Test Results: Starlink on a Sailboat Underway

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

is there no place we can go to escape the internet ?

It seems like the power switch on your computer/router would satisfy that need.

As for me, I like the ability to instantly look up anything I need to know or am curious about. I have the world's information at my finger tips. I love it.

Internet is important to me.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You can’t run electronics from modified sine power without risking damage. When this has worked for you in the past it only means you have been lucky.

I'm not sure how risky it is or maybe we were very lucky, because we ran all of our electronics and appliances off of a Freedom 1000 modified sine wave inverter/charger for about 20 years. Nothing seemed to care.

We also used 50/60 hz AC power of various voltages through transformers when in marinas, all over the world.

The only thing that ever complained was a microwave oven which was noisy when running on the Freedom. We got rid of the microwave.

Now we have a compact 1500w Magnum sine wave inverter/charger and it works perfectly. We turn it off at anchor however (to save standby power usage) and run our electronics off of a small West Marine inverter which presumably is modified sine wave. It works satisfactorily as well.

[akopac]

Originally Posted by Seafarer7

Agreed. For ocean crossings, an “InReach”, or “Iridium Go” device with the minimum cost subscription would go well with Starlink for backup/emergency use.

Really don’t need a go either. Epirb and a raft goes a long ways.

[Tenedos]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Wow, your blog is great. Regarding mounting it looks like you’ve got them on poles. Did you get the pole adapter for them?

Australia has a half price deal for Starlink hardware so I’m thinking of getting a second dish. Since I’ve got a wind generator on one side I would mount the two disheys side by side on the other side.

Did you buy the Starlink Ethernet adapter or if not how do you bypass the Starlink wifi adapter?

12V power would be nice, though we don’t have a shortage of 230V power as we leave our big inverter on 24/7.

If all this is explained in other posts on your blog then my apologies, I still need to spend some time there. Thanks very much!

Thanks. Regarding Ethernet and mounts, I indeed explain these in detail in the other article with part numbers etc.

But in short, I used existing marine mounts on the arch and built a connector using a machined stainless steel part. As for Ethernet, I have the Starlink Ethernet adapter but I don't use it. I don't use Starlinks router at all. They are quite bulky, you can only power them from 110V/240V and they don't have advanced features I need like bonding multiple different connections.

I explained these in more detail here:

https://svrenaissance.com/musings-about-starlink/

[Tenedos]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

That’s a huge bunch of very helpful information on your blog. Thank you. That’s a stainless steel massacre for the solar panels but with 2 dishy plus 2 full working with video conferencing you have no other choice then slam on every bit of solar that fits or run a gen very often.
Surprised you have a mono, how do you work in a rolly anchorage?

Confirmed me to order dishy and modify it…
Dishy run….dish slaughterer is approaching
Well in worst case I get a 2nd one…

Thanks. We indeed use quite a lot of power. Our typical consumption on a workday is around 400Ah (two Starlinks, multiple laptops, coffee machine running regularly, etc) . That's quite a lot for a mono to power from solar, especially in US Pacific Northwest. But days are long here in summer so, we are mostly self sufficient, especially when we motor around every couple of days or weekend (we have 165A Balmar to top off the batteries when the engine gets running).

As for rally anchorages, it is mostly OK as we stay a lot in well protected bays. But then I have this funny story. I had to make a presentation to a big group (around a thousand people) and a storm came in from the open side of the bay with 25+ kt winds and 4 ft rollers. We were on a well taken care of mooring buoy for the week, so I wasn't concerned about safety but the boat was jumping up and down. I was standing in the v-berth with a stationary background but it was at times hard to stand still and I was almost getting sea sick. I managed it without issues but if I couldn't, it certainly wouldn't be fun for those watching it for sure!

[shimari]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Thanks. Regarding Ethernet and mounts, I indeed explain these in detail in the other article with part numbers etc.

....

https://svrenaissance.com/musings-about-starlink/

Starlink specific marine mounts are starting to show up now. Seaview offers them now https://www.seaviewglobal.com/collec...nk-accessories

Etsy also has a number of different mounts. This one gives you the details to butcher your dishy, and a waterproof flat mount. https://www.etsy.com/search?q=starlink%20flat%20mount It's pricey though.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by akopac

Really don’t need a go either. Epirb and a raft goes a long ways.

Having 2 way sat comms may be helpful if you have a problem, but not to the extent of "set off the EPIRB and wait for someone to come get you".

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Having 2 way sat comms may be helpful if you have a problem, but not to the extent of "set off the EPIRB and wait for someone to come get you".

And even Epirbs now have two way comms in certain circumstances

[CaptainRivet]

Will the starlink work mounted under soft top bimini? Should be as the dishy itself has a thin plastic layer signals need to go through.
Have a Lavezzi cat with a soft top full enclosure bimini and want to installed right underneath the thin canvas. For that I will modify it flat. It’s just much easier to install it and to run necessary cables then putting it on the solar arch/Davits.
Like this it’s also much more protected from the elements. Will that work?

[Seafarer7]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

Will the starlink work mounted under soft top bimini? Should be as the dishy itself has a thin plastic layer signals need to go through.
Have a Lavezzi cat with a soft top full enclosure bimini and want to installed right underneath the thin canvas. For that I will modify it flat. It’s just much easier to install it and to run necessary cables then putting it on the solar arch/Davits.
Like this it’s also much more protected from the elements. Will that work?

It seems to work ok when covered by a spare tire cover so canvas shouldn’t be a problem
- https://tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit...link-in-an-rv/

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

Will the starlink work mounted under soft top bimini? Should be as the dishy itself has a thin plastic layer signals need to go through.
Have a Lavezzi cat with a soft top full enclosure bimini and want to installed right underneath the thin canvas. For that I will modify it flat. It’s just much easier to install it and to run necessary cables then putting it on the solar arch/Davits.
Like this it’s also much more protected from the elements. Will that work?

We just order a pipe adapter from Starlink and it not only came with the pipe adapter but also a nylon cover for the rectangular Dishy McFlatface. Does not obstruct it at all. I’ve heard of others who have mounted under soft tops. You would need to mount it so it is not obstructed by the tubes though.

I guess I would caution mounting it too low because in its preferred orientation the visibility chart shows it searching from about 15* above horizontal.

Lifelines and rigging seem to be OK, but the mast and boom definitely do create obstructions. Sails don’t however.

Have you got the Starlink app? You can do an obstruction check at any location without having the dish. Just run it with your phone in the location(s) you’re thinking of.

[Fortytwo]

https://flagpolebuddy.com/ols/produc...2nd-generation

[jordanbigel]

That flag pole buddy is overpriced, and, I think the rocket-metaphor appearance is cheesy.

If you have a 1" rail, you can mount the dish easily with one of these adapters from e-riggers (others make them as well) and a standard rail-mount 1 1/4" antenna base. You can use the adapter with any standard antenna mount, not just a rail-mount.

Not trying to make it solely a competition to the cheapest solution, but the cost of the antenna mount and the adapter are about $105. If you have a conveniently located rail, this is a really simple approach in my view.

E-Riggers:
starling marine adapter antenna mount

PS. No affiliation with this company, just a happy customer.

[Jon Hacking]

Since this is a marine forum, I should point out that those motors are almost certainly not marine certified, & they're also the only moving parts in the whole system.

So I'm planning to bypass all of that, in a similar way to Capt Rivet, but not under our bimini (which is thick foam sandwich).

I'm planning to grab Dishy along its edges with a pair of C-section aluminum extrusions mounted the correct distance apart to the under-sides of our solar-panel frames [ ] & sticking out the side (or back). Dishy will slide in between the extrusions, & then I'll either add another bit of aluminum across the end, or (more likely) just lash the ends of the extrusions together, snuggling Dishy in between & preventing it from sliding out.

This will:

• Keep Dishy mounted vertically (the best orientation, especially for the tropics)
• Prevent Dishy from shading the solar panels
• Eliminate any dependence on the motors (without actually deactivating them)
• Eliminate all moving parts in the system

Rivet's mounting under a fabric bimini will attenuate the signal very slightly, both on xmit & receive, but I'm sure it will still work well enough, especially since Starlink sends out covers themselves. It's a good approach, on several levels.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Have you got the Starlink app? You can do an obstruction check at any location without having the dish. Just run it with your phone in the location(s) you’re thinking of.

Good tip, thank you.
Location confirmed, works well due to app. Front corner backboard side, boom will never get above or close.
But I figured because Bimini is curved it won‘t be 100% vertical, around 10 degrees off and cannot correct that fully.
Dishy will be mounted so top is even with the SS tubes. Add 2 pipes and the plastic board I will use to seal the cut off rear part of the dishy will be bigger like a mounting frame and through bolt them from below to the 25mm tubes.