Starlink and the future of communication at sea

[Thalas]

Starlink looks incredible and will be a game-changer for sailors beyond AIS or even modern weather reporting processes. Low-latency, high bandwidth internet anywhere in the world. The connection will be through phase array antennas so you don't need a dish on a gyro trying to keep up with your pitch and roll motion.

Salty sailors will complain about how it's not needed and the romance of unplugging, but imagine access to the best, most recent weather info, real-time video chats with loved-ones far away, real-time distress communication, entertainment, broken boat parts troubleshooting with experts anywhere in the world (seriously, EVERY large boat manufacturer should plan on having video tech support engineers on standby as the benefits would be fantastic), news updates, default world business communications... the list goes on and on.

What You Need to Know About SpaceX's Satellite Broadband Plans | Fortune

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Thalas

Starlink looks incredible and will be a game-changer for sailors beyond AIS or even modern weather reporting processes. Low-latency, high bandwidth internet anywhere in the world. The connection will be through phase array antennas so you don't need a dish on a gyro trying to keep up with your pitch and roll motion.

Salty sailors will complain about how it's not needed and the romance of unplugging, but imagine access to the best, most recent weather info, real-time video chats with loved-ones far away, real-time distress communication, entertainment, broken boat parts troubleshooting with experts anywhere in the world (seriously, EVERY large boat manufacturer should plan on having video tech support engineers on standby as the benefits would be fantastic), news updates, default world business communications... the list goes on and on.

What You Need to Know About SpaceX's Satellite Broadband Plans | Fortune

We are glad you are so excited about it. I'll call when I want any of those great benefits. I already know I don't need them, because I don't have them...

But don't go by me... I have never had a "real time video chat" with anyone, ever, anywhere. Not sure why I would want one in the middle of the ocean. Heck, I make about one PHONE call every other month, and haven't seen a tv show for 40 years, so I am probably more than a bit of an outlier...

[Thalas]

Originally Posted by billknny

We are glad you are so excited about it. I'll call when I want any of those great benefits. I already know I don't need them, because I don't have them...

Haha. I can taste the salt. And I say that with love.

Ever have something break on a boat where you didn't know how to fix it or needed to order the correct part ASAP? Of course not... but for us mere mortals, that alone would be fantastic.

The part where you mentioned not having anyone in the world you would want to FaceTime chat with while cruising genuinely made me sad though. Even the Delos crew talks about the toll of being away from loved ones so long.

[Steven UK]

Originally Posted by billknny

We are glad you are so excited about it. I'll call when I want any of those great benefits. I already know I don't need them, because I don't have them...

But don't go by me... I have never had a "real time video chat" with anyone, ever, anywhere. Not sure why I would want one in the middle of the ocean. Heck, I make about one PHONE call every other month, and haven't seen a tv show for 40 years, so I am probably more than a bit of an outlier...

But you are chit-chatting on here so your half way there...

[darylat8750]

Originally Posted by billknny

We are glad you are so excited about it. I'll call when I want any of those great benefits. I already know I don't need them, because I don't have them...

But don't go by me... I have never had a "real time video chat" with anyone, ever, anywhere. Not sure why I would want one in the middle of the ocean. Heck, I make about one PHONE call every other month, and haven't seen a tv show for 40 years, so I am probably more than a bit of an outlier...

I can tell you my wife can more than double the TBGCV (time between grandchildren visits) with video chatting before she starts getting twitchy.

[skipmac]

Would also be useful for those of us that aren't independently wealthy and still do a bit of income generating work. In my case than requires only access to phone and internet. Can be done with existing technology but not seamlessly and cheaply at the same time.

[Hardhead]

I'm like an old-timer.. I like to use the computer between my ears to solve unexpected problems, and also to keep myself entertained. What I like about sailing is getting away from current technology for the most part, and getting back in touch with my default mind.

Pretty soon we'll all just sit behind 3d retina glasses and stay in our bed pods.

It does sound impressive though -- imagine where technology will be in 20 years. We'll all probably be a lot safer, so how can it be criticized?

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by billknny

We are glad you are so excited about it. I'll call when I want any of those great benefits. I already know I don't need them, because I don't have them...

But don't go by me... I have never had a "real time video chat" with anyone, ever, anywhere. Not sure why I would want one in the middle of the ocean. Heck, I make about one PHONE call every other month, and haven't seen a tv show for 40 years, so I am probably more than a bit of an outlier...

United Health Care has a Doctors on Demand service that my wife used this summer in Juneau, Alaska. She did a real time video chat with a great doctor and it cost $50. That is less than half the cost of her last visit to an Urgent Care center. It was 9:30 on a Sunday morning. We were initially skeptical but came away very, very impressed.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

I'm like an old-timer.. I like to use the computer between my ears to solve unexpected problems, and also to keep myself entertained. What I like about sailing is getting away from current technology for the most part, and getting back in touch with my default mind.

I agree with all the above but on the other hand I have a daughter, son-in-law, two new grandkids, two sisters, more in-laws, and assorted nephews, cousins, etc that I want to stay in touch with. And as someone else mentioned, it will be a lot easier to get my wife on board if she can call the grandkids more often.

[ZULU40]

Originally Posted by billknny

But don't go by me... I have never had a "real time video chat" with anyone, ever, anywhere.

not difficult to figure out why

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Thalas

Starlink looks incredible and will be a game-changer for sailors beyond AIS or even modern weather reporting processes. Low-latency, high bandwidth internet anywhere in the world. ......

I don't know where you are getting 'anywhere in the world' from these satellites. The Starlink system consists of low altitude satellites, these do not have a large foot print on the ground. Middle of the Pacific it is very unlikely that you will be in the path of one of these. It takes 800 satellites to cover the US, and the Pacific is a lot bigger.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Thalas

The part where you mentioned not having anyone in the world you would want to FaceTime chat with while cruising genuinely made me sad though. Even the Delos crew talks about the toll of being away from loved ones so long.

What strikes me as really sad is someone who does not think a full and complex social life can exist without facebook or facetime or whatever...

And I am not at all sure what you mean when you say "Even the Delos crew..." Last I checked they picked up new "loved ones" every few months.

[Woodland Hills]

I do not understand why someone wouldn’t want to see who they were talking to. Isn’t one of the joys of face to face contact being able to read the nuances of facial expressions?

We are constantly using Skype and Facetime to chat with friends and family that are hundreds and even thousands of miles away and could not imagine having to go back to old fashioned telephones. We really like being able to show folks where we are moored and the views from our afterdeck and to see the seasons change where they live.

We have also used video to consult with techs and others helping with boat issues along with still photos.

[Woodland Hills]

Originally Posted by billknny

What strikes me as really sad is someone who does not think a full and complex social life can exist without facebook or facetime or whatever...

And I am not at all sure what you mean when you say "Even the Delos crew..." Last I checked they picked up new "loved ones" every few months.

I am saddened by those who think that a having a complex social life excludes one from the use of modern technology to support that social life. You do realize there is no reason why the use of social media precludes one from using more traditional means of contact: it’s not a matter of one OR the other, but one AND the other.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I agree with all the above but on the other hand I have a daughter, son-in-law, two new grandkids, two sisters, more in-laws, and assorted nephews, cousins, etc that I want to stay in touch with. And as someone else mentioned, it will be a lot easier to get my wife on board if she can call the grandkids more often.

I completely agree with you. In my own view, that would be a positive without a cumulative negative. To each there own with this sort of thing obviously. Outside of that, IMO I think we're all getting stronger computers and weaker brains.