Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Starlink Mini as a failover

jackpearce.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

241–249 of 249 posts

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#241

Post by madaxe_again »

szszrk wrote: post #222
madaxe_again wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, if you’re planning on using it in Death Valley on a rainy day, sure, you might have some problems. Also it doesn’t brush your teeth for you.

You phrase it like it's some insane requirements, but is asking for an outdoor antenna to survive *rain* such a huge ask?

It’s absolutely fine with rain, even absolutely torrential tropical downpours - from experience - I don’t know what you’re talking about. Has been sat up on my (black) roof for four years now, not a hitch - and it has seen -15 to 45C, snow, rain, wildfire, 1” hail, and it’s fine. Only service interruption we’ve had was when starlink accidentally the entire network for 8 hours or so last year.

Also it doesn’t fold my laundry.

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#243

Post by lxgr »

inemesitaffia wrote: post #198
rjh29 wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean it's more to do with the cool factor of using a satellite, not practical concerns. Practically a mobile failover is superior if you have coverage.

See the power outage in Iberia as a counterpoint. Also when there's a fiber cut, it usually takes out everyone since there are frequently shared conduits or poles. Everyone reverting to mobile usually takes everyone out.

Wouldn't a widespread ground-based infrastructure outage also take out (or at least severely degrade) Starlink in the affected region if people were to widely use it as a backup solution?

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#244

Post by natch »

M4R5H4LL wrote: post #191
snypher wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My Mini is fine unless it's a large rainstorm, +1 anecdata

Thanks for this. Can you still use it on heavy rainy days or does it come to a halt?

I have never noticed an issue but now that we’re talking about it I realize It’s never occurred to me to run a speed test during a heavy downpour. Which might tell you something positive by itself. Next time I will do so but it might be a while; my rain season has ended.

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#245

Post by inemesitaffia »

lxgr wrote: post #243
inemesitaffia wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See the power outage in Iberia as a counterpoint. Also when there's a fiber cut, it usually takes out everyone since there are frequently shared conduits or poles. Everyone reverting to mobile usually takes everyone out.

Wouldn't a widespread ground-based infrastructure outage also take out (or at least severely degrade) Starlink in the affected region if people were to widely use it as a backup solution?

Starlink has been known to carry traffic over lasers from Southern Africa to Europe and from New Zealand to Eastern USA. During the power outage in Spain/Portugal they proactively moved traffic to the UK

Local failures don't matter unless your country doesn't allow landing user traffic in other countries (Indonesia, Bangladesh)

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#246

Post by asdefghyk »

madaxe_again wrote: post #210
asdefghyk wrote: post #161

Be aware of rain fade. Unit is only rated to operate up to 50 C Hail impact protection for antenna ?

I mean, if you’re planning on using it in Death Valley on a rainy day, sure, you might have some problems. Also it doesn’t brush your teeth for you.

RE "...planning on using it in Death Valley....."

Would be easy for unit to go over 50 C due to combination of heat from the sun and heat generated from the electronics. Where I am, temperatures of 30 C are common - in the shade.

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#247

Post by asdefghyk »

madaxe_again wrote: post #241
szszrk wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You phrase it like it's some insane requirements, but is asking for an outdoor antenna to survive *rain* such a huge ask?

It’s absolutely fine with rain, even absolutely torrential tropical downpours - from experience - I don’t know what you’re talking about. Has been sat up on my (black) roof for four years now, not a hitch - and it has seen -15 to 45C, snow, rain, wildfire, 1” hail, and it’s fine. Only service interruption we’ve had was when starlink accidentally the entire network for 8 hours or so last year. Also it doesn’t fold my…

It gets signal attenuation from heavy rain. Rain attenuation of certain RF is a well known phenomena.

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#248

Post by functional_dev »

asdefghyk wrote: post #247
madaxe_again wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s absolutely fine with rain, even absolutely torrential tropical downpours - from experience - I don’t know what you’re talking about. Has been sat up on my (black) roof for four years now, not a hitch - and it has seen -15 to 45C, snow, rain, wildfire, 1” hail, and it’s fine. Only service interruption we’ve had was when starlink accidentally the entire network for 8 hours or so last year. Also it doesn’t fold my…

It gets signal attenuation from heavy rain. Rain attenuation of certain RF is a well known phenomena.

right, attenuation is particularly bad with Starlink because it operates in the Ku and Ka bands... wavelengths are small enough to be scattered by individual raindrops

Re: Starlink Mini as a failover

#249

Post by asdefghyk »

madaxe_again wrote: post #241
szszrk wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You phrase it like it's some insane requirements, but is asking for an outdoor antenna to survive *rain* such a huge ask?

It’s absolutely fine with rain, even absolutely torrential tropical downpours - from experience - I don’t know what you’re talking about. Has been sat up on my (black) roof for four years now, not a hitch - and it has seen -15 to 45C, snow, rain, wildfire, 1” hail, and it’s fine. Only service interruption we’ve had was when starlink accidentally the entire network for 8 hours or so last year. Also it doesn’t fold my…

Where I live hailstorms are not unusual. However recent hailstorms often have ice hailstones where up to 3cm diameter (golf ball size) and some locations experience giant hailstones which are above 5cm and bigger. In the most recent storm my car was outside and was "written Off" by insurance company. Every panel of glass destroyer - both front and back windscreens and side windows and mirrors. all metal panels had numerous dents. roof rack bars destroyed too.
Post reply on HN