By now you know that the icehouse rehabilitation project is my long anticipated workspace. Study. Studio. Home office. Recreational, entertaining flex space… All in one tiny historic building. And the common denominator in most of these uses is Internet connectivity. Rather than relying on the cable connectivity we rely on in the house (recently switched to Spectrum), I decided that Starlinking the icehouse was a worthwhile experiment.
Frustrated with less-than-perfect service from local providers in Santa Fe, New Mexico — where Susan and I hang our hats when we’re not in Essex — I opted to give Starlink a go this past winter. Impressed with the reliability and speed, I decided that Rosslyn’s icehouse might benefit from a similar setup. The hardware arrived promptly and in good condition, so yesterday during a rare rainless lull I clambered up a ladder to the stainless seal roof to install the weighted roof ridge adapter and satellite receiver.
And the good news? It works! Mostly…
Can you spot Starlink on the icehouse roof in the photo above? I’m still troubleshooting the optimal location in order to minimize obstructions and maximize connectivity. At this point it’s still a work in progress. Now that the rain has recommenced, I’m waiting for another dry spell in order to climb back up onto the roof, plenty slippery even when dry, in order to reposition satellite signal receiver further to the west. I’m sincerely hoping that Starlinking the icehouse will be our best solution, but the verdict’s still out since our robust tree canopy, especially this rainy summer, is posing a challenge.
Because the Starlink transmitter is gray, it’s well camouflaged with the icehouse standing seam roof. It’s not invisible, and the two photographs above, but it’s relatively inconspicuous. Circling the icehouse counterclockwise to the north, a more silhouetted perspective does render the rooftop device more visible (below), but the impact is not overwhelming.
Perhaps repositioning the Starlink receiver closer to the middle of the roof (East-to-West) might emphasize the device even more. Or perhaps it will resemble a post modern weathervane?!?!
Update soon…
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