Laser pointer update - Page 2

Peter Ward · #21 11-04-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry B

some idiot is at it again
see http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/pl...856766264.html
There seems to be a concerted effort going on to have them banned.

Yep. Read that one...but...geeez...why I'd float the suggestion that anyone flying a Cessna 152 at night was probably already a little disoriented

Also, if he was flying straight and level (though this is not known)...how did "the pilot notice(d) a bright green beam coming through the wing tip of the aircraft"

Last time I checked 152's were a high wing type...ergo was he zapped from above? Oh...Oh...perhaps it was his right wing tip? Dammed starboard nav light strikes again!

g__day (Matthew) · #22 11-04-2008, 05:25 PM

I reckon its some idiots in the cockpit shining them on us poor folk on the ground and claiming the beam was travelling the other way at them!

So if folk jsut remove the power label - or swap them for 1mw ones - how do you enforce a ban?

JohnG (John) · #23 11-04-2008, 05:51 PM

Give them back a bit of their own......

Anyone who shone things at us when I was with Polair used to get a 30 million candle power NiteSun on full narrow beam focus back them, they soon stopped.

Going to be difficult to enforce.

Cheers

styleman333 · #24 11-04-2008, 06:49 PM

My laser pointer arrived from MyAstro Shop today. Seems great but im a little scared to start flashing it around at the moment and quickly turn it off when cars approach.

Its "apparently" a 30mW and was $155.00.

smenkhare · #25 11-04-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Yep. Read that one...but...geeez...why I'd float the suggestion that anyone flying a Cessna 152 at night was probably already a little disoriented

Also, if he was flying straight and level (though this is not known)...how did "the pilot notice(d) a bright green beam coming through the wing tip of the aircraft"

Last time I checked 152's were a high wing type...ergo was he zapped from above? Oh...Oh...perhaps it was his right wing tip? Dammed starboard nav light strikes again!

What's wrong with flying at night?
I've flown C152's in and out of bankstown on many an occasion and have never been hit with a laser or know anyone who has. So it looks more like the media blowing thing out of proportion again.

Peter Ward · #26 12-04-2008, 09:32 AM

It's a media beat-up without question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smenkhare

What's wrong with flying at night?

Night VMC in a single? I suppose the good thing is if the engine stops and you don't like what you see, you can always switch off the landing light

JohnG (John) · #27 12-04-2008, 10:04 AM

Ah, Night VMC.......

Good fun, 1500ft, using the Golden Arches, strobe at 2RN and a UBD, what more could you ask for.

Cheers

Starless (Brian) · #28 12-04-2008, 10:46 AM

According to http://www.radarlaser.com.au/acabands.htm
police laser tax collecting equipment are 125mw devices.

I will have to sue for compensation for eye sight damage
caused by having one of those shone at me.

I'm amazed I was not instantly blinded!

When are police going to be banned from attacking
innocent motorists with these these high powered
anti-aircraft weapons?

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #29 13-04-2008, 09:13 AM

I hope, in Victoria at least, each operator is individually licensed! I also hope they understand that they should never point such devices at people or at reflective surfaces (such as mirrors, glass and metal) as the reflections could be scattered into people's eyes causing severe damage.

programmer · #30 13-04-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starless

According to http://www.radarlaser.com.au/acabands.htm
police laser tax collecting equipment are 125mw devices.

I will have to sue for compensation for eye sight damage
caused by having one of those shone at me.

I'm amazed I was not instantly blinded!

When are police going to be banned from attacking
innocent motorists with these these high powered
anti-aircraft weapons?

Hi Starless. I realise this post was tongue in cheek

but it prompted me to do a quick Google. Apparently lasers in the 904nm range do not produce visible light (as you would hope!), so you won't be accidentally blinded any time soon

Peter Ward · #31 13-04-2008, 10:52 AM

Actually, light does not have to be visible to so some damage. Industrial I/R lasers cut through various materials very efficiently...a few rods and cones can just as easily go up in smoke....it's just that you don't see it coming!

[1ponders] (Paul) · #32 13-04-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

produce visible light (as you would hope!), so you won't be accidentally blinded any time soon

It ain't the visible light that does the damage when you look at the sun through a telescope.

programmer · #33 13-04-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Actually, light does not have to be visible to so some damage. Industrial I/R lasers cut through various materials very efficiently...a few rods and cones can just as easily go up in smoke....it's just that you don't see it coming!

I understood blinded as dazzled. My mistake. Still, at laser speed detector ranges... no danger AFAIK.

JethroB76 (Jeff) · #34 13-04-2008, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g__day

So if folk jsut remove the power label - or swap them for 1mw ones - how do you enforce a ban?

I wondered this myself, the police aren't going to carry testing equipment with them are they?

Cluster · #35 13-04-2008, 01:22 PM

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...-29277,00.html

Laser pointers are now banned in WA. The article doesn't state whether all powers are banned (surely not. Arrest those university lecturers!). I'm in SA and have been watching the ban articles from NSW, VIC, and now WA roll in.

Do reflector owners now have to hand in their laser collimators? Mine is rated Class IIIa. The horror!

I have a low power green laser on order from overseas which should arrive this week. Hoping it makes it before a total ban. It's only 5mw and there was nothing on the Customs website about a ban at the time of ordering...

smenkhare · #36 13-04-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by programmer

I Still, at laser speed detector ranges... no danger AFAIK.

the reason why lasers are so useful is why the range makes little difference.

the light stays coherent.

Ric · #37 13-04-2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

Anyone who shone things at us when I was with Polair used to get a 30 million candle power NiteSun on full narrow beam focus back them, they soon stopped.

Going to be difficult to enforce.

Cheers

Nice one John, that will stuff their night vision for a week or so.

Cheers

programmer · #38 13-04-2008, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smenkhare

the reason why lasers are so useful is why the range makes little difference.

the light stays coherent.

I'm no expert, but staying 'coherent' doesn't mean the light stays tight, focused and powerful, AFAIK.
http://onlinedictionary.datasegment....herent%20light

Lots of other reasons anyway.. beam divergence, aiming the beam at a 6mm target (eye pupil) over few hundred meters, IR filters in the laser, etc...

AstralTraveller (David) · #39 13-04-2008, 02:28 PM

Dear Starless,

Thank you for your concern about attacks on innocent motorists. How very selfless of you. I too have the best interest of my fellow motorists at heart and so have done some further investigation.

Lidar used in Australia is a Class 1 laser as defined by the U.S. FDA., and so should not cause any damage even with continuous exposure. See http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/script...cfm?FR=1040.10
http://www.lasertech.com/Speed_Enfor...ges/UL100.htm#
http://www.lasertech.com/Speed_Enfor...100LR.Spec.pdf

[Yes, lasers are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. So which is it? I shone my laser pointer down my throat but was I still hungry. So I shone it up my nose but there wasn't even a buzz. Lastly I shone it into my ear and there was a green spot on the opposite wall.]

For a Class 1 at 905nm the emission limit appears to 9.5x10^-7 W. The situation is a bit different for pulsed radiation where the limit is around 1.7x10^-3 J. In any case a value of 125mW seems to be way way too big.

By comparison my 30mW pointer is rated as Class IIIb which at its wavelength means more than 0.005W and less than 0.5W. That seems to make sense.

smenkhare · #40 13-04-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by programmer

I'm no expert, but staying 'coherent' doesn't mean the light stays tight, focused and powerful, AFAIK.
http://onlinedictionary.datasegment....herent%20light

Lots of other reasons anyway.. beam divergence, aiming the beam at a 6mm target (eye pupil) over few hundred meters, IR filters in the laser, etc...

The low degree of
angular dispersion of coherent light beams also allows
the use of such light in laser ranging, over distances

A lot of the cheap one people are buying of ebay do not have the ir filters.
as far as from the earth to the moon.