Starlink mounted on RV roof

We use Starlink as our primary internet service, though with cellular as a backup. We used to use an Actuated gen 2 dish, but earlier this year bought a new Standard gen 4 dish, with the intention to mount on the roof of our motorhome, so we can have Starlink internet service while driving down the road, plus don’t have the hassle of setting up the dish each time we stop.

To mount the Starlink dish to the roof, I bought a magnetic mount, so we’d be able to somewhat easily remove it if needed:

Starlink dish in magnetic mount

Our coach roof is fiberglass, so I also got a metal plate for the mount to stick to:

Metal plate

I bought a modem mount that holds the Starlink modem and power supply, but decided I wanted a different arrangement:

Starlink modem and power supply mount

Instead I bought a different mount that I thought would work better, with separate pieces for the power supply and modem; they are meant to screw to the wall, but I attached them with heavy-duty velcro strips:

Starlink power supply and modem

Starlink power supply and modem

Cellular internet cupboard on the left, Starlink on the right:

Starlink power supply and modem

While at Oregon Motorcoach Center we got them to install the Starlink mount on the roof for us:

Starlink mount installed

Flying my drone later, showing the Starlink mount installation:

Starlink mount installed

Starlink mount installed

Starlink mount installed

Starlink mount installed

The wire from the dish going across the roof to a new junction box on the back of the front cap:

Starlink mount installed

Starlink mount installed

So nice to have Starlink always available. The only downside of the roof mount is if we park under trees, but most of the time the dish can still see enough sky to work well.

Eugene to Blue Ox RV Park in Albany, Oregon

We drove our truck about five hours from our home base to Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene to pick up our coach after its annual service, repairs, and improvements, then just 47 miles, about an hour of driving, from OMC to Blue Ox RV Park in Albany, Oregon.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north:

Route map

An interactive map:

Arriving at Oregon Motorcoach Center to pick up our coach:

Oregon Motorcoach Center

Our coach waiting to be picked up:

Oregon Motorcoach Center

Toading up:

Oregon Motorcoach Center

Beltline Road, Eugene:

Beltline Road, Eugene

A skoolie:

Skoolie

“Top speed 61.27435 MPH”:

Top speed 61.27435 MPH

Heading to I-5 North:

Heading to I-5 North

I-5 North:

I-5 North

Albany exit:

Albany exit

Arriving at Blue Ox RV Park:

Arriving at Blue Ox RV Park

Arriving at Blue Ox RV Park

Parked at the entrance as directed:

Parked at the entrance as directed

Office:

Office

Campground map:

Campground map

Our site, #144, the same as last time:

Our site, the same as last time

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Indoor pool:

Indoor pool

BLUETTI Elite 30 600W 288Wh portable power station

We have a Starlink Mini dish mounted on the roof of our truck, for use when we are driving in areas with little or no cell service, which can be quite nice. It was plugged into a 12V outlet by the back seat. But a minor inconvenience with it was that this outlet loses power when the truck is turned off, so we lose the internet connection, and it takes a minute to re-establish after starting the truck again.

To address that, I got a BLUETTI Elite 30 600W 288Wh portable power station. It is plugged into that 12V outlet, and the Starlink dish is plugged into its 12V outlet.

So now we can control whether or not to start the Starlink connection by turning on the DC output of the battery, and it can continue as long as we like. Plus the power station may be useful for other uses when out and about.

Unboxing:

Unboxing

Front of the power station; it has an input for DC or solar panel, three 12V DC outputs, two USB-C, two USB-A, and two AC outputs:

Power station

AC input on the side:

Power station

Stats:

Power station

Initially charging the battery via AC:

Power station

In the back seat of our truck, with 111W input from the truck (while idling) and 26W output to the Starlink Mini dish:

Power station

It has an app, which is more convenient to adjust settings:

App

Our motorhome and toad had a parting of ways

This blog is a bit behind real-time; we are actually in Canada at present, on our way to Alaska. Just 46 miles into the Alcan after Dawson Creek, leaving a fuel stop in Fort St John, the front frame of our truck failed, and the tow base plate broke off. Fortunately the truck was stopped at an intersection when it failed; it could have been much worse if it failed in motion. Luckily we caught it within about a minute of it happening. Yes, we have a rear-view camera which shows the truck, but we don’t stare at it all the time, when merging onto a highway and navigating traffic (and it shows the side view when indicating).

After sleeping on it, we decided to head home. We considered driving the truck separately, or storing it in Fort St John and renting a car in Alaska, but either would impact the enjoyment of our trip. We decided we’d rather come back again in a year or two and do it right. (We’re thinking about downsizing to a van or B+ anyway, which might work better.)

I’ve zip-tied the loose wires etc, and we’ll drive separately home over the next few days. We aren’t entirely missing out on Alaska this year: we also have an Alaska cruise in September, so that helps us feel this was the right choice for us. We’ll be back to see the rest of Alaska in the next year or two, and would like to explore more of Canada too.

Here’s a video from someone who saw us dragging the bumper (and then flagged us down). The video has gone viral, with millons of views in various Facebook groups, TikTok, etc. Reading the comments provides an interesting sample of humanity; some sympathetic people, but a lot more trolls showing a lack of empathy for a significant event, or making irrelevant comments or incorrect assumptions (it’s not a Jeep, we didn’t drag it lots of miles, we’re not Boomers or rich, etc etc). Disappointing, but not surprising.

Photos:

Truck

Truck

Truck

Truck

Truck

Truck

Truck

Zip-tied components:

Zipties

Zipties

I’ll provide more information later.

Albany to Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene, Oregon

We drove our coach just 47 miles, about an hour of driving, from Blue Ox RV Park in Albany to Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene, Oregon.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading south:

Route map

An interactive map:

Leaving Blue Ox:

Leaving Blue Ox

South on I-5:

South on I-5

Exit to Eugene:

Exit to Eugene

Turn towards the airport:

Turn towards the airport

Arriving at Oregon Motorcoach Center:

Arriving at Oregon Motorcoach Center

Arriving at Oregon Motorcoach Center

Arriving at Oregon Motorcoach Center

We left our coach here for 3.5 weeks, while they did annual servicing and some repairs and improvements.

Mount Shasta, California to Blue Ox RV Park in Albany, Oregon

We drove our coach 292 miles, about six hours of driving, from Mount Shasta City KOA Holiday in Mount Shasta, California to Blue Ox RV Park in Albany, Oregon.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

Back through the narrow KOA driveway:

Back through the narrow KOA driveway

Entering I-5 North:

Entering I-5 North

Black Butte:

Black Butte

Barn:

Barn

Anderson Grade Summit Elevation 3067 Feet:

Anderson Grade Summit Elevation 3067

Klamath River bridge:

Klamath River bridge

Oregon Welcomes You:

Oregon Welcomes You

Siskiyou Mountain Summit Elevation 4310 Feet, Highest Elevation on I-5:

Siskiyou Mountain Summit Elevation 4310 Feet, Highest Elevation on I-5

Truck speed guidance:

Truck speed guidance

6% Downgrade:

6% Downgrade

Emigrant Lake looking mostly full:

Emigrant Lake looking mostly full

Oregon Welcome Center rest area:

Oregon Welcome Center rest area

More barns:

More barns

Table Rock:

Table Rock

Ouch:

Ouch

Exit 99:

Exit 99

Seven Feathers rest area:

Seven Feathers rest area

Paladin on the dash:

Paladin on the dash

Downhill:

Downhill

Willamette River:

Willamette River

Fuel stop:

Fuel stop

Exit 233:

Exit 233

Arriving at Blue Ox RV Park:

Blue Ox RV Park

They recommended (in the reservation email) parking here to check in:

They recommended parking here to check in

Office:

Blue Ox RV Park

Campground map:

Map

Blue Ox RV Park

Blue Ox RV Park

It’s them again:

It's them again

Our site, #144:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

A mostly long-term RV park, but decent short-term spots.