load the RP on the desktop (printer acccess, no camera) and then send it to myself to download it onto the laptop with built in camera and microphone.

That's fantastic news but it still won't hurt to get this document because you never know what tomorrow may bring. Better to have it and not need it than need it and no longer be able to access it. Per Jim's video, there are also some codes on it that CFE needs.

Long story short, Jim Bowie's link was fantastic for information and made me realize we didn't have everything we needed that CFE was going to demand. We have old copies of SAT-issued RFC info, but not a CIF. If you go directly to the SAT site (sat.gob.mx), you'll find that you get into a never ending circle trying to gain access. When you try links for "forgot my password" or to even sign up for one, you just get redirected back to a page that requires...yes, you guessed it...a password or e-sig. On Youtube, I found a SAT site that actually will let you get your CIF online. There is one big caveat: you have to understand Spanish. If you don't, get a friend who does. The info is also transcribed at the bottom of the page (in Spanish) if you read better than you hear. You don't need a password, just your RFC number. Before you go to the site, download a front and back (on the same page) copy of your RP or temp card. If you're using your passport, then a one page copy of the information (photo, pp #). Make sure you have a valid (not made up on the spot) RFC number. If you're comfortable enough with your Spanish, then go directly to http://www.satid.sat.gob.mx. It's really very easy. You'll punch in your info, download your id proof and then have to record a video of you saying a phrase. You have plenty of time to practice and can always write it down and hold it out of camera range. Once you've finished, you'll be e-mail the CIF within 5 days. Hey, it sure beats the heck out of travelling to Guad! If you want the youtube video that walks you through it, here it is:

I found a link that actually works with SAT and doesn't require the circle jerk that I mentioned above. I hate to be posting so many different things, but it worked and hopefully others will see it. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!! (btw, I used Jim Bowie's posting and that's what took me down the rabbit hole...the need for the CIF)

Could someone who has actually gone to CFE please answer some questions? Here is the situation: Both of us have RFC numbers. We have an old internet print out that does NOT have the CIF info. I have gone to the SAT site more times than I'm going to admit to here but yes, I do read Spanish, etc. Unless you know your password, you will not get into the site. Period. I don't know what our passwords are or even if we ever had one. We can't get an e-firma. If you go to the "forgot your password," it will ask for your e-signature. It's basically a circle jerk (yes, I'm feeling frustrated right now, sorry). So, will CFE accept our RFC numbers if they're printed on what was clearly from an SAT site even though an older version? Is there anything else that we need? Can this be done online or do we have to go in person. A very big TIA and I hope others aren't having such a hard time of this. We just found out about this requirement...grrrr

I've sent you a PM.

Zeb, if you're still looking, I think ours is looking for more work. She's as honest as they come and has been with us for about 15 years. She doesn't speak English but if you speak Spanish, even badly, she's pretty quick to catch on. If interested, she'll be here Monday and I can talk to her. We're also in CH.

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Ha, ha! No, CFE doesn't pay for excess power generation. We make it, they get it. It's like a yearly bank account. We build it during the year so that we can use the excess during rainy season or whenever else we might use more than we make (with 20 panels, it's never happened, but...). They also wipe the slate at the end of the year, so we have to start fresh which is why we want to put on two more panels. For us, during the day, we're making way more than we're using so that our usage at night is covered. I know that wasn't the tech term, but I hope I made sense. (ETA: to show how much of a technodino I am, I had to look up "smart outlet")

I'm with Ferret. Heck, we have a "dumb" house since technology has long passed us after tap dancing on our bodies. On a more serious note, I agree that it seems like a high number for kw in a day for just one item (albeit a major one), so I will keep monitoring for a full week to be sure. Everything I've read made me think that it would be a worst-case scenario of around 2.4kw max, but numbers don't lie. I know we can turn it off at night, but first I wanted to do a relatively controlled check of pre- and post-usage. I'll have a more definite idea by Tuesday. Since we still make more power than we use, this isn't a major cause of concern. We may put in a couple more solar panels just to give us the "breathing room" that we had in the past. I know some won't agree but we'd rather feed CFE our extra power than risk going into DAC (been there, done that, bought solar). Most everything we have is electric/electronic and we like having that safety net. In the past, we made about 50kw extra/week or a rough average of 7/day (over and above usage) and now it's about 2.67/day. I'm not complaining because in spite of Starlink's high kw, it's effing fast and more reliable (so far) than you-know-who.

OK, this is a VERY rough guesstimate, but it looks like the Starlink is drawing 4kw/day. We're fortunate as our panels are still producing more than we use, including with the system, but that seems high. Regardless, it's worth it to us as the speed and consistency of service are top-notch.

THANK YOU!

The only questions their map can answer are (1) "Is Starlink even available to me?" and (2) "If it's available and I order, will Starlink send my kit now, or will I go on a wait list?" That's all it's good for. Wow, having read that, we were just lucky. I had no idea there was a problem w/orders, just that we'd be on a list and get it when it was our turn. Now, I see that we just happened to be in the right spot...or not, depending on the results of my electricity monitoring, lol. FWIW, I really appreciate your explanations, Lou. It's like opening a Russian doll...each time I learn something new (not surprising since I'm a technodino), it opens the door to something else.

It looks like you're hitting the same sites I'm hitting. I'm going to run some checks over the next few days, but it's just the 2 of us and 20 solar panels. We make roughly 50kwh/week more than we use, so based on the other sites, thought we were fine yet we lost 5kwh in just the first two days. It's very possible that I screwed up my figures, so I'll do a more controlled check starting tomorrow and test 2 full days with dish on and 2 with it off.

For Lou and Mexicoafterlife: have you been monitoring the electrical usage? I check ours daily (long story but involves CFE) since we have solar and make more than we use, but have noticed a LARGE increase in power that doesn't seem to match the results of others online. The speed is fast and reliable but the usage concerns me. We're going to do some checks over the weekend but it seems too large to be normal.

Sherman was his less successful brother.

I'd be very surprised if they sold it there, but it's sure worth a look. Wally's World is actually starting to get a bit adventurous (for here) on some imported items, so who knows?

I had to buy my konjac via MercadoLibre so if you find it locally, please post it!

Here's the difference: when we argue/criticize/insult/whatever amongst ourselves, the vast majority of us don't take it personally but understand that it's the topic that is being attacked (usually). We don't write something hateful and then say "don't bother looking for me, after I've shit on you because you don't deserve me." Ummm...no. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I often disagree with folks on this site, but I almost always enjoy reading the other "side" without wishing ill on the poster. Well, except for the cowards who write a nasty p.m. because they're too yellow to do anything face-to-face, but I digress

Glad to see you're still with us.

MtnMama: in your case, it wouldn't be worth it. We have the Firestick for our TV and while the selection is great, the constant buffering is not. Our computers often froze or moved so slowly that it was a no-brainer decision for us. While we often got speeds a bit higher than yours from TELMEX, the consistency was non-existent. We had DISH for the longest time, but the prices kept going up and up so we cut the cord and went with Firestick. Yeah, bad decision in hindsight but it's worked out finally. Since we have cell phones, we can completely cut the cord with TELMEX. YMMV Pete: I'm in awe that you built your first satellite dish. I know Shaw is the best option down here, but it's not quite right for us. Again, while this isn't for everyone for many, many reasons, it's wonderful to have options.

Holy shi*! I know this isn't permanent (and I promise NOT to post more tests), but to see such numbers after years of frustration... Pete: we were getting semi-decent speeds for a while when the fiber optics went into the new hotel on the carretera, but then the usual low standards returned. Since we use Firestick for our TV, the buffering was getting bad. This is definitely not for everyone but I'm so glad we bit the bullet. (Edited because I type faster than my brain cells can connect.)

Starlink experience, first day of using: We just had the base w/dishy installed on our roof after running the obstruction test. We ran the obstruction test, found a spot that Starlink "liked" and installed it. The whole thing is actually easy to install and very technodino-friendly. In the past, we would get 13-15 mbps on a good day. Now...zooooom! It does seem to slow a bit after that initial test, but it is knocking it out of the ballpark. We'll give it a trial period to make sure we haven't overlooked anything and then once we're comfortable, we'll do a happy dance and totally cut the cord with TELMEX. Just for info: from order to arrival, it took 9 days. The system cost $795.22 and the monthly charge will be $110. Yes, it's higher than a lot of the others but frankly, I don't care. It will be fantastic to watch something on TV and not have it buffer every 20 seconds or to be able to use the computer without cursing when it freezes because the internet is in/out/in/out/in/out again. I am a very happy camper!

If you don't mind driving to Guad and can read Spanish, using https://www.doctoralia.com.mx is a fantastic way to find a specialist and get verified reviews. You also see the calendar (for most) and can make your appointment. The site also tells you what languages the doctor speaks. If you're ok-ish in Spanish but more comfortable in English, it comes in very handy. Obviously, times can vary but they're usually quite quick --a week or less.