Traveling with Starlink: can we take it on a trip?

[@mikeborkhuis7278]

Not sure where you got that website cell info from, but the cell depicted is not accurate. The actual cell size is much smaller. Here is a link to a SpaceX launch where they showed a cell: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGWXY2CqnpJ3nsk While a given satellite can broadcast to a much larger area on the ground, they're programmed to only provided service to your dish when it is located within it's defined call.

[@StevenPeeters]

Thank you for pointing that out. I must have missed that bit of info in one of the launches. The cell info I found was this one: sebsebmc.github.io/starlink-coverage/index.html It appeared in a thread mentioning it was created by the head of Starlink. But it seems they tricked me into taking it for the truth. Will dig further into cell size for my area and verify...

[@GAJackson]

Steven, I realize this is an older video. Have you ever tried this going west, beyond the cell 'border' to see if you can connect there, in the next cell over, to any extent? Great video, easy to understand! We have 3 houses here - 2 are within 2 city blocks of each other, but the 3rd is in another town, roughly 20 miles away, so we are curious about the portability of the unit.

[@StevenPeeters]

Apparently, roaming should be enabled now, according to a recent tweet from Elon. Starlink is now mounted on my studio so can’t really test that anymore, unfortunately

[@samdominic2391]

What happens if you just use a UPS for power? Charge it at home and take it on the road with you. It is a cheap solution that should give a good sine wave.

[@StevenPeeters]

This inverter was like €50 or so. With the Tesla as a battery supply, it’s probably still cheaper and more portable than a heavy UPS. Unless you count the car into the price, of course 😁

[@samdominic2391]

@@StevenPeeters Not to mention the weight of the car. ;-) But, you don't have to carry the car like you would the UPS.

[@StevenPeeters]

@@samdominic2391 lol

[@BillAnt]

It should work just fine with a proper capacity UPS. The base station along the router consume quite a bit a power, so the bigger the UPS, the better (EV is optional ;).

[@IngridSchuttHomeopath]

Hello, I would like to know if there is a Starlink small dish I can travel with from Canada to India. Thank you

[@StevenPeeters]

There is one dish and that's it. Yes, you can buy the roaming package additionally, even for worldwide roaming. Of course, that is only in the areas that has Starlink service. All the info can be found here: www.starlink.com/roam

[@jankrzysztofrakowski5616]

I was going to order it with the idea of travelling to different locations. I wonder what are the reasons it's limited to the cell area.

[@jankrzysztofrakowski5616]

Btw. Thank you for your video. It was really informative!

[@StevenPeeters]

Roaming has supposedly been enabled by now. The limitation was there because it was beta and they didn’t want to overload cells by spreading the load. But even then, the dish is way too big to travel with it. Not practical at all. They need to make a more portable 30cm dish or something

[@jankrzysztofrakowski5616]

@@StevenPeeters That roaming is interesting. Looks like there is a chance that the service will improve over time. Cheers!

[@StevenPeeters]

@@jankrzysztofrakowski5616 of course it will only become better and more versatile over time. That’s how SpaceX works

[@minicirco]

What if you changed your registered address, let‘s say „my weekend cabin“ or you sell your dish.. 🤔 There should be a way to dislocate, even temporary. Yeah, maybe its not to be meant to use it like this; on the road, but it‘s nice to try things out. Resetting the device, the address („correcting“). But also here: the delivery address defines the cell, right? And if sold, then de-registering process will be applied. In future, a camping mode will applicable, for sure.

[@StevenPeeters]

You can indeed request to change the location to a new address. It takes a few days I’ve heard. But it is a big hassle if you want to switch it constantly and I don’t think SpaceX will accommodate that. For me, traveling means I can go to a top of a mountain (so to speak), without an address and with no cell phone coverage, and still get decent internet.

[@BillAnt]

I use a mobile router at home, work, and when I travel. It's the size of a regular home router with 6 small stick antennas for cellular and WiFi, along with an integrated 5G modem which lets me take it anywhere there's ATT, Tmobile, or Verizon signal (I can just swap different sim cards). It runs off of a 12V power adapter at home or a simple 12V accessory cable in my car. No registration needed whenever I travel, it provides higher speeds and lower ping times at most places for about half the monthly cost than Starlink. Starlink is a great service for places with no other internet options, but it's cumbersome to install or take with you and expensive.

[@oljobo]

Subject is GREAT … it would have been nice with more MAPs, to see and understand better

[@DanFrederiksen]

Strange they are so geo locked. Maybe it relies on an elaborate table with satellites for that precise location and can't calculate that on the fly. That's quite the limitation but that might come with new firmwares. The obvious solution would be that it knows the whole network and just reads GPS location and time. I imagine starlink is particularly interesting for yachts and planes so they should overcome this geolock limitation. As well as movement. Fast internet in the middle of the pacific ocean would be scifi.

[@StevenPeeters]

Keep in mind that this is still just the “better something than nothing” limited beta program. SpaceX is working on making it mobile. But it might also be a regulatory thing. I’m trying to figure that out and will follow up once I know

[@DanFrederiksen]

@@StevenPeeters yes of course. And it is immensely impressive. I knew RF electronics has become very capable but it's still unprecedented to see it exercised so ambitiously. mm-wave phased array with over 1000 antenna elements. I've never seen anything like it even for SOTA military use.

[@StevenPeeters]

@@DanFrederiksen that is what Elon has been saying too: this is tech even the military does not yet have. They also lose money on every antenna they sell. It costs $500 but some estimate it costs more than double (and some even say up to $2000) to make. I also think the portable version needs to be at least half the current size to be portable. This is too big to be useful in a mobile situation

[@andrejsklavins1703]

Frequency licensing in different jurisdictions. Areas that have EMF limitations are blacklisted and Starlink is not allowed to emit near those areas. Then there is price discrimination. Stationary product is cheaper, pay extra from travel. All the tech is there for Starlink in motion.

[@WirtzfeldValley]

Bedankt Steven (@humpidumpi2)