SonoranWanderer 715 Posted November 19, 2024 (edited) While more expensive ($599) than it's full sized counterpart ($349), the Starlink Mini gets the job done and does so using a lot less power than its big brother. Unlike the full sized unit, the WiFi access point is built in to the dish making it easy to deploy and stow. Add a USB C PD power cable ($19 on Amazon) and a 12v, 100w USB C PD adapter ($36 on Amazon) and you have a complete kit that can run from any vehicle or portable battery. I carry mine in a small backpack with a laptop sleeve (one of several freebies I have from from various employers). The dish with the kickstand stowed is the sized of a mid-sized, maybe bulky, laptop. There is no need in my opinion and experience to waste the money or, more importantly, valuable storage space on a hardshell "protective" case. The padding of a normal backpack should be enough unless you intend on conducting destructive testing. I keep a dedicated 12v-USB-C adapter and both a long and short USB power cable and even the original AC adapter and AC cable in the backpack with the factory pole mount and some other useful but not necessary temporary mounting and stand gear. All of that and the backpack isn't really any bigger than it was when stored empty. The mini so far seems to average about 22 watts of power at idle and with mild use, with bursts into the upper 40 range, especially at startup. Starlink claims you cannot/should not use a USB C PD power supply with less than a 65w profile. My portable battery has a native 60w USB C PD port and it worked fine for me (*), YMMV. However a 12v 100w USB C PD adapter isn't that expensive so there is really no excuse to not have one. (*) USB PD or Power Delivery is a negotiated power supply system. My guess is that the lower the maximum PD wattage profile, the fewer voltages offered to devices, and the mini wants the highest voltage it can get, up to 30v. With 65w and 100w PD you are guaranteed at least one 20v power profile. Under 65w, your device may or may not be offered 20v power option. Jeep owners, fiberglass is transparent to the frequency of radio waves used here (roll bars aside). For all vehicles with a soft top, same deal. Similarly your tent material is radio transparent (although metal poles are not). This means you don't always have to have your Starlink mini outside and visually obvious to all your camping neighbors, although a WiFi access point in the middle of the wilderness might give the gig away. Your body is much less transparent to Starlink frequencies. Another useful tidbit is that most mobile phones and cellular providers these days can automatically support and manage voice and text over WiFi, this means that without cell service, but with a Starlink, you can still make and receive calls and texts. A 1000wh portable battery like the Grecell T-1000 (less than $450 on Amazon) will run the Starlink Mini (single load) continuously for a couple days (closer to but over 40 hours). I currently use the $50/mo ROAM 50GB plan since my main use case is camping. I may have to up to the unlimited plan once I get to the point of working on the road and from camp. My initial firing. I have since moved to a much more compact USB C PD adapter (see picture and link above) Edited November 19, 2024 by SonoranWanderer 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
