Starlink for boats?

Discussion in 'OnBoard Electronics & Controls' started by Cruising Happiness, Jan 9, 2020.

  1. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    I read that the user terminal draws 17 watts. I'm not sure if this is way way off base. There is much speculation based upon tiny details and fcc filings, until it comes out of private testing.

    Edit: read this too which may be the user terminal:
    • AC Input: 100-240Vac, 2.5A, 50-60Hz (250 watts?)

    • DC Output: 56V, 0.3A (16.8 watts)
    I don't know how much power it will take. Should get more info in 3 months when it's out of private beta.
     
  2. Rumars
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 1,791
    Likes: 1,107, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 39
    Location: Germany

    Rumars Senior Member

    Right now the antenna is engineered to be mounted on a stable, non moving platform like a house. The tracking apparatus is probably a single small servomotor that moves once or twice per hour. Energy consumption for this is negligible. When the platform moves every wich way at a high rate (boat on waves) you need a much more sofisticated suspension that can keep the antenna stable and pointed in a certain direction regardless of what the thing it is mounted on does. While we have the technology to do so, it uses many more servomotors that have to act many times a minute. Energy consumption goes up and while it won't be kW/h it can become a significant factor, not so much for a powerboat or if you have a generator, but for sailboats on batteries. Proably comparable with a fridge or autopilot now.
    Boats are a fringe market and not exactly an economic priority. Developing, testing and implementing mass production of such an antenna takes time, even if the technology is actually pretty mature.
    Let's say they go commercial next year, the priorities then will be achieving full coverage over land, wich will take at least one year. Probably another one for full world wide cover (all satellites operational). The mobile markets will have aircraft as priority since it is simpler to implement and higher returns, then commercial ships where space and waterproofing is not essential, and lastly the recreational marine market. Best scenario is they have a mature consumer level product on the market in 3 years, but 5 is a more realistic one.
     
    Cruising Happiness likes this.
  3. Dejay
    Joined: Mar 2018
    Posts: 721
    Likes: 138, Points: 43
    Location: Europe

    Dejay Senior Newbie

    Just to add some resources. There is a subreddit discussing this:
    https://www.reddit.com/r/StarlinkSailors

    There is also an article that reads as if he has already tested a starlink dish and it works without stabilization. Maybe this is on a relatively quite lake? In any case it seems using gyro stabilization there is no major hurdle:
    https://provscons.com/starlink-is-the-best-internet-for-boats/

     
  4. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    Starlink Maratime now available for superyachts and ships
    Starlink https://www.starlink.com/maritime

    High-speed, low-latency internet with up to 350 Mbps download while at sea. $5,000/mo with a one-time hardware cost of $10,000 for two high performance terminals.
     
  5. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    P.S. I posted this over starlink!
     
  6. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
    Posts: 7,598
    Likes: 1,674, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    A little steep for me, but if they can get it, why not.

    It is nice you can pay as you need it.

    A little surprised at the hardware price, but I suppose the sats are hardware as well.

    I wonder why/how they didn't have tiered pricing. I'd think they are gonna run out of customers a bit fast..but I suppose even 10k customer gen 50 a month...or say 25 on the pay as u go..
     
  7. Janis_59
    Joined: Aug 2022
    Posts: 14
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: Riga, Latvia, European Union

    Janis_59 Junior Member

    Isnt the starlin something too much expensive yet?? If I need to pay my sailboat price each month for to have it, then probably ought to search an another (dont know what) possibilities?? Heard it cost about 1000 USD monthly.
     
  8. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    It's not cheap for sure, but what is...

    Iridium go 2.4 kbps speed
    $140/month
    Iridium go Exec 80 kbps speed
    $110/month for 25 MB of data
    $160/month for 50 MB of data
    $270/month for 125 MB of data
    $400/month for 250 MB of data
    Iridium 704 kbps speed
    $1300/month for 1 GB of data
    Equipment $6000-$10000k
    Starlink Maritime 40-220 mbps download speed /8-25 mbps upload speed
    $1000/month for 1TB of data
    Equipment $2500
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2023
  9. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    Many recreational boaters have been using the Starlink RV. Unsure going forward. Many changes.

    This month Starlink RV was renamed Roam, and "land based" was added.
    Price increased to $150/month.
    New Global Roaming "land based" option available for $200/month.
    In-motion flat panel hardware now available $2,500 ($600 for standard dish)

    Roam might only work in harbor or near-shore cells in the future.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2023
  10. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    The original starlink maritime was priced at $10,000 for equipment (two dishes) and $5,000 a month. Good option for commercial ships, megayachts, and oil rigs that were paying $$$$$ thousands before starlink for slower and higher latency.

    Then maritime equipment reduced in January to $5,000.

    Now Starlink Maritime reduced price to $2,500 for equipment and $1,000/month for 1 TB of data.

    No need for a dome enclosure at all ... the flat high performance dish is "RUGGED ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND ROCKET LANDINGS" used on the drone ships when the falcon 9 rockets land.

    Hope a Recreational Maritime option is added.
     
  11. comfisherman
    Joined: Apr 2009
    Posts: 634
    Likes: 320, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Alaska

    comfisherman Senior Member

    It's been such a moving target as of late, price, terms and conditions and geo fencing have been all over the place. Would be nice if they settle on a dome and rec price for sure.
     
  12. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    New plan appeared today on the starlink website -- $2,500 for hardware and 50GB plan for $250/month.

     
  13. comfisherman
    Joined: Apr 2009
    Posts: 634
    Likes: 320, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Alaska

    comfisherman Senior Member

    I really hope it stays here and doesn't have another couple of moves in the next 3 weeks seems like every month it's a different Target but this one seems a little more cut and dry. Guess it's time to buy a empty Dome for one of these setups 250 a month not nothing but it sure beats the heck out of having to use intermittent Fleet broadband and in reaches
     
  14. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
    Posts: 2,677
    Likes: 478, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1669
    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    This has been discussed at length, ad infinitum, on sailnet.com and cruisersforum.com.
     

  15. Cruising Happiness
    Joined: Jan 2020
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Florida

    Cruising Happiness Junior Member

    Yes, I've probably spent a hundred hours reading about starlink! Starting when everything was hypothetical!
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.