Starlink ordered… I feel it’s the only sensible option now.. (36 Viewers)

[fred_jb]

Where did you get your V2 dish from?
No longer good deals as far as we can see.

I will be changing to the Mini after my next trip, so sounds hopeful that I can get back what I paid for my Gen 2, or maybe a bit more, when I get around to selling it!

I have already decided how I will be mounting the Mini, in a way which will allow it to stay flat on the roof while travelling but be adjustable for tilt and direction when static, or be removed and ground mounted on a tripod when the van is too shaded. I will be using my Beryl router in the van so will run the Mini in pass through mode. To avoid needing two cables, as the Mini does not support POE internally, I will use external POE with a waterproof splitter attached to the back of the dish. This splitter actually converts the POE voltage, 56V in this case, to a regulated 12V 60W output to power the dish, so hopefully no problems due to cable length when I have it tripod mounted away from the van.

In case it is of interest I will put a thread up in this section when I get around to doing this in Oct/Nov. I haven't ordered the Mini yet, so hopefully it will have come down in price a bit by then too!

 

[Vansflyer]

First the good news... did an update on Dishy today and it now shows power consumption. Running mine on a 12-48v conversion and the figures pretty well matched what the shunt was displaying.
Less good news is they maybe clamping down on use over 2 months outside home country, that could throw a spanner in the works!

 

[MisterB]

I will be changing to the Mini after my next trip, so sounds hopeful that I can get back what I paid for my Gen 2, or maybe a bit more, when I get around to selling it!

I have already decided how I will be mounting the Mini, in a way which will allow it to stay flat on the roof while travelling but be adjustable for tilt and direction when static, or be removed and ground mounted on a tripod when the van is too shaded. I will be using my Beryl router in the van so will run the Mini in pass through mode. To avoid needing two cables, as the Mini does not support POE internally, I will use external POE with a waterproof splitter attached to the back of the dish. This splitter actually converts the POE voltage, 56V in this case, to a regulated 12V 60W output to power the dish, so hopefully no problems due to cable length when I have it tripod mounted away from the van.

In case it is of interest I will put a thread up in this section when I get around to doing this in Oct/Nov. I haven't ordered the Mini yet, so hopefully it will have come down in price a bit by then too!

I noticed the mini for sale at Costco yesterday...
I didn't take much notice of it and I didn't read the detail re subscription etc

I'm not sure why you wouldn't just use the built in router? Would the dish ever be that far away that you couldn't get a decent download and connection speed?

 

[fred_jb]

I noticed the mini for sale at Costco yesterday...
I didn't take much notice of it but I'm sure it was around £270 mark, but I didn't read the detail re subscription etc

Thanks, I will check that out, though do you have to have an account at Costco? At the moment some retailers, like Curry's, are asking £299 for the Gen 3 dish, which is the same as the Starlink shop, but I I have only seen the Mini on the Starlink site, where it is £399.

 

[MisterB]

Thanks, I will check that out, though do you have to have an account at Costco? At the moment some retailers, like Curry's, are asking £299 for the Gen 3 dish, which is the same as the Starlink shop, but I I have only seen the Mini on the Starlink site, where it is £399.

I just corrected my post re the price as I'm not sure I was correct.... Yes you have to be a member OR go with a member and then you can pay for it yourself at the till.

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[MisterB]

fred_jb Starlink V4

£288 Inc VAT - I just checked for you !!

 

[BrochMike]

clamping down on use over 2 months outside home country,

Suppose it depends what changing account country means (eg. do you need a 'foreign' address/bank account?)
Pretty sure UK is the most expensive base - so can't see them rushing to give you the 'foreign' rate.

 

[fred_jb]

I noticed the mini for sale at Costco yesterday...
I didn't take much notice of it and I didn't read the detail re subscription etc

I'm not sure why you wouldn't just use the built in router? Would the dish ever be that far away that you couldn't get a decent download and connection speed?

I want the router in the van, not outside and potentially at the end of a 150 ft cable. On our last trip, on at least half of the sites we visted, I had to use a tripod ground mount well away from the van to get a decent view of the sky. Not ideal when we are in a metal box some distance from the router.

The other reason is to have a better router with more configurability. For example with my Beryl router I am able to give it credentials for my Surfshark account and tell it to route via the VPN for our LG smart TV. This lets us watch iPlayer, ITXx, etc, as if we are in the UK, which was useful for watching the Euro footie on our last trip. Other advantages are that I can USB tether a phone to the Beryl router as an alternative Internet source, and can connect the TV via a wired network cable to avoid potential wifi issues.

 

[fred_jb]

fred_jb Starlink V4

£288 Inc VAT - I just checked for you !!

Thanks, but sadly I think V4 is an alternative designation for the full size Gen 3 dish, not the Mini.

 

[MisterB]

Thanks, but sadly I think V4 is an alternative designation for the full size Gen 3 dish, not the Mini.

Are you sure you wouldn't be better off following the Roger Ivy videos and turning your Gen 2 into 12v to achieve the same setup?
My all in one version can be used anywhere without permanent mounting. I'm pretty sure you could mount the Beryl router board inside instead of the Starlink router board.

I might have a look next week when I finish the conservatory reroof!!

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[fred_jb]

Are you sure you wouldn't be better off following the Roger Ivy videos and turning your Gen 2 into 12v to achieve the same setup?
My all in one version can be used anywhere without permanent mounting. I'm pretty sure you could mount the Beryl router board inside instead of the Starlink router board.

I might have a look next week when I finish the conservatory reroof!!

I like the Gen2 with regards to its internal POE which gives the ability to mount it at the end of a long cable without power issues, and the associated ease of conversion of the power source to 12V using a 12V to 48V converter and POE injector, and I wouldn't want the router inside it anyway for the reasons of wifi reception at a distance as mentioned. However I want to change to something smaller and lighter which can be left on the roof while travelling but can still be ground mounted when necessary. I realise you are able to do something similar with your hacked Gen2, but my appetite for hardware hacking is limited to less extreme forms these days! I will be happy if I can have the Mini working with POE over a single network cable just like my Gen2, by adding an external POE splitter to it.

 

[fred_jb]

Thanks, but sadly I think V4 is an alternative designation for the full size Gen 3 dish, not the Mini.

Just to expand on that, the confusion seems to be due to the latest full size dish being V4 but the matching router being Gen3 - or at least that is what this article says:

First Tests: How Fast Are Starlink's New Dish V4 and Router V3?

SpaceX has a new standard satellite dish and router. Here's how it beats the old standard equipment on design and performance.

uk.pcmag.com

 

[MisterB]

I like the Gen2 with regards to its internal POE which gives the ability to mount it at the end of a long cable without power issues, and the associated ease of conversion of the power source to 12V using a 12V to 48V converter and POE injector, and I wouldn't want the router inside it anyway for the reasons of wifi reception at a distance as mentioned. However I want to change to something smaller and lighter which can be left on the roof while travelling but can still be ground mounted when necessary. I realise you are able to do something similar with your hacked Gen2, but my appetite for hardware hacking is limited to less extreme forms these days! I will be happy if I can have the Mini working with POE over a single network cable just like my Gen2, by adding an external POE splitter to it.

If you ever wanted to bite the bullet and can get over to me or if we met on a rally or something, I'd be more than happy to do the conversion 'with you' .... Or anyone else for that matter ....

 

[Carpmart]

I want the router in the van, not outside and potentially at the end of a 150 ft cable. On our last trip, on at least half of the sites we visted, I had to use a tripod ground mount well away from the van to get a decent view of the sky. Not ideal when we are in a metal box some distance from the router.

The other reason is to have a better router with more configurability. For example with my Beryl router I am able to give it credentials for my Surfshark account and tell it to route via the VPN for our LG smart TV. This lets us watch iPlayer, ITXx, etc, as if we are in the UK, which was useful for watching the Euro footie on our last trip. Other advantages are that I can USB tether a phone to the Beryl router as an alternative Internet source, and can connect the TV via a wired network cable to avoid potential wifi issues.

Interesting post! Do you go to sites and plug in? I spend all my effort parking without obstruction so I can power the van via solar. The byproduct is I get good Starlink coverage too!

In nine months of continuous continental use and 18 months of use overall, I have never had to demount the dish from the roof to achieve unobstructed coverage.

 

[fred_jb]

Interesting post! Do you go to sites and plug in? I spend all my effort parking without obstruction so I can power the van via solar. The byproduct is I get good Starlink coverage too!

In nine months of continuous continental use and 18 months of use overall, I have never had to demount the dish from the roof to achieve unobstructed coverage.

We get solar and alternator charging of our two leisure batteries during the day while driving, but yes, we like to have a hook up if possible when parked for the night as this allows us to run the aircon and the air fryer. That also means we can park in the shade, while having the Starlink on a tripod at the end of a long cable nearly always allows me to find somewhere to site it with a better view of the sky than mounting it on the roof.

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[fred_jb]

Just a heads up for anyone looking to buy the Starlink Mini. Curry's now have it at £399 with free next day delivery, compared to the 2-4 weeks being quoted by the Starlink online shop. I decided that if Curry's are stocking it then there is unlikely to be a price reduction anytime soon so have ordered one which should arrive tomorrow. With a bit of luck I should be able to get it fitted before our next trip in September.

 

[fred_jb]

My post about installing the Mini can be seen here:

Starlink Mini Installed

I have now done the first stage of my Starlink Mink installation, which was to get it mounted on the roof. This replaces my Gen 2 setup with something more compact and which can be left on the roof while travelling if I want. However I aso want to retain the ability to deploy the dish on a...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Carpmart]

My post about installing the Mini can be seen here:

Starlink Mini Installed

I have now done the first stage of my Starlink Mink installation, which was to get it mounted on the roof. This replaces my Gen 2 setup with something more compact and which can be left on the roof while travelling if I want. However I aso want to retain the ability to deploy the dish on a...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Out of interest, why did you post this separately (then link here) and not on this thread? I like the fact everything Starlink related is on one thread (one place to look) as it makes it easy to catch up with what everyone is doing, latest news, good install ideas etc?

 

[BrochMike]

Out of interest, why did you post this separately (then link here) and not on this thread? I like the fact everything Starlink related is on one thread (one place to look) as it makes it easy to catch up with what everyone is doing, latest news, good install ideas etc?

I wouldn't be offended!

Over 18 months, with 78 pages & 2k posts this thread has gathered a huge wealth of information (and has been fascinating for those who have followed it since the start).

Unfortunately, it has also become very difficult to find 'key' stuff about Starlink Internet for anyone trying to get started.

I don't think it's unreasonable for folk to post specific/targeted questions/solutions in new threads (as with every other topic from Lithium to Mifi to toilets).

Perhaps Jim could even start a separate section in the forum list specifically for Starlink Internet?

 

[MisterB]

I wouldn't be offended!

Over 18 months, with 78 pages & 2k posts this thread has gathered a huge wealth of information (and has been fascinating for those who have followed it since the start).

Unfortunately, it has also become very difficult to find 'key' stuff about Starlink Internet for anyone trying to get started.

I don't think it's unreasonable for folk to post specific/targeted questions/solutions in new threads (as with every other topic from Lithium to Mifi to toilets).

Perhaps Jim could even start a separate section in the forum list specifically for Starlink Internet?

I understand your point and as one of the contributers to this thread I actually agree with it. This thread is and has been a great source of info and idea swapping for modifying Gen 2 Starlinks, from what I understand the Starlink mini tries to meet those market needs and making the mini a new thread seems to me to make sense, though it might also help if anyone has any significant starlink stuff to share that the thread intro could be added on this thread ....

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[fred_jb]

Out of interest, why did you post this separately (then link here) and not on this thread? I like the fact everything Starlink related is on one thread (one place to look) as it makes it easy to catch up with what everyone is doing, latest news, good install ideas etc?

I didn't want to hijack the original thread with something that might take it off in a different direction, plus I thought it might be sensible to have a separate thread to more easily discuss stuff specific to the Mini. I thought putting a link to the new thread here would be a good compromise.

 

[Carpmart]

Fair enough! I shall follow the majority!

The issue I see is fragmentation and repetition… look how many threads we get each week asking for the best roaming SIM deals!

 

[MisterB]

Fair enough! I shall follow the majority!

The issue I see is fragmentation and repetition… look how many threads we get each week asking for the best roaming SIM deals!

So what is the best SIM ......

 

[Vansflyer]

So what is the best SIM ......

A big white one called Dishy

 

[Carpmart]

I didn't want to hijack the original thread with something that might take it off in a different direction, plus I thought it might be sensible to have a separate thread to more easily discuss stuff specific to the Mini. I thought putting a link to the new thread here would be a good compromise.

Fred it appears you’ve started up two Starlink mini threads now? Confused.com

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[fred_jb]

Fred it appears you’ve started up two Starlink mini threads now? Confused.com

I wasn't aware of the other thread until after I started mine. Once it popped up I did make some comments in it, but didn't start it, so not guilty your honour!

 

[Carpmart]

I wasn't aware of the other thread until after I started mine. Once it popped up I did make some comments in it, but didn't start it, so not guilty your honour!

Apologies for my somewhat terse message! I was trying to look at some of the posts regarding your instal to show a Belgium chap on the aire I’m on, but it took me 10 mins and a search to then realise there are two threads running on the mini!!!

Validates my point about multiple threads.. tres confusing!!!

 

[fred_jb]

Apologies for my somewhat terse message! I was trying to look at some of the posts but it took me 10 mins and a search to then realise there are two threads running on the mini!!!

No problem, I took it as a lighthearted comment. Having checked it seems that my Mini thread and the other one were posted within three minutes of each other so neither of us would have been aware of the other.

 

[Donkster]

Now that the Camino (Tiekom) service has had its day and the continued roaming data challenges, as well as crappy data service in the UK, I’ve had enough of pratting around as I just want always on, full service broadband wherever I am.

So, the solution (I hope) is a Starlink Roam order was placed today. £460 for the hardware, £95 per month for the service. I know some may consider this expensive but I will no longer need a data tariff SIM in the UK for the Netgear, nor will I need the Tiekom data SIM for between 5 and 8 months per year and I can knock back the Popit SIMs to 10Gig each, so the difference is not that great really.

I’ve worked out a spot on the roof where I will be fitting a small frame to mount the dish whilst parked up. It will be a couple of mins job to climb ladder and four wing nuts to secure, connect the cable and job is done!

The cable will be permanently installed through the roof into my existing media cupboard and at present I will power from my main inverter, but I may switch to a small 250w Victron pure sine wave inverter just for this in the future, so I don’t have to leave the main inverter on all the time.

Starlink quote around one KWh of power consumption per day. The peak power consumption is 75w and average consumption seems to be in the 35w range (230v power ratings). Many North American RV users are suggesting that the power consumption is way better than Starlink suggest and better than they expected.

A new feature from Starlink should help with power use as you can set ‘night periods’ where the system shuts down during set hours to reduce power consumption. I’ve ordered and will fit another 200w solar panel to augment the existing solar. I actually needed a larger Amperage Victron MPPT and some bigger cable to the batteries as well, so not the cheapest exercise…

I’ve purchased a compact almost purpose designed electrical box to store the 75ft cable in on the roof when travelling. This will enable me to move the dish from the roof to the ground should I have obstacles obstructing the dish, but very easily without too much faff.

Will try and document a ‘how I did it’ incase it is of interest and or use to others and will of course let everyone know how good (I hope) this is…..

the expectation and promise from Starlink matches real world performance. Watch this space!

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/star-link-mini.308617/reply?quote=6280167

 

[BrochMike]

Validates my point about multiple threads.. tres confusing!!!

Search for "star" and up they all pop.

Searching is usually quicker than scrolling - just ask Google (or is that Jeeves?)

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