Starlink mini now released.

[Ostara24]

Starlink Mini is available, but with limited data options

Runs on 12/24 dc and less of a power hog…

As usual with EM there are pluses and minuses.

 

[Oscar24]

amazing technology

 

[simonck]

Unless you're constantly offshore or someone else is paying, Starlink is an awfully expensive way to go, no matter how good it is.
For the past 5 months sailing in Greece and Turkey I've been using a TP-link wifi adapter, which takes a standard data sim card and acts as a wifi link. Data speeds have always been excellent and I've only twice been in areas outside of data reception. A three-month tourist contract (200gb per month) in Turkey was about £45 all in and about £13 for 100gb a month in Greece.

 

[Irish Rover]

Unless you're constantly offshore or someone else is paying, Starlink is an awfully expensive way to go, no matter how good it is.
For the past 5 months sailing in Greece and Turkey I've been using a TP-link wifi adapter, which takes a standard data sim card and acts as a wifi link. Data speeds have always been excellent and I've only twice been in areas outside of data reception. A three-month tourist contract (200gb per month) in Turkey was about £45 all in and about £13 for 100gb a month in Greece.

That TP-link sounds v interesting. Could you post link or more info on plans in Greece and Türkiye.

 

[harvey38]

Unless you're constantly offshore or someone else is paying, Starlink is an awfully expensive way to go, no matter how good it is.
For the past 5 months sailing in Greece and Turkey I've been using a TP-link wifi adapter, which takes a standard data sim card and acts as a wifi link. Data speeds have always been excellent and I've only twice been in areas outside of data reception. A three-month tourist contract (200gb per month) in Turkey was about £45 all in and about £13 for 100gb a month in Greece.

Another for the TP link.

We've had one for three years in the UK using Smarty which for £5 a month data only, allows us to stream TV and use tablets etc plus being contract free, we can pause payments over the Winter when we're not on the boat.

 

[[199490]]

I’ve been using an E-SIM in my iPad from the Dutch provider VPN but, to be honest, it seems like everywhere in the a Netherlands has free Wi-Fi so I’ve only used a fraction of the “unlimited” (actually subject to fair use ) data.
Looking at when I move to France it seems like south/east of Paris the coverage may get patchy so I might think about Starlink

 

[Irish Rover]

I’ve been using an E-SIM in my iPad from the Dutch provider VPN but, to be honest, it seems like everywhere in the a Netherlands has free Wi-Fi so I’ve only used a fraction of the “unlimited” (actually subject to fair use ) data.
Looking at when I move to France it seems like south/east of Paris the coverage may get patchy so I might think about Starlink

If you're happy with esim then Revolut now offer this service.

 

[simonck]

I did a minuscule bit of research and ended up buying the one in the link below.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/M7650-Portable-Unlocked-LTE-Advanced-management/dp/B071763HRG

Did think about going for a 5G model but the speed difference between 5G and 4G never seems to be up to much or worth the extra cash. I have it constantly charging and switched on so that the boat has a wifi link throughout 24hrs.. The only downside is that if you go ashore you need to remember to take it as most UK phone contracts stop once you've left the EU and definitely after a few weeks away from the UK, when it's connected to your phone via wifi, the likes of Whatsapp or Skype phone calls to anywhere are not a problem.
We've been in Greece and Turkey now for 5 months, I can only think of a couple of occasions where we've been so off grid that a cell phone signal has failed, generally the reception is great and speeds superb, videos are easily watchable.
I've had two contracts, one in Greece for a month which was 100gb with Vodafone for about £30 but most of that is a compulsory fee for setting the device up, The Turkish contract was for 3 months with Turk Telecom, 200gb a month for about £45 and the seller kindly made sure we were up and working. Again the speeds have been superb, I even had a video walkthrough of a flat in Maidenhead my son was about to buy when we were about a mile offshore in the middle of nowhere. Coming from Edinburgh where some parts of the city have no signal, it was a bit of a revelation.

 

[Sea Change]

Unless you're constantly offshore or someone else is paying, Starlink is an awfully expensive way to go, no matter how good it is.

That depends entirely on where you're sailing.

In the Bahamas a 16Gb data bundle costs $48US.
Starlink is less than that, with much more data included. And you don't have to change provider every time you arrive in a different country.

Not everywhere is as cheap as Europe...

 

[billskip]

That TP-link sounds v interesting. Could you post link or more info on plans in Greece and Türkiye.

There are different models...I have had one for 4 years excellent.....but...from memory you use a vpn...some tp link models, like mine, don't incorporate the vpn...so I would choose the spec that will accommodate Nord (I seem to remember you saying you have Nord )

 

[simonck]

I can't recall ever having to use a VPN and it never occurred to me that the TP-Link might have one built-in. However I suppose some countries might limit access to sites they deem inappropriate so a VPN could be handy if you're accessing dodgy sites.

 

[billskip]

a VPN could be handy if you're accessing dodgy sites

Not necessarily 'dodgy' sites, more like sites that are restricted outside the original country eg. UK ITV and BBC
However that said sites are now (I think) detecting your isp as opposed to your global position.

 

[luckybeanz]

Starlink prices vary greatly on where the contract is, a mini roam is 40 euro a month in Spain. I've seen it as low as 29 Euro a month for the non mini version (seen many youtubers using this).

I remember the good old days when one could just use their UK mobile data with no roaming chargers or limits, I also distinctly recall that this wasn't to change after Brexit. Ah the lies they tell.

 

[wonkywinch]

I remember the good old days when one could just use their UK mobile data with no roaming chargers or limits, I also distinctly recall that this wasn't to change after Brexit. Ah the lies they tell.

I remember the good old days when you could tap the number out on the handset switch at the top and listen to "Dial A Disc" for free

 

[[199490]]

Starlink prices vary greatly on where the contract is, a mini roam is 40 euro a month in Spain. I've seen it as low as 29 Euro a month for the non mini version (seen many youtubers using this).

I remember the good old days when one could just use their UK mobile data with no roaming chargers or limits, I also distinctly recall that this wasn't to change after Brexit. Ah the lies they tell.

My (O2) data hasn't changed but is subject to "fair use" as it always was. I have a Netherlands (KPN) data SIM which is giving me 200GB/Month but hardly using it as free wifi is so widespread in NL/Be. Will look again when in France as I said ealier in the thread which would be 59 Euro/month

 

[[199490]]

I remember the good old days when you could tap the number out on the handset switch at the top and listen to "Dial A Disc" for free

And get a nice fellow to tell you the time?

 

[Laser310]

If you go to the starlink website, and look at the options for boats.., the mini is not one of the available hardware options.

Does anyone know if the Mobile Priority plan (the one for offshore use) is available for the mini?

 

[Zing]

I’m using mobile at the moment in Italy with a Fritzbox and long range WiFi antenna. It’s not good enough. I will get a Starlink solution. This little one seems a good innovation, though the big dishy is fine too.

 

[Koeketiene]

If you go to the starlink website, and look at the options for boats.., the mini is not one of the available hardware options.

Does anyone know if the Mobile Priority plan (the one for offshore use) is available for the mini?

I can't count on the fingers of two hands the number of boats I've seen this Summer in the Med with Starlink dishes intended for residential home use.

With Starlink Mini (roaming) in motion use is allowed - up to 10 kph (which works out at about 6 kts - isn't that convenient).

 

[bergie]

I can't count on the fingers of two hands the number of boats I've seen this Summer in the Med with Starlink dishes intended for residential home use.

We're seeing the regular "domestic" v2 dishy everywhere. Good example was when we stopped in Stavanger, Norway in April. There were four visiting yachts. Three had Starlink, and the fourth one was a traditional wooden pilot cutter without engine or electrics.

Our Starlink has worked pretty well overall. Some connectivity issues when we were in the Outer Hebrides, maybe we just happened on a patch of sky with few satellites. On our recent Biscay crossing it worked just fine with priority data enabled, though would take up to an hour to connect in the 2-3 meter waves.

The Mini would be a worthy upgrade given the smaller footprint and power consumption. Maybe sometime later this year...