Why does this wavelength get its own forum section?

[Ben321]

Is there something special about this wavelength, that it is separate from the "Blue, Yellow, & Other Colored Lasers" section of the forum?

 

[skijohn]

Wow, you're really hitting the ground running! no hi or anything?

 

[Ben321]

Wow, you're really hitting the ground running! no hi or anything?

I don't think there's any section for introductions on this forums, and if I posted an intro in any other section, it would be off-topic so would get deleted as spam.

 

[Unown (WILD)]

Who cares why it has it's own section

 

[FireMyLaser]

It's from way back when 445nm was the only common blue wavelength from direct diode. Today, 445nm bare no significance as diodes are available in near all wavelengths between violet and green, but the forum section remain as is.

 

[FAP]

I guess once created it stays? Anymore who cares, we have high power 450 nm now too which I would think could be grouped with 445, 450, 465 etc.

 

[Encap]

I don't think there's any section for introductions on this forums, and if I posted an intro in any other section, it would be off-topic so would get deleted as spam.

You didn't notice the "Welcome" sub-forum?
It is the first sub-form in the first section of the LPF sub-forums listings, called Newcomers before Rules and Stickies

 

[Ears and Eggs]

It goes back to an earlier time in the hobby when the only handheld blue lasers available were incredibly expensive 473nm DPSSs. These would often cost hundreds if not thousands for only a few mWs.


Then suddenly in 2010 these 1W 445nm diodes appeared in projectors and caused a crazy surge in interest in the laser hobby. Pop science magazines and some companies helped feed the frenzy with unscrupulous articles about owning your own "laser sword" and other crap like that.


This causing unprecedented swarms of new members to come to the forum. We were getting dozens of stupid threads a day from people who knew nothing about lasers, read a popsci article and wanted to vaporize a tree or contact the Greater Betelgeusian Star Empire with their new 445 beast.


So that new section was created to at least contain the 445 craze mayhem. Kind of obsolete now, but a lingering remnant of that crazy time.

 

[RedCowboy]

LOL @ " contact the Greater Betelgeusian Star Empire " although Betelgeuse being 650 light years away probably wouldn't even enter their minds, I will bet some have signaled and waited for a reply.........same people who watch cnn

 

[skijohn]

I bet at least a handful of them thought they'd be able to see a dot on the moon?

 

[RedCowboy]

Yea, I bet some did.

I saw a test where people shined a bright light that could be seen by space station observers, I expect they see a lot of laser flashes especially at the city outskirts which wouldn't do any harm at that distance, but you know they see them, I expect they won't talk about it so as not to promote people trying to signal them.

p.s. I am NOT advocating the lasing of anything where there are people inside, nearby, ect....

 

[skijohn]

Yea, I bet some did.

I saw a test where people shined a bright light that could be seen by space station observers, I expect they see a lot of laser flashes especially at the city outskirts which wouldn't do any harm at that distance, but you know they see them, I expect they won't talk about it so as not to promote people trying to signal them.

p.s. I am NOT advocating the lasing of anything where there are people inside, nearby, ect....

Yes I had seen the same test, from space they can see a spot flash on the ground, I know you already know this but for those that don't, they don't see the beam, just a small bright flash of light down at the ground, it would be a continuous light at the ground if the people on the ground could keep the laser pointed at the space station but it's moving kind of fast...

 

[RedCowboy]

Yea it's interesting how bright the flash can look when aligned to the viewer, those diffraction grating Christmas lasers catch my eye when taking out the trash or driving past the yards where they have them aimed away from their houses, I can see why it's such a distraction.....they could make good rescue signals with a diffraction grating so the user can cover a wider area.

 

[Ben321]

You didn't notice the "Welcome" sub-forum?
It is the first sub-form in the first section of the LPF sub-forums listings, called Newcomers before Rules and Stickies

I saw that. I thought that was for rules and stuff posted by admins, not for users to post personal intros.

 

[Encap]

The "Welcome" sub-forum is for doing personal intoduction/welcome thread posts.
Have a look and see some of them.

 

[Ben321]

The "Welcome" sub-forum is for doing personal intoduction/welcome thread posts.
Have a look and see some of them.

I'm also quite sure I'd had an account here before. But it seems you guys changed forum software or something, and lost the user database. That's why I had to create my account here again. I'm not a new member, just new in the most recent database your software is using.