Which Starlink kit for the boat

[Arrluk]

Are any of you running the standard Home Starlink Kit on your boats? Looking at the website and we’re not liking the price of the Marine Service. Is the Marine Kit a must for internet offshore?

Hoping we can just purchase the standard kit, thanks

​

 

[Jklotz]

A lot of folks seem to go with the RV version. Home ain't going to work. I did read something recently where service was revoked when they detected it being used off shore with an RV account, with the only option being to upgrade to marine, but I suspect that was a one off thing? I suppose it could happen.

BTW - several threads here about starlink. Do a search, lot's of good info.

 

[tiltrider1]

First off Starlink is a moving target. This means everything I say today has the potential to be wrong tomorrow.

As of today I would recommend you get a home kit that consists of a Gen 3 router and an articulated antenna. Once you have it set up and working switch your plan to Regional Mobile Roam unlimited low priority. This sounds wrong but switching to Roam high priority removes you from unlimited use and will cost more. You do not need a marine antenna or offshore plan unless you plan to head off shore.

The new standard antenna is larger than the articulated antenna. It can be installed in a flat position and it will work just fine. It is very hard to predict which will be better in the future. We do know that the articulated antennas go flat while traveling and then realign themselves once you have stopped to get you the best connectivity. It is not uncommon to see two starlink antenna pointing in different directions. Starlink will do this to move traffic to different satellites.

So either antenna will work. Gen 2 routers are very good but Gen 3 are technically better. The Roam plan should cost a fixed $150 a month.

 

[tiltrider1]

Sorry missed the real question. You do not need the marine antenna for off shore but you will need the Global Mobile Roam plan, not the $5000 marine plan.

 

[delirious duo]

Remember to save a buck before switching plan to mobile register stationary if your boat prepping. Then when boats skookum switch to global mobile. The standard dish is all that’s required.

 

[SteveK]

As said things change constantly with SL. Last I looked a home plan costs less than roam with the same Gen 2 or 3. Again no longer sure if the home plan with Gen 2 can be switched to mobile as they are pushing the Gen 3 and marine for boats.
Once in a while I spend time reading while logged into Starlink and each time I find new wordings.
What I am sure of is I have an RV roam Gen 2 package that works in motion under 12 knots. (it did)

 

[Flatswing]

Are any of you running the standard Home Starlink Kit on your boats? Looking at the website and we’re not liking the price of the Marine Service. Is the Marine Kit a must for internet offshore?

Hoping we can just purchase the standard kit, thanks

​

I recently bought the standard Gen3 RV kit which gets you the slightly larger non-articulated, antenna which you can mount flat or on a pole. Works great so far. The nice thing about the Gen3 is it uses Standard RJ45 cables and the power supply is separate from the router, which makes cable routing easier and allows one to use an aftermarket 12v-54v power supply without opening the case or voiding the warranty.

 

[Mambo42]

If you have the same plans in the US as we do in Europe, going with the roaming plan will give you everything you need. It works perfect for us, good connection and high speed. We pay 60 euro per month, absolutely worth it.
We still have the moving dish (as I call it), but if I would have to buy it now I think I would go for the flat dish array. Then I don't have the problem that, if the wind shifts, I lose download speed. But since we tie up the boat to the shore (while anchoring) about 80 % of the time it is only inconvenient for a small amount of times.

Must say that Starlink is absolutely the best thing that happened to internet for boats. Absolutely happy with it.

 

[sealandsky]

I recently bought the standard Gen3 RV kit which gets you the slightly larger non-articulated, antenna which you can mount flat or on a pole. Works great so far. The nice thing about the Gen3 is it uses Standard RJ45 cables and the power supply is separate from the router, which makes cable routing easier and allows one to use an aftermarket 12v-54v power supply without opening the case or voiding the warranty.

Did you purchase a DC power supply for your new StarLink? I'm in the process of installing a new system right now and would prefer a DC power supply to the AC one provided with the kit.

 

[delirious duo]

Near offshore prince william, resurrection, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, gore point, pie islands, monague, knight outside gulf, cheapest dish half ass mounted worked all last season up there. Offshore offshore I was told gets more charges. But I don’t know….

 

[Flatswing]

Did you purchase a DC power supply for your new StarLink? I'm in the process of installing a new system right now and would prefer a DC power supply to the AC one provided with the kit.

Starlink does not currently sell a 12v power kit. I got mine from TRIOFlatmount ($90). btw I just looked at the TRIO site again and see they have a very nice pole mount adaptor for the Gen 3. Much better than the flimsy single bolt mount that Starlink sells. Wish it was available earlier.
https://www.trioflatmount.com/shop

 

[sealandsky]

Starlink does not currently sell a 12v power kit. I got mine from TRIOFlatmount ($90). btw I just looked at the TRIO site again and see they have a very nice pole mount adaptor for the Gen 3. Much better than the flimsy single bolt mount that Starlink sells. Wish it was available earlier.
https://www.trioflatmount.com/shop

I purchased the marine Starlink with the flat hi-perf flat antenna and wedge mount as well as a new Seaview foldable mast which holds the Starlink, radar, GPS and lightning rod. All of this is mounted to my arch and reinforced with 3/8"X14" stainless steel backing plates top and bottom. The ONLY part where I feel underwhelmed is the power supply so THANK YOU for the tip!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Our Starlink up and running. Took about 3 hours to install. Most of that was routing the cable.

So I am looking at this modern equipment and ask "Now what?" I was up after midnight trying to figure out "Apps" What a pain in the a$$.

I also discovered with the DirectTV equipment gone lots of extra room.
Equipment:

1. Standard G3 setup.
2. Adjustable VHF antenna mount with rail mount.
3. A coupling. This screws on the VHF mount and the Starlink antenna.
4. SL Standard Roof mount. Only 2 items are used from the parts box. The pole and antenna mount plate.

Much easier than trying to upload apps to a Samsung TV.

 

[Mike H]

We're here in the Bahamas, and I have asked a number of cruisers about their Starlink. Everyone has said they have the RV plan and don't use it while moving. One person said they used it while moving and got kicked off the plan.
So they reinstated and simply don't use it while underway.

What keeps Starlink from seeing they went from the States to the islands, I do not know.

 

[SteveK]

We're here in the Bahamas, and I have asked a number of cruisers about their Starlink. Everyone has said they have the RV plan and don't use it while moving. One person said they used it while moving and got kicked off the plan.
So they reinstated and simply don't use it while underway.

What keeps Starlink from seeing they went from the States to the islands, I do not know.

Probably the same as our Telus TV cutting people off their home paid service if they login from outside of Canada to watch TV with a VPN service. Yes VPN spoofs your location, but they now can see where you are with VPN. Advances of tech, they know where you are just by using the service.

 

[SteveK]

Starlink. Anyone else seeing their dish which always faced North start pointing east and/or south? I have asked SL and waiting for a reply. It still works, just odd.

 

[Captgary175]

Are any of you running the standard Home Starlink Kit on your boats? Looking at the website and we’re not liking the price of the Marine Service. Is the Marine Kit a must for internet offshore?

Hoping we can just purchase the standard kit, thanks

​

I just purchased the gen3 standard dish (non articulated) at Best Buy for $599. I am signing up for the Roam unlimited package for $150 a month. I understand it works well under about 10 mph. I spend the vast majority of my time within 10 miles of shore, so am not concerned about coverage. If I do a trip to the Bahamas, I understand I will need to switch to priority data for the time I'm offshore. That will cost more, but will be limited duration.

 

[mdstrum]

We have a gen 2 for the last couple of years, it is amazing, mounted to hard top, we even got a the carry backpack and extra cord so we can remove and take to our RV. The plan we use today is Roam, you change your plans as needed and as other shared add priority data if going out side the normal coverage area for roam....

 

[Gordon GB]

Our Starlink up and running. Took about 3 hours to install. Most of that was routing the cable.

So I am looking at this modern equipment and ask "Now what?" I was up after midnight trying to figure out "Apps" What a pain in the a$$.

I also discovered with the DirectTV equipment gone lots of extra room.
Equipment:

1. Standard G3 setup.
2. Adjustable VHF antenna mount with rail mount.
3. A coupling. This screws on the VHF mount and the Starlink antenna.
4. SL Standard Roof mount. Only 2 items are used from the parts box. The pole and antenna mount plate.

Much easier than trying to upload apps to a Samsung TV.

Can you give me the details on the source for the VHF antenna mount with rail mount and the coupling that screws into it on one end and attaches to the short Starlink mounting pole? Thanks!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Here are some pics. I figured it out.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

The reducer I got from Ez-Riggers out of Florida

 

[Gordon GB]

Thanks for getting back to me. That clamp-on antenna looks like a very well made one - what was the source/manufacturer?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

E-Riggers.com@gmail.com

$85

 

[Flatswing]

We're here in the Bahamas, and I have asked a number of cruisers about their Starlink. Everyone has said they have the RV plan and don't use it while moving. One person said they used it while moving and got kicked off the plan.
So they reinstated and simply don't use it while underway.

What keeps Starlink from seeing they went from the States to the islands, I do not know.

This is not my (or others) recent experience. Just returned from the Bahamas after 6 weeks in the Abacos. Turn it off crossing the FL straits. Within 15 miles of Bahamas switch to RV Global plan and you can leave it on 24/7 moving <10 mph without any interruption, it’s brilliant.
We forgot to turn it off coming back and it disconnected. Easy resumption of RV mobile plan 15 miles off Fort Pierce to check in with CBP.

 

[Flatswing]

I just purchased the gen3 standard dish (non articulated) at Best Buy for $599. I am signing up for the Roam unlimited package for $150 a month. I understand it works well under about 10 mph. I spend the vast majority of my time within 10 miles of shore, so am not concerned about coverage. If I do a trip to the Bahamas, I understand I will need to switch to priority data for the time I'm offshore. That will cost more, but will be limited duration.

You only need to switch to priority data if you absolutely need internet connection while crossing. Otherwise just use the rv global plan as you near the Bahamas

 

[Intrepid]

I use original round dish, regional roam(NZ) currently working in Fiji, also worked in Marshall Islands. I activated priority while on passage. Starlink worked perfectly on sailboat.

 

[Ken E.]

E-Riggers.com@gmail.com

$85

I also use one of these for Starlink, with a Shakespeare antenna mast extension. They are also available on Etsy.com.

 

[JackConnick]

I know it will work under canvas. I'm wondering if the dishy could just be placed inside my flybridge? Will it work ok through fiberglass?

 

[FWT]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1802612795730497973

 

[FWT]

First look at the upcoming Starlink Mini - Starlink Hardware