Summary

Trees reduce the signal on Starlink. This arrangement is my attempt to mitigate that while camping by raising the Mini antenna higher using an easily transportable, telescoping pole.

I chose a painter's pole from Walmart. it can extend from 6' to 24'. (brand KFFKFF). I had to create an adapter for the top. The threads are slightly different from the usual painter's pole threads for some reason but that was inconsequential since I had to design an interface with the Mini antenna. The result is in the Thingiverse file to download. If you choose a different painter's pole, then there are other "standard" adapters on Thingiverse.

The pole is held in position by the tension line holder, which is split into 2 parts. The 2 parts are held in place by a hose clamp which is about 2" in diameter. I used tent stakes driven into the ground for the tension lines. The line can be pulled tight by using a knot called a taut line hitch or by using some other device. I also use a bullseye level to quickly ensure that the pole is vertical.

After a couple of test setup runs, I find that it takes about 20 minutes to set up. Most of that time is spent untangling the lines, putting the stakes in the ground and tying the lines onto the tension line holder. It seems stable but has not been tested in high winds.

From the photo:

1. is the Starlink Mini to the painter's pole
2. is the 2 part Tension Line holder
3. may be an indention in the ground to keep the bottom of the pole in place, or some device
4. is a taut line tensioner, either a knot or other device. Ease of adjustment and adequate tension are important
5. is the reel for the power cable
6. is the Walmart 6' to 24' extension pole, brand KFFKFF