Signaling With A Laser Pointer

[AK_sailor]

If memory serves, Greatland Laser claims that the little one (maybe twice the size of a tube of chapstick) is eyesafe beyond 15 meters. I don't know if that is true of the larger size. Another difference between their products and an ordinary laser pointer is that theirs spreads out into a plane as it gets farther from the device. If you orient the plane vertically and sweep the horizon, anyone out there should see a red flash. The range is said to be 20 miles or so at night. I think they are also visible in the daytime, but at much shorter ranges. I've been told that even the Coast Guard is using them. However, the last I heard they were not officially "Coast Guard Approved", so they don't count towards your legal requirements for signaling devices. I've played with one in the store, but haven't actually had a chance to test one outside. Seems like a good thing if they work as advertised.

[David M]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Charlie--

Go to www.greatlandlaser.com. Note, however, that there seems to be a bug on that site that tries to redirect one to a porngraphic site unless you have something like IEPro7 or another blocker that prevents the redirect. I send an email to Greatland about it but have not rec'd a response and the defect is still evident (2 min ago).

FWIW...

s/v HyLyte

Firefox got me there.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by maxingout

Whatever happened to common sense?

I can't believe that someone would shine a laser into the cockpit of a plane landing at 180 mph. Every week I land at 100+ mph in King Air and twin engine Barrons aircraft, and I can't imagine anyone would distract a plane on approach with a laser.

Things happen fast in the cockpit when you are landing. You don't want any distractions.

Yet it is happening, there have several incidents in Oz involving commerical aircraft being "lasered" over the last few years.

Originally Posted by Bash

laser sights are commonly used on firearms these days. Someone seeing a laser spot reflecting off a bulkhead, especially someone trained in police work, et cetera, may think he's just been targeted rather than signaled.

This and the aircraft incidents have lead to powerful lasers being a prohibited import into Oz AFAIK.

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Yet it is happening, there have several incidents in Oz involving commerical aircraft being "lasered" over the last few years...

It has been a problem over here too, especially in Wellington where landing from the North the aircraft fly down a narrow bay with hillsides each side of them and the last part of the approach there are houses on the hillsides at the same height as the aircraft.

It is very difficult to understand how some people can be so absolutely stupid.

[Soft Air]

Thanks Dave, we are commissioning my boat here at the BVI and my captain and myself found your thread very very valuable...getting a few "Brit" lasers here

[sushirama]

If I remember right Australia has recently outlawed all personal laser pointing devices.

[john540]

The problem with the term, "Eye-safe" as applied to lasers is that it's misleading. Generally, 5 milliwatts or less is considered eye-safe, however that's because the normal reaction is to immediately close the eyes and turn away. If you look into the beam, it can cause instantaneous permanent damage. The ones that say they are eye safe beyond a certain distance can cause instantaneous permanent damage if viewed closer than that distance, even if it's only reflected. If you want to use a laser to get someone's attention, 532nm green lasers are the best way to go, since they appear six to eight times brighter than red at the same power output.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by sushirama

If I remember right Australia has recently outlawed all personal laser pointing devices.

I would like further info on that, as they are such a useful tool during big presentations, and I suspect a lot of people take them into Aus for that purpose. It also begs the question of what happens if you have them onboard as safety devices on your pfd and enter aus territorial waters.