How Do They Use Cellphones at Sea on 'Deadliest Catch?'
Published Oct. 21 2024, 5:13 p.m. ET
Every season, crab fishermen are spotted talking on a cellphone while out at sea aboard a vessel on Deadliest Catch.
This prompts viewers at home to wonder how it's possible to make a call in the middle of the Bering Sea.
During Season 20 of the Discover reality series, Clark Pederson of the F/V Northwestern was able to call his wife Mandy — so how did he do it?
Most 'Deadliest Catch' vessels are equipped with internet access via Starlink.
On Reddit, when a fan asked how the call between Clark and Mandy was made, it was revealed that the vessels on the show have internet access, so the calls are using Wi-Fi.
"All the crab boats have internet access (Starlink) and you can set your phone up to allow Wifi calling," a Redditor wrote.
Others on the thread shared their experience with using Starlink while at sea.
"Starlink has been a game changer. Four years ago I could barely send a text in Bristol Bay. With Starlink I have better internet on my boat than I do at my apartment in Seattle," one person explained. Another added, "I’ve wondered if they use Starlink. We use this on our boat and in our rv and have service everywhere as long as we don’t have trees in the way."
Of course, some fans took the chance to make some jokes about how exactly the fishermen were getting service in the middle of nowhere.
"All the big crab legs act as antennas amplifying the 5G signal," one fan joked before another chimed in, "Landlines with extra phone cable."
How does Starlink work?
Starlink is a satellite internet company owned by SpaceX that provides coverage to over 100 countries and territories. Starlink consists of over 7,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO)[5] that communicate with designated ground transceivers.
As of September 2024, Starlink has more than 4 million subscribers.
Along with Starlink, it was also reported that Deadliest Catch vessels also depend on satellite dispatch radio most likely courtesy of LightSquared (Ligado Networks), which is the one most used by the Pacific fishing community.
These dispatch mobile satellite radio phones are often referred to as "TAG" phones.
Watch Deadliest Catch on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Discovery.
