Laser

Communications
 Laser Classes
 Class I – Sealed systems
 Class II – Output <1mW
 Class IIIa – Output 1mW - 5mW
 Class IIIb – Output 5mW – 500mW
 Harmful to eyes, diffuse viewing OK
 Class IV – Output >500mW
 Harmful to skin and eyes, diffuse viewing
hazardous
 Diode Lasers
 Laser diodes emit an elliptical beam with
astigmatism
 Better units will include corrective lenses for
astigmatism and to make the dot appear
round
 Neither of these problems are inherently
bad for DX purposes but correcting them
also improves divergence, a big win (more
gain).
Human Spectral
Response
 Perceived Intensities
Wavelength Multiplier Color
532 nm 28 Green
635 nm 7 Red-Orange
640 nm 5 Red-Orange
650 nm 3 Red
660 nm 2 Red
670 nm 1 Red
 Laser Diode

Laser Diodes
include
Photodiodes for
feedback to insure
consistent output
Pointer Design
Pointer Innards
 Modulation
 AM
 Easy with gas lasers, hard with diodes
 PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
 Used by Ramsey in their kit
 PFM (Pulsed FM)
 Potentially the highest bandwidth
(>100kHz)
 Gain Systems
 Transmitter
 Maximum output
power
 Minimum divergence
 Receiver
 Maximum lens area
 Clarity
 Tight focus on
detector
 Filters
 Sun shade over detector
 Shade in front of lens
 Detector spectral response
 Colored filters
 Absorb ~50% of available light
 Difficult to find exact frequency
 Mounting Systems
 Mounts and stands need only be as accurate as beam
divergence
 Good laser diodes will be 1-2mR (milliRadian)
 A 32 pitch screw at the end of a 2' mount will yield 1mR per
revolution. Since quarter turns (even eighth turns) are
possible, this is more than accurate enough
 Higher thread pitches allow shorter mounts which may be
more stable (against wind, vibration, wires)
 1mR is 1.5' of divergence every 1000', 3' at 2000 ', etc.
 Pointing
 GPS and Compass
 Scopes and Binoculars
 Strobe lights, large handheld floods,
headlights
 HTs to yell when laser light is seen at
remote location
Weak Signal Modes
 Laser DX
 1991 - June 08 - WA7LYI and
KY7B - 153.97 miles !
 Equipment used: 18 inch
fresnel lens into
Photomultiplier tube
 Transmitter: 15 mw helium
cadmium laser (442 nm)
 Applications
 Transmit voice for miles line-of-sight
 Use weak signal modes for “cloud
scatter”
 Transmit video with cheap pens
 Transmit high speed data without
WEP
 Blind flies for easy extermination