It is great, with the exception being the “Thunderstorms” layer, which is not what one would think it is.
I have tried to predict movement of wx by referencing the timeline slider and adding the movement between samples, in order to come up with what ‘should’ be the approximate real time position. In Florida, where I fly almost daily, it seems to get updated more quickly than I often see it out West.
The shot above was with the static images updating as they decided to. I have used XM and ADS-B weather out West and sometimes find the images not changing as you scroll through the time frames. Sometimes that’s the result of sketchy ground station reception, but the WX did it as well in the more remote areas. Anyway, all through that trip, I liked ADS-B for traffic, and SL for weather.
I also have global on my mini - installed on my sailboat but also shortly to add to my Cirrus. It was awesome to be able to get full internet offshore to the west of Vancouver Island in big winds with the boat being thrown about in heavy seas. The technology is amazing and I am astonished that it kept going as the anttenna was jerked arounf by the motion of the boat.
My Starlink in the rear window did the exact thing on my first flight today. It did not do it on the return flight. I’ve just recently mounted it in the rear window and it never did it prior to this when mounted on the glare shield. I’ll keep an eye on it and see if I can find a trend. Odd.
I think it is because it is very close to the Stormscope antenna when it’s mounted in the rear.
The Stormscope is very sensitive to the frequency of electrical “sounds”. I am not at all surprised if you get anything near it that it will pick it up. The SS antenna has a foil shielding that acts as a ground plane. But mounting the SL antenna as high as just below the rear window is getting closer to even with the antenna and the foil offers less protection between the two devices. I wonder if lowering the SL antenna some might help. It would simply be letting the foil be between both devices. There will be a fine line between getting protection and blocking (partially) the SL and affecting speed.
Did anybody come up with a good way of securing a power pack in the cargo area? I am starting to acquire the bits and pieces for a mini, and ordered an Anker C300 DC. It is reasonably top-heavy and could go flying around if not careful. I was thinking, at minimum, adding some Velcro-style stuff to the bottom of the power pack to secure it to the carpeting. I noticed that the power pack has ventilation slits in its sides, and obviously we can’t block those.
I keep my C300 DC on the rear floorboard. I want it close enough that I can turn it off if I have interference and want to eliminate the Starlink and/or power supply, and it’s close enough that should I have a thermal problem
I can get to it to toss it overboard.
I learned the hard way to put it in place and plug in the cable for the antenae after all boarding is done, lest a passenger step on or sit something on the cable and break the connector.
I now keep a spare cable onboard just in case, as I’ve become accustomed to having the weather and other data accessible and don’t want to be without if I can avoid it.
I used to do the same thing… then it got these USB C adapters. They’re L-shaped so they don’t hang out for someone to step on them…. But the best part is they’re magnetically attached. This was if someone does dislodge it the cord gracefully disconnects without damage. Bonus part is pulling it out to recharge the cable detaches easily with a slight tug. TRELC 240W USB C Magnetic Adapter… Amazon.com
Great find! Ordered.
I’ve been nervous about flying with a huge battery pack to power Starlink, so our team at Sporty’s has been working on a new option that’s big enough to run it but small enough to be under the TSA limit of 100 watt-hours. I’m biased but I think we got a good solution: The perfect portable battery for Starlink: Flight Gear Smart Battery Pack Max - iPad Pilot News
I’m having trouble selecting this over a LiFePO4 battery. Anyone else feel differently?
Much to consider in this space. I tend to agree. I get what he is driving at and they are reasonable points in aviation. Hauling big batteries is just not what I like to do for weight, space and overall safety (fires, turbulence, etc…). I much prefer dedicated ships power. That said if I was ferrying a plane and needed a portable solution, this has its attractive points including being able to be carried on an airliner.
While that looks like a decent solution for many flights - life of that battery solution isn’t long enough for really long trips. Flew PHX to OSH recently and that needs more like 8 hours battery life. I suppose you could buy 2 and replace it when fueling but I would want a longer battery life on trips like that. I often do flight legs of 4+ hours, I would want more juice for those.
There is definitely more than one right answer here. Permanent panel power is great if you have it (I use a 110V plug in the PC-12, which is hard to beat), but I like the ability to grab and go with a smaller pack. And you’re right - I carry two.
Now who has a Starlink Mini case they really like? I desperately need one and I’m overwhelmed by hard cases on Amazon that I don’t think I like.
Love this little case!
I found a base for supporting an Anker C300 DC on Maker World. This might help stabilize the battery pack in the airplane so it doesn’t tip over. Also, you could add velcro to the bottom to attach to the carpeting. I am having one 3d printed at Xometry. Those of you with 3d printers could do it at home.
Appears to be this: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1015944-anker-solix-c300-dc-base
I posted this in another thread (that’s not visible here on the guest area), so re-posting the relevant info here as an alternate much more inexpensive (and easier) solution than messing with a mounting platform (though that one does look nice and appreciate you sharing).
In order to keep it firmly in place and upright, after trying a bunch of solutions I came across these adjustable elastic straps from Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Nite-Ize-2-ft-Adjustable-Bungee-Cord/5014218845 - I route these through the back of the cup holder bracket and adjust the length as necessary. A royal pain unless you use a grabber tool (that’s what I finally did) to thread the bungee through the small holes. These two clip attach to the 300C’s hooks. The unit now stays upright and securely in place in the event of turbulence.
Great idea Brad. I stole your idea and did the same (actually my daughter did it for me in about 2 minutes)
Love it! Well done work by your daughter, very nice!




