Starlink

[ttmott]

Really don't think SL connectivity will be an issue for us coastal cruisers. There really is no way for them to restrict access in a small anchorage or bay. Unless he really wants to be d@#k about it...lol. We should also keep in mind that SL first rollout wasn't to satisfy the pleasure boaters. We are just putting the carriage in front of the horse as we wait for SL to catch up to our needs. For now I'm pretty happy with what they are providing even with the small rate increase. If I have to walk to the bow of my yacht to setup a highspeed internet dish so that i can stream Netflix at 150mbs while at anchor I think I can grin and bear it...

But here is the quandry on marine use - the satellites travel across the sky in a matrix. They have to move to prevent gravity from bringing them down; they travel a bit more than 17,000 MPH. As a result (when fully deployed) all of the oceans will have coverage no different than the land. The difference is the location and connectivity to the ground based stations. Regardless, I really see no difference between off shore mobile and RV mobile. Any customer is a good customer; so, I don't understand the rate jump for marine mobility other than the big commercial applications.

 

[Skybolt]

Ive been watching all of you work through all the SL hardware, firmware, and related issues. I know this is awsome technology, but maybe a little bit in its infancy, so I’ve stayed away.

However, having upgraded the Peplink last year to the MAX BR1 Pro 5G, and sticking with a dedicated Verizon data account, I couldn’t be happier, I think you will be as well (even with cellular limits).

The 5G throughput is 10x-50x what the older generation hardware was, and can handle anything I’ve asked it to do including remote monitoring, security cameras, YoutubeTV, streaming just about anything we could think of.

Additionally, as SL gets its *&$# together, the 5G makes for a great onboard router/network management hub. All of it remote manageable. So while expensive, I don’t think it a waste of money.

A little bit in it's infancy, is an understatement for sure. I mean look at all the plan changes that have taken place this month alone. Those in an of itself may be a deal breaker for some. The area I am in is over populated for there infrastructure and considered a "waitlist" scenario. SO this may have been all in vain for me. Where some of the other like @Irie308 and @ocgrant they are not over populated so the SL infrastructure is working well for them. Where I am, I will never have priority service being on a Roam contract and only have sub-service.

The issue I have with 5G cell is I don't have coverage everywhere I go. Maybe 5G LTE has better coverage then 4G LTE? But I am not sure on that as my cell phone also had issues in the same spots. If it wasn't for the I wouldn't have switched. I still use my 2.4G PL and love it still. I was thinking of upgrading that anyway, but at $1K and it's not really needed (yet), so I have back off of that.

I would think SL would not work for you being under a roof at times. I am also facing that next winter and going forward (changing marina's). That is a dilemma and one I have yet to figure out. I might need the cell contract anyway. So this is basically a big expensive test. One I was unsure of going in and still not sure of now as it looks to be changing drastically.

 

[Skybolt]

But here is the quandry on marine use - the satellites travel across the sky in a matrix. They have to move to prevent gravity from bringing them down; they travel a bit more than 17,000 MPH. As a result (when fully deployed) all of the oceans will have coverage no different than the land. The difference is the location and connectivity to the ground based stations. Regardless, I really see no difference between off shore mobile and RV mobile. Any customer is a good customer; so, I don't understand the rate jump for marine mobility other than the big commercial applications.

Price gouging, that simple or supply and demand your choice. The market will bring what the market brings. Currently SL for Maritime is cheaper then it's competitors. And RV's didn't have any choice at all, where now they do. So they are getting what the market will bring them. That simple, no?

 

[Irie308]

Price gouging, that simple or supply and demand your choice. The market will bring what the market brings. Currently SL for Maritime is cheaper then it's competitors. And RV's didn't have any choice at all, where now they do. So they are getting what the market will bring them. That simple, no?

But to play devil's advocate I can't imagine sending hi-tech satellites into space on a bi weekly basis is cheap no matter how efficient the reusable rockets are. I would imagine if diesel is high rocket fuel is maybe a tad more per gallon (). 10 years ago there would be now way we could afford to put something like this on our vessels much less have the nerve to hack it apart. Remember those 40" flat screen plasmas selling at boutique home theatre shops for 20k? At the very least I think this will force the cellular networks to step there game up for land based use.

 

[Skybolt]

But to play devil's advocate I can't imagine sending hi-tech satellites into space on a bi weekly basis is cheap no matter how efficient the reusable rockets are. I would imagine if diesel is high rocket fuel is maybe a tad more per gallon (). 10 years ago there would be now way we could afford to put something like this on our vessels much less have the nerve to hack it apart. Remember those 40" flat screen plasmas selling at boutique home theatre shops for 20k? At the very least I think this will force the cellular networks to step there game up for land based use.

Not devils advocate, but truth. I doubt their going to see a profit for many years to come. My point is/was and to your point, their going to charge what the market will bear in any case. And in this case they're charging a little less to attract new customer and get people to switch over to them. I suspect then, at some point, their rates will go up from there. I don't see this being affordable for long on the water no matter what happens.

As far as cell companies being affected, I doubt they even will see this on there radar. People are not going to trade their personal phone accounts in for SL. And as far as Peplink goes, they already don't want them on their network for the most part.

 

[ttmott]

Price gouging, that simple or supply and demand your choice. The market will bring what the market brings. Currently SL for Maritime is cheaper then it's competitors. And RV's didn't have any choice at all, where now they do. So they are getting what the market will bring them. That simple, no?

It will be another year or so to profitability for Sx on their Starlink program. The threat is Amazon's Kuyper program which is fast-tracking and aiming at the same market. Amazon has purchased the last five Atlas V rockets with the first deployment of their satellites in a couple of months. Plus One-Web is already deploying their constellation but they are focusing on Africa right now.
So, anyone that captures early market share has odds to hold a large portion of that market share. This is what befuddles me on the price rate structure with Starlink.

 

[Skybolt]

It will be another year or so to profitability for Sx on their Starlink program. The threat is Amazon's Kuyper program which is fast-tracking and aiming at the same market. Amazon has purchased the last five Atlas V rockets with the first deployment of their satellites in a couple of months. Plus One-Web is already deploying their constellation but they are focusing on Africa right now.
So, anyone that captures early market share has odds to hold a large portion of that market share. This is what befuddles me on the price rate structure with Starlink.

Why, Amazon will just come in at the same or close pricing structure. Some people will not even use Amazon because they are Amazon, the same goes for SL. To be honest, SL and AMZ will be out of price range for most boaters once they settle in. I mean look at what is currently out there for boaters. 1K+/month - way, way over priced. It would take the existing options going out of bis for SL and AMZ to come down in price to capture that market place. Like I said, and not to disagree with you at all, the market will bear what it will bear. meaning enough people switch over at this price point and it's here to stay.

 

[dtfeld]

It'll come down in price...maybe several years, but to get their ROI, they will need subscribers by the millions

 

[Irie308]

I am guessing my array is hosed and need a new one, so I ordered one yesterday. It will be interesting to find out if that is actually the issue. I figure if it isn't I can cancel and return it and only be out a few bucks. But not looking forward to it not being the issue. Upgrading the Peplink to the new 5g pro and 40g antenna isn't cheap and no money saved with the right cell contract.

@SKybolt would be interested in your old dish if it is truly damaged. Seriously doubt it is though.

 

[Blueone]

How do you people keep up on this stuff?

 

[Skybolt]

@SKybolt would be interested in your old dish if it is truly damaged. Seriously doubt it is though.

Yeah I am truly baffled on this one. I don't see any reason this should be bad, but I have to test this to find out if there is a service issue or a hardware issue. If it is a hardware issue, I will be cutting the back off, but will do it in a way I can give the needed info on how to do it etc. Fingers crossed on bad hardware though.

 

[Skybolt]

How do you people keep up on this stuff?

By using it everyday and trial and error, and in my case mostly error it seems.

 

[Irie308]

I'm looking to cut the back off but not until I'm 110% I'm going with the flat mount where I want it. Thinking of doing what "MV Freedom" did for a backing. Not getting too fancy. Waiting for a hot summer day to take some temperature readings. My 12volt conversion however has been working great thus far. Did notice however when i used the stern thrusters the starlink rebooted. Probably due to the drop in voltage but still not a big deal though.

 

[dtfeld]

I'm looking to cut the back off but not until I'm 110% I'm going with the flat mount where I want it. Thinking of doing what "MV Freedom" did for a backing. Not getting too fancy. Waiting for a hot summer day to take some temperature readings. My 12volt conversion however has been working great thus far. Did notice however when i used the stern thrusters the starlink rebooted. Probably due to the drop in voltage but still not a big deal though.

put it behind a voltage regulator.. $25 on Amazon.

 

[Skybolt]

put it behind a voltage regulator.. $25 on Amazon.

View attachment 142445

The SL POE is 48v so that needs to be using a 12v to 48v dc-dc converter.

You will laugh, but if for some reason the wiring is bad on mine, I am going to keep the SL router in power supply mode. I have a rack mounted UPS from when I kept DTV up and running when switching over to generator. So I will probably use that and call it a day even though I have it working on 12v now.

 

[Irie308]

The SL POE is 48v so that needs to be using a 12v to 48v dc-dc converter.

Yes, it also doesn't bother me now. If I'm using the stern thruster the last thing I'm worried about is the starlink in that moment. Worse case I could just move it to the next battery bank.

 

[Skybolt]

Received my new array "Dishy" as they like to call it. And set it up in front of my garage letting it face north and i is activated against my original account which is now "Roam". My initial speed test after the 15 min wait was what is being posted on line ~75 MBps down and 5-10 MBps up. While for home internet I would be upset at those speeds but for the boat, I am more then happy with that. No other options will even come close to that for the price. And if fact would be astronomical for 75MBps.

So that said, first step accomplished. Verified that the Roam plan does change the speed and it also is usable in my area even though I am in wait list state. Wait list means the area is to congested for the network to support proper speeds. So I am also non priority service as well.

Next is to try it at the dock, if that passes then take my dish and connect it to the new hardware at the array and confirm it is bad or not. I have a strong feeling that it is bad or the cables or something in that setup. So I will then void this new warrantee and disable the motors and re-mount the new one and call it done.

 

[firecadet613]

Received my new array "Dishy" as they like to call it. And set it up in front of my garage letting it face north and i is activated against my original account which is now "Roam". My initial speed test after the 15 min wait was what is being posted on line ~75 MBps down and 5-10 MBps up. While for home internet I would be upset at those speeds but for the boat, I am more then happy with that. No other options will even come close to that for the price. And if fact would be astronomical for 75MBps.

So that said, first step accomplished. Verified that the Roam plan does change the speed and it also is usable in my area even though I am in wait list state. Wait list means the area is to congested for the network to support proper speeds. So I am also non priority service as well.

Next is to try it at the dock, if that passes then take my dish and connect it to the new hardware at the array and confirm it is bad or not. I have a strong feeling that it is bad or the cables or something in that setup. So I will then void this new warrantee and disable the motors and re-mount the new one and call it done.

Have you tried new cables? Easy enough fix and I've seen that be the cause more often than not, for those that did not mod Dishy...

 

[Skybolt]

Have you tried new cables? Easy enough fix and I've seen that be the cause more often than not, for those that did not mod Dishy...

No I have not, but that is one of the test(s) for tonight. Going to take just the dish and plug it into the new system and see what happens. Would love that to be the issue. I didn't use dielectric grease when I installed it originally so maybe just that.

Wasn't going to start replacing components to see what the issue is/was. I can easily return the new dish and buy a new cable if that is the issue.

 

[LTD.330]

It may be worthwhile to see how the old Dishy works with the new hardware first. One would think you would see the same low performance, but if it suddenly improves, you have an issue with the existing setup and it may fry the new Dishy.