aryntha
0
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2009
- Messages
- 2,031
- Points
- 83
The problem with permits is that the government will want a valid reason WHY you need a 500+mw laser pointer. What valid reasons are there for having a pointer of that power? I can't think of too many. Reasons like "it's cool" and "for fun" wouldn't count.
See, that's not the kind of permit i'm talking about.. I'm not sure how something like that would be developed for lasers, but with radio, I don't have to prove to the government why I need to transmit at 1.5kW. (Other services actually *do*. Ham radio does not.) -- nor are my radios registered and tracked (again, not the case for other classes of licenses.) Privileges are based on level of knowledge proven (test, etc) - not by having to rationalize the "why".
I do understand that by nature, radio is a bit different, but it is a rather 'non intrusive' licensing scheme.
There could be an "experimenter's license" that simply says you've had the education to deal with Class 4. The whole class, that is. And it involves maybe reading a laser safety workbook and completing an online test. Maybe one test 'element' for IIIb, and another more extensive one for Class 4.
I doubt it'd ever happen, but I'd rather see this than a ban. Outright bans say, "None of you people know what you're doing so we're going to say no.". I'm just saying if I was faced with a choice of permitting or a ban, I'd be all over the permit scenario.