If your cable company can see the satellites, you would too. Satellite footprints go as far north as Canada and as far south as Mexico. You just have too many trees on the south side of your yard I guess.
I'm completely treed in and wouldn't want to change that... I like may shade.
But friends who have had dish say the dish has to be pointed nearly to the horizon and if there aren't trees in the way, we've got hills. They complain that the signal goes to heck in rain, which is not a good thing for WA.
No complaints at all with cable.
err... my shade ;~D