Starlink

ocgrant

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Dec 31, 2006
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Miami / Ft Lauderdale
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Ok so I am starting this thread mainly for us off shore guys. I am chomping at the bit to get Starlink but… The current marine version is just not affordable to recreational boaters at this time. I have heard mixed results on the RV version where it works ok past the 12 miles they say it works. I mainly travel to the Bahamas and that is where I would want it to work. Currently using a LTE set up so this could be a game changer but need to see how the RV version will work once the Bahamas FCC approves Starlink. My ultimate goal is get ride of the dome and replace it with Direct TV streaming at home and on the boat for TV. Plus have great internet while cruising offshore So let’s have at it as I know there are several Off Shore guys and gals on the forum. What’s your thoughts.
 
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I don't know Grant - not ready for prime time for the boating we do.
My guess we are still a couple of years out for recreational boating.
 
Tom,
I hope you are wrong as it would sure be nice to be connected at the end of a long day playing in the Bahamas with high speed internet. Amazing how much of our life evolves around having it now. I think the first hurdle is getting the Bahamas government to approve Starlink usage in their country. Once that happens then we will see if it gets better to justify. Next is if this thing will handle our environment, is it marinatized enough to last? I am willing to give it a try once they open the Bahamas.
 
Tom,
I hope you are wrong as it would sure be nice to be connected at the end of a long day playing in the Bahamas with high speed internet. Amazing how much of our life evolves around having it now. I think the first hurdle is getting the Bahamas government to approve Starlink usage in their country. Once that happens then we will see if it gets better to justify. Next is if this thing will handle our environment, is it marinatized enough to last? I am willing to give it a try once they open the Bahamas.
I hope also. No doubt Sx has had prototype mobile systems in operation well before any FCC application or approval process but, they have a long way to go. What is interesting about Sx is they tend to do everything in-house and very little outsourcing. With this in mind will KVH and Intellian be a part of all this?
 
Tom,
I hope you are wrong as it would sure be nice to be connected at the end of a long day playing in the Bahamas with high speed internet. Amazing how much of our life evolves around having it now. I think the first hurdle is getting the Bahamas government to approve Starlink usage in their country. Once that happens then we will see if it gets better to justify. Next is if this thing will handle our environment, is it marinatized enough to last? I am willing to give it a try once they open the Bahamas.

What happens if you just use it without approval?
 
Grant, looks like at least one user has gotten Starlink to work in the Bahamas:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/vepss8/star_link_in_the_bahamas_on_a_boat_works_well/


Yes there are several already with mixed results. My buddy took his overthere and had decent service some nights and crappy others. Not sure if it is just not enough sats orbiting over the area or SX has control to connect to them or not. Still a lot of unknown how this all actually works but I am definately reading and learning. The issue is it is changing so fast that what you read last week is old already. I have a buddy in Bimini today and he is going to walk the marina and see if anyone over there is using one and what they are seeing.

Found this site to be another showing it is working deep in the Abacos
https://abacoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=190802
 
What is interesting about Sx is they tend to do everything in-house and very little outsourcing. With this in mind will KVH and Intellian be a part of all this?
I agree 100% and based on his way of doing things I would say KVH and Intellian are chit out of luck in getting in this game until Musk decides he wants out of the end user Hardware business.
 
This and the other Starlink thread captured my interest and I've been reading when I can. Some thoughts:
- Not zoomable like the terrestrial map but Starlink maritime map seems to indicate 100% coastal coverage of the US and northern Caribbean out to USVI. Sort of explains why there are many cells on the terrestrial map showing coverage while just inland is not available. But, I think whether "maritime" coverage will at some point be segregated from terrestrial/RV is an unknown.
- I've read several claims online that the home/RV equipment is worth much more than Starlink is charging for. Seems to not be the case with maritime - they must expect that most who want it will have the ability to pay full freight. If the maritime segment as currently structured and priced takes off, I wonder if boaters like us will be left behind.
- Other than a need to make sure some of the connectors are sealed up, I haven't seen many complaints about the antenna not standing up to weather.
- Demand in the RV crowd seems to be exploding. I'm wondering if now isn't the time to go ahead and get signed up before Starlink concludes they can safely raise the initial price bar. Might be worthwhile if only in the interest of hoping for "grandfathering" protection from future changes.
 
- Demand in the RV crowd seems to be exploding. I'm wondering if now isn't the time to go ahead and get signed up before Starlink concludes they can safely raise the initial price bar. Might be worthwhile if only in the interest of hoping for "grandfathering" protection from future changes.
I am thinking the same way exactly. That’s why I might step up and just buy the RV package since you can “pause” your account and it is still active technically. The equipment is very affordable so I may make a move next week just to “be in the game” so say.
 
Check this page out… Tom you are the aero space guy, what are we looking at here?

https://starlink.sx/

D3466080-89B2-41D5-A63F-6562F086D4D5.png
 
Use this map.
https://www.starlink.com/map
It looks like the area you are interested (Bimini) is listed as "waitlist" which I think means the area is fully subscribed and they will put on a list of some sort. This begs the question on mobile products and how that waitlist applies.
 
Very interested to see where you guys go with this.

Dave,
Dan, “Cocktail Time” has come up with a hell of a deal with T Mobile that he says works all over the lake with incredible speeds. Made for home, but he says it works flawlessly. You have to use your home address and not available for me yet.

Bennett
 
Ok so decided to pull the trigger. Says I will have it in 2 weeks which is perfect as I am going to Bimini after Labor Day. Now on to mounting. I need to come up with something that I can mount it but I am not ready to pull the dome off yet. So thinking to remove the TV UFO and see if I can make it work there, not sure if it will fit or not but that is one option. I also like that motorized mount that folds down but have to see if it is available yet.
 
Check this page out… Tom you are the aero space guy, what are we looking at here?

https://starlink.sx/

View attachment 132025

So your tracking 4 sat's with 93% signal strength across them all. I just did the same lookup and had 5 sat's with 98% signal strength. So it looks like there's rotating sat's with varied signal strength. But also looks like you will be fine with your coverage.

As for the mount, in the other thread there is a link to a screw on 1"x14 thread mount that the Starlink pole will slip into. That might be a good alternative if you have a spare antenna mount up top.

EDIT: BTW, thanks for posting the link to that page. My area states no coverage until next year sometime, but that page shows 100% coverage by seven sat's. I am right behind you on ordering and going to get this instead of an antenna upgrade. Very happy about this.
 
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Not sure that is relevant here since it is the RV package. From what I have read the marine unit is different in it's coverage and how it operates. Still unclear if it operates on the 2nd phase units or not because of the lasers it uses to pass off the signal. Or if phase two sat's are just laser equipped. Not much out to explain this at this point.
 

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