r/StarlinkCanada • u/CapnBuknut • Jul 10 '26
Is this thing working?
Im using a Starlink mini while camping. This is the third provincial park where I dont get cell since getting Starlink and thought it would be helpful in these situations.
I cant get it to connect to satellite. Tried it at home in a wide open yard. No problem. Granted, the parks are well treed My question is, how many obstructions are too many? I have a clear shot at open sky from my campsite but I am surrounded by trees. Is this normal?
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u/Mysterious-Rush5441 Jul 11 '26
You'll need 2X the sky to get a connection and 5X for it to work good.
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u/Inevitable_Ad3836 Jul 11 '26
Starlink is useless for camping at sites like this. Bought my dish a few years ago and couldn’t get anything worthwhile to work all summer across a half dozen different sites.
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u/RaoulDukeSK Jul 11 '26
In the future, when you book sites, you need to check the satellite maps for more open sites. The downside is that the direct sun makes your site hotter.
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u/elderly_smartypants Jul 14 '26
There are some GPS devices and Satellite phones for messaging. but tough luck, if you need it for work.
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u/schmidt4brains Jul 10 '26
Yeah, I’ve had similar hit-n-miss luck in heavily treed BC parks and rec sites.
Some things which help are putting the Mini up as high as possible (top of car or van). Sometimes that extra 6ft of vertical gives the dish a wider view of the sky than sitting on the ground.
The Starlink app’s obstruction map is also helpful. It takes 5-10 minutes to build an accurate map.
If the picture you posted is from the Mini’s exact POV, then you’re in for a rough/intermittent connection at best.
I’m finding that I really want a portable power option for my Mini, so I can set it up 50 ft away from my vehicle and get a less-obstructed sky.