starlink mount

[turf]

hey folks,

i picked up a starlink to put on the roof of my bus.

i just finished installing solar panels on my roof and im tired of drilling holes in my roof! also, the solar panels really limit where i can put the starlink. its going to be right up front, possibly shading my clearance lights.

standard gen 3 starlink, not a mini.

so... i have 2 options.

1. put it right into the roof. i have a mount and screws, but where its going to fit, is just a single sheet of metal roofing, no seam or hat channel to fasten to. bolts are not an option, its going into a blind, insulated space.

2. i have new solar rails that hold my panels. i can mount some angle iron (or aluminum) across the rails, and screw my starlink mount into that. roughly the same spot on the bus, but a few inches higher. 2-3 inches above the roof. the bonus of this would be that, its not another hole in the roof, it could be bolted. probably a bit more vulnerable.

what would you do?

 

[AlphaHare]

what would you do?

IMO, anything other than something controlled by a megalomaniac child.

How much does it weigh? A few rivet nuts onto the skin would be fine if the weight doesn't even approach oil-canning the skin. You might consider a simple brushguard/rockguard on the front side - it's going to be the first thing that hits a branch.

 

[fo4imtippin]

you might consider mounting the harbor freight telescopic flagpole to the back bumper and doing a polemount for starlink on top of that. i have seen many rvers do that. If you keep it level with the top, it will work most places and you can raise it higher if needed to clear a building or trees you are parked next to.

 

[turf]

IMO, anything other than something controlled by a megalomaniac child.

How much does it weigh? A few rivet nuts onto the skin would be fine if the weight doesn't even approach oil-canning the skin. You might consider a simple brushguard/rockguard on the front side - it's going to be the first thing that hits a branch.

lolol

well, i bought it a couple of months ago, before this **** show revealed itself.

not sure about the weight, it still in the box, under 5 lbs, i think.

i've seen the telescoping pole version. i want something mounted permanent.

it occured to me after posting this, a 3rd option i like, and am probably leaning towards.

instead of bridging the rails and centering the starlink. i think i can find an 8x8" square plate, and mount that on a single solar rail, then mount the starlink to the single plate.

that gives me more options of where it could go. and an easier spot to eyeball the unit to see if its ok.

hmmm

as long as i dont attack russia, elon is safe

:biggrin:

 

[s2mikon]

I used a pole mount that just clears the top of the coach. I carry other sections to elevate it further if needed. I used the fiberglass camo netting poles and painted them to match the coach. I just turn it until the app on my phone says good. I start out by pointing it 0 degrees North. I also use them for my antenna mounts for my ham antennas. For being a megalomaniac child his crap does work.

 

[DeMac]

Pole Mount

I used a pole mount that just clears the top of the coach. I carry other sections to elevate it further if needed. I used the fiberglass camo netting poles and painted them to match the coach. I just turn it until the app on my phone says good. I start out by pointing it 0 degrees North. I also use them for my antenna mounts for my ham antennas. For being a megalomaniac child his crap does work.

---------------
Plus one, on the pole mount.

We have our Gen 3 Starlink mounted to a 2" Aluminum pole. There are a few different brands of mount.

The dish is easily compromised by trees, blocking the line of site to the asimuth, Having the ability to move the dish's location may be very useful if you intend to camp in various locations. The skyview of campsites varies, so the ideal parking arrangement may not yeild the greatest signal strength.

The ability to move the pole (& dish), while not required to move the rig, may be useful. A telescoping or raised pole may help you to clear the field of view from trees.

Dish permanently pole mounted.
Pole height adjustable.
Front & rear mounting brackets on your rig.

 

[turf]

question for pole mounters.

does the starlink live on the pole? or are you setting it up everytime?


i guess im looking for ... easy. set and forget. on fixed setups, im seeing peeps say that the loss in performance isnt enough to make it worth it to move it.

alone on a solar rail, it could sit next to the rooftop AC or further back midship.

i already have the rv mobility mount from starlink. so im probably starting with that.

id be interested in a flag poles, flying a camp flag has been on my back burner project list. what telescoping pole do you have and how's it mounted?

 

[fo4imtippin]

question for pole mounters.

does the starlink live on the pole? or are you setting it up everytime?


i guess im looking for ... easy. set and forget. on fixed setups, im seeing peeps say that the loss in performance isnt enough to make it worth it to move it.

alone on a solar rail, it could sit next to the rooftop AC or further back midship.

Its probably 50/50. If you build your pole mount to survive motion use and you put some cable glands in that secure your wires, you can just leave it up and on all the time. If you needed to, you could climb on a ladder to remove and carry to an open spot or something.


https://images.app.goo.gl/xvaA4orBKHC9Y1n57


there's tons of mounts and adapters. Theres ram mounts and other stuff as well.

 

[s2mikon]

You have to aim the thing to get it to work. If it is 45 degrees off it won't work. I have used mine on the ground before but deer or other mammals could walk on it and render it useless. I have 4 mounts I made at all 4 corners of the coach to mount to. In thick forest it is unhappy and so are the solar panels. It has to see a northern sky view that is unobstructed by trees or buildings. I spend very little time setting it up. They do make a system that is for RV's and is permanent mount, but is more money. I'm using the residential system with the roam plan. I don't E.M. to have any more of my money than absolutely necessary, for various reasons.

 

[turf]

ok, ok ,ok


enough beating around the bush here......

i really meant, whats up with mars?

i just tried out the mount on the solar rail and i like it. the t-bolts suck it right in and fasten hard and tight like bonding screws. used 2 of the 4 hole mount, no mounting plate, just bolted straight to the rail.

i'd trust it on the road at 75.

 

[turf]

so, mars is a fools game. js

but, love my starlink(s)

so i got the dish mounted, its midship, about even with my escape hatch. the cord is run up to the front along the rail. tomorrow, the cable will get pulled inside thru an access hole i had up there from my abandoned tv antenna.

i double checked with other reports of starlink. gen 3 definitely works in any orientation. its approved for in motion,(under 10mph) but seem to work at speeds up to about 80mph.

im hoping to have the power hooked up tomorrow and will post the result.

i broke my wheel hub today moving the ladder around the bus. i noticed the oil puddle, and then went to touch the hub and its crumbling away.

2 steps forward, 1 step back
:biggrin:

 

[cadillackid]

I could care less about the politics of the guy.. starlink works...



got one of the mini devices and it was as simple as taking it outside and turning it on.. its a smaller dish but still without even going through the aiming process.. it still got close to 70 Mbps..



since i have multiple busses I want it to be portable.. thinking about fashioning up something I can fit into a bus window for when im parcked.. a window left down one notch isnt goingto roast or freeze me or flood the bus.. it would hang out the window ..(good for parked but not driving obviously..



if aiming is super important I cant imagine it working well while driving anyway as you constantly change directions..
maybe i'll make an easy mount for the back bus door where I could reach it to take the dishy off and on with just standing inside the bus and not need a ladder.. if in fact it would run while driving.. would be less obtrusive than something hanging off the side.. I just dont want to deal with a heavy pole or having to climb on my bus roof each time I move from bus to bus.. 2 I use regularly, however earlier this year i rwally couldve used it at one opf the bus meets i attended in my 1978 Superior where there was weak cell service and we encountered an issue in our NOC.. i had to take off and drive to town for good service..

 

[Dbacks2k4]

I've got the "classic" or original starlink dishy. I'm just going to mount a small piece of pipe or a coupler to the side of the bus at roof height for dishy's pole to set into. That way I can use the original base on the ground if I need to move the dish further away from the bus to get to a tree clearing or something depending on where I'm at.



I'll run a pass-through port somewhere on the side of the bus to get inside to my firewall and power source.

 

[twcook]

I did a similar setup with the mobility mount, but used U-bolts to attach to the rail since I was out of T-bolts. Works great. I used a Blue Sea cable clam to run the cable through the roof - I bought a shorter cable just long enough to reach where I have the starlink router mounted, and ran all that before spray foaming. If I'm ever in a place where I need to run the starlink somewhere else than up there, I can still pull it out of that mount and use with the kickstand and original cable.

 

[fo4imtippin]

I could care less about the politics of the guy.. starlink works...



got one of the mini devices and it was as simple as taking it outside and turning it on.. its a smaller dish but still without even going through the aiming process.. it still got close to 70 Mbps..



since i have multiple busses I want it to be portable.. thinking about fashioning up something I can fit into a bus window for when im parcked.. a window left down one notch isnt goingto roast or freeze me or flood the bus.. it would hang out the window ..(good for parked but not driving obviously..



if aiming is super important I cant imagine it working well while driving anyway as you constantly change directions..
maybe i'll make an easy mount for the back bus door where I could reach it to take the dishy off and on with just standing inside the bus and not need a ladder.. if in fact it would run while driving.. would be less obtrusive than something hanging off the side.. I just dont want to deal with a heavy pole or having to climb on my bus roof each time I move from bus to bus.. 2 I use regularly, however earlier this year i rwally couldve used it at one opf the bus meets i attended in my 1978 Superior where there was weak cell service and we encountered an issue in our NOC.. i had to take off and drive to town for good service..

They make magnet mounts that are road rated. You could just slap a magnet on it and run the cable through the window.. The mini makes it so easy.

 

[turf]

I did a similar setup with the mobility mount, but used U-bolts to attach to the rail since I was out of T-bolts. Works great. I used a Blue Sea cable clam to run the cable through the roof - I bought a shorter cable just long enough to reach where I have the starlink router mounted, and ran all that before spray foaming. If I'm ever in a place where I need to run the starlink somewhere else than up there, I can still pull it out of that mount and use with the kickstand and original cable.

hmmmm..... genius!!!!!!


i will be shopping for a u bolt today!

2 holes got the t-bolts, and its solid. but, a slight twist on the t bolt nut would essentailly remove the bolt. loosening removes the tension that makes the t bolt work.

a ubolt thru the other 2 holes, looping under the rail would esxsentially be a safety chain on the entire setup. i'll do it! great idea


did you cut your cable to install thru the body? i just drilled a bigger hole. but i sure cant put a wire gland on it unless one end comes off. are there special glands that pass a rj45 connector?

oh well, i have a 3/4" hole now...... was just going to cover with dicor.

edit: re-read twcook's post about the cable - different cable

 

[twcook]

Yes, because the bottom of those rails are flat, with the squared kind of U-bolt it's completely stable side to side. I mounted the mobility mount to a piece of 1/4" aluminum, then used 2 U-bolts to attach that to the rail.

On the cable, if you look at the Blue Sea Cable Clam (available on Amazon etc) you don't have to remove the connector. You can run something as big as a PL-259 connector (like for CB radio) through it. You just need to drill a 25mm hole in the skin of the bus. I have 4 of them in various places running cable in, no leak issues so far but I did seal the ones on top with dicor lap sealant just for insurance.

 

[twcook]

Supposedly you can use one of these to run RJ45 through but I didn't try it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RZP4CCQ

 

[turf]

the clam shell is the ticket!!!!

sorry for glossing over that the first time and making you say it twice. please accept my apology.

my clamshell is ordered and on the way.

that last link looks like the type of connector i avoid.... the fewer connectons the better. that looks like it takes a pass thru and makes it into 2 more connections.

i got a ubolt yesterday. will try the size out, but my local bigbox only had 2 square ubolt sizes and neither were close, so i have a standard 2 1/2" one and will try it when it warms up. if its not the right size, then i'll try a real hardware store for the square kind.

 

[Carrier6]

I saw on a four wheeling site that they make a magnetic mount that works for the starlink set up. The guy had it on his jeep and wheeling the **** out of it and it never moved. That might be an option for movability for signal strength.