Step 1

Step one of hobby electrical engineering projec;. Make it look *like* a bomb. Step 2, make it look like *not* a bomb. Step three, confirm it is *not* a bomb.

Starlink Launched a version of it’s satelite internet service which provides excellent internet service on the go. It uses a ‘Mini’ terminal which houses a phased array antenna assembly, has an ethernet port, and a DC barrel jack power inlet. The average power draw is around ~21 watts which is an aproachable load for many smaller battery packs. Combine that with enough juice to power up a device, and suddenly I can bring the internet with me, or extend my range away from civilization further.

Requirements

• Minimum 48 hour runtime

• Ability to charge macbook & phone

• Portable and less than 20 lbs

• Water resistant, ideally water proof

• Can charge from AC source, or DC sources

Parts List

• Starlink
  • 1x Starlink Mini Refurb
  • 1x Starlink Mini Step Up Power Cable 12V/24V to 30V 3.5A Converter with DC Power Cable
• The Case
  • 1x 16x 12.8x 6.8 Inch Hard Case
  • 1x #8×3/4" Hex Washer Head Self Drilling Screws, 410 Stainless Steel Metal
  • 1x C13 to C14 Panel Mount Power Cord
  • 1x RJ45 Bulkhead Ethernet Female to Female Feed Thru Coupler
• Electronics
  • 2x 12V 20Ah LiFePO4 Battery
  • 1x 10 Amp LiFePO4 Battery Charger 14.6V AC-DC
  • 2x 20A 12V Push Button Switch Latching 19MM
  • 1x 4 Port 12V USB Outlet Aluminum Charger, 78W Dual PD
  • 1x 12 Volt Fuse Block
• Tracking the Case
  • 1x AirTag 10-Year Extended Battery Case
  • 1x Apple AirTag

Step 2 - Layout

I designed the basic layout so that the weight and batteries would be towards the bottom when layed flat, or on it’s side. This made the overall package stable when setting it down.

Step 3 - Designing 3D Parts for Mounting Components

I generally used coarse stainless steel sheet metal screws to attach all the 3D printed parts to the chassis. This kept things simple, but strong. On each hole I dabbed a small amount silicone gasket seal to help keep the entire package weather tight.

Trying to cut a perfect funny shape into the case seemed like hard work, and I had a 3D printer. So let’s have the 3D printer turn a funny hole into a simple round hole I can cut with a circle saw. I mounted this on the side of the case where wall power can charge the entire device within 2-4 hours.

Bracketry for mounting the Lithium Battery Charger to the case chassis. It used existing screws on the charger to attach to the 3d printed parts.

The battery assembly included several mounts to the case structure that clamped the batteries in, while allowing easy removal by loosening two screws.

All parts were printed in ASA plastic for good strength and thermal properties since I expected this may run warm at times.

Step 4 - Assembly!

This arrangement kept a small amount of air gap around all components so there would be no trapped heat within the case. I also mounted the Apple Airtag since in theory I could forget this thing at a camp site, have it stolen or left somewhere remote and I’d love to be able to find it again. The Apple Airtag extended battery case means I can keep track of this for a long time.

The wiring was kept very simple at 12v, with all wires oversized to help cope with heat. All wires for the batteries were equal-length, and all fuses were sized appropriately for loads for individual uses. Wire runs were done to avoid any wire rubAirTagng, or movement, along with avoiding any negative and positive cables crossing.

The Starlink, and the USB Charger & Voltmeter were seperately turned on and wired directly with the 20a Pushbutton switches for simplicity. Things like relays, and other power hungry devices were avoided in favor of Keep It Simple Stupid Engineering.

Step 5 - Testing & Results

After powering on the unit, we can see the voltage on the batteries, charge devices, and connect to the Starlink consetllation. Just lay it on the ground, and within about ~5 minutes communication begins to work quite well.

I took this into the back country of Idaho and was able to get online in some sparse places even during the summer heat above 100F. The case did get warm to the touch when working, but checking multiple times I was able to find the interior of the case rarely spiked above 120F during the hottest of environments. The batteries ended up lasting over 4 days on the longest period of use while turning the system off at night. It also worked well aloft in the aircraft, and in the bed of a truck while driving and flying.

Why?

Remote work in the 2020s is admittingly a challenge depending on the group one finds themselves in. Working truly async isn’t for everyone, and it may not be as rewarding to simply interact via text, move slowly, and think about the words you want to convey by being forced to synthesize something possibly useful to the reader. One of the downfalls of modern remote work is that rich media such as zooms, google meets, and similar technology while truly wondrous, require not a few kbps of internet connection, or enjoy the concept of eventual consistency. No these wonders require fountians of high speed UDP packets thrown here and there with very little tolerance for latency, losses, or jitter. The same is often also true of the humans who are involved. Getting creative in ways to change our scenery, and escape the grind is essential.

Less selfishly - this is a tool and capability I can use when dealing with local power outages, or natural disasters where I can have multiple options to connect to get information, or courdinate responses through efforts such as ODART where I could step up to bring supplies, medicine, food, or even deploy communication nodes like this to a local via small aircraft.