Starlink RV installation and use

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by cyclist922

We’re signed up and waiting for the beta to open up in Ohio. We’re building a house in a rural area. Our options are limited to 10Mbs for $100/month or Hughes satellite which I think would give us 25 Mbs for about the same (but with high latency). We’ll use Starlink for the home, but I’d love to be able to take it on the road.

You're the perfect candidate to test in the BETA and the purpose for Starlink being created. I hope they reach your area soon and open up for you.

If you do get it, you will note that the dish comes only by default with a small tripod stand for use on the ground or deck. If you have space and it is not in the way and have visibility from the ground, you don't have to mount this to the roof.

If you desire a roof installation, obviously that will take a little more effort to remove it and take it with you, but it is two pieces and the antenna mounting pole easily disconnects from the base stand.

As others have voiced their concerns and none of us really know the answer to yet, we will see how this ends up working (if it does) for mobile use. Already there was an article about it being used during some fires...most likely not in the address it was assigned to be used...somewhere in the forest. Does this mean others will be able to move around? We don't know.

These are low-earth orbit, self-positioning and aiming (not stationary), using a very specific signal beam (thanks to their hybrid phased array antenna) that is not common like older satellite dishes that must be carefully pointed to an exact stationary position. I would think (this is completely guessing, of course) that because these antennas are not fixed position and a large blast of energy widely into space, that by their very nature are more adept to being mobile and perhaps eventually not under the requirements of being in a single location. They already differ in the sense that other two-way satelittes dishes are typically required to be installed by a "professional". These are not.

Starlink does make a statement that in the BETA this is only allowed to be used at the address you applied. Is this a government regulation? Is this Starlink wanting to get data from known sources for testing? We really don't know. If the government is wanting Starlink to say that, will Starlink enforce that? We just don't know yet...but those who are daring in the BETA will be testing all of it. This I'm certain, if I move it and test it down the road or perhaps even in the next state, the worst that will happen is that I get kicked out of beta. The more likely is that they don't know or care. Another possibility is that they care, send me an email, ask me not to do that, and we go on with life.

[docj]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

I would think (this is completely guessing, of course) that because these antennas are not fixed position and a large blast of energy widely into space, that by their very nature are more adept to being mobile .......

These phased array antennas do not blast a large amount of "energy widely into space." Even though the antenna may be physically flat, the "phased array" is capable of created a fairly narrow, steerable beam which can track a satellite across the sky.

None of us know how sophisticated a electronics system is incorporated into a Starlink antenna, but, suffice it to say that phased array systems such as the Aegis radar system in use on numerous US Navy vessels can track multiple targets at much higher speeds than Starlink satellites move across the sky!

I'm sure you knew this, but I wanted to clarify your words for the benefit of those who haven't had personal familiarity with phased array antenna systems.

Joel (AKA docj)

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by docj

These phased array antennas do not blast a large amount of "energy widely into space." Even though the antenna may be physically flat, the "phased array" is capable of created a fairly narrow, steerable beam which can track a satellite across the sky.

None of us know how sophisticated a electronics system is incorporated into a Starlink antenna, but, suffice it to say that phased array systems such as the Aegis radar system in use on numerous US Navy vessels can track multiple targets at much higher speeds than Starlink satellites move across the sky!

I'm sure you knew this, but I wanted to clarify your words for the benefit of those who haven't had personal familiarity with phased array antenna systems.

Joel (AKA docj)

Thanks Joel for trying to correct me but instead repeating what I said. Your doing job as the electronics police well. Please note the word "not" in my sentence that you are getting all excited about and perhaps read my posts a little more carefully.

My point (in using the word "not") was to try to help people understand that these are different than "professionally installed" satellite "dishes" that are a messier and wider "blast of energy" that would perhaps justify for why the government doesn't want those installed by just anyone.

My son-in-law, who's driveway I'm now parked in for the winter, is finishing his PhD in Electrical Engineering with a specialty in antennas. He works in top-secret development right now. He can't tell me everything, but we can discuss technology these topics with added knowledge.

Repeating myself again in summary...because the Starlink is different, I believe there is a greater probability that these could be more mobile in the future (after Beta). This is a guess on what the law and Starlink will allow.

[docj]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

Thanks Joel for trying to correct me but instead repeating what I said. Your doing job as the electronics police well. Please note the word "not" in my sentence that you are getting all excited about and perhaps read my posts a little more carefully.

My point (in using the word "not") was to try to help people understand that these are different than "professionally installed" satellite "dishes" that are a messier and wider "blast of energy" that would perhaps justify for why the government doesn't want those installed by just anyone.

With all due respect the following is a direct copy from your post; I don't see the word "not" there other than as relates to "not fixed position". If you intended the word to also modify "large blast of energy" it sure wasn't obvious to me.



......I would think (this is completely guessing, of course) that because these antennas are not fixed position and a large blast of energy widely into space, that by their very nature are more adept to being mobile and perhaps eventually not under the requirements of being in a single location. They already differ in the sense that other two-way satelittes dishes are typically required to be installed by a "professional". .....

I think your posts about Starlink have been excellent; my post was intended to clarify, not criticize.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by docj

With all due respect .

Yea, straighten up there Doc! [Mod Edit] LOL God, I wanted to quit this group but just can't ....

The experiences and technical expertise being shared here are all quite inadequate and underwhelming. And if you want to talk about relatives on secret government missions, I have quite a story for you. Now while I am reluctant, I feel obliged to share this with this group so please don't publish it anywhere else. My uncle was actually once abducted by space aliens where he experienced their sharing all of their own technology with him, including a glance into the future and with that was also included info regarding the development and roll-out of future low earth orbit satellite technology. He recently contacted the mother ship and they informed him that when SpaceX is ready to market mobile Internet, they are going to publish that fact quite well and at the same time they will have introduced an antenna that will work well with their service and this antenna can be mounted on a vehicle. He said the aliens also stated that people who are mounting home dishes on their coaches now should continue to do so, as the company can use all the investment dollars it can acquire at this point even though the service won't be operational for most. Uncle states also those aliens strongly recommend people add flying saucer (dish) damage clauses to each of their liability insurance policies because when they fly, we're going to be witnessing quite the alarming number of decapitations.

[NLOVNIT]

THREAD WARNING!

Some of you are straying into bickering & personal attacks territory which is not allowed here. If you don't have anything positive to contribute to this discussion, kindly move on.

Lori-

[Isaac-1]

Hey guys, can we stay on point here so this thread does not get locked down.

[caryt]

I sure hope that this becomes a viable option as my internet needs once I get to start...post Covid is about 20GB a day...99% streaming .

[Dav L]

What is not immediately clear from skimming this thread is: You have Starnet working at your registered home. You then relocate the dish a few hundred miles away. Does it still work? Only folks that have the service and have tried the above need respond (if any). Not looking for the philosophy or legality or beta or other stuff.

If it doesn't work today, I fully would expect that they have a service package that will in the future. Including an active element dish for tracking the satellites when in-motion. Sounds like the current dish might already be an active element dish as it does aim "itself" for fine tuning.

[rarebear.nm]

Originally Posted by Rvsmp

The setup uses around 112 Watts continuous once everything is up and running. I have 600Ah batteries and 800w solar so this draw is no issue.

I've just used it on the tripod so far. The clearance above the dish is not as bad as people are guessing. It looks to be 45 degrees straight up. The dish moves and follows satellites with no issues so far. Moving every few minutes and going right to a satellite connection from boot in about 3-5 minutes. In that time it boots, tracks and stabilizes. Once stabilized I had a constant connection.

Getting over 150Mbps download and 20Mbps upload ping 35ms.

I will try the setup in a city 150 miles away this afternoon.

I connected my phone to the wifi and tried the Aux network port to connect my laptop. After going to 192.186.1.1 I was able to select my SSID for the wifi then my laptop connected through the Aux network port for a wired connection. I will try a switch on the Aux port in my RV to provide all my electronics a wired connection.

Your experience is interesting.

Where are you doing this testing?

What was the remote site you did the ping test to?

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Dav L

What is not immediately clear from skimming this thread is: You have Starnet working at your registered home. You then relocate the dish a few hundred miles away. Does it still work? Only folks that have the service and have tried the above need respond (if any). Not looking for the philosophy or legality or beta or other stuff.

If it doesn't work today, I fully would expect that they have a service package that will in the future. Including an active element dish for tracking the satellites when in-motion. Sounds like the current dish might already be an active element dish as it does aim "itself" for fine tuning.

StarLink, when I got the BETA test setup, clearly states that the BETA phase of testing right now is only allowed at the address you gave them. When it was testing in another address, what is not clear if the test was done in a location when they had a connection to a satellite that also (at the same time) was in range of a base station.

I know you don't want to hear about beta, but that is ONLY what is offered at this time. Only us beta testers can report how it is working under the BETA agreement.

The antenna is a hybrid phased array. It is able to tilt as well as modify the signal to accurate point the "beam" to the satellites as they wiz by. There have been no reports that I have seen anywhere that this is ever to become available while in motion. It is also not clear yet if this will be allowed in locations other than your address. Sorry, but during the beta, there is limited info to confirm or give.

[rarebear.nm]

Quote:
"There have been no reports that I have seen anywhere that this is ever to become available while in motion. "

In the very early testing I read where the US Air Force was testing the system onboard aircraft in flight. That sounds like a lots of motion to me.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

Quote:
"There have been no reports that I have seen anywhere that this is ever to become available while in motion. "

In the very early testing I read where the US Air Force was testing the system onboard aircraft in flight. That sounds like a lots of motion to me.

Sure testing and making this available for specialized use is going to be possible. I've only read speculations and hopes that this will be a product for mobile vehicles. Just because it can be used in motion doesn't mean that the antenna used in those scenarios will be affordable by the masses. My guess is that the USAF antenna costs a little more than $500.

It is interesting to note that Starlink does not intend or even pretend to say that their purpose in making this network is to replace the existing infrastructure around the world. They are targeting (at this time) a very specific group of those that are outside of urban areas and without good options. In fact, they explicitly state that they do not intend on selling this to addresses in cities or high-density population areas. That would quickly fill their capacity of any passing satellite.

In the end, I haven't heard from Starlink or Elon Musk that they intend to make this available, in particular, to RVers or vehicles. While this antenna should have no problem withstanding the wind of highway use (it would have to withstand high winds on a roof as well), we are all guessing in the possibility that they may make additional versions of the antenna. If anyone has found a report from StarLink or Musk that this will be mobile and a different antenna is being designed, I would really love to see the link and read that as well.

I will be mounting mine of the back of the roof of my motorhome but in such a way as to be easily removed and used with the included tripod. Sorry I haven't done this yet and posted photos. Have had lots of work to do besides this.

[Isaac-1]

Where do you get that they don't intend to sell to address in cities? All I have seen is that they don't intend to market to people in cities, but expect to have some users in urban areas?


I suggest watching this interview with Elon Musk from last March

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOneX_PvuQ8

listen to his statement at the 3 minute mark.