Can you use Starlink on a boat?

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by johnjuliano

I spoke with a friend at PredictWind about when they would support StarLink. I was told two-three years in their opinion before StarLink would be ready for cruising boats.

Not sure why PredictWind would have any more insight into Starlink's business plans than anyone else? I am guessing there are a number of folks on the other starlink threads who are in a far better position to make an educated guess than a company that makes weather forecasting display software!

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by johnjuliano

I spoke with a friend at PredictWind about when they would support StarLink. I was told two-three years in their opinion before StarLink would be ready for cruising boats.

I expect that it is supported now. Predictwind (the offshore app) will work with a standard internet connection which starlink provides. Special support is only needed for the Iridium to initiate the dialup connection, and to set some firewall rules on the Iridium device so that only the Predictwind app can use the connection while it is active.

[ChrisJHC]

Sorry, if I’ve missed it, but how big are the “cells”?

[jmh2002]

Here's a good current thread (probably unnecessary to open this new thread...) on this subject with posts by people who are already using Starlink on their boats. It covers all the necessary questions:

Musk says Starlink will work on boats

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...JinrsX3qdSOW0s

[Dirk01]

Originally Posted by johnjuliano

I spoke with a friend at PredictWind about when they would support StarLink. I was told two-three years in their opinion before StarLink would be ready for cruising boats.

That would be exactly in my time range (+1 reserve). Awsome

[Rorzech]

"Of Course I Still Love You" is a moving floating platform that they land rocket boosters on dead center of the deck bobbing around in rough ocean swells. I think they have the stability thing figured out by now ! They're already launching the new Laser grid connected satellites that eliminate the need for ground stations. Musk is always ahead of schedule , It won't be long now. There will be such a rush for the mobile dished , it may be a tough time getting your hands on one.There's a long wait already for the geo-locked dishes ! I figure in about six months they'll start taking money for advance orders for there new mobile beta system. I just hope it's not out of my price range !

[Rorzech]

My neighbour's starlink is 5 feet off the ground facing North at 48 degree latitude. He's got a couple of trees blocking a lot of his Northern sky and he has never had a dead spot in his link, even during thunder storms. I think farther south where sat's are farther apart is where the trouble is.

[Auspicious]

Data:

Starlink is currently cell-locked. If you move out of your cell you get cut off. Cells are about 13 sm in diameter. A cell is fully populated with 60 ground terminals. Cells are based on a bent-pipe model in which a satellite must see both the ground terminal and client terminal.

source: information from a Southwest Virginia school district that bought two cells - ground station, terminals, everything.

For offshore coverage on a mobile platform (six degrees of freedom) more processing for the phased array will be needed, a substantial portion of the constellation will need laser links, downlinks to ground stations will need more bandwidth, backhaul will need to be increased, and a whole lot of government licenses need to be negotiated. My estimate for Starlink at sea on small boats is 2025.

source: a career building complicated comms and other tech gear.

[sailingforfun]

The technology is already there with onboard services like KVH.

I've had it and it works fantastic. The only current problem is cost.

If Starlink can lower the cost it will be a godsend.

[Dirk01]

So still in my time range (hopefully). Thx.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by sailingforfun

The technology is already there with onboard services like KVH.

Different problem set. To my knowledge, all the satellites for TV and Internet used by the KVH and similar products are geosynchronous (GEO). That makes the math for the pedestal easier. All it has to do is account for platform dynamics (boat six degrees of freedom).

For low earth orbiting satellites you have platform dynamics AND a very rapidly moving target (orbital period of about 19 minutes). The processing power (new software, faster chips, more power consumption.

In the end, the science is really done. It's the engineering to fit it into size, weight, and power (SWAP) constraints and the productization to hit a price point that will take work.

Originally Posted by Dirk01

So still in my time range (hopefully). Thx.

Please note that the 2025 estimate is my own based on a lot of professional experience with high tech development. The operational estimates you'll get from most people, including Elon Musk, are more optimistic. 2023 and even 2022 in some cases. I have deep and abiding respect for Mr. Musk but his schedule estimates have missed time and again. I stand by 2025.

As you watch reporting I think the first thing you'll see is loosening of cell locking and the beginning of land mobile on a beta basis. I expect they'll run in downlink bandwidth problems as the laser-linked satellites become operational and that will lead to slipped schedules by months if not a year. They going to have trouble getting a small package for a dynamic platform below 250W and hit their price point. More time. Note that they have indeed flown Starlink but the processing was in racks of equipment, not a small box. Not shortage of power either. Motion on the C12 was high speed of advance but otherwise pretty benign vehicle motion.

I firmly believe they'll get there unless resources get redirected (Mr. Musk is enamored with getting to Mars). It's just going to take a while.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Different problem set. To my knowledge, all the satellites for TV and Internet used by the KVH and similar products are geosynchronous (GEO). That makes the math for the pedestal easier. All it has to do is account for platform dynamics (boat six degrees of freedom).

For low earth orbiting satellites you have platform dynamics AND a very rapidly moving target (orbital period of about 19 minutes). The processing power (new software, faster chips, more power consumption.

In the end, the science is really done. It's the engineering to fit it into size, weight, and power (SWAP) constraints and the productization to hit a price point that will take work.



Please note that the 2025 estimate is my own based on a lot of professional experience with high tech development. The operational estimates you'll get from most people, including Elon Musk, are more optimistic. 2023 and even 2022 in some cases. I have deep and abiding respect for Mr. Musk but his schedule estimates have missed time and again. I stand by 2025.

As you watch reporting I think the first thing you'll see is loosening of cell locking and the beginning of land mobile on a beta basis. I expect they'll run in downlink bandwidth problems as the laser-linked satellites become operational and that will lead to slipped schedules by months if not a year. They going to have trouble getting a small package for a dynamic platform below 250W and hit their price point. More time. Note that they have indeed flown Starlink but the processing was in racks of equipment, not a small box. Not shortage of power either. Motion on the C12 was high speed of advance but otherwise pretty benign vehicle motion.

I firmly believe they'll get there unless resources get redirected (Mr. Musk is enamored with getting to Mars). It's just going to take a while.

On the plus side he's planning to pay for the Mars thing with Starlink revenue, so that should help keep the Elon ADHD focused a bit more.

I'm not as optimistic as you that they even care about power use. The difference between 500 watts and 250 watts is more or less meaningless for an aircraft or commercial terrestrial mobile system and certainly for the rural fixed customer that will make up 95% of their revenue base. Unfortunately I think the small group of us off grid types who care are so miniscule in the overall customer base that it's not worth the engineering cost to them, let alone the opportunity cost of engineering other improvements that impact far more customers.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

I'm not as optimistic as you that they even care about power use.

For the examples you cite I agree. I think for the third world which is part of their "look what compassionate people we are" power does make a difference. Size however does not. We'll see.

[Franziska]

There seems to be a new antenna out. Anyone has tested it already?

https://www.tesmanian.com/de/blogs/t...g/new-starlink

&

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-sta...en-2-dish/amp/

Smaller 12" x 19" wide, half the weight now 9lbs and completely waterproof, albeit ip54 only. .
Price stays the same for now as the old one, but they hope they can lower it in the future.

Good comparison old vs. new in here:

https://www.theverge.com/platform/am...net-satellites

I wonder when we get to use it on the go...

[bcboomer]

I just spoke with Starlink support.

Unfortunately it uses the same amount of power as the larger one.