Visit our Popular Forums

fxykty · 03-06-2024, 03:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Thanks -- that's interesting.

One thing holding me back is the very expensive Starlink marine antenna and where to mount it. A smaller and cheaper antenna might change everything. In fact a portable antenna which I could set up under the spray hood would be fine. But do you need to have the marine antenna to be allowed to connect offshore (more than 10 miles or whatever offshore)?

At this time, no, you do not need the high performance flat antenna to connect offshore. We have the second generation rectangular Dishy and use a regional mobile plan. Offshore the app will tell you that you’re in an illegal location - at that point (or before you lose land coverage) go into the app and opt in to mobile priority data at US2/GB (same price in other currencies, even where the base service plan is much cheaper than the US). Works just fine for ocean coverage. Apparently speed limited to 10 miles per hour (though we’ve sailed faster than that and maintained connectivity). Ocean use is against the terms of service for the rectangular dish, but they’re not enforcing that yet.

We have ours mounted on a pole using their $65 pole mount adapter. I’ve heard of and seen pictures of others who have suspended the antenna under a deck hatch - at sea it looks straight up anyway. And as more satellites get launched it spends less time at an angle.

There is still not much detail about the new mini dish. It is meant for portability but no word on whether it will be allowed for ocean use.

rslifkin · 03-06-2024, 05:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxykty

At this time, no, you do not need the high performance flat antenna to connect offshore. We have the second generation rectangular Dishy and use a regional mobile plan. Offshore the app will tell you that you’re in an illegal location - at that point (or before you lose land coverage) go into the app and opt in to mobile priority data at US2/GB (same price in other currencies, even where the base service plan is much cheaper than the US). Works just fine for ocean coverage. Apparently speed limited to 10 miles per hour (though we’ve sailed faster than that and maintained connectivity). Ocean use is against the terms of service for the rectangular dish, but they’re not enforcing that yet.

We have ours mounted on a pole using their $65 pole mount adapter. I’ve heard of and seen pictures of others who have suspended the antenna under a deck hatch - at sea it looks straight up anyway. And as more satellites get launched it spends less time at an angle.

There is still not much detail about the new mini dish. It is meant for portability but no word on whether it will be allowed for ocean use.

To add to that, I'm pretty sure the non-pivoting Gen 3 dish is approved for low speed in motion use. It does draw slightly more power than the Gen 2 though (but not as much as the HP Flat dish).

**Dockhead** · 03-06-2024, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxykty

. . . There is still not much detail about the new mini dish. It is meant for portability but no word on whether it will be allowed for ocean use.

There was press a few days ago that the mini antenna just got FCC approval for marine and aviation use. Whether or not that means they will actually offer it for that use I don't know.

I think I will wait for this. This wounds very promising.

**Dockhead** · 03-06-2024, 11:43

The Starlink service plan page says that the expensive "high performance" equipment is only "recommended" for the Mobile Priority plans.

It sounds to me like you might get some performance degradation at more than 8 knots or maybe with a lot of boat motion, but that otherwise you can use any equipment. This seems to be confirmed by the experience of others in this thread.

The Mobile Priority plans give you a certain amount of prioritized traffic, after the exhaustion of which you fall over to the ordinary Mobile speeds. The cheapest Mobile Priority plan is $250, $100 more than the ordinary Mobile plan.

Paired with a cheap fixed dish, especially the mini one, and with the ability to pause and unpause as you like, that sound pretty compelling. Sailmail costs more than a month of that plan.

nmccubbin · 07-06-2024, 15:24

I used HAM, including Winlink, for 25 years or so, then Iridium GO for 5 years, and latterly Starlink.
This last is the way to go in 2024.
Shame to put HAM behind us. I will keep my rig, but find few people/nets to talk to

GO is cheap to buy today (I sold mine for $100) but costs as much/month as Starlink. Iridium is hard to deal with. Starlink is OK

You can always find space for Starlink. The "clear sky" requirement is less rigorous in practice than it sounds in the spec

robert sailor · 07-06-2024, 20:16

Interesting conversation. Our last crossing of the Atlantic was on a friends boat that hadn’t ever crossed an ocean and he had Starlink and of course it was like being at home but not cheap but depending on your budget? I’m still a cheap screw and I’ve been sailing offshore for over 40 years and I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when Sailmail came out. I’ve got a satellite system as well so I’m happy to continue to use Sailmail as I’ve got total confidence in it.

JD111 · 09-06-2024, 14:21

Not sure of your location, but can you not connect to a non US based station?

I was mid Pacific 2 years ago, and managed to get my weather downloads from Hawaii and my email from New Zealand. That worked for me.

**Dockhead** · 10-06-2024, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD111

Not sure of your location, but can you not connect to a non US based station?

I was mid Pacific 2 years ago, and managed to get my weather downloads from Hawaii and my email from New Zealand. That worked for me.

Winlink blocks you from sending messages to ordinary email accounts wherever you are in the world, based on your U.S. call sign.

SailDocs is allowed so you can get gribs and other stuff from there.

Bellinghamster · 10-06-2024, 08:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Winlink blocks you from sending messages to ordinary email accounts wherever you are in the world, based on your U.S. call sign.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it depend on which shore station you connect to?
I read the rules regarding reciprocal agreements to mean a US licensed operator can pass third party traffic (i.e. email to a non-HAM, non-commercial nature, of course) through shore stations in countries with third party reciprocal agreement. If that's the case, you just have to choose the location of the PMBO you connect with.

**Dockhead** · 10-06-2024, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bellinghamster

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it depend on which shore station you connect to?
I read the rules regarding reciprocal agreements to mean a US licensed operator can pass third party traffic (i.e. email to a non-HAM, non-commercial nature, of course) through shore stations in countries with third party reciprocal agreement. If that's the case, you just have to choose the location of the PMBO you connect with.

Well, I've been blocked everywhere I tried it, including shore stations all over Europe. Winlink sends a message back saying you can't.

What you are saying is logical, however. Maybe it's a bug in Winlink?

wholybee · 10-06-2024, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, I've been blocked everywhere I tried it, including shore stations all over Europe. Winlink sends a message back saying you can't.

What you are saying is logical, however. Maybe it's a bug in Winlink?

As I understand the rule, if any station involved has a US callsign, then that station can only pass 3rd party mail if the other stations involved are a US callsign, or have an agreement with the US.

So, if you have a US callsign, you need to contact a station with a US callsign. And for someone that doesn't have a US callsign, they need to contact a station that also doesn't have a US callsign.

Since most world cruisers don't cruise in the US and thus don't connect to US stations, Winlink works for them. But for those of us with a US callsign, the system is basically broken.