Mark,  I like your idea of putting it above the mid-ship bunk. 

Someone, PLEASE go cram it in there and see if you get a signal. 

I'll try it in January when I get back to Grenada, but it would be nice to know ahead of time.
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Jason Rutledge
SV Liahona
SM 335

Hi Jason, I believe Mark’s suggestion was to mount the dish between the deck and inner ceiling panel; I haven’t gone that far but have just tried setting it up on its stand on the passage berth as a quick test. 

While I wouldn’t want to rule it out yet the initial results are not promising. Not only can I not get a usable signal from it, but it isn’t even able to work out where to orient the dish - in our currently berth it would be pointing up and to the port side of the boat  

I’ve had good results with it in the regular stand just tied onto the aft deck, with lots of dropouts when it is on the starboard side due to the mizzen mast and rigging, but a much clearer view and fewer interruptions when on the starboard side of the aft deck  

I haven’t used it yet while underway. I’m planning to go with a fishing rod holder mount as seen recently on the Amel Facebook group, either on the side rail or on the aft arch where it can stand off from the solar hopefully without casting too much shadow

thanks
Neil

SM390 Revelation
Currently wintering in Marina de Valencia

Hi Neil and Mark,

the dish requires line of sight to the sky, placing it inside the cabin won’t work nor will installing it in a locker below deck.
it must be outside with an uninterrupted view of the sky and facing towards the equator, otherwise no signal.

Thanks Craig, yes I understand that. I believe the logic is that fibreglass should be more or less transparent to the frequency used- see for example several successful installations in disused radomes. 

I think what I’ve established so far is that there is enough metal, wires and other non transparent material in the boat to obstruct the dish where I placed it. 

i still think you may get a better result with a deactivated motor and fixing the dish directly to the underside of the deck, if you could ensure you pick an area with no wires running over it, winches above etc. 

Jason if you’re serious about trying this check out this flat mount kit for starlink - it involves cutting away the back case to leave a much smaller package that should be easier to cram under the deck.

And if that still didn’t work you could always just fix it on deck in an out of the way spot

https://www.star-mountsystems.com/shop-star-mount-products/star-mount/star-mount-flat-mount

Neil Meyrick
SM390
Currently wintering in Marina de Valencia

This is mind boggling but worth watching to get an idea of the complexity of starlink and why the antenna view of the sky should be as clear as possible 

https://youtu.be/qs2QcycggWU