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Amateur Lightwave Tricks

Posted by timothy on from the weighs-nothing-says-much dept.

HobbySpacer writes: "According to an ARRL article, some Hams are moving to really high frequencies with experiments using lasers & LEDs. The tests include cloudbouncing, moonbouncing, laser radar and an infrared laser on an amateur satellite. See the Lasercom Manual and this paper for intros. Meanwhile, other amateurs are looking for alien lasers pointed our way."

5 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Highest usable frequency? by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder what the highest usable EMS frequency is. An advanced alien civilization would probably be using the highest usable frequency rather than a frequency that is easiest (for us) to generate.

    They might be broadcasting in gamma waves or X-rays for all we know.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Highest usable frequency? by T3kno · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Since you insist on creating this advanced alien civilization in our image, you must realize that any advanced alien civilization would therefore be able understand our primitive communications methods and be able to respond using the same said methods. The reason there is no response is because no one is listening.

      --
      (B) + (D) + (B) + (D) = (K) + (&)
  2. Re:Are they kidding? by RTFA+Man · · Score: 1, Interesting

    seti searches for meaningful RF waveforms, the kind that would be transmitted by an extraterrestrial lifeform who is trying to seek us out. What if, instead of transmitting their message in the RF spectrum, the ET transmitted it in the optical spectrum? That is what they'd be looking for, not the outlines of ETs on planets.

  3. Re:FCC by Quixotic137 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ham radio operators are allowed to use all frequencies above 300 GHz. Light falls into that category.

  4. Ronja by cr0sh · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What lasercomm discussion would be complete without it?

    From the Ronja homepage:

    Build your own optical data link from common elementary parts - Ronja is an Open-Hardware optical datalink that connects two PC's point-to-point. Ronja's design is licensed under the GNU Public License: you get all the necessary documentation and construction guides free. The construction costs are minimal; it's probably the cheapest wireless system ever. The operation is very
    reliable and immune to interference.

    Take note, people - when the USA Patriot Act enforcers of protocol come, laser may be the only way to comm...

    --
    Reason is the Path to God - Anon