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Elon Musk’s Tesla Semi may have revolutionized trucking—in fact, it may never—but another of his companies has already produced at scale a device that could go some way to changing the game: Starlink’s Dishy McFlatface.
Dishy, as it is commonly called, is a transmitter/receiver for the Starlink network of more than 3,500 small satellites in low-Earth orbit just outside the atmosphere. The device represents something of a step change in connectivity technology: anyone, anywhere can access high-speed, low-latency internet with just Dishy, a clear view of the sky, and something to plug it into.
Brian “Beetle” Bailey, a company driver for Arizona-based show hauler Tequila Coach Enterprises, often gets passes to sold-out stadium shows as a perk of the job, but on TikTok he’s a star in his own right, with more than 100,000 followers. As such, he has a healthy appetite for mobile data services, and to satisfy it, he modified the Starlink antenna to provide up to 200 megabits per second while on the road.
Near Moab, where cell service may fail, Starlink proves especially useful. This photo shows the plate in its current configuration, mounted flat to the bed.
But usually this strong Internet comes with a hefty price tag: $2,500 for the hardware on the go. Starlink sells a cheaper device for $599, but this one is advertised as being for stationary use only. After the initial hardware purchase, it’s $150 per month for unlimited service. For most owner-operators, the device on the go probably doesn’t justify the cost. But Bailey is part of a growing group of users hacking the stationary dish for a more affordable mobile solution.
It’s a bit of a cottage industry, shall we say, of people modifying otherwise stationary Starlink dishes to work on the road. The concept is simple. The stationary antenna has small motors in it to detect the satellites in the sky. The more expensive on-the-go model has no such motors and remains flat-mounted to the car’s roof. Bailey, as he detailed in a video on his YouTube channel, made the modification and hasn’t looked back since.
“Since I’ve been using the flat stand, I’ve been using it all the time for high-speed internet, even while on the road,” he said. 
Shown here are two Starlink Dishy units with their backs open and motors removed, ready to be flat mounted to the truck. The installer in Bailey’s video has apparently done dozens of jobs like this.
The dish has one obvious drawback – it needs a view of the sky. If it is under a bridge or parked under a stadium, as is often the case, there is no connection. However, the Starlink vessels are heated and will release ice and snow.
“Sometimes it’s on and off, but I’d say it’s 98 percent coverage when it’s on down the highway,” he said.
At $150 a month, Bailey says it’s barely more expensive than his old setup, where he was paying $125 a month for two separate hotspot devices because he’s “getting the data out of them so fast…I I’ll pick in Los Angeles and pick up stuff in New Jersey, but I’m not in the big cities every time I close,” he said. “I’ll upload videos, watch movies, play games on my PS5, or download GPS updates.”
[Related: POLL: Movies/screens while driving? What’s your bedrock take on the practice?]
When he relied on cell coverage and hotspots, Bailey said the signal often interrupted GPS downloads and he “had to wait for real WiFi” somewhere in the city. Keep in mind that even a hotspot from a major carrier relies on cell towers to reach you. Starlink, on the other hand, just needs to see the sky.
Now with strong WiFi from Starlink wherever he goes, Bailey said he’s been able to cut down on the data he pays for on his cell phone plan.
Often, Bailey’s relatability on the road earns him viral posts on TikTok, where his dashcam videos and other accounts of life on the highway make up some of his most-viewed content.
Bailey loads up on concert gear on the runway at Pheonix Sky Harbor Airport. A bit like The Beetles?
For operators with heavy mobile data needs on the road, Bailey recommends the Starlink and says he knows of at least five or six other vehicles with a similar setup.
Got tips for connecting while on the road? Other hacks to stay online for less? Email me at AlexLockie@randallreilly.com
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