Possible to utilize Starlink LEO/MEO for downlink?

I have been beta testing the Starlink internet system and had some ideas.
These satellites are in a much lower orbit then the geostationary birds we are currently using for the Dreamcatcher using the supplied LNB. Thus higher signal strengths at the ground stations.

I think… the Starlink system uses 14GHz uplink and 12GHz downlink into their flat phased array dish (dishy). There is a major limitation… the signals cannot interfere with the geo sat signals… So they are turned off as they pass the +/- 45 degrees of the equator (they are in an eliptical orbit inclined up to 57 degrees). The current operation has ground stations pointing their flat antennas slightly away from the equator so they are not as affected by geo sats interference. There are hundreds of these satellites in operation… more to come… So the current beta users are connecting to the satellites that passing through the approx 100 degrees of clear sky above 45N latitude.

So my idea… @syed … is convince SpaceX to transmit an Othernet signal on ‘some’ of the satellites (possible the idle/standby birds) for part of their orbits. Since our idea of using no-dish lnb ground stations presents Othernet ground stations with a WIDE cone for reception (possible useable 15 degrees or more). The Dreamcatchers file detection scheme would need to be changed since only ‘partial’ files would be picked up as any satellite transmitting Othernet passes near the ground stations. And doppler would have to be addressed.

This could solve some of installation issues with pointing our lnb’s.

How is Starlink performing so far in terms of speed? Seems interesting for areas that don’t have good Internet.

I don’t know if it is a good alternative for Othernet instead of the stationary Sats, the biggest question would be price i think. Also the Pointing wasn’t an issue, at least here in Germany with Astra 3B. If the Price is good and they can send out the Signal othernet uses it could be an alternative.

regards, Manuel

Speed is great when connected 130Mb/sec download. I have had several extented (10 minutes ) times when no service.
edit: The intenet links are currently single hop relay to Spacex ground terminals. So not ‘mesh’. This means not worldwide coverage yet.

An interesting tracking view of the constellation of satellites is:

That sounds good for a “better then nothing Beta” i would say. Do you have cable Internet that is decently fast or is Starlink your primary Access to the World now?

I also hope that Starlink will help reduce the cost of dataservices on the ocean etc. because Iridium and other similar companys are asking extreme prices for a few bytes…

73 Manuel DO5TY

A picture is worth a 1000 words… This article shows the tear down of the phased array antenna.
Over 600 antenna elements all synchronized for both transmission and reception in the 37 GHz to 54 GHz frequencies.