Le 29 mars 2023 à 14:24, David Vogel <david.vogel@...> a écrit :

Hi Alan, et al,

Curious to know more about this.

Sailors are are, indeed, using StarLink RV/ROAM offshore, as well as outside the region of their sign-on address, and as well for extended periods (beyond the two months) away from their home address/ continent.

However, Starlink Terms of Service are quite unambiguous, that if you exceed the agreed terms and conditions, then they reserve the right to terminate services. This is not advertised on the marketing front page encouraging folks to sign-up, but in the "small print" Terms & Conditions (and FAQ pages) - you just have to search for it. For the time being at least, we are unaware of anyone's service being terminated on these grounds; but I put this down more so to the largess (or disorganisation) of Starlink, than a right to service that some folks seem to assume.

With regards to the recent use of Starlink following a boat-contact with a whale mid-Eastern Pacific, and consequent abandon-ship event. The use of Starlink was basically to enable real-time email & voice communications between shore-based parties (family) and other nearby boats underway (e.g. other boats offshore who used Starlink for WhatsApp, real-time email, and so on). The crew of the sunken boat used Iridium messaging to provide the alert to family ashore, who then used social media to crowd-source an emergency response.

Once in their life-raft, the crew of the sunken boat then used Iridium (GO!) to relay their position and receive periodic updates.

Early reports of a failed EPIRB proved to be erroneous – the standard SAR alerting and rescue coordination was happening behind-the-scenes, as it would normally be the case in response to an activation of an EPIRB. A large ship was being diverted, as coordinated by the usual SAR (Search-and-Rescue) authorities and involving the RCCs (Rescue-Coordination-Centers) for the area of the ocean in which the incident occurred and the flag-state of the vessel in question.

There is no doubt that StarLink did assist in marshalling the resources of other nearby recreational vessels, to converge on a given Lat/Long and provide timely assistance – and it is likely that the eventual rescue occurred quicker than might otherwise have been the case. This outcome was achieved because some other yachts nearby did have StarLink on board. However, to keep in mind here, that these vessels were operating their Starlink equipment outside the agreed terms of service.

Some think this 'good news story' might induce or encourage Starlink to relax the ROAM standard T&Cs, so as to provide service away from land; of course, the opposite might just as easily be true – with all services under a ROAM plan being denied in the fringe areas (such as, at sea). It is not unknown for US-based enterprises (as well as other non-US enterprises) to reduce their exposure to blame-and-fault finding of the kind that might be adopted by folks who hail from the more litigious societies. We see this with respect to Pantaenius no longer providing blue-water coverage (in the US, or to US-flagged boats); the subscription-based SAR-relay alerting service that used to be available (from the US) using the IridiumGO red-button function; and so on.

As it stands, sure, we will be taking StarLink with us offshore and in remote areas, and hope that we get broadband equivalent service while we're 'out there'. But, it is far from a sure bet. Even if StarLink does work “out there", then we will still be relying on our primary means of offshore comms, that being the Iridium satellite constellation, and with HF for further fall-back for voice communications. This, on top of our (2x) EPIRBs (plus PLBs) for emergency alerting. Anything else is a nice to have.

Other considerations also are that the dishy cable is proving to be somewhat fragile in real-world use, and prone to failure; it is OK to order a replacement if you’re near a courier. But not so good in the middle of the briney, or at a remote atoll somewhere. And the dish is, apparently, not that great with taking a dousing of salt water. So, might be great for a while at the beginning of a passage in benign conditions, but for how long once exposed to truly trying circumstances (and, presumably, just when you 'need' it).

I have already heard one story of a boat who has relied on StarLink to make passage (and who has not put onboard alternative means of offshore communications) and, now that the StarLink has failed, are left without any practised means with which to communicate whilst outside VHF range. Hmmm! I think there's a lesson there.

Best to all,

David
SM#396, Perigee
Opua, NZ; bound for the Islands


From: <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> on behalf of Alan Leslie <s.v.elyse@...>
Reply to: <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Date: Thursday, 30 March 2023 at 12:03 am
To: <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] StarLink on Amel 54

[Edited Message Follows]
I'll leave this up as it seems to be a good example of dis-information!

If one goes to the World ARC site, it describes the rescue and NEVER mentions Starlink.....The whole operation was co-ordinated via the ARC SSB net...i.e. RADIO !


Interestingly, this report on Noonsite talks about a rescue assisted by Starlink....It's not clear, but it seems to say that yachts in the South Pacific, sailing, were communicating with each other via Starlink....if that is the case, then it is working?

https://www.noonsite.com/news/south-pacific-cruisers-rally-to-help-in-two-separate-safety-incidents/

On the Starlink website it says that Roam is for use on land only.....

Curious to know more about this.

Cheers
Alan
Elyse SM437

Le 3 avr. 2023 à 04:20, Thomas Margraf <wanambi2012@...> a écrit :

I am raelly interested in Starlink but what I see is at the moment Ilon changes every two month terms and conditions and says explicid that it is allown on land only. He offers the "new" plan worldwide but as well on land only. He reduced the "marine" plan by 80% but still 1000 Euros/$ per month and horrible 5000 for the antenna. Lots of peaple use the old plan up to 500 miles offshore and as we can read here, the are satisfied.

So I am confused - I am sure it work in or nearby land and of course at the moment cheaper than mobile cards for all countries. Maybe I buy it for the EU Countries because its the cheapes way getting internet.
--
So long
Tom

SM #012

On 03/04/2023 14:20 NZST Thomas Margraf <wanambi2012@...> wrote:

 

 

I am raelly interested in Starlink but what I see is at the moment Ilon changes every two month terms and conditions and says explicid that it is allown on land only. He offers the "new" plan worldwide but as well on land only. He reduced the "marine" plan by 80% but still 1000 Euros/$ per month and horrible 5000 for the antenna. Lots of peaple use the old plan up to 500 miles offshore and as we can read here, the are satisfied.

So I am confused - I am sure it work in or nearby land and of course at the moment cheaper than mobile cards for all countries. Maybe I buy it for the EU Countries because its the cheapes way getting internet.
--
So long
Tom

SM #012