Starlink VS. Iridium Go VS. Datahub ; Unboxing New Gear From

[@alcapone2523]

Anybody else say “Hello, Friends” to announce to the fam a new video is released, or is that just me?

[@SailorJames]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@rockshovelbeers]

guilty

[@edithdriver2094]

Well done to PredictWind supporting James on his voyages. I’ve followed James since the beginning and find him to be the genuine item and if James says the PredictWind products are his preferred choice, that’s enough for me buy the PredictWind products and give it a go for myself. Fair winds friends 🌬️🌊

[@SailorJames]

Thank you for this kind comment 🙏🏻

[@HoytFergus]

JUST WHAT I NEEDED TO LEARN ABOUT BRO. TY 👍 THIS IS ON MY LIST to put in mine when I finally go offshore 👍

[@Memorybug]

from an old programmers perspective, I can’t imagine how starlink should stay connected on your tiny boat in the large sea, rolling and moving in all directions. with every change of a satellite, new handshakes will be necessary. there is so many data to be transferred just to enable the connection, and then your boat has moved to seven different satellites in that time. and this should also explain the high power consumption of starlink in your situation. thank you so much for explaining all the different systems to me, once again, this are really valuable lessons from you. 😊

[@SailorJames]

It’s all wild magic to me 😂 but somehow it does work, but in rough seas will often not connect or will drop connection, likely due to what you described. Happy the info is useful for you.

[@Av-vd3wk]

Most satellite internet services come from single geostationary satellites that orbit the planet at 35,786 km. As a result, the round trip data time between the user and satellite-also known as latency-is high, making it nearly impossible to support streaming, online gaming, video calls or other high data rate activities. Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km, and cover the entire globe. Because Starlink satellites are in a low orbit, latency is significantly lower-around 25 ms vs 600+ ms. Starlink’s custom-built navigation sensors survey the stars to determine each satellite’s location, altitude, and orientation, enabling precise placement of broadband throughput. Each Starlink satellite contains 3 space lasers (Optical Intersatellite Links or ISLs) operating at up to 200 Gbps, which together across the constellation form a global internet mesh that can connect customers anywhere in the world. Each Starlink satellite uses 5 advanced Ku-band phased array antennas and 3 dual-band (Ka-band and E-band) antennas to provide high-bandwidth connectivity to Starlink customers. Efficient argon thrusters (Ion propulsion) enable Starlink satellites to orbit raise, maneuver in space, and deorbit at the end of their useful life. Starlink is the first argon propelled spacecraft ever flown in space.

[@mautinko]

for this reason, if Im not mistaken, big ships have satellites on very expensive gimbals

[@Av-vd3wk]

@@mautinko not necessary for Starlink. He’s doing something wrong or has an older Starlink dish

[@Memorybug]

@@Av-vd3wk It reads that you made your homework. Here we are having the discussion about comparison between use and cost and value of iridium go and starlink. As I believe you are one AI bot, here is my question forwarded to you to compare between those two systems on a 30ft sailboat.

[@offgridas]

I'm not on a boat but I have starlink and its been by far the most reliable internet I've ever had. its never failed me in any way, any weather for any reason, mine also made no noticeable difference to my battery bank during power cuts (6 x 100ah agm @ 24v)

[@SailorJames]

Not being on a boat means you have no clue what it does on a boat

[@Nixontheman]

@@SailorJamesthat’s rich

[@peterkelly250]

Thanks for your info, James. Good to see you were supported by the company.

[@MizzAugust7]

Congratulations, Ive always appreciated being able to see your exact movements.

[@rootbox]

Re: Being "connected" - You nailed it. Nice to have access to the www but one is missing out on so much real life staring at a screen. Who hasn't seen people dining (walking, "watching" a show, etc) and every person at table has their face in phone. As always , very informative talk.

[@SailorJames]

Yeah it’s addictive for people who want to disconnect from reality. If this wasn’t my job I am not sure I would be on social media at all.

[@simonlonsdale4525]

Hi James. Sad to hear of your experiences with Starlink. We have just finished a voyage from NZ to Tonga in very heavy weather and Starlink was rock solid. It was on a Cat though, and as someone else mentioned, on a Mono the antenna would probably have a major issue staying synced to a satellite and would be continuously disconnecting and resyncing. On a rolling boat, this would take a long time and may not even be able to. I also think you may have chosen the wrong plan. The correct one for cruisers is the std. roaming package. When going offshore you switch to priority data and use sparingly. In the islands satellite imagery is seriously important as charts are notoriously inaccurate which I am sure you found. Starlink is invaluable in this case. Keep the vids coming.... love watching. Fair winds...

[@SailorJames]

Yes experiences on catamarans are no where near the same as monohulls in all aspects of sailing. It doesn’t matter which plan you choose if a company can increase the cost by 70% overnight they can’t be trusted

[@CocoaBeachLiving]

Your point about using Starlink while trying to stay connected to nature at sea is a really good reason not to use Starlink 👍

[@SailorJames]

Considering I need internet to fund my cruising it’s not that simple

[@EarlBarcome]

Great info, James

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

So cool you're being sponsored. Benefits of success. : )

[@SailorJames]

💯 It’s a nice perk for sure

[@kiwiwifi]

The coastguard flyover was super cool.

[@claverton]

Good info thanks!

[@thesailingviewfinder]

Thanks for the info. As always your honest opinion remain spot on.

[@SailorJames]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@MKokruok1]

Great info ✔️ Comment ✔️

[@peterware5173]

Thanks great stuff.

[@LorenzzoValhalla]

The tracker it’s working with Radium ore predict wind ?

[@SailorJames]

I don’t understand your question

[@nickbernstein]

Always good to have options. I'd recommend picking up a "trusdx" ham radio as a backup to the backups if you're willing to spend two or three days to learn how to use it. Only like $100 bucks, and you can make an antenna out of speaker-wire. You can send and receive messages via text with a little usb dongle, and you can send position updates really, all for less than 5watts.

[@SailorJames]

Far too out of date technology for me to bother with or suggest to anyone even with a usb dongle.

[@nickbernstein]

@@SailorJames its very different than it used to be, but everyone makes their own decisions.

[@danwilliams8695]

Solid information ❤

[@roadboat9216]

Very good into. Thanks.

[@konagregg6478]

Good info James, mahalo

[@jaydubya4727]

Thanks for the interesting information. I would think the real value of Starlink is uploading video when wifi or cellular isn't available. The location and other information logging you do with Iridium seems like good note taking for a future book? I hope so! Do you keep a manual log as well?

[@SailorJames]

I sailed for for 3 years without starlink from LA all the way to NZ and never had any issues getting my videos uploaded via cell phone, but yes it’s much easier with starlink. And yeah I keep a written log as well

[@HoferAdam-xz9xz]

Thank you for informing.

[@carlforsander5184]

Did you have any discussions with PredictWind about upgrading to the Iridium GO! exec?

[@SailorJames]

Yes and I have no use for the exec

[@larslind1815]

Why not the Iridium Exec. model when you / Predictwind are replacing in any case ?? any reason

[@SailorJames]

I don’t have any need for the functions of the Exec

[@andyh7617]

James can you switch the Iridium Go on and off as required ? For example have it on and subscribed for the Tasman crossing then off when you got to Oz then back on again when you need it ? Is there any $$ to be saved by doing that ?

[@SailorJames]

No you can’t, it’s not like starlink, and when you cancel the service you need a new SIM card each time you reactivate the service

[@Siskiyous6]

You can get weather with radios

[@SailorJames]

You can also communicate with smoke signals

[@maxstrelets263]

​@SailorJames There are actually plenty of weather radio receivers that work on HF frequencies and can provide you with digital weather information, in NAVTEX and WEFAX formats

[@danielhicks7141]

So can anyone view the tracker (as anyone can see a vessel on AIS), or do you choose who has access to that information?

[@SailorJames]

Sometimes it’s available and sometimes it isn’t

[@TTailled]

Huh... I figured Starlink would be the revolutionary, best data/speed choice for internet out at sea.

[@SailorJames]

Being WITHOUT internet is actually more revolutionary if you ask me 😂

[@rocinantae]

I haven't been out in the ocean since the chart days. I must be nice not to have to get out the charts and tools and math your way around. As long as you can charge that iPad you probably don't worry about having charts for a backup. Just make sure you have a way keep power going and you're good to go.

[@SailorJames]

That’s why paper charts are always necessary

[@rocinantae]

@@SailorJames I was wondering if you keep them. I guess I've just never seen you use them. Our Sea Scout ship never got too far away from the coast. But the kids that were our navigators had to learn how plot courses and fix our position manually. I can dead reckon and find my way around as long as I can see landmarks. Fixing my position manually, celestially, I would need to see a good KZbin video explaining it, haha! Would you say anyone who's going to sail across the open ocean needs those skills? I don't watch to many sailing youtubers. But I don't think I've ever seen someone leaning over a chart plotting their course. I suppose if that happened it would be an "oh shit" moment because the electronics have failed, and filming would be low on the priority list. It would be cool to see a video on you showing how you would do some of that kind of navigation if you had to.

[@SailorJames]

I never cross an ocean I don’t have a paper chart of and I update my positions on it every few days. I have filmed it in the past but don’t recall if it ended up on any of the videos. I hold a Master Captain License with the USCG and one of the 6 tests is on plotting on paper charts. I also have a sextant and know celestial but that’s more just because I find it interesting.

[@garylinnane917]

Starlnk😊

[@user-ev6yx3vf8u]

Whereabouts are you now James?

[@SailorJames]

Whitsundays

[@paulsteventon8315]

❤❤❤

[@rockshovelbeers]

dennis conner would approve 🍺

[@kathrynlonsdale6653]

Sorry you have had this experience with Starlink. We have had nothing but praise for our Starlink connection. We are on a catamaran, so I think your connection issues may be because of your heeling on the monohull. We have travelled from NZ to Tonga with full Starlink with no drop-outs (3m swells). Also, if you signed up in New Zealand, you are still on the same continent being in Australia, so your "region" is still the same and you should not have to go to the Global plan until you move outside of the Pacific continent.

[@SailorJames]

I signed up in NZ and was forced to transfer it to Australia, it’s not considered “Regional” unless you are in the country you signed up in.

[@kaine10gabriel]

⛵ ❤

[@erikjalefors9377]

Great informative vid James ! Take care of yourselves on the way up to Asia ❤

[@SailorJames]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@Nixontheman]

I’ve not heard of anyone having Starlink connection issues at sea. The website says explicitly that you need the $2500 Flat High Performance dish for in motion at sea, not the cheap dishes. Also, In Motion at Sea is called Mobile Priority and the price is $250 USD for unlimited land and 50G at Sea, and you can add more data if needed. I’m going to assume you have the cheap dish not the one for use on boats at sea.

[@SailorJames]

You haven’t spoken to many cruisers then not to mention you are referring to stuff long after this was posted And yes the “cheap dishes” work at sea, this video isn’t for super yacht owners dude

[@Nixontheman]

@ oh, I thought the video was from only 3 months ago. I thought that you said over $400 US dollars. I thought you said your cheap dish was unreliable. I thought you said the starlink leaders were unreliable. So you’re complaining about your cheap dish not working and your mistaken belief that it ever cost more than $250 USD in a month for In Motion at Sea, ok got it, thanks. We wouldn’t want all your viewers to be misled. I also happy to learn that spending $2500 on electronics was the defining threshold for a Super Yacht, dude.

[@SailorJames]

there are thousands and thousands of cruisers using what you call a "Cheap Dish" which cost $500 for connecting in the ocean and yes it often times won't connect when the boat is even in a rolly anchorage. Like it said this isn't for super yacht owners who can pay the absurd rate they charge for the marine package.

[@paulkalupnieks]

nothing is stopping starlink from doing it again whenever they want, unfortunately.

[@SailorJames]

💯💯💯

[@danleclaire8110]

You look so sad on your thumbnail with your new toy. :) Congrats!! Improvment, improvement, that's what makes life goi on. Cheers!! T.C.

[@SailorJames]

Serious is not sad, I just don’t fake smile

[@danleclaire8110]

@@SailorJames sorry, I thought you were having fun sailing the world. I will refrain with my comments in the future. GL

[@offpro]

Your experiences with starlink are not something I recognize. For me, it has been rock solid the 12,000nm we have sailed in the past year.

[@mikemcnamee6030]

Starlink bad. I never use it then when other thing break so i take it out of box. Starlink not work for 48 hours having previously never used it. Starlink bad. Yeah, sounds like heavy shilling to me. My starlink has been wonderful and extremely reliable.

[@SailorJames]

I know more than a dozen international cruisers who have had the same issue

[@tomasznobilec6853]

Starlink VS. Iridium one pays you the other don"t !!??

[@SailorJames]

They don’t pay for my iridium go service

[@keeldragger]

Really happy with the Datahub. Iridium Go has been a little underwhelming but it serves its intended purpose. I'm a little anxious about Starlink changing their plans as the wind blows. I have some heartache about paying for both Iridium and Starlink. Main purpose of Starlink is to 'save the marriage' and have the ability to facetime with the wife.

[@SailorJames]

Yeah sometimes it’s a matter of finding the balance of what we want and need vs. what our loved ones need and want

[@MatCooper]

I have to say that for the first time from you James I actually find this misleading and disingenuous. You always do better but on this occasion I do feel that you’ve got this horribly wrong, presenting opinions as fact and not being entirely honest about starlink pricing and capabilities. I am and have been a massive fan of your content and channel, and I’ll continue to be, do keep up the good work. Fair winds

[@SailorJames]

Please list everything below you think is wrong and I will gladly respond. Nothing I said in this is false. Do a quick google search before you respond and you will see that everything I have stated is true

[@MatCooper]

@@SailorJames you started off on a Roam plan which the website states is for use across a continent, not at sea. So it’s perfectly reasonable and advertised that when you’re no longer attached to a continent that the service would need to change, there would be many logistical and legal reasons for this. The pricing has been consistent on this and is $174 pm, if you want to go global then it’s $374, but Roam is still designed and advertised for inland. For boats there is an actual tariff for that and it too is $374 albeit with a data cap. **note that there is a typo on the website about the boats tariff still being inland. As for service reliability, it’s well known and also documented that the system is incredibly robust and maintains 99.9% uptime. Your individual experience whilst valid was not presented fairly or accurately as a true appraisal of the service. I’m no fan boy of starling at all, and iridium go is also a fine product. But when you command such trust as you do, I felt it important to hold you to the standards I think you always normally meet is all. Certainly not trolling or meaning offence.

[@SailorJames]

Everything you are pointing out is after the fact. 1000s of cruisers were using the Roam plan and we were all hit with a 70% price increase , rolled out one country at a time. Literally nothing I said in my video was in accurate or false and can’t be proven to be false. I know more than a dozen cruising boats who have had the same connection issues as me . I can only assume you haven’t used starlink in the middle of the ocean, am I correct?

[@Rasputin-p4e]

This starlink blunder and arrogance when replying to critical comments made him lose some followers. I don't even like his wearing of earrings.