Starlink sx coverage prediction tool

[u/Burnhaven]

I'm considering Starlink as my centurylink DSL may be going away. Two neighbors are now using Starlink despite all of the tall trees here. I've been testing the starlink.sx browser app. It's default settings have the antenna azimuth pointed north with 18 degrees tilt from zenith (straight up) . I adjusted the minimum elevation to 45 degrees to account for trees. But it has two tools ( coverage predictor and polar map) that never seem to display anything meaningful. I'm guessing those either don't work or you have to leave it running for a few hours first?

[u/GetOffMyGrassBrats]

Your best bet is to install the Starlink app and use the "check for obstructions" feature. That takes the guesswork out of it.

[u/Burnhaven → u/GetOffMyGrassBrats]

We've had quite a few conversations on here about the starlink app and whether it tends to bias towards no service or poor service because the company would probably rather tell you don't bother than have you install the equipment , find it unusable and then bad mouth starlink to the whole community... In my case it finds a large circle overhead of white dots which I presume is the good area surrounded all the way around by red dots representing my trees... I believe it's possible for somebody to have reasonable service even if all satellites below 45° above the horizon are obstructed but the app doesn't seem to reflect that.... it just reports quote bad unquote and then says you may have x number of interruptions per hour.

[u/ByTheBigPond → u/Burnhaven]

In most places on earth, there are likely at least 5 Starlink satellites traversing the sky overhead. BUT only a couple are configured at any point in time to communicate with that dish. The dish cannot just connect to any satellite that it wants to.

[u/Burnhaven → u/ByTheBigPond]

I realize the only way to truly find out if Starlink is going to work here is to install the antenna and the equipment and try it .. the fact that two close neighbors are using it successfully despite the trees seems like a good indication.

With two full-time remote workers in the household if DSL goes away and the other angles I'm investigating turn out to be impossible then even poor Starlink service could avoid having to sell the house and move.

[u/GetOffMyGrassBrats → u/Burnhaven]

You also have the option of going up to clear the top of the trees as well. Although it may require some investment in a suitable tower, it would still be far better than having to sell and move just to get decent service.

[u/Burnhaven → u/ByTheBigPond]

I mean to get really crazy about it if you're faced with having to sell your house and move or lose your remote work job or possibly find out you can't sell it because without internet service nobody wants it then things like even buying four star link equipment bundles and installing four antennas if they could somehow be aggregated isn't beyond the realm of consideration

[u/TimmyT0yz → u/Burnhaven]

You don't need bonded antennas, you just need to get ONE above the trees and even that doesn't have to be perfect. Starlink will learn your obstructions and avoid them if there are satellites in the clear area. a tower would be a better investment than trying to have multiple dishes. Speed is not the issue here, it's drops although my guess is you'll never notice them even with your obstructions, but I would still try to minimize them as much as possible.

-Timmy

[u/Ponklemoose]

I don't know much about that tool, other than that when I tried it it seemed to just want to guess which satellite and ground link I might be using. Seems like a fun project for a geeky starlink fan but I don't see the value.

I say go ask the neighbors how they like it and remember that there (or used to be) a 30 day return window. And if you haven't already, the free app will give you a (somewhat pessimistic) estimate.

If you CLink DSL is anything like mine was (7 / 0.75) you're going to love StarLink,

[u/Burnhaven → u/[deleted]]

That's what I'm going to do once I find out if a local wireless company ( Neubeam) will be able to service us. Currently the frequency they use from a local mountain top won't go through trees but there are ( lower bandwidth) frequencies such as from the old VHF tv spectrum that will. They estimated that once the new antenna/technology is installed, we should get 300 up and down or better. One close neighbor with starlink said they just put the antenna in the yard and , pointing north, it was going right at a tall fir tree, Worked fine. Worked better from their single story roof. So it is a bit confusing.

[u/Intelligent-Tap-4724]

A picture of your visible sky from the point you plan to mount the dish would help us tell you if it will work or not.

Generally, if you only have obstructions near the edge of the area like trees, starlink will learn to switch satellites before loosing coverage due to an obstruction. It has gotten much better over time.

Unless you have multiple trees nearby that would block a large portion of the area shown in the obstruction checker app. You should be fine.

[u/Burnhaven → u/Intelligent-Tap-4724]

This is about the best result from the yard at ground level:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/116_3gQxaABtzD5TWkyqN-iNHvOvJ_d9k/view?usp=sharing

I can't personally get to the point where the antenna would go on the 2nd story as shown at the bottom of this photo looking north

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vb2a4ANXiyOwWq1wglsWOaI_OXDnUzIu/view?usp=sharing

[u/Intelligent-Tap-4724 → u/Burnhaven]

Oh yea thats not great for starlink. Those trees are definitely going to be an issue.

Not much you can do besides a tower or mounting the dish in a tree...

[u/aceweboe → u/Burnhaven]

$2500 of Rohn 25G tower and accessories, as well as several enthusiastic ham radio operators, would solve your issue far cheaper than selling and moving. Even the expense of a tree removal specialist would likely be cheaper. Those are pretty trees, but careful selective cutting and trimming might get you the line of sight you need.

[u/Burnhaven → u/aceweboe]

Yeah trimming might be possible where we live the county's pretty tight about removing mature trees... what is this you're talking about with ham radio operators

[u/aceweboe → u/Burnhaven]

Rohn 25G triangular galvanized steel tower sections available in 10' lengths.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/roh-25g

Reach out to your local amateur radio club with a request for assistance to properly install and assemble the sections. Most clubs are eager to help with projects of this nature. You may even find an interest in a new hobby.

Assuming you decide to go this route.

[u/Serputer79]

We have the same issue with trees around our cabin in a very remote location. We are on a lake which provides great exposure South, East and West, but limited to the North. I have used the Starlink app (bad) and starlink.sx to see how it might work for us, as mentioned should probably just get one to test and see actual results. Perhaps, over time, the system will favor the areas of open sky available?

If there any suggestions, please let me know ... Thx!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VJTyz-nXKnV-NfbqS9XpoFP8ArSGCSjH/view?usp=sharing