Starlink RV Now Available

[FredWilma]

Starlink RV is now available currently with no waitlist as it is not area specific.

Service delivery is on a “best endeavors” basis.

$135 per month but can be paused and re-started at any time.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/want-star...tlist?amp=true

[Dennis C]

Interesting. The ability to pause monthly billing during winter months is particularly appealing.

[FredWilma]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Interesting. The ability to pause monthly billing during winter months is particularly appealing.

A little more information on expected performance:

Latency 20-40 ms

Download: 50-250 mbps (5-100 in high usage congested areas shown as “waitlist” areas on their coverage map)

Upload: 10-20 mbps

No data caps

See coverage map:

https://www.starlink.com/map

[Dennis C]

I just watched a YouTube review of the system. It looks really interesting, especially for people who are full-timers or who work from the road.

I don’t think it makes sense for me personally at this time. The dish is big and it looks like a bit of a pain to set it up at a campsite. It obviously requires a clear view of the sky to work, and it’s expensive to purchase the equipment.

Cool technology though…

[CMHM]

I was able to test it for the last 2-3 months.

- very easy to setup, you power it on and it takes about 2-3mins to adjust itself and find the satellites

- very fast download and upload speed

- outages: the signal drops every 10-20mins for a split second. I found it irritating for video calls, for everything else it works fine

- biggest problem: you need an unobstructed view! The system comes with its own scanner that looks at what’s around the antenna. My antenna is currently set up on a field the size of a football pitch, however surrounded by 30-40ft tall trees. The satellites are often positioned low on the horizon and then you have no other option than reverting back to LTE/5G signal.

If you camp in the desert or on beaches you should be fine, everything else won’t work.

[Boondocker]

My understanding is that it is also a power hog which is a downside for boondockers. Even so, I may well get it at some point depending on the reports from other users who go the places I like to go.

[Vlamgat]

My experience the same as written: Power horn definitely must be disconnected between sessions; receiver tends to hang onto a satellite until its signal is interrupted probably because there is no replacement for it as the system is still needs many more birds. Size of equipment is a no go for me. Too big. I am a long time Iridium user. More expensive but relatively reliable.

[cazual6]

And if you want to know how to get the wire out with a quick disconnect, here it is

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f45...ut-233993.html

[Pete B55]

Originally Posted by CMHM

I was able to test it for the last 2-3 months.

- very easy to setup, you power it on and it takes about 2-3mins to adjust itself and find the satellites

- very fast download and upload speed

- outages: the signal drops every 10-20mins for a split second. I found it irritating for video calls, for everything else it works fine

- biggest problem: you need an unobstructed view! The system comes with its own scanner that looks at what’s around the antenna. My antenna is currently set up on a field the size of a football pitch, however surrounded by 30-40ft tall trees. The satellites are often positioned low on the horizon and then you have no other option than reverting back to LTE/5G signal.

If you camp in the desert or on beaches you should be fine, everything else won’t work.

I’m curious what latitude your setup is. Most of the satellites are in the 50-55 degree azimuth range which suggests availability would improve at higher latitudes than most of the continental US

[AirParkOnly]

Love mine. Used it in Mono Lake for the first time last weekend.

It really does need access to the sky with no or few obstructions to be effective, and if you are a Boondocker like me, you often don't have access to clear skies because you like to park in the woods.

[CMHM]

I am in Malibu, CA

[jondrew55]

Mine will be here Monday. Does not look like I’ll get a trip in before the return period expires. I’ll get some experience at home as I’m in a “waitlisted” semi-obstructed area.

[Vlamgat]

Originally Posted by AirParkOnly

Love mine. Used it in Mono Lake for the first time last weekend.

It really does need access to the sky with no or few obstructions to be effective, and if you are a Boondocker like me, you often don't have access to clear skies because you like to park in the woods.

Access to sky....my tests show this has to be an arc at least 90 degrees for 360 degrees around you. There are not enough satellites up there for hand off in any one segment of the sky and the density varies by latitude. Its not yet possible to predict what the density will be at any given latitude at any given time of the day or night. Satellites are frequently removed from availability for testing, software changes and calibration. This latter happens on a major scale whenever there is a new launch.

Its getting there but for any professional use, its still a few years (and many millions of $) away from replicating Iridium.