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Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

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Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#41

Post by giraffe_lady »

lxgr wrote: post #32
devit wrote: post #26

So basically, you can carry: - FlexSolar 40W panel: 1.35kg - Nitecore NB20000 ~75Wh battery: 300g - Starlink Mini: 1.1kg - Smartphone: 250g For 3kg you have something that should give 2-3 hours of Internet usage on an average EU/USA good weather day (assuming 20% solar panel for 10 hours = 80Wh/day, 25-35W power usage of Starlink Mini + smartphone). For each extra 1.65kg you get an additional 2-3 hours, resulting in…

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

I don't think any of those are remotely common for recreational backpack hikers. Garmin inreach maybe, because it covers the two essentials this group actually wants of "check in with family" and "call for help." It would really surprise me if backpackers switch to this en masse, or if having it enabled anyone to start backpacking who currently can't because of this need being unmet.

It'll probably get used on boats, where people actually do kinda want to watch netflix at night and don't have to personally carry every gram every day. The current options are very expensive and power hungry.

And probably a bunch of other outwardly similar but culturally distinct groups that could use it. Remote wilderness hunters, ice fishers, who work out of a seasonal camp but otherwise are pretty cut off.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#42

Post by hammock »

lxgr wrote: post #32
devit wrote: post #26

So basically, you can carry: - FlexSolar 40W panel: 1.35kg - Nitecore NB20000 ~75Wh battery: 300g - Starlink Mini: 1.1kg - Smartphone: 250g For 3kg you have something that should give 2-3 hours of Internet usage on an average EU/USA good weather day (assuming 20% solar panel for 10 hours = 80Wh/day, 25-35W power usage of Starlink Mini + smartphone). For each extra 1.65kg you get an additional 2-3 hours, resulting in…

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

Compared to Garmin inReach Mini.. 3.5 ounces, 35 hours battery life and less than half the price all-in.

Don't get me wrong, this is cool and emerging tech, and I support it (I pray it doesn't ruin the wilderness). Just saying there IS a comparison

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#43

Post by Retric »

elmerfud wrote: post #15
jorvi wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s just what the market will bear, nothing more nothing less. Often, identical medicine is sold in the US for 5-20x the price that it is sold for in even North-West EU. If US customers as a whole really couldn’t pay this, the price would drop.

That's not quite true with medicine. If US customers couldn't pay this, as in the insurance companies and or Medicare, then cost might come down but also research and development would effectively halt or other countries would stop getting lower priced drugs. United States pharmaceutical industries subsidize the world healthcare market for drugs. And you're up there's two things at play the government is subsidizing…

US drug prices mostly subsidize US drug advertising. The impact of high drug prices on R&D spending after you take this into account is fairly limited.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#44

Post by clarkmcc »

devit wrote: post #40
lxgr wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

Compared to being in LTE coverage and only needing a smartphone with 2-3W power draw (around 10% of the Starlink Mini).

That’s like comparing apples to oranges though. This was never meant to be used in situations where you have a smartphone and LTE service.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#45

Post by Gys »

sigio wrote: post #4
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #2

“In the US, Starlink Mini is an add-on to Residential plans — at least for now. The Mini kit costs $599 which is $100 more than the standard dish, and will cost an extra $30 per month to add the Mini Roam service to existing $120 Residential plans. That gives Starlink Mini users up to 50GB of mobile data each month, with the option to purchase more for $1 per GB…”

Last I checked, starlink was $50/month for the residential plan here in the Netherlands... that's quite a large difference.

40 in Portugal. I thought it was the same in all of Europe.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#46

Post by hammock »

giraffe_lady wrote: post #41
lxgr wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

I don't think any of those are remotely common for recreational backpack hikers. Garmin inreach maybe, because it covers the two essentials this group actually wants of "check in with family" and "call for help." It would really surprise me if backpackers switch to this en masse, or if having it enabled anyone to start backpacking who currently can't because of this need being unmet. It'll probably get used on boats,…

Great use case examples. The marketing bit is "fits in a backpack" but really it's "fits in a base camp duffel/dry bag." People with a boat, sled, overlanding vehicle etc this is great

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#47

Post by grecy »

devit wrote: post #26

So basically, you can carry: - FlexSolar 40W panel: 1.35kg - Nitecore NB20000 ~75Wh battery: 300g - Starlink Mini: 1.1kg - Smartphone: 250g For 3kg you have something that should give 2-3 hours of Internet usage on an average EU/USA good weather day (assuming 20% solar panel for 10 hours = 80Wh/day, 25-35W power usage of Starlink Mini + smartphone). For each extra 1.65kg you get an additional 2-3 hours, resulting in…

> Not bad, but not good either

It is insanely good. Out of this world.

A few years ago I spent 3 years driving around Africa and looked into satellite internet options from all the existing providers. Any plan that offered anything remotely close to 1GB per month was 5x the cost of the entire 3 year expedition.

This WILL change the world.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#48

Post by sambazi »

hammock wrote: post #42
lxgr wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

Compared to Garmin inReach Mini.. 3.5 ounces, 35 hours battery life and less than half the price all-in. Don't get me wrong, this is cool and emerging tech, and I support it (I pray it doesn't ruin the wilderness). Just saying there IS a comparison

this is iridium though. i suppose there is an internet overlay, but it probably isn't pretty (or fast)

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#49

Post by lxgr »

hammock wrote: post #42
lxgr wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to what? Even remotely comparable solutions drawing less power either cost something like $5-10 per megabyte (Inmarsat L-band, i.e. BGAN, Iridium Certus) or require even more power (Inmarsat Ka-band) and still cost something like 50 cent per megabyte! Monthly plans start at several hundred dollars, and terminals start in the low 4 to medium 5 digit ranges. If you can live without Internet when backpacking, e…

Compared to Garmin inReach Mini.. 3.5 ounces, 35 hours battery life and less than half the price all-in. Don't get me wrong, this is cool and emerging tech, and I support it (I pray it doesn't ruin the wilderness). Just saying there IS a comparison

The InReach Mini is an amazing satellite messenger, but does not in any way provide Internet access.

Re: Starlink Mini brings space internet to backpackers

#50

Post by lxgr »

sambazi wrote: post #48
hammock wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to Garmin inReach Mini.. 3.5 ounces, 35 hours battery life and less than half the price all-in. Don't get me wrong, this is cool and emerging tech, and I support it (I pray it doesn't ruin the wilderness). Just saying there IS a comparison

this is iridium though. i suppose there is an internet overlay, but it probably isn't pretty (or fast)

InReach and similar devices use Iridium SBD, which is more like text messaging than an actual internet connection.

Iridium does offer voice and data services too, but terminals for that are significantly larger and draw more power, and the price per megabyte might bring tears to your eyes for recreational use. (Iridium Certus gets you 88 kbps at around $5/MB, and devices start at around $1500.)

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