Thanks, Elon

(Skip ahead to the 13 minute mark for the launch.)

SpaceX's 13th launch of Starlink satellites this year...bringing the total number of satellites so far for 2022 to 656.  Due to a geomagnetic storm that occurred on February 4 (a day after the 3rd launch of the year), 38 of the 49 satellites from that mission failed and ultimately burned up in the earth's atmosphere.  As of May 2022, the Starlink internet satellite constellation consists of over 2,200 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), which communicate with designated ground transceivers.  Today was a new record for SpaceX in that they successfully launched 2 Starlink missions within 24 hours.  Yesterday's launch happened from their west coast facility and was the 5th mission for that particular Falcon 9 booster.  Today's group of satellites rode into space from Florida on a brand-new Falcon 9 and marked the 111th successful recovery of a first stage booster by SpaceX.  Note: It takes about 6 weeks after launch for Starlink satellites to reach operational orbit.  93,102,62,0,B

a little networking coming up...

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Dawn of a new age...

 

14 years ago (almost to the day - this photo taken March 19, 2008), Big Bend Telephone hooked up my land line and DSL.  In all these years I rarely had any issues and the 2 or 3 times I did, BBT was quick to resolve them.  My phone that I could only use at home with unlimited long distance and slow DSL (6 Mbs download and 1 Mbs upload speeds) cost me $102 per month.

My new links to the outside world are a Moto G7 Play smart phone I can use anywhere with Mint Mobile unlimited calling and texting for $15 per month and Starlink fast internet (250 Mbs download and 40 Mbs upload speeds) costs me $99 per month.  My new telecommunications services total $114 per month.  I don't have cell service at TFL but the smart phone works brilliantly with wifi calling.  Mint Mobile uses the T-Mobile network of towers to I can get cell service just about everywhere else.  My DSL with BBT is cancelled but I am holding onto the old land line for another month in the off chance I can port out my old phone number to the cell phone.  I have been going back and forth with BBT, the FCC, and the Public Utilities Commission of Texas for a month trying to sort out the issue.  Seems the FCC has enacted a relatively new law requiring ALL carriers to allow number porting.  At first, BBT flat out told me they do not allow it.  After filing my first complaint with the FCC, BBT then told me they do "allow it" but it won't work with any cell carrier.   Mint Mobile told me they cannot port my number in and every major cell carrier I contacted told me the same thing.  Number porting (keeping your phone number when switching between carriers) has actually been going on for almost 20 years, but for many of those years, small rural carriers were granted a waiver to block number porting.  From what I understand, those waivers are gone now.  It has been extremely difficult to get a straight answer out of anyone and as long as they keep yanking my chain... I am going to yank back.  68,74,34,0,B  

nothing blocking the view up there...

The first thing Starlink instructs you to do is check your area for obstructions that might block the dish's view of the sky - like trees or tall buildings. Neither of those to worry about here. I mounted my Starlink dish on the roof to avoid problems with javelinas, burros, and rabbits. Shot this slow pan with one of these. 65,73,29,0,B

adaptive...

Still pretty happy with Starlink.  No issues so far.  Planning on cutting the cord to Big Bend Telephone in another 2 weeks.  For now, I am waiting to hear back from complaints I filed with the FCC and the Texas Public Utilities Commission on whether or not BBT has to allow me to port my old landline number over to a cell phone.  A representative at BBT told me they do not allow it.  Seems the FCC instituted a law in 2003 that stated land based and cell phone networks must allow numbers to "change hands" between all carriers, but certain small wireline carriers were granted a waiver until the FCC could conclude and publish a study of the effects of number porting on them.  I can't find anything online about the verdict of "the study" and it has been almost 20 years since it was announced.  It could very well be that BBT has to allow it now, but they just don't know that yet.  I'm really not that attached to my phone number, but I would really like to know for sure if in fact I will have to get a new number when I get the cell phone.  In the meantime, I just received my Starlink ethernet adapter.  The Starlink router is Wi-Fi only, so I ordered this in case I ever want (or need) a wired line to it.  The adapter was only 20 bucks.  48,54,45,0,W

test

 

Running a livestream test with Starlink today...

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It's here!

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dish mount

My Starlink equipment is due to arrive tomorrow.  Rigged up some old Dish Network parts to mount the new technology onto.  52,63,25,0,B 

Early Adopter...

 

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coming soon?

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Another view of the Starlink swarm...

Starlink satellite movements in a 6 hour timelapse. Each satellite completes a full orbit of the earth in approximately 90 minutes. Interesting note: The flat map of the world known as the "mercator projection" was created by 16th century geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. A prolific map, globe, and scientific instrument maker - he is most renowned for creating a world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing (rhumb lines) as straight lines—an innovation that is still employed in nautical charts today.

LEO is a busy place...

the key grip...

Rig for tomorrow's video - masking the laptop with cardboard for shooting the screen with my DJI Osmo.  66,69,44,0,B 

Starlink coming soon...

I am looking forward to trying out Starlink satellite internet.  I signed up a couple of months ago as a beta tester and was just notified that I should be able to get it this fall.  You can see in real time all the Starlink satellites currently in orbit here.  My Big Bend Telephone DSL is relatively slow compared to big city internet at 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds.  The download is adequate for my surfing needs but that snail-paced upload speed is dismal for high res live streaming and uploading long videos to YouTube.  The only problem I foresee out here is that the dish doesn't like temperatures over 104 degrees.  Everyone in the US can get in on the ground floor and sign up now and put down a refundable $99 deposit.  Once service is available for your area, the equipment is $499 plus tax and shipping and the monthly fee is $100.  Worth it to try out (especially if you have no other option) as you have 30 days to get a full refund if it doesn't work out for you.  With just over 1000 satellites already up there, SpaceX is on schedule to launch at least another 1000 this year.  So far the beta testers are pretty happy with how it works.  Go SpaceX!   64,70,34,0,B