Caution below: Post is opinionated and lends to nostalgic rambling. Please read at your own discretion.

My first satellite internet connection — Year 1994 NOAA was experimenting with geosynchronous weather satellites, several cameras did not work (fog in the camera) and the satellites were given to the University of Hawaii for voice and data in the Pacific. Mostly (United States Protectorates) Guam, Micronesia, Marshal Is., Solomon Is., Samoa etc.. The satellites communicated with an off the shelf 9800 baud modem connected to a Sun SPARC 10 (sendmail daemon). The network was amazing for this period.

Year 2026 Starlink has out performed every other satellite constellation where it is legal. Out of cellphone range Starlink is the de facto standard for safety, navigation, weather, maintenance, financial etc….

Anyway, should I sell my bulky Iridium Go! Exec? It’s worth about $300. I’ll then get an Iridium 9575 for the ditch bag

Iridium is still used for InReach and small telephone handsets. Iridium is still legitimate (if you don’t mind getting a telephone call dropped now and then).

Carry on men…