[Starlink] Starlink "beam spread"

[Dave Taht]

On Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 4:28 PM David P. Reed via Starlink
<starlink at lists.bufferbloat.net> wrote:
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> I wasn't starting a discussion about Starlink the business. I was talking about Starlink the technology and the "dreams" that people project onto that technology.
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> I'm happy if the current customers are happy and remain happy. Just pointing out that there are pretty severe limitations in the physical capabilities of the technology of the satellites and dishys that will limit how many customers can be served in an area.
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> I was reacting to the idea Dave Taht brought up that somehow the satellites can cover "more" area per satellite, if they go to a lower total bit rate (175 vs. 240 per antenna on each satellite).

No, I'd started this excellent thread in admiration of mike's
graphical and animation talents. Back when I had a house, I had all of
tufte's work...

A good picture, a good (and representative) analogy, is worth (with
inflation) millions of words. Last night I was looking up at the stars
for the first time in a while, hoping to get a glimpse of the starlink
launch (nope - from half moon bay) and reflecting on an old piece I'd
written on orbital resonance:

http://the-edge.blogspot.com/2007/03/31-orbital-resonance-with-jupiter.html

And yearning for that flash of insight that would explain better - for
example, the inverse square law and how phased array antennas really
work, and the cost of transiting the atmosphere at an increasing
angle, and so many other things, including the economic model.

I used to take rides on asteroids a lot using the celestial simulator,
I wonder if that could be used to "see the view from the shells"...

I note that I found mark handleys early animations really helpful in
wrapping my head around how starlink might work, and he got it wrong
twice - first using isl, then ground stations, and now this primary
and backup beam concept that just went by on this list!!  that makes
huge amounts of sense (compared to using wifi retries) - I love it! I
can see it in my head now!

Bonus link: Epicycles. Lie flat on your back and think about those for a while:

http://the-edge.blogspot.com/2005/09/epicycles.html?m=0
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> I'm a radio engineer, trained in stuff like phased array antenna designs, and power, etc. I'm also a communications protocol engineer, trained in multiplexing techniques.
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> I'm not saying Starlink engineers are incompetent, but I am saying that what Musk (who despite the fact that he pretends to be an engineer is not one, never has been one) has described in his visionary speeches is not what Starlink is delivering today, and that's because it basically can't be delivered.

Every user of shared spectrum to date has always had their marketing
people talk about early bandwidth and performance for their new
tech... which was also destined to fade. didn't the press catch on for
3g, 4g, and 5g?


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-- 
FQ World Domination pending: https://blog.cerowrt.org/post/state_of_fq_codel/
Dave Täht CEO, TekLibre, LLC