Starlink RV installation and use

[jfessler]

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[Don Juane]

For those anxiously awaiting info on this, read what has already been determined before you waste your money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


R E A D I T ! ! !


https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/sat...-and-cruisers/

[Isaac-1]

That was from 6 months ago and is largely speculation

[Hebrews12v2]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

For those anxiously awaiting info on this, read what has already been determined before you waste your money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


R E A D I T ! ! !


https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/sat...-and-cruisers/

Odd you describe it as a waste of Money. That article is dated and doesn't describe the service as a negative, just that it is a project in progress. The ZDnet article linked earlier in the thread had a guy take the system AWAY from registered location to try in the "Idaho woods". THAT was a much more interesting article. And actual testing, not theory based.

[Philrodo]

The Mobile Internet Resource Center has a video on this. They said that in the beta phase, Starlink will only be using stationary beta testers, that is for homes with a fixed address. So it doesn’t appear that this will work for us RVers, at least while they are running the beta test. Perhaps, they will later open it up for mobile users and come up with an antenna that can be used on an RV.

[dmctlc]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

I just ordered the Starlink antenna and plan to install on my motorhome, if possible. Would love to have others that get the service to share their ideas and how they installed it. Don't know how long it will take to ship, but hopefully others that are invited to the Public Beta can come back here and share how they install the antennas in a way that is helpful for other RVers.

Please subscribe or comment to this post to come back and share your installation so others can see all the ideas and options in a more organized way.

I just finished installing 2400w of solar on roof, so one of my constraints is to try to not block the sun from those panels.

Here's hoping for solid, fast internet soon. It will still take a couple years for the constellation to mature and reach the whole US, but once it does, this should rock!

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.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by Hebrews12v2

Odd you describe it as a waste of Money.

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 ;-) ;-)

[Hebrews12v2]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

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 ;-) ;-)

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.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by dmctlc

but for now I'd like to know how you got 2400 watts

He stated he just ordered a dish that won't work for possibly 2 years, so maybe he is speculating for future higher output of solar panels. I think 1200w is the record I've seen so far with rooftop RV solar but maybe he has a super big rig with no roof accessories. A photo would be interesting, as you pointed out.

[Isaac-1]

Where is everyone getting this will not work for 2 years, Starlink is up and working now for the northern US public beta testers, they continue to launch on average 120 satellites per month, with over 800 total launched in the last 12 months. All signs point to full coverage of the lower 48 US states by early 2021, assuming they get all their ground relay stations up and running (a couple of dozen are needed for full US coverage), now sure there are a few gaps due to a handful of failed satellites in the constellation, meaning even with good views of the sky there will be a 5 minute outage gap a few times per day, until those gaps get filled in. Now if you want coverage in most of northern Canada and Alaska, you will have to wait a while as the orbital inclination of the first and second orbital shells only reaches as far north as the southern tip of Alaska, but it will get there, eventually, probably around 2023 based on the current published schedule. Early limited testing looks like they are not locking service to specific addresses, just perhaps regions, which still makes starlink a viable option for now if you vacation near your home address in the NW US.

[JHouk]

I signed up too but nothing yet.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by Hebrews12v2

troll-ism

LOL - I'm only sharing what anyone else here is sharing, unwanted opinions LOL. Don't take it personally, just debating the concept of ordering a product that a company says is not a mobile device and then taking it mobile for the fun of it or the concept of participating in social media "shout outs" in an attempt to validate that what a company has stated about the coverage of its own product is not true. Otherwie, I'm all about data analysis but heavens sake let's look to something besides social media "shout outs" as a method of gathering data.

Case in point if you watch these "overlanding" forums they often say traveling all over Central/South America, things such as "we did video conferencing the entire time and never lost our cell signal. Not true, as all one has to do is peruse facilities like OpenSignal to see the true cell coverage areas of any country. Why some would stake a career and make a potential bad decision to go mobile with a large data need based on following a social media gossip column rather than a reliable data source is quite the mystery.

There's a good reason the service is not advertised now as a mobile service and while I'm not being scientific but guessing that the reason is likely based on the fact it is not currently capable of being a mobile service and therefore it doesn't make much sense to jeopardize the company's stationary mobile beta program in an effort to prove them wrong. Best to wait until they say it's working. Also consider what can happen to both their own analysis and your own contract if one is to defy their directive of keeping the product stationary.

[Scapegoat]

Does anyone have the satellite code? I have an older Wingard and was wondering if we would be able to use this satellite to connect with the purchase of other equipment. Mine was set up for Direct but can be reset for Dish.

[Isaac-1]

Don Juane, everything I have seen implies Starlink is not saying this is not for transportable use. All this is being inferred from a statement in the connection issues FAQ that asks if the person is trying to make a connection away from their official service address. This may simply be due to Starlink having limited ground relay stations at this time, and currently only providing connections in certain regions of the US.