Starlink Mini Mounting
Before I get into the details of mounting a Starlink Mini onboard I thought I would talk a little about onboard internet in general. While I like the concept of getting away from it all on a boat I have realized over the years that I am not a purist. The reality of not having internet access while cruising concerns me, especially since my work often requires me to be in touch. So, I set up onboard internet including purchasing and mounting equipment and paying for service when necessary. When I don’t want the distractions onboard of phone calls, email, and the internet, I can always shut communications off—or at least that is what I tell myself.
Onboard Connectivity
Over the years I have used various ground-based systems like Wave WiFi which makes a wide variety of helpful products that increase onboard connectivity. I have one of their SIM activated routers and external antennas that help connect my boat to both shoreside WiFi and cellular. The products work well as long as there is nearby shoreside internet to connect to. Satellite internet used to be out of my reach price wise, but the Starlink system is a game changer and can be used stand alone or in conjunction with my onboard router and terrestrial systems. When Starlink is connected to the MNC1250 it can be set up to automatically shift to the marina or cellular when the satellite service runs out of data or hits a preset cap. I recently wrote an article about Starlink in Boat US magazine so I won’t go into detail about the system here. With multiple antennas already on my boat one of the issues is how to mount the flat panel antennas that Starlink requires.
The Starlink Mini
There are several different Starlink antennas but the smallest and easiest to deal with on most boats is the Starlink Mini. At only 11.75” (298.5 mm) by 10.2” (259mm) and 1.45” (38.5 mm) thick, the mini fits easily on all sizes and types of boats. It weighs around 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg.) and has a built-in router (802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi 5 Dual Band 3 x 3 MU-MIMO). The Mini is compact enough that I carry it in a padded laptop sleeve in my backpack when traveling or doing boat deliveries.
Things change often in the world of Starlink but at the time of this writing the Starlink Mini kit costs $499 and monthly “roam” service which covers near shore areas of the US costs $50/50GB ($1/GB over 50GB) or $165/Unlimited and service can be cycled on and off monthly. The hardware needed consists of a flat panel antenna with a built-in router, a kickstand or pipe adapter to hold it up, and a single chord with an AC adapter plug. You can also run the Mini off of DC power and Starlink and other sources sell cigarette lighter style DC adapters but make sure your outlet can handle the mini’s startup power surge which can be as much as 100 watts (20V/5A). Once it has started up it typically draws between 20-60 watts of power during active use and around 15 watts when idle. On some boats a rechargeable power supply often works better and puts less stress on the 12V power system.
Supplied mounts on Starlink Mini
The Mini antenna comes with two mounts, a kickstand and a pipe adapter/flat mount neither of which are ideal for mounting the antenna to a boat. These mounts are made of fairly flexible plastic and are designed to be easily pulled off the antenna as they only use small plastic tabs to hold them on. Sitting on a patio or next to an RV on the ground they may be fine, but when attached to a moving boat they could easily break or fall off the rest of the antenna leaving your $500 mini dangling by the wire or drifting down to Davy Jones’ Locker. The pole mount can be easily attached to a pole and in light conditions on anchor or at the dock would work onboard, and you could potentially put it in a rod holder. The problem is that the way the fitting attaches to the antenna is not very secure and vessel motions, especially when underway or during severe weather could easily break the antenna off the light plastic supplied mount.
Onboard Mounting Solutions for Starlink Mini – Seaview
There are many mounting solutions for Starlink Mini antennas online, and I tried two of them with good results. The first mount is from Seaview, a well-established marine hardware supplier that build all kinds of antenna mounts and accessories for boats. Their Starlink Mini Rail & 1-14″ Threaded Base Mount costs $76.45 direct from their online store. I like this mount for numerous reasons. The hardware is sturdy and professionally finished, but it is also very versatile. The Seaview Mini mounting kit comes with both a rail mount adapter and a separate piece that allows you to attach the antenna to a standard 1”x14 ferrule. The 1”x14” socket allows you to mount the mini on any standard mount or extension typically used for a variety of onboard antennas. The rail mount also comes with 3 rubber gaskets that allow it to be mounted on different rail sizes (1”, 1-1/8” and 1-1/4”). A set screw on the rail mount not only keeps it from sliding on the rail but is the right size for most tripods. Using the set screw socket, you can mount the rail mount and Starlink Mini antenna on commonly used camera tripods and accessories.
Another thing I like about the Seaview mount is that it has a separate security bar to lock into the Starlink Mini creating a very strong attachment. Turn your Mini upside down (put it on a cloth to keep from scratching the top surface) and pull the kickstand off. Then slide the Seaview mount in with the hex head bolts on the security bar slightly loosened. Once in place press down the security bar and make sure that the metal tabs are in the slots of the Starlink Mini and then simply tighten it down with an Allen wrench. This attachment method is very secure. The mini antenna would probably tear apart before this mount released.
Once the base mount has been attached you can then use either the rail mount or the 1”x14 threaded socket mount. Both are bolted on using 4 Allen keys which makes this part of the attachment very secure too. One thing that you should consider is how you plan to run the wire for your Mini. You may be able to run the wire up through your 1”x14 mount or in some cases inside the rail itself when using the rail mount. If you run the wire through the 1”x14 socket, just be careful when threading the mount onto the base so that you don’t overly twist the antenna chord as that could damage it. If you plan to run your wire externally of the mount like I did there are two access port divots in the plastic inside the mount. Take the mount off the antenna and carefully drill a hole in the plastic using one of the templated spots inside with a 5/8” drill bit. I accomplished this easily and the supplied plug for the chord fit nicely though the hole. This hole will be on the bottom of the antenna once it is mounted but with just the wire coming through water could potentially get in there. A small dab of silicone will seal up the hole and remain pliable enough for you to remove the wire later if needed.
I wanted to mount my Mini on a rail but wanted to be able to turn it slightly for better alignment when in my slip. The Starlink app tells you to angle the antenna and align it to optimize performance. I have found that the angle in particular doesn’t seem to matter and that the alignment only has minimal effect as long as you have a clear view of the sky. That said, why not try to align it when I know it will be sitting in the same spot in the marina much of the time? While there are a lot of others on the market Seaview sells a robust Stainless Steel antenna rail mount with a 1”x14 ferrule. I attached it to a horizontal rail aboard, then simply threaded and secured the Starlink Mini onto this mount using the 1”x14 threaded base. The stainless-steel mount has a set ring that allows you to adjust the antenna alignment before securing it in place. Like the fixed rail mount the Seaview stainless antenna rail mount comes with three different rubber sleeves so you can use the same mount on different rail sizes and has the set screw to keep it from slipping that can also be used on a tripod.
Onboard Mounting Solutions for Starlink Mini – Darkstar
Last year after I attended the Annapolis Sailboat Show I flew to New England to help deliver a C&C 38 from Massachusetts to Maine. I had a Starlink Mini with me to try out on the trip but wasn’t sure how I would mount the antenna on the boat. As luck would have it, I ran into Nick, the owner of Darkstar Marine Hardware at his booth at the show. Darkstar sells a variety of mounting solutions for the Starlink Mini made out of heavy-duty plastic. I purchased a Starlink Mini Rail Mount ($80) from Nick and used it on the trip.
At the time we discussed an alternative mount that could go on a 1”x14 standard ferrule ($50) and I later purchased one of those mounts too. Both Darkstar mounts I have used are made of rugged plastic which is much more robust than the mounts that come with the Starlink Mini. They slide in much like the Seaview mount does but instead of having a separate security bar, the security bar complete with metal tabs on the Darkstar mounts is built in. The ingenious design has a slot carved out of the body of the mount that allows just enough pliability to bend the security bar section so the metal tabs can snap into the slots on the antenna. The first mount I used had a set screw that further tensioned the mount onto the antenna which I kind of liked. The mount with the 1”x14 socket didn’t have that tension screw and when I asked Nick, he said they stopped putting them in because the mount didn’t need it. The mount does seem very secure and in fact is pretty hard to remove from the Mini even without the screw. If you are concerned, you could drill a small hole in the rounded spot where that set screw used to be and install your own screw, but it is not necessary. The Darkstar mounts have a channel in them for leading the wire out so no drilling necessary although you still have to be careful not to twist the wire up on the 1”x14 mount.
Unlike the Seaview mount that can fit multiple rail sizes, the Darkstar rail mount requires you to order the mount for the rail size you have (.5” -2”). Darkstar mounts also come in both black and white but the Starlink antennas are white so I am not sure why you would want a black mount, perhaps it is less likely to get dirty?
Conclusion
There are pros and cons to both brands. The Seaview mount is more versatile because you get both the 1”x14 socket mount and the rail mount with multiple rail sleeves and it can also be mounted to a tripod. I really like the locking mechanism of the security bar on the Seaview model but there are screws that could be lost. To run your wiring externally you will also have to drill a hole in the mount, but it is templated and easy to do.
Darkstar requires you to purchase either the 1”x14 mount or the rail mount separately, and you need to buy the correct size for your rail but have more rail sizes to choose from. Their one-piece mount snaps in firmly to the Starlink Mini requiring no screws other than the ones needed to attach the rail mount and has a built-in channel to lead the wire externally.
Using either one of the durable aftermarket Starlink Mini antenna mounts that I tested is a good way to attach your satellite antenna to a boat. Whether rail mounting or using a standard 1”x14 antenna ferrule, these relatively inexpensive mounts are stronger and more secure than the mounting hardware that comes with the Starlink Mini.
Onboard internet is fast becoming something many boaters rely on whether we want to admit it or not. Proper marine antenna mounts allow to choose when to throw your communications gear overboard instead of watching it sink away in a storm because the supplied mounts failed.
