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Old 21-12-2022, 09:42   #1
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Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

I will be setting off next year for full-time sailing including off-shore . i am trying to decide between Starlink RV and Iridium GO! exec for offshore communications/weather systems. both are pretty expensive. I know starlink RV is not really rated for offshore but I've been hearing good things about it from people who sailed to the carribean. Iridium exec is claiming to be 40% faster. I would be interested in hearing from people preferably with firsthand experience with these systems. (not sure if Iridium has shipped yet so might be a limited sample)
Thank you in advance.
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Old 21-12-2022, 09:58   #2
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

Iridium claims their Exec is 40X (times) faster than the standard Iridium. Not 40%, and not faster than a Starlink.

IMO you need an Iridium Go for true offshore conditions - which for internet comms should now be defined as "too far for the nearest Starlink bird to talk to the nearest land station" - because unless you are paying the $5k/month for the "Maritime" service, you should not expect Starlink RV to work "offshore".

PS. My SL dish is giving me appx. 35+MBSec. Iridium Go (from memory) is 2.4KBitSec so Exec could be 96KBitSec. Snail speed compared to SL.
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Old 21-12-2022, 10:05   #3
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

Find a provider that gives us an iridum go flex plan , allowing you to pause/un-pause the go without needing to get a new SIM. You can use Starlink inshore and then turn on the GO when you’re going offshore.

Given the cost, I don’t see the current use case for the the Exec for most cruisers. Maybe I’m missing something.
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Old 21-12-2022, 10:13   #4
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

Another vote here for both. You need redundancy anyway, plus there is no guarantee that at some point in the future Starlink doesn't decide to flip a switch and geofence their RV package to be on land where RV's can actually go.
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Old 21-12-2022, 10:29   #5
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

Many Starlink owners have reported getting fast signals 300+NM offshore. Are you planning on sailing to the Caribbean or across the Pacific? I just got my Starlink and it is faster than most internet plans I've had (I'm in St. Lucia now). I've been disappointed with Iridium Go! but have no experience with this new "exec" system. My redundancy is that I have an SSB with a Pactor modem that will give me grib files offshore and also let me do text-only E-Mails.
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Old 21-12-2022, 10:35   #6
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Originally Posted by Zanshin View Post
Many Starlink owners have reported getting fast signals 300+NM offshore. Are you planning on sailing to the Caribbean or across the Pacific? I just got my Starlink and it is faster than most internet plans I've had (I'm in St. Lucia now). I've been disappointed with Iridium Go! but have no experience with this new "exec" system. My redundancy is that I have an SSB with a Pactor modem that will give me grib files offshore and also let me do text-only E-Mails.
I can attest to this, Starlink RV set up works flawlessly along the entire eastern shore of the USA up to 100 miles off, our friends were 200 miles south of Bermuda and streaming Amazon prime like they were sitting at home. It is truly game changing technology for cruisers.
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Old 21-12-2022, 11:14   #7
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

These are 2 different products for different usage. If you are looking for a device for safety and emergency communications, get the Iridium. If you want to watch movies and surf the web, get the Starlink. If you want both, get both. Or consider different products to cover one or the other. In Reach, SSB, etc. could replace a Go.
A Starlink will not work during a cyclone with 5 meter waves breaking on top of it. Heavy clouds and squalls could interrupt starlink. Starlink will not work in a life raft. Starlink will not work if the boats power systems go dead. Starlink does not have an SOS button or a search and rescue service included. Iridium Go! Checks those boxes.
There are reports of S/L now working on the Islands in the Pacific. It isn't a stretch to think that it will work on the vast ocean between them. However, it would be foolish to rely on it in an emergency.
No provider will allow you to start/stop Go! service without a new SIM. That is a limitation of the Iridium network. However, many will allow you to carry extra SIMS so you have them on hand to stop/start service. (Predictwind will even give you a couple extra free if you ask nicely when you order the Go!)
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Old 21-12-2022, 11:30   #8
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Originally Posted by wholybee View Post
No provider will allow you to start/stop Go! service without a new SIM. That is a limitation of the Iridium network. However, many will allow you to carry extra SIMS so you have them on hand to stop/start service. (Predictwind will even give you a couple extra free if you ask nicely when you order the Go!)
I agree with everything you state in regards to the uses for the different systems.

However, this last point is not accurate. There are plans that let you pause/un-pause GO! Without needing a new SIM. It’s very convenient.

I have no affiliation to the company, but I am a customer, check out https://seatech.systems they have a flex plan. I believe there are other programs from other providers too.

The flex plan gives us a local number, the ability to pause and un-pause, and a few other perks.
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Old 21-12-2022, 11:50   #9
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Originally Posted by PNWSalmon View Post
I agree with everything you state in regards to the uses for the different systems.

However, this last point is not accurate. There are plans that let you pause/un-pause GO! Without needing a new SIM. It’s very convenient.

I have no affiliation to the company, but I am a customer, check out https://seatech.systems they have a flex plan. I believe there are other programs from other providers too.

The flex plan gives us a local number, the ability to pause and un-pause, and a few other perks.
Thanks. That is good to know.
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Old 21-12-2022, 12:02   #10
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Originally Posted by Kinkircating View Post
...plus there is no guarantee that at some point in the future Starlink doesn't decide to flip a switch and geofence their RV package to be on land where RV's can actually go.
Why would they do that?
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Old 21-12-2022, 12:07   #11
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Why would they do that?
Because they sell a maritime product. As soon as they realize the Maritime product isn't selling well because everyone is buying the cheaper RV product, you can expect the RV product will be restricted.

They very well also might disable service on dishes that have had the motors disconnected.

All speculation, but it would be naive to rely on it not happening.
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Old 21-12-2022, 12:21   #12
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

I actually have an older Iridium that came with my boat. Perhaps the move would be to activate that for more reliable offshore weather service and go with the starlink for internet? I think the cost would be prohibitive for me to upgrade the iridium and do starlink. Currently just thinking Carriben or bahamas but longterm plans are flexible.
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Old 21-12-2022, 12:34   #13
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

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Originally Posted by wholybee View Post
Because they sell a maritime product.
I thought about that, but it doesn't seem to make sense. They'd be more likely to limit coast service for that reason. Clearly, the overwhelming majority of their subscribers are on land but, equally clearly, their satellites spend a great deal of time over the oceans. That means that a big part of their network capability is deadweight cost until they get more subscribers on the oceans. I could see them switching to a non-commercial maritime plan that would essentially be the RV plan with a different name. But it wouldn't make much business sense to cut themselves off from the non-commercial maritime market.

[Edited to add: I agree with you, though, that it's not yet clear if StarLink's commitment to the maritime market segment is as great as Iridium's is.]
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Old 21-12-2022, 12:48   #14
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

There is no "commercial" maritime product. Just the maritime product. And as we know, it is MUCH more expensive. Not only is the hardware more expensive, but the service is as well. So, with the increasing number of boats buying the RV service and going 500 miles offshore, or further, Starlink is losing money by not forcing them to the maritime product. Anecdotal observation, but there are a number of people in the Facebook groups that switched from $10,000 per month viasat services to the Starlink RV service. Why would Starlink allow that instead of pushing them to the higher cost option? Why would ANYONE buy the maritime service if the RV service works just as well?
There is a cost to providing services over the ocean and worldwide, that is higher than the cost over land in a single country. That is why the service costs more.
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Old 21-12-2022, 14:19   #15
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Re: Starlink RV vs. Iridium GO! exec

I have yet to see a report of a Starlink dish not working in waves. The phased array antenna can adjust the beam far faster than any wave can move your boat. Nor have I heard of one damaged by salt spray. Starlink put a lot of though into water protection. The cable connections are a thing of beauty with double gaskets. Heavy clouds and rain seems to have less effect on Starlink connectivity than Iridium Go.

Starlink has committed to global mid ocean service for the Maritime service for non-polar regions by end of Q1 2023. This is because they have launched enough laser equiped satelites that ground station proximity is no longer a factor.

I do think it's likely that RV will be geofenced soon to within 10 miles or so of shore - but the most recent terms of service describe an add on feature called "ocean data" that will be sold by the GB. No pricing for this but this may provide good mid-ocean service for RV who want 10GB of data not 1 terabyte as offered on Maritime. It's just conjecture but perhaps $30 for 10GB like a cell phone. Not for streaming movies but email, weather, messaging, voice, and web browsing will be much better than Iridium GO. It will be interesting to see what is announced.

Starlink is such an incredible speed improvement over Iridium GO that I can't imagine not having one aboard in a crossing. And it's cheaper.

Starlink is just as good if not better than Iridium GO as a distress communications system up to the point where you might be abandoning ship. It can be set up to run off 12V instead of through an inverter. When abandoning ship Iridium Go is not really a good solution either as it's not really meant to go swimming. I carry an InReach as my backup distress communications system and an EPIRB plus PLB's and AIS MOB's for each crew as the backup to the backup.

This will all change again in a few years as Apple and Tmobile roll out their cell phone satelite services. Tmobile will use the next generation of Starlink satelite that starts launching this month. Apple is already dispatching SAR helicopters to Iphone distress communications from cars and Tmobile is promising better than 3Mbps. These will kill both InReach and Iridium GO just like Starlink is killing ViaSat on megayachts.
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