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0 pointscronix3y ago0 comments

Sounds like they added a gimbal or something?

0 comments

gvb3y ago

The antenna is electronically steered. The pictures do not show any gimbal but they probably had to add an IMU to measure the motion of the boat (antenna) and adjust the antenna beam steering to compensate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_measurement_unit

bri3d3y ago

The Starlink Dishy already has an IMU in it. It does look like maybe the beam array is simply bigger.

dzhiurgis3y ago

This guy has been testing it without one

https://www.reddit.com/r/SailboatCruising/comments/vovaxs/st...

dicknuckle3y ago

These are common on radar systems, and nothing to sneeze at.

rasz3y ago

phased array antenna, so its either a software switch or they simply detect if your station moves too much without paying for the privilege and disable/throttle you.

deelowe3y ago

Starlink uses beam forming. It shouldn't need a gimbal.

Nextgrid3y ago

The phased array can probably only do so much and a gimbal might still be needed to compensate for movement outside of what the phased array can handle?

deelowe3y ago

It can at least go horizon to horizon now. The satellites aren’t geosynchronous. I generally only have one satellite overhead at a time. They take about 5-10 minutes to fly by.

Johnythree3y ago

The beam steering only operates in one dimension. The dish has to physically rotate and tilt so that the beam steering line coincides with the satellites orbit.

deelowe3y ago

Seems to work in more than one direction for me. The satellites pass over head in two different directions and the receiver never moves.

madengr3y ago

Doesn't the normal Starlink have an Az-El motor for rough positioning? Beam steering only gets you so far, and the more off-boresight you get, the worse the performance.

deelowe3y ago

I imagine this has a larger array. The more antennas, the greater the resolution. I’m sure they’ll use the motor for rough positioning but I doubt they’ll add a gimbal. That seems overkill.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

gvb3y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_measurement_unit

bri3d3y ago

The Starlink Dishy already has an IMU in it. It does look like maybe the beam array is simply bigger.

dzhiurgis3y ago

This guy has been testing it without one

https://www.reddit.com/r/SailboatCruising/comments/vovaxs/st...

dicknuckle3y ago

These are common on radar systems, and nothing to sneeze at.

rasz3y ago

phased array antenna, so its either a software switch or they simply detect if your station moves too much without paying for the privilege and disable/throttle you.

deelowe3y ago

Starlink uses beam forming. It shouldn't need a gimbal.

Nextgrid3y ago

The phased array can probably only do so much and a gimbal might still be needed to compensate for movement outside of what the phased array can handle?

deelowe3y ago

It can at least go horizon to horizon now. The satellites aren’t geosynchronous. I generally only have one satellite overhead at a time. They take about 5-10 minutes to fly by.

Johnythree3y ago

The beam steering only operates in one dimension. The dish has to physically rotate and tilt so that the beam steering line coincides with the satellites orbit.

deelowe3y ago

Seems to work in more than one direction for me. The satellites pass over head in two different directions and the receiver never moves.

madengr3y ago

Doesn't the normal Starlink have an Az-El motor for rough positioning? Beam steering only gets you so far, and the more off-boresight you get, the worse the performance.

deelowe3y ago

I imagine this has a larger array. The more antennas, the greater the resolution. I’m sure they’ll use the motor for rough positioning but I doubt they’ll add a gimbal. That seems overkill.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse