Flatfish
Newbie
Posts: 14
Registered: 3-18-2024
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Starlink Mini
Seriously considering getting a Starlink Mini. $385 for the hardware and $50/month roaming plan. The hiccup is that Starlink says “ For customers in
Japan & Mexico, in-motion use of Starlink on land is prohibited due to local regulations.” Not sure exactly what this means. Can the passenger
use it since they aren’t driving? Or is the software locked out while driving? Anyone?
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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65118
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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On Starlink Mini now as a passenger. Used it the past three days in Baja. It is a U S purchased system, however.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 2341
Registered: 10-17-2013
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A month ago we made a two-week loop around the entire length of Baja and the Starlink Mini worked flawlessly the entire time.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 2341
Registered: 10-17-2013
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A speed test for Starlink reveals 194MB down, 37MB up, respectable speeds for remote Baja (or anywhere).
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Timo1
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 750
Registered: 11-2-2007
Location: Homeless
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Mood: Lovin every minute of it
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Pardon my ignorance but is the only advantage for the mini is to be able to use it while driving ?? Is there any other reason to own one ?? I have the
normal size Starlink and it's fine (for me)
sold out and got out !!!
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chippy
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1731
Registered: 2-2-2010
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Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  | Pardon my ignorance but is the only advantage for the mini is to be able to use it while driving ?? Is there any other reason to own one ?? I have the
normal size Starlink and it's fine (for me)
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I also have a starlink gen2 and have been thinking about the mini. The advantages I see are size, no clunky remote modem and they can operate with 12v
using half the power.
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BooJumMan
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 914
Registered: 8-11-2007
Location: San Diego
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Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  | Pardon my ignorance but is the only advantage for the mini is to be able to use it while driving ?? Is there any other reason to own one ?? I have the
normal size Starlink and it's fine (for me)
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Yes, it has in-motion ability (Seems to work 90% of the time for me through Baja) and I have it wired to my LiFePO4 12V battery bank. Modem/Router is
also within the dish itself, so you just plug in the dish to a wall or a 12V input and thats it. The only apparent downside is slightly reduced
bandwidth compared to a full sized Starlink dish.
In that pre-Google Earth and social media epoch, The Code was adhered to. It was based on a simple verity: if a locale had been transformational for
you, and you had put the hard yards in to get there and to learn it, to know it, why in god�s name would you broadcast the news, thus ruining the
future experience not only for yourself, but for future adventurers?
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 7217
Registered: 8-5-2011
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I bought a Mex mini for my place in Baja. The main reason was that it uses about half the power of the standard dish. The phone app consistently shows
about 22 watts. This is important to me because I only have solar panels and batteries for power.
The dish works fine - no buffering when watching streaming video. Plus, I like that there are only three components: the dish, the power brick, and
the cable connecting them. The modem/router is in the dish.
I don't use it in mobile situations.
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3293
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Mood: Tranquilo
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I have a MX based mini on the roof of my van. Been on a southwest US wander for a couple of weeks, it works great stationary and in motion in Baja and
the US. Watched a Netflix movie from a state park campsite in Cimarron NM last night.
[Edited on 5-14-2025 by dtbushpilot]
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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geoffff
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 690
Registered: 1-15-2009
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Very cool! How sturdy is that antenna? Does it have to be mounted at a particular angle?
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3293
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Mood: Tranquilo
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I bought a Stargear magnetic mount on Amazon. Very strong magnets. The tilt angle is a little less than the standard mount and when I check alignment
it shows that the tilt angle is incorrect. The alignment is always incorrect as well, I would have to drive in a circle to get it correct and only
drive in that direction for it to be perfect 😅. The signal strength varies of course but always works pretty well. I’ve been road-tripping for a
couple of weeks, no issues, no way it is going to blow off the roof.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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