Musk says Starlink will work on boats

[Avionics_Joe]

From:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/21/0...ips-and-planes

On Friday, SpaceX asked the FCC for permission to deploy Starlink satellite broadband to aircraft, ships, large trucks & RVs. Ars Technica reports:
SpaceX said it is "seek[ing] authority to deploy and operate these earth stations... throughout the United States and its territories... in the territorial waters of the United States and throughout international waters worldwide, and... on US-registered aircraft operating worldwide and non-US-registered aircraft operating in US airspace." "Granting this application would serve the public interest by authorizing a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX's satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide," SpaceX told the FCC. Internet users are no longer "willing to forego connectivity while on the move, whether driving a truck across the country, moving a freighter from Europe to a US port, or while on a domestic or international flight," SpaceX said.

The application said that vehicle-mounted terminals will be similar to the Starlink satellite dishes designed for home-Internet service, with some key differences: "SpaceX Service's ESIMs are electrically identical to its previously authorized consumer user terminals but have mountings that allow them to be installed on vehicles, vessels, and aircraft, which are suitable for those environments. SpaceX Service's ESIMs will communicate only with those SpaceX satellites that are visible on the horizon above a minimum elevation angle of 25 degrees. The proposed phased array user terminal will track SpaceX's NGSO [non-geostationary orbit] satellites passing within its field of view. As the terminal steers the transmitting beam, it automatically changes the power to maintain a constant level at the receiving antenna of its target satellite, compensating for variations in antenna gain and path loss associated with the steering angle."
While the article speculated that that Starlink terminals could fit Tesla cars and other passenger vehicles, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk clarified on Twitter today that passenger cars are not in the plan because the terminal is "much too big."

[NCWDave]

I looked in to this after a friend of mine in Cebo told me he saw a couple Star Link ad banners around the city.
"Philippines Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, held a virtual conference on December 28 with SpaceX’s Vice President for Satellite Government Affairs Patricia Cooper. They discussed bringing SpaceX’s Starlink broadband internet service to the Asian island country this year."


https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesm...%20your%20city.

[VagaBrand]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Starlink only works on boats that are stuck in the ice in north latitudes of Canada, Russia, China, Norway, Sweden. The satellites are repeaters that communicate via earth stations to get internet service to land based users where there are no landlines. Wont work in the Caribbean or open oceans

That's today... They are dumping 60+ sats a month. Before you know it no where in the globe will be without coverage. I don't think the world realizes what a disruptive game changer this is yet. He's getting it done so quickly virtually no one has any type of answer for Starlink. It's going to have 100% global market share within a few years possibly sooner. It's the smartphone of broadband.

[Franziska]

Regarding cost.

If you are cruising with two people far from home, and it gets you decent internet everywhere I guess you could cancel two mobile phone contracts if you are willing to accept that you can only call everyone from the boat via Skype or WhatsApp (not sure if that can be made to work with Starlink if you have no other contract providing a mobile number though.)

90$ are about the same as two mobile contracts with unlimited services in many places.

45$ per person seems bearable, especially if you can run a business that way.

Originally Posted by rslifkin

It's not cheap, but in terms of functionality / speed and (eventual) coverage area, it's a better deal than most of the other options out there. Yeah, cellular is often cheaper, but often with data caps, and even without, you still have to be close enough to land with cell towers for it to work.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Regarding cost.

If you are cruising with two people far from home, and it gets you decent internet everywhere I guess you could cancel two mobile phone contracts if you are willing to accept that you can only call everyone from the boat via Skype or WhatsApp (not sure if that can be made to work with Starlink if you have no other contract providing a mobile number though.)

90$ are about the same as two mobile contracts with unlimited services in many places.

45$ per person seems bearable, especially if you can run a business that way.

If it’s going to be in the same ballpark as the current retail satellite offerings, or even twice as much, then it’s still a game changer due to the speed. For a cruiser crossing oceans who doesn’t rely on SSB there wouldn’t be any reason not to change to Starlink.

Once you’re coastal you can now buy the cheapest SIM with no or minimal data to provide your phone with a number, and rely on data from Starlink when on your boat.

Unfortunately, still need a Go for our upcoming passage to Australia.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by VagaBrand

That's today... They are dumping 60+ sats a month. Before you know it no where in the globe will be without coverage. I don't think the world realizes what a disruptive game changer this is yet. He's getting it done so quickly virtually no one has any type of answer for Starlink. It's going to have 100% global market share within a few years possibly sooner. It's the smartphone of broadband.

First, Vaga, Welcome to CF! Hope it gives you what you want.

I think you're absolutely correct that StarLink is going to be a game-changer in ways nobody has considered yet. $1200/yr is still a bit stiff, but cheaper than other unlimited satellite options, with vastly improved performance. While I love SpaceX, I'm hoping other providers (Amazon, etc) get into the game soon, so competition will bring prices down.

And actually, StarLink is building & launching 120 satellites/month. They can get 60 in the nose of a Falcon9, & they're usually making 2 launches/month.

I looked in to this after a friend of mine in Cebo told me he saw a couple Star Link ad banners around the city.
"Philippines Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, held a virtual conference on December 28 with SpaceX’s Vice President for Satellite Government Affairs Patricia Cooper. They discussed bringing SpaceX’s Starlink broadband internet service to the Asian island country this year."

Thanks for this, Dave. Since we're in the Philippines (Palawan) ATM, this is good news. But it's going to be hard to compete with $20/month for essentially unlimited cell service from Globe or Smart. But extremely useful for crossing oceans. I wonder if they'll let us turn the service on/off, so we only have to pay for it when we need it?

If you are cruising with two people far from home, and it gets you decent internet everywhere I guess you could cancel two mobile phone contracts if you are willing to accept that you can only call everyone from the boat via Skype or WhatsApp (not sure if that can be made to work with Starlink if you have no other contract providing a mobile number though.)

90$ are about the same as two mobile contracts with unlimited services in many places.

45$ per person seems bearable, especially if you can run a business that way.

Franziska, I can see you're wanting to justify StarLink, & I'm all for that. But IMO we'd still want a couple of cellphones with local service, for when one is in town & needing to contact the other, or when using Maps to find a vendor in town, or to call (or receive a call) from somebody local, or any of a myriad of uses. I don't think StarLink can replace a local phone, even if you've bought a Skype number (or something similar). We've got a US Skype number, but no locals are going to want to call Seattle just to get hold of us. But local pre-pay service is cheaper than you quote in most places. The SIMs are almost free, & minimal service can usually be had for ~$10/mo.

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Regarding cost.

If you are cruising with two people far from home, and it gets you decent internet everywhere I guess you could cancel two mobile phone contracts if you are willing to accept that you can only call everyone from the boat via Skype or WhatsApp (not sure if that can be made to work with Starlink if you have no other contract providing a mobile number though.)

90$ are about the same as two mobile contracts with unlimited services in many places.

45$ per person seems bearable, especially if you can run a business that way.

Latency issues are going to be greatly reduced from Geostationary Satellite services, like the ones I relied on in the late 90's.

Best wishes all.

[Emoyeni]

While great for me personally, I fear this will ruin cruising destinations. If the masses can leave their homes in suburbia, anchorages will become crowded and islands will start limiting where people can anchor (like bora bora does right now).

[NCWDave]

If I can down load weather, charting and sat imaging like google maps at sea any where, Yes very yes! Throw in VoIP wow! Current pricing is a pleasant surprise to me. Keeping in mind this tech and market is in its infancy. We have yet to see the evolutionarily equivalent of the Apple vs IBM. The current build antenna in the disassembly vid is less than 2' diameter. less than 1/2 the size of a solar panel. The phased array appears to have a generous sweet spot. I have been talking to a couple telecom pros about remote internet comms. The advice has been wait, dont buy anything. It will be a whole different ball game in just a couple years. Yup! It even claims to be "water proof" hmmm really, hold my beer.

[Franziska]

In our news they are saying that VW and Mercedes Benz are talking to Elon to eventually incorporate Starlink in their vehicles.
If that happens antenna will get smaller and there will definitely be a mass market opening...

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by Franziska

In our news they are saying that VW and Mercedes Benz are talking to Elon to eventually incorporate Starlink in their vehicles.
If that happens antenna will get smaller and there will definitely be a mass market opening...

As it is electronically steered, I am thinking that the receiving elements are essentially a printed circuit. It could conceivably be distributed around the opening of the sunroof of a vehicle. A FRP overmolding with the antenna elements embedded, or something similar.
Best wishes all.

[cpisz]

I got a notice that StarLink is now available in Florida on a limited basis. I signed up for the notices so I was selected. Not getting it right now though. I don't need it yet. It is $500 for the equipment and $99 a month. Not too bad

[Franziska]

Same over here in Germany. Can be booked, availability 2nd half of this year.

I had put my name on the waiting list, but we have finally got a broadband connection at the house...

[bcboomer]

Starlink is working fine on my boat in a marina.
The boat rolls and wanders a bit in high wind.
It's on a temporary mount right now and the dis shakes a little in high wind.
The download speed does not seem to be affected at all.
I've usually got between 60 and 120 Mbps but have seen it it 420.
Beats the heck out of the pitiful marina wifi that cuts in and out and varies from .01 to 5 Mbps!
Software up grades that used to take an hour are done in seconds.
Cheaper than a data plan and once there are more satellites up it will work in our whole cruising area

[disputin]

When Elon figures out how to get an antenna into a case the size of a cell phone data and voice carriers around the world are screwed.




Sean