Starlink RV installation and use

[Rvsmp]

My shipment got delayed for a day, my starlink comes tomorrow, I'll be able to tell you guys if this thing works outside of your account address area since I work all over Washington state and it will be attached to my quite mobile camper van that I live in. I also ordered the roof mount from starlink, may not use it but might be cool. I use a 5G phone usb tethered to a router too so its ok if starlink doesn't always work for me.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

... may simply be due to Starlink having limited ground relay stations at this time,.

Granted ... from what I have read, a working ground station is necessary for coverage in any of the area geographies. Still I thank you for the extended research. I still am going to save my $99 until I get some type of coverage guarantee from the company, especially if any kind of contract is involved. Otherwise there's always Sprint LOL.

[Isaac-1]

RVSMP, Once you get it working, I was wondering if you can do some actual load measurement on how many watts it draws while operating. I have seen the output rating off the power brick, but that is worst case, not actual average draw.

[Rvsmp]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

RVSMP, Once you get it working, I was wondering if you can do some actual load measurement on how many watts it draws while operating. I have seen the output rating off the power brick, but that is worst case, not actual average draw.

Sure I'll be running off solar and batteries so that's not a problem. I've got my watt meter ready to go.

[Zymurgest]

I would hold on to your money until it's clear whether or not the Paris Accord will affect future launches of private rockets. Apparently, the exhaust from rocket plumes are 100's of times more producing of green house gases than even modern commercial jet aeroplanes. At any rate, time will tell, as always. But bureaucrats need to have things to sound off on, especially regulatory items. Coming from a family of public servants, I can attest to the nit pickiness of bureaucracies, especially governmental ones. Safe, and happy travels from The Boondocking Brewer™!

[dixonge]

Originally Posted by Zymurgest

I would hold on to your money until it's clear whether or not the Paris Accord will affect future launches of private rockets. Apparently, the exhaust from rocket plumes are 100's of times more producing of green house gases than even modern commercial jet aeroplanes.

1. That agreement was signed in 2015
2. I can't find a single thing on the entire internet mentioning that it addresses rocket emissions
3. Elon Musk withdrew from all Presidential commissions after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement
4. As of this week the U.S. is no longer a part of this agreement.


I see no way the Paris Accord has *anything* to do with rockets in general, or Starlink in particular...

[dixonge]

Originally Posted by Hebrews12v2

LOL, My first ever post on the forum and I was Trolled already. Got to love those who pick and choose their data sources while ignoring other sources that validate an actual experience opposite the one you described.

Just remember, what your experience and thoughts may be, are not necessarily what others experience or perceive. I value your opinion I just don't agree with it. For you, you validated your reasons, and I accept them as factual, for your circumstances.

For others of us though, that may not be true.

I am not here to argue, just learn from those that have more experience than I do in areas I am unfamiliar with. But when it comes to Data, I have several years of experience and knowledge in. It is my job.

And you've already violated one of the founding principles of the internet:


*DON'T FEED THE TROLLS*

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by dmctlc

Sounds interesting but for now I'd like to know how you got 2400 watts of solar up on you roof of your MH. A few questions though like what is your rig? What panels, controller, etc. did you use? Do you have pics of everything? And do you have Lead acid, agm or LiPo batteries?or was this already covered in another thread? Thanks I'm now checking out Starlink.

Just a link to that thread.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f56/1000...ts-487277.html

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Zymurgest

I would hold on to your money until it's clear whether or not the Paris Accord will affect future launches of private rockets. Apparently, the exhaust from rocket plumes are 100's of times more producing of green house gases than even modern commercial jet aeroplanes. At any rate, time will tell, as always. But bureaucrats need to have things to sound off on, especially regulatory items. Coming from a family of public servants, I can attest to the nit pickiness of bureaucracies, especially governmental ones. Safe, and happy travels from The Boondocking Brewer™!

It is interesting to research.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX...launch_vehicle

I would be more worried if the Paris Accord would force all of us diesel users to no longer be allowed to drive.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

Granted ... from what I have read, a working ground station is necessary for coverage in any of the area geographies. Still I thank you for the extended research. I still am going to save my $99 until I get some type of coverage guarantee from the company, especially if any kind of contract is involved. Otherwise there's always Sprint LOL.

That is a good plan. I hope that this thread survives a long time with lots of different RV users posting their method of use...how they attached it and where they go. That is the real purpose of starting this thread.

At this time, nobody should expect or think this is going to work for traveling around the country. I'm an early adopter in their public BETA test. I'm looking at this as a long term benefit, not an immediate benefit. I'm still parked in New Mexico, where there is no chance of getting a signal, but I will take my time to mount it and consider the options in mounting and usage.

Next year, the coverage will be expanded. With any luck, in 2022, they will have the next gen of sats launched with laser connecting them. Time will tell. Initial report are really good. No limits stated anywhere in their agreements. Good speeds. Great latency. Price a little higher than I would like, but if this all continues to develop as per plan, there really won't be anything at any price that will compare.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

Not really all that odd if you think it through. The only way to describe a non-working dish and control box stuffed into a storage closet somewhere which will not supply a signal and yet remains on a $99/mo payment plan is, in my book, a "waste of money". It depends on the individual I suppose. It might start working on your RV in the next year or two - in the mean time that $99/mo will possibly guarantee that you will have the first setup already installed when and if it does ever start working for open road travel. So what's $1188 a year when you can be first? So I stand corrected, securing your place in line for a little more than a grand a year does give you something - be it ever so slight.

Still someone here might be just the candidate for testing the beta and you can very well experiment with what happens when you take it on the road (do pay special attention that the documentation says the satellites are only repeaters for nearby ground stations and the bird needs a base resource to supply the repeated signal which may be the very key you need to understand why it's not a mobile product right now.

After considering the way most think these days, the beta test program is likely a large conspiracy and in all probability the system does probably work everywhere now and the company is only saying it won't work for mobile use is because they don't have enough dishes in stock. It's got to be a conspiracy of some sort, it's plain to see that they don't really mean what they are saying when they state that it only works in the location they ship it to LOL ;-) ;-)

I was able to cancel my subscription before it even started. Starlink does not start the billing until 14 days after the order. That means that with FedEx shipping, many will get at least a week to set it up before paying. So, I have no monthly commitment at this time...of course, the dish doesn't work, but I'm not in an area currently where it could.

Starlink support was very kind to me and stated that I can re-appply for service when I am back up north and within the signal range. They don't guarantee that they will still have beta space available, but that is ok...they will in time. When you are an early adopter or Beta tester, you realize that your investment is helping the development of the program and our experience will be fed back into their ongoing development so it will be better. Perhaps our testing here will help them develop an RV mount for the dish?!?!? That would be cool and worth my forking over $500 for a dish this early on without all the benefits to help provide a better benefit for other RVers down the road.

My real focus right now is setup and usage...not the speed or locations. That will come. That is proven already. The real hope in this thread (as there is now another beta tester joining in) will be how each person decides to use it. Their experience. What creative way did they find to mount it and use it? As they travel around, what do they do...leave it mounted while driving or bring inside? I will be posting what I feel is best for me and my rig. I hope other will do the same to provide a pool of information that will help others in the year(s) to come.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Rvsmp

My shipment got delayed for a day, my starlink comes tomorrow, I'll be able to tell you guys if this thing works outside of your account address area since I work all over Washington state and it will be attached to my quite mobile camper van that I live in. I also ordered the roof mount from starlink, may not use it but might be cool. I use a 5G phone usb tethered to a router too so its ok if starlink doesn't always work for me.

When you do unpack it (and, yes, that is exciting and cool), do remember to please take photos of your rig and how you plan to mount or attach or connect. This can provide good conversation and information for others in similar situations.

I personally am going to look at making mine removable from within reach of my back ladder. The unit comes with a post that clicks into a base pipe with two opposing snap-in buttons...like you find anywhere with pipes that lock by sliding into one another. The outer diameter of the dish standpipe is exactly 1 53/128. The inner diameter of the tripod stand that receives it is 1 7/16". That's a difference of .0234" and a gap of .011 (more of less )

I'm searching the web for pipes with an ID of 1 7/16 to see the variety of what I could get and use to make my own mount. I don't feel for me personally that having it mounted on top will work. It stands a little too high for my comfort on top of a Class A motorhome. Would guess it would either catch a lot of wind or be torn off. I'm considering and playing today with an idea of creating a mount (hopefully not too ugly) that will cantilever off the back and allow the dish to sit lower behind the motorhome.

Whoever mounts this outside the RV and leave while driving, I would suggest you drill a hole through the standpipe and attach a cable to tie off to the RV somewhere, in case the mount fails.

I will be taking more photos and measurements today.

[Mudstream]

Following.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

When you are an early adopter or Beta tester, you realize that your investment is helping the development of the program and our experience will be fed back into their ongoing development so it will be better. Perhaps our testing here will help them develop an RV mount for the dish?!?!?.

Don't you think with a company who is as technologically advanced as Starlink, they will be able to roll out the best beta plan for RVers when they feel the time is appropriate? It's clear their roll-out plan is not for mobile use at this stage. Why would anyone want to pay $99 a month for something that only works in specific areas unless someone is the type who drives to one campground and stays the entire season, etc? From what I understand even when it is rolled out completely things will not always be "perfect" for the mobile user. I would imagine if anything at this stage having a bunch of RVers buying these things, when they learn the reality they don't work practically for cross-country travel is only going to slow the beta test program down, particularly when RVers start flooding the stationary-only beta test program with one "complaint", "whine" or simply "are we there yet, Dad" request after another to the company who is already well aware of the information that the RVer might be presenting to them.

For example, lets say now that you drive outside one of the areas of support or "cell" or whatever you want to term these circles of coverage. Is Starlink "really" interested in the fact that your receiver quit working at this stage of the game? I don't think so and I think reporting that to them in any fashion will be new-news or of any value to them. Any whiny RV owner who might mount a dish on their vehicle and then complain or shall we say give unsolicited "feedback" to them (you KNOW someone will) when it stops working not only won't help but will hinder the process.

If you need a good comparison to early roll-out technology, just think of Sprint before it sold out recently and how practical it was for the cross-country RVer. In short, why would anyone want to expose themselves to such pain, e.g. it works here, doesn't work here, doesn't work here, works here. And Sprint was supposedly a finished and completely rolled-out product.

Bottom line is I don't care what people do but I do care to the point that in all likelihood hundreds of RVers or more may read this and "assume" enough encouragement to invest in this thing and then start flooding Starlink support with complaints because something doesn't work that Starlink is already well aware of. So again, strapping one of these dishes on the roof and then complaining when it doesn't work or whining online or even asking when it will work, et. al. is only going to waste the company's time. They will let everyone know when the time is right to start screwing on the roof dishes. Otherwise this "maverick" effort being condoned here is only going to seed massive frustration to both the consumers and the sellers at this stage. The mobile beta program will arrive when it is due.