Mod - Quick and Easy 'Removable' Mast Mount for Starlink

techietab

While Starlink 'Dishy' transceiver units come with a basic quad-pod base stand, I figure that there will be times when I'm camping where I need to get the Dishy unit elevated on a boom to receive good service. Finding a lightweight carbon-fiber adjustable 25' boom was pretty easy, but tripods of sufficient size to hold the boom seemed too bulky to bother with when towing my T@b with my SUV.

So...PVC pipe to the rescue! The carbon fiber boom I purchased from GigaParts fits perfectly into a 2" (internal diameter) PVC pipe, which was easily mounted to the T@b's cargo deck using bar clamp kits intended for lightbars and other 'offroad' type vehicle mods. One set of clamps went on the PVC, the other on the n-shaped bar on the cargo deck, and the two were joined with 3/8 inch bolts. With this setup, I can insert the boom and fully extend it / drop it and remove it when on the road in less than a minute.




Parts list:

• Sammam 2.5" clamp mounting bracket kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JHPRL9N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
• Suzco 1-2" bar clamp mounting kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZHZ1VMP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• 3/8 inch bolts, nuts, 4x washers, 2x lock washers to join the brackets above (generic from Home Depot)
• GigaParts 25' Telescoping Carbon Fiber Mast for Starlink : https://www.gigaparts.com/starlink-25-foot-heavy-duty-carbon-fiber-mast.html

I highly recommend the mast - it's shockingly light, and only 70" long when collapsed.

CJax

This is awesome! Only question before I follow your lead and order the parts: when the mast is extended, does a modest breeze make it sway enough to affect the signal?

Cheers,
C

techietab

@CJax - Haven't noticed a problem when using it in a breeze with the mast fully extended at home, though I did observe issues related to obstructions (lots of trees around; could watch the signal drop sometimes while monitoring Starlink satellite position where the line of sight to the satellite was behind a tree, and watch the signal restore when the satellite moved above the tree cover).

When camping I've never needed to extend the boom above 6-10 feet above the camper rooftop anyway, which significantly reduces sway.

SLJ

Similar to the mod I did for my outside TV antenna last Winter except everything stays in place, nothing to store and I only needed the PVC. Would be harder to do with a Starlink antenna due to wind resistance.
Did you use 2" plumbing PVC or 2" Electrical PVC? (different inside diameters)

techietab

2" plumbing.