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Old 10-02-2022, 04:47 PM   #21
sourdough
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For those that have and use starlink; what are the downsides? Cost is not one but I've heard/read several comments about having to have a "clear" view of the sky etc. Our winter spot is in FL and big pines are all over. We do have a somewhat clear shot at some of the sky, what are the parameters for the "view" that the little dish has to have? I ask all this due to the debacle we have been having with Visible Wireless so need an alternative.
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Old 10-02-2022, 04:59 PM   #22
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For those that have and use starlink; what are the downsides? Cost is not one but I've heard/read several comments about having to have a "clear" view of the sky etc. Our winter spot is in FL and big pines are all over. We do have a somewhat clear shot at some of the sky, what are the parameters for the "view" that the little dish has to have? I ask all this due to the debacle we have been having with Visible Wireless so need an alternative.
Needs clear sky to the North
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:02 PM   #23
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The "portability" of the receiver is interesting. With our HughesNet system, we had to have precise dish aiming, so that essentially made a mobile or portable system impossible. With Starlink, it appears that dish aiming isn't critical to internet use. It would not be difficult to install a "pole on the side of the barn" and run the coax through a port or a small hole in the metal.

It's looking more and more interesting every day.
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:04 PM   #24
sourdough
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The "portability" of the receiver is interesting. With our HughesNet system, we had to have precise dish aiming, so that essentially made a mobile or portable system impossible. With Starlink, it appears that dish aiming isn't critical to internet use. It would not be difficult to install a "pole on the side of the barn" and run the coax through a port or a small hole in the metal.

It's looking more and more interesting every day.

Same here. My concern is coverage across the country. My hotspot using Verizon works well, I'm not sure what StarLink does/can do.
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:16 PM   #25
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Needs clear sky to the North

Javi, what does that clear sky to the N have to look like? What kind of angle from horizontal would I be looking at to acquire a sat? Our spot has a pretty good view to part of the N as long as it is at more than 45-50 degrees and not NW.
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:20 PM   #26
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Same here. My concern is coverage across the country. My hotspot using Verizon works well, I'm not sure what StarLink does/can do.
Our Verizon MiFi is a 3G device as is our "home phone". Verizon sent us a notice that Jan 1, 2023 they will no longer be supporting 3G service in our area. The 4G/5G "home phone device" has far more negative reviews than positive reviews and the 4G MiFi, while it will work here, has very poor reception in our area, so it'll work in the trailer when we travel, but won't work well for a home backup system. Our Frontier DSL line is about as "antiquated" as any system anywhere and is barely faster than the old 28.8 dial-up modems.

So, we're looking to replace the MiFi, upgrade the home phone and while we're at it, maybe get some decent internet bandwidth to boot. We had HughesNet satellite internet, but with the lag, DW can't use it to teach (she is an adjunct professor at DeVry University). Right now, when she's lecturing online, I'm "forbidden" to use any bandwidth on our DSL setup.... So, I use the MiFi, but without it as a backup, which looks like a problem with the new systems, StarLink may be an answer for home, plus we can take it on the road when we travel.

Worth checking it out when we get back home.
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:32 PM   #27
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Unlike geostationary satellites that are 22.3K miles up and therefore very slow. Starlink satellites are in much lower orbits 1/60th that distance... but because of that, they move across the sky. The customer dish has to "follow" them. This means you have to have clear sky in the direction of motion of the satellites, which depends on your location. Here in my town, it's roughly NNE, going by a mass deployment display I saw last year, though they may have a bunch of cross-hatching orbits by now that I haven't witnesed. Anyway, one of those paths has to be clear throughout some number of degrees for continuous service. The customer antenna knows how to track through 100°, though I assume the satellites are spaced closer than that.
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Old 10-02-2022, 05:42 PM   #28
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I got Starlink in early August. I was staying Livingston, Texas when it was delivered. The cell signal at the park I was at was almost non-existent. Starlink was a game changer! I have since used it In a couple of boondocking locations. It's lows down at times, but when I compare it to the crappy cell signals I had.........

I use my AT&T Hotspot now for those in between Starlink times. I bought a pole mount and aluminum flagpole to mount it to my Flag Buddy. I'm also going to keep the option of setting it on the ground. If you look it up on YouTube, people are getting creative with ways to permanmount it.
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Old 10-02-2022, 06:00 PM   #29
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From what I'm reading and hearing it probably wouldn't be worth the expense for us as much as I wish it was. In my travels through TX and much of the S maybe but when we get to forested areas, which we see a LOT, it seems there isn't enough coverage/satellites to keep you operational without cutting down trees which I don't own.
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Old 10-03-2022, 01:02 AM   #30
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I tried the Winegard Gateway and it would drop signal every 2 hours or so and need to be rebooted, so I returned it. I picked up a Verizon 8800L Mifi and it has worked good I get speeds where we are at of up to 40mps which is way more than enough to do multiple streams. We also have Verizon's 4g home internet and it has worked good too. Before we left home Verizon had put up a 5g tower which is less than a mile from the house it wasn't activate when we left home in May but it is now and so when I get home I will upgrade to a 5g modem. My MiFi get 100gb of hotspot data and each of our phones has 50. I am paying $40 a month for the MiFi and my Home service is $25. Since we have started spending around 5 and a half months a year on the road 4 years ago there has only been one place where we didn't get good enough signal to do what we needed that was in Palo Duro Canyon in Texas 4 years ago. So at least for now we are good.
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Old 10-03-2022, 03:43 AM   #31
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FYI if you are using a video device like a Roku or Firestick, reduce your video resolution in the device's settings to 720p, The boxes will default to the highest resolution that is available. If you reduce it to a lower resolution you will get much more viewing time on a hotspot at the reduced bandwidth. 720p is very watchable and the device won't gobble up all your data allotment.
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Old 10-03-2022, 03:59 AM   #32
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FYI if you are using a video device like a Roku or Firestick, reduce your video resolution in the device's settings to 720p, The boxes will default to the highest resolution that is available. If you reduce it to a lower resolution you will get much more viewing time on a hotspot at the reduced bandwidth. 720p is very watchable and the device won't gobble up all your data allotment.
I did that. Some streaming sites also allow you to do the same thing for viewing and also for downloads.
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Old 10-03-2022, 06:27 AM   #33
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From what I'm reading and hearing it probably wouldn't be worth the expense for us as much as I wish it was. In my travels through TX and much of the S maybe but when we get to forested areas, which we see a LOT, it seems there isn't enough coverage/satellites to keep you operational without cutting down trees which I don't own.
I thought about the tree thingy too.. But since we will most likely never leave Texas again and the parks we like are pretty much barren of anything but scrub brush I think we're good.. And I can always get the 150 foot cord for the Dishy..
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