Im sure this thread has been posted a million times but heres a million and one

[Rebel Lord]

I'm looking for my first highpower laser pointer. Partly for work and partly for pleasure. I was looking for laserpointers on several websites but then I had a funny feeling, the sites I was looking at didnt feel right and when I tried to order a "30 watt 99% off laser" I got a call from my fraud prevention and they said the site was based in china. I decided to look for a reputable source for knowledge and I found this place, I'm glad I did because I read that those sites are all ran by the same people and they are complete scams.

I have no experience with lasers besides my cats play laser, but last year I saw someone in the park with a high power laser flash it like miles away and thats when I realized I REALLY wanted one too. I now have an excuse to get one. And now I get to the requirements for what I'm looking, I'm installing back haul communication dishes offshore and they need to be precisely aligned, our shots are sometimes 20 miles away and we have a REALLY hard time even figuring out where the other platform is. We try to use compasses but thats hard when theres a massive turbine generator making the compass spin.

Thats half the reason I want a laser, other half its cool AF. I might even get my company to pay for it. (Since my dad owns it)

Is there a handheld laser that can be seen at 20 miles? My budget is upto about 200-400 dollars but also lets assume price is not a factor. I really just want the most hunkin' massivly powered death ray that I can burn sh-stuff with:drool:.


Thanks

 

[diachi]

Yes, many of those sites are scams. For example, there's no such thing as a 30W handheld laser, at least not commercially.

You don't need a laser to align directional antennas over large distances. People have been doing it just fine without for decades. Bringing such a powerful laser into the workplace without proper procedures and safety measures in place is just asking for some serious legal trouble. Seriously not a good idea.

Anyway, welcome! :beer:

 

[Rebel Lord]

Hi Thanks for the welcome. Trust me though its hard, we've gotten by but its hard to pinpoint a platform from beyond visual distance, especially when theres other platforms and its hard to pick out which speck to point at, we are resorting to using signal mirrors and we dont have money to buy a $7G GPS alignment system. We've wasted hours scanning the horizon until we get a connection, these beams have to be within a short distance of the receiving radio to make a connection, and when your 1 degree off at 20 miles your WAY off. We wont be pointing a laser directly at another platform, probably over top of it so our other team can see our location, asuming theres a laser that can be seen from that far.


Plus like I said I just want to have a cool laser

 

[diachi]

Hi Thanks for the welcome. Trust me though its hard, we've gotten by but its hard to pinpoint a platform from beyond visual distance, especially when theres other platforms and its hard to pick out which speck to point at, we are resorting to using signal mirrors and we dont have money to buy a $7G GPS alignment system. We've wasted hours scanning the horizon until we get a connection, these beams have to be within a short distance of the receiving radio to make a connection, and when your 1 degree off at 20 miles your WAY off. We wont be pointing a laser directly at another platform, probably over top of it so our other team can see our location, asuming theres a laser that can be seen from that far.


Plus like I said I just want to have a cool laser

Where are you located? I'm assuming in the USA.

Seriously, best just to drop the idea of using a laser for this task. There are some large safety issues involved, which become potential legal issues as soon as your start using those lasers in a commercial environment without proper procedures in place.

Not to mention shooting high powered beams into the air as part of that commercial business. Certain requirements have to be met, documents have to be filed. NOTAMs have to be issued.

Fix a gun scope to the antennas, use those combined with signal lights to align the antennas, or get them close. Then sweep them the few fractions of a degrees needed to figure out proper alignment.

One of our members here is a ham operator (I am too, but less experienced than he is) and radio technician working for the US military. Perhaps he can provide some insight.

Nothing wrong with wanting a laser to use personally/privately, lots of options out there depending on what you're looking for.

Some more information would help us suggest something. Preference on colour? Size? What's your location? etc.

 

[Rebel Lord]

Ya Texas, But we work in Louisiana. From my small amount of reasearch I want a blue laser I guess around 450nm, and as High power as possible so over 1 watt, I really want a 5 watt. And trust me theres no one in the air out there 100 miles offshore at night, I'm a private pilot myself. Can you point me to some legal documentaion?

 

[Encap]

I really just want the most hunkin' massivly powered death ray that I can burn sh-stuff with:drool:.
Thanks

??? From the title, your nick, and the above I have to ask: How ld are you 10, 12 or a teen perhaps? What you "really want" is imaginary-doesn't exist. Buy a video game that has one.

Make a welcome post in the "Welcome" sub-forum if you expect any babysitting or spoon feeding of answers to juvenile questions?

You can use LPF search at the bottom of the page to answer real world questions. You can find companies in the "Companies" sub-forum abd product reviews in the Review sub-forum.

Real world --not daydream world--Before anything else read the sticky threads in the Safety & Legal Issues sub-forum---especially:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/get-some-safety-goggles-now-75799.html

and http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/hit-eye-1000mw-445nm-blue-laser-69469.html

and http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/irreversible-vision-damage-don-t-turn-blind-eye-laser-hazards-71299.html

Yes, many of those sites are scams. For example, there's no such thing as a 30W handheld laser, at least not commercially.

You don't need a laser to align directional antennas over large distances. People have been doing it just fine without for decades. Bringing such a powerful laser into the workplace without proper procedures and safety measures in place is just asking for some serious legal trouble. Seriously not a good idea.

Exactly.

Hi Thanks for the welcome. Trust me though its hard, we've gotten by but its hard to pinpoint a platform from beyond visual distance, especially when theres other platforms and its hard to pick out which speck to point at, we are resorting to using signal mirrors and we dont have money to buy a $7G GPS alignment system. We've wasted hours scanning the horizon until we get a connection, these beams have to be within a short distance of the receiving radio to make a connection, and when your 1 degree off at 20 miles your WAY off. We wont be pointing a laser directly at another platform, probably over top of it so our other team can see our location, asuming theres a laser that can be seen from that far.


Plus like I said I just want to have a cool laser

Lasers emit a conical beam resulting in a larger and larger beam diameter and dot as distance increases --see https://www.rp-photonics.com/beam_divergence.html

PS Unless I am missing something about what your "Dad's" company does. This is 2017 - iPad, iPhone. or any phone has standalone GPS can track GPS position accurately --is totally satellite GPS capable No cell service needed, however, on the gulf coast a lot of the oil rigs have cell stations on them, and you can often get reception up to 60 miles off shore.
You can download an app and marine charts here--has been used successfully by thousands of boaters for more than 5 years: GPSNavX | #1 Mac Marine Navigation App. Chartplotting real-time

 

[steve001]

I'm looking for my first highpower laser pointer. Partly for work and partly for pleasure. I was looking for laserpointers on several websites but then I had a funny feeling, the sites I was looking at didnt feel right and when I tried to order a "30 watt 99% off laser" I got a call from my fraud prevention and they said the site was based in china. I decided to look for a reputable source for knowledge and I found this place, I'm glad I did because I read that those sites are all ran by the same people and they are complete scams.

I have no experience with lasers besides my cats play laser, but last year I saw someone in the park with a high power laser flash it like miles away and thats when I realized I REALLY wanted one too. I now have an excuse to get one. And now I get to the requirements for what I'm looking, I'm installing back haul communication dishes offshore and they need to be precisely aligned, our shots are sometimes 20 miles away and we have a REALLY hard time even figuring out where the other platform is. We try to use compasses but thats hard when theres a massive turbine generator making the compass spin.

Thats half the reason I want a laser, other half its cool AF. I might even get my company to pay for it. (Since my dad owns it)

Is there a handheld laser that can be seen at 20 miles? My budget is upto about 200-400 dollars but also lets assume price is not a factor. I really just want the most hunkin' massivly powered death ray that I can burn sh-stuff with:drool:.


Thanks

You can do what you want with a 5mw green laser tripod and a collimator to reduce the beam divergence. Anything above that will require paperwork submitted to the FDA.
High power lasers are fun, but they are not toys, they are also very dangerous.

 

[diachi]

Can you point me to some legal documentaion?

Sure.

OSHA Technical Manual - Section III, Chapter 6 - Laser Hazards


FDA - Laser Products and Instruments (Lots of links to documents and regulations towards the bottom.)


FAA - Laser Hazards & Effects (Again, lots of links towards the bottom of the page)

 

[Rebel Lord]

I'm 21, We know our positions and I have charts, thats not our problem, we know our bearings to and from out target but its useless because we cant use a compass because of the massive electrical interference. We were literally having a helicopter fly a straight line to our target platform so we can point our antenna. As far as I know if we have the lead operator sign off on our Job Safety analysis we can do it. Under the OSHA documentaion Diachi sent me TABLE III:6-2. MAJOR CATEGORIES OF LASER USE, says one of the major uses of lasers is for Aliment and surveying so thats exactly what we can use. We have no problem complying with OSHA standards



On another note I'm thinking about getting the THOR ULTRA Laser Pointer from Laser pointer Store with all the upgrades for around 400. Thoughts on that product?

 

[hakzaw1]

You have been given great advice.. use it please..
Do you know how big the 'spot' from 20 miles will be??

and BTW afaik we have NEVER had to deal with this question.

not 20 miles.

good luck----hak

 

[Rebel Lord]

I ordered a 3w blue laser from laser pointer store. Even if I cant use it for work I still want one to experiment with, I might use it to light bonfires from a distance, oh btw I ordered saftey glasses. Can someone link me to a good laser saftey guide?

 

[BobMc]

I ordered a 3w blue laser from laser pointer store. Even if I cant use it for work I still want one to experiment with, I might use it to light bonfires from a distance, oh btw I ordered saftey glasses. Can someone link me to a good laser saftey guide?

Good deal, be safe with it and enjoy. Glad you grabbed some safety glasses, you're going to need them if you plan to do any burning.

If you can, grab some beamshots over the ocean. Thinking they just might be awesome looking. :thinking:

 

[diachi]

Under the OSHA documentaion Diachi sent me TABLE III:6-2. MAJOR CATEGORIES OF LASER USE, says one of the major uses of lasers is for Aliment and surveying so thats exactly what we can use. We have no problem complying with OSHA standards



On another note I'm thinking about getting the THOR ULTRA Laser Pointer from Laser pointer Store with all the upgrades for around 400. Thoughts on that product?

That part of the document likely refers to <5mW lasers that don't present a safety hazard, or a >5mW that has some sort of safety/beam control equipment involved. I can say fairly confidently that it *isn't* talking about 3W handhelds.

The Thor from Laser Pointer Store is good! I have the 1.6W version which they sent me to review, link to the review is in my signature. :beer:

 

[Encap]

As far as I know if we have the lead operator sign off on our Job Safety analysis we can do it. Under the OSHA documentaion Diachi sent me TABLE III:6-2. MAJOR CATEGORIES OF LASER USE, says one of the major uses of lasers is for Aliment and surveying so thats exactly what we can use. We have no problem complying with OSHA standards

As far as you know, can be dangerous and expensive.

FDA is/has the authority and responsibility under Federal Law over anything/everything laser in USA:
"FDA regulates all laser products, even handheld, battery-powered lasers that are available for purchase FROM manufacturers, importers, assemblers, dealers or distributors in the United States and its territories. This includes lasers manufactured or obtained on a continuing basis for the purpose of sale or resale.
FDA requires that manufacturers of these lasers limit the power of the laser light to 5 milliWatts (often abbreviated as "mW") or less. The labeling or packaging must allow the purchaser to know the power of the laser, its hazard class, and its wavelength before the laser is purchased. Even online advertisements must display this information for the purchaser.
Do not purchase a handheld, battery-powered laser labeled with hazard Class IIIb, Class IV, Class 1M, Class 2M, Class 3B or Class 4 unless the manufacturer has an approval from FDA (called a "variance") to allow the purchase. Lasers approved for purchase in these classes often have very specific uses and may be sold under certain conditions known to the manufacturer. Sales without a variance, or sales that violate the conditions of the variance, ARE ILLEGAL."
See: https://www.fda.gov/aboutfda/transparency/basics/ucm302664.htm

"Laser pointers are hand-held lasers that are promoted for pointing out objects or locations. Such laser products can meet one of two definitions for laser products. The first is for “surveying, leveling, and alignment laser products” as defined by Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 1040.10(b)(39):
“Surveying, leveling, or alignment laser product means a laser product manufactured, designed, intended or promoted for one or more of the following uses:
(i) Determining and delineating the form, extent, or position of a point, body, or area by taking angular measurement.
(ii) Positioning or adjusting parts in proper relation to one another.
(iii) Defining a plane, level, elevation, or straight line.”
"21 CFR 1040.11(b) and 1040.11(c), limit surveying, leveling, and alignment, and demonstration laser products to Class IIIa. This means that pointers are limited to 5 milliwatts output power in the visible wavelength range from 400 to 710 nanometers. There are also limits for any invisible wavelengths and for short pulses. Pointers may not exceed the accessible emission limits of CDRH Class IIIa or IEC1 Class 3R."
See: https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/LaserProductsandInstruments/ucm116373.htm

The solution--buy an FDA variance cleared surveying, leveling, or alignment laser product that has been given a "variance" to allow sales and safe use of it---not a dangerous play toy.

I ordered a 3w blue laser from laser pointer store. Even if I cant use it for work I still want one to experiment with, I might use it to light bonfires from a distance, oh btw I ordered saftey glasses. Can someone link me to a good laser saftey guide?

Everything you never wanted to know on one web site. :crackup:

See: Laser Pointer Safety - A comprehensive resource, for safe and responsible laser use