Best of the ISP-Lists

Setting up a Satellite Service

Members of the ISP-Satellites list discuss setting up satellite Internet service for the local public library's bookmobile. It's far more complex than 802.11b.

[July 31, 2001]

On the ISP-Satellites list in July, DS queried,

"Does anyone know where to get self aligning antennas? We have a public library that has a bookmobile, and they would like to have it connected to the Internet. We need an antenna that aligns itself automatically when it makes its stops."

JD agreed, offering a similar request:

"I've been looking for an easy-to-align dish and two-way satellite Internet service that I can use to keep in touch with my ISP business when traveling during the summer. I don't know how I'd go about re-aiming the dish whenever we change locations."

A number of respondents contended that the price would be prohibitive:

[MP warned] "My guess is that you're looking at somewhere around $3,000 to $5,000, possibly more."

[MB countered] "The budget is probably more like $130,000 or more."

[DB offered] "It's not $130,000; it's also not $2,000. I'd guess it's somewhere in the middle."

[JT added] "Keep in mind that most shipping companies use a stabilized antenna mount for their communications sats, and that I've personally seen smallish yachts with dishes stabilized for dockside use with auto-trackers. These were not the kinds of yachts for someone who dropped $130,000 on a dish mount: more like $4,000, or even $2,000."

Others contended that this kind of home-grown satellite connectivity is a little scary:

[JM observed] "Two-way systems must be installed by a professional and never moved after that. Remember, you are transmitting to the satellite; it's not like pointing a receive-only antenna where if you're a few degrees off it still works. The two-way systems won't transmit if they detect they are even slightly off the bird, or else they would be spraying TDMA/CDMA stuff all over the neighboring birds, transponders, etc. Just have hundreds of thousands of terminals doing that, and we may as well forget using satellites for anything important."

[JT noted] "If you're using the word 'professional' here to connote someone with years of service, extensive technical experience, high-technology equipment, and a wizened expression, then you didn't see the two high school kids who came out to install my StarBand antenna with a soggy Xeroxed instruction sheet and a prayer.

Consider that most houses move quite a bit in the breeze (at least 1/4" or so) and that they also settle considerably over time, and you're talking about a large number of antennas which will very soon be pointed all over. These are not concrete pads or steel beams that the transmitters are being connected to; they're wood frame houses or chimneys.

I pity whoever has the orbital space on either side of the craft on which StarBand leases space. I'm assuming that the folks at StarBand figured this out some time ago, and there is some reason that it will not bring the world to its knees. Thus far it hasn't, but perhaps we just haven't waited long enough…"

[ed. note: Here's pricing for one local Starband reseller. It seems to be about $500 install plus about $600 per year—but that does not include the price of the satellite. . . also check out this outfit that operates in Bosnia and Kosovo.]

Meanwhile, one company that shall remain unnamed spammed the list with this offer:

"Immediate satellite capacity available on the Loral Skynet Telstar fleet and New Skies 803!! Prices starting at $4000 per MHz based on 9 MHz minimum order with 1 year term."

[ed. note: That's a large minimum order. Before offering these services, try subscribing to the ISP-Satellite list.]

—End