How to Check Your Starlink Spot Before You Drill
The Starlink app can scan the sky from any spot and flag obstructions before you mount anything permanently. A five-minute scan now beats redoing the install later.
How the site check works
Run the sky scan
Open the Starlink app's site-check tool — it maps obstructions from the exact point where the dish will sit, not from where you're standing.
Watch the north sky
At Latvia's latitude the dish looks mainly north, so a clear northern sky sector matters more than any other direction.
Compare a few spots
Scan the roof, the facade, and the garden separately — results can differ a lot between them, and comparing shows the better option.
Test on a tripod first
Before drilling, mount the dish on a temporary tripod at your chosen spot and let it run for a couple of days to confirm the scan in practice.
What to know before you scan
spots worth comparing
Roof, facade, garden — scan each one and pick whichever leaves the clearest northern sky.
What the sky scan actually shows
It maps obstructions from the dish's exact future position, not eye height — so scan from where the antenna will really stand.
Why north matters most here
At Latvian latitudes, satellites sit mostly in the northern sky, so that sector deserves the closest look during any scan.
Trees — even bare branches count
Foliage isn't the only obstacle; bare winter branches can still cause micro-outages the scan will flag.
Picture summer over a winter scan
Scanning in winter or early spring? Imagine the leaves back on the trees — summer growth can change the picture completely.
Compare instead of guessing
One scan from one spot proves nothing on its own — check a few locations and choose the one with the fewest flagged obstructions.
What you'll need for the check
Nothing complicated — just a phone and a few spare days before the final call.
- A Starlink kit with the dish (works fine for a temporary test too)
- A tripod or other temporary stand for the test
- A phone with the Starlink app installed
- A few candidate spots — roof, facade, garden
- A couple of spare days before you commit to the final mount
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the sky scan?
It maps obstructions from the dish's planned position, so scan from that exact spot — not from a window or balcony nearby.
Why does the northern sky matter so much?
At Latvia's latitude the dish looks mainly north, so a clear sector there matters more than the rest of the sky combined.
Do bare branches in winter really block the signal?
Yes — even without leaves, branches can cause micro-outages, which matters if you're scanning during the colder months.
How many spots should I check?
At least two or three — the roof, facade, and garden are a good starting comparison instead of trusting a single scan.
Why test on a tripod before drilling?
A short trial run shows how the spot performs in real conditions before you commit to permanent holes in the wall or roof.
Ready to check your own spot?
Start with a sky scan in the app — then reach for the drill.