“Sick and Tired of Putting That Dang Flagpole Up”: Why Starlink Went on Bertie Bea’s Roof

At the FRVA rally in Perry, Georgia, this past March, I gave a seminar on staying connected on the road. Out of everything I said that day, one line got the biggest reaction. When someone asked why I mounted Starlink on my roof, I gave them the honest answer: “I was sick and tired of putting that dang flagpole up.”

That moment became a Short, and it’s still my most-watched video: https://youtube.com/shorts/t44AjAo_MJU

Back in April 2025, I wrote about our dual approach to RV internet: Starlink for the sky, cellular for when the sky isn’t cooperating. This post is the backstory behind one piece of that setup. Why the dish ended up on the roof, and what I’d want you to think about before you do the same.

Life With a Dish on a Stand

When Bertie Bea came home in 2023, Starlink rode along as the Standard dish on a stand. Every stop went the same way. Unpack it. Find a clear patch of sky. Run the cable. Set it up. Wait for it to connect. About 20 minutes, every single time.

In April 2023 in Montgomery City, Missouri, it sat on its stand in the grass. A week later, in Kearney, Nebraska, I held it down with sandbags. When it was time to leave, it all had to come back down and be packed away.

Twenty minutes doesn’t sound like much. But it’s twenty minutes at the end of every travel day, when you’re tired and just want to sit down, and twenty more before you can pull out.

The Decision

In March 2024, at the FRVA International Convention, Elkhart Satellite Systems permanently mounted a High Performance dish on Bertie Bea’s roof. Starlink has since replaced that dish with one they call Starlink Performance.

What Changed

• I pull in, get level, and I’m online. Nothing to set up and nothing to pack up.
• It works while we’re moving on travel days.
• It’s worked great even at campsites with trees around us.
• That flagpole stays in the bay where it belongs.

Five Questions to Ask Before You Mount One

1. How often do you move? If you park for weeks at a time, a dish on a stand might be all you need. If you’re moving every few days, that setup time adds up fast.
2. Do you need internet while you’re driving? Not every Starlink dish is approved for use in motion. Check Starlink’s current specs for the exact model before you buy.
3. Who’s going through your roof? Mounting a dish means penetrating your roof. Done wrong, it’s a leak waiting to happen. I had a professional do mine.
4. Where will the power come from? A roof-mounted dish still needs power, and that matters when you’re boondocking. Plan the wiring and know what your setup draws.
5. What’s your backup? No dish sees through everything. That’s why I still run cellular as the other half of our dual approach.

One more thing: know who you’re buying from and exactly what plan you’re signing up for. Plans and prices change, so read the fine print before you commit.

Was It Worth It?

For the way I travel, moving every few days and working from the road, putting Starlink on the roof was the right call. Your answer depends on how you travel. That’s the whole point of asking those five questions first.

If you want the full seminar from Perry, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77t2TsiKE2w

And here’s the Short that started it all: https://youtube.com/shorts/t44AjAo_MJU

Elkhart Satellite Systems installed my dish and takes care of their customers: https://www.elkhartsatellite.com

If this helped you, you can buy me a cup of coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Safe travels, my friends. Not all who wander are lost.