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FrozenGate by Avery

How legal are Class 4 laser pointers?

edslittleworld

edslittleworld

0
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
57
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Are Class 4 laser pointers 100% legal with regards to selling, buying, transporting, etc? Other than trying to blind people and blasting airplanes, is their use pretty much unlimited?

I'm asking because I'm also a drone pilot and regulations are really tightening up.

I have to admit that I have a decoy/donor laser I paid $5 for in eBay...in case I'm forced to forfeit one.:D
 





edslittleworld said:
Are Class 4 laser pointers 100% legal with regards to selling, buying, transporting, etc? Other than trying to blind people and blasting airplanes, is their use pretty much unlimited?

I'm asking because I'm also a drone pilot and regulations are really tightening up.

I have to admit that I have a decoy/donor laser I paid $5 for in eBay...in case I'm forced to forfeit one.:D
Click to expand...

There is no such thing as a class 4 pointer in the US.A class 4 laser may be portable...but a pointer it is not.In the US a pointer is 5mw or less.

Of course being able to own portable class 4 lasers is nice and I own one...it is a lot of fun for various experiments.The class 4 greens and blues and reds have poor divergence...over a long path they are not as much as a hazard as a really fine DPSS class 3b would be.That being said at closer ranges they are very dangerous.What you can do depends on where you live and how you present yourself as well.Here in my mountain home I enjoy seeing the various layers of moisture in the atmosphere...and it also dovetails nicely with my ham radio hobby.Most people think the beam looks cool and if you are not an ass you can do what you want.I wait until the local airport closes until I blast the sky...and I keep a very sharp lookout for med-choppers.

I think if you are considerate you can do as you please.But I am in my 50's and can articulate well what I am doing.Trying what I do at age 18 may yield different results.


I should add many have asked if I point at planes.My response is as follows:

Do I strike you as the kind of man who throws cinder blocks from overpasses into car windshields?Hell no I am not that man!!!I would never shine my laser at a plane!Only an imbecile would do something so evil and dangerous!!!

I hope this answers your question.If in doubt...retain counsel.

Seriously.
 
cistercian said:
There is no such thing as a class 4 pointer in the US.A class 4 laser may be portable...but a pointer it is not.In the US a pointer is 5mw or less.

Of course being able to own portable class 4 lasers is nice and I own one...it is a lot of fun for various experiments.The class 4 greens and blues and reds have poor divergence...over a long path they are not as much as a hazard as a really fine DPSS class 3b would be.That being said at closer ranges they are very dangerous.What you can do depends on where you live and how you present yourself as well.Here in my mountain home I enjoy seeing the various layers of moisture in the atmosphere...and it also dovetails nicely with my ham radio hobby.Most people think the beam looks cool and if you are not an ass you can do what you want.I wait until the local airport closes until I blast the sky...and I keep a very sharp lookout for med-choppers.

I think if you are considerate you can do as you please.But I am in my 50's and can articulate well what I am doing.Trying what I do at age 18 may yield different results.


I should add many have asked if I point at planes.My response is as follows:

Do I strike you as the kind of man who throws cinder blocks from overpasses into car windshields?Hell no I am not that man!!!I would never shine my laser at a plane!Only an imbecile would do something so evil and dangerous!!!

I hope this answers your question.If in doubt...retain counsel.

Seriously.
Click to expand...

Hey man...you sound like me. I'm in my 50s, am a ham operator and have a few greenies (WL, DL, etc).
 
edslittleworld said:
Hey man...you sound like me. I'm in my 50s, am a ham operator and have a few greenies (WL, DL, etc).
Click to expand...

The ability to id tropo openings is nice.
Extra here.Main rig is an icom 7410.With all filters...a great DX machine.

Hope to add you to the log OM.I hang in the window on 75 working my pals from across the pond.Good DX and 73's!
 
cistercian said:
The ability to id tropo openings is nice.
Extra here.Main rig is an icom 7410.With all filters...a great DX machine.

Hope to add you to the log OM.I hang in the window on 75 working my pals from across the pond.Good DX and 73's!
Click to expand...

Cool! My only rig is a Yaesu FT-817 just sitting right by my keyboard. We'll have to meet up on 20M sometime. BTW...I'm just a General, but I earned it with 13 wpm of code about 30 years ago.

Ed
 
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I have a stable of class IV handheld lasers and have never had a single run in with the authorities.
I do like your idea of having a cheap laser on you and if you ever are stopped. You pocket the good laser and give up the cheap laser. Would break my heart to hand over one of my 1100mW 532nm or 3800mW 445nm lasers :(
The wisest thing to do though is never get yourself in that situation in the first place :)
 
edslittleworld said:
Cool! My only rig is a Yaesu FT-817 just sitting right by my keyboard. We'll have to meet up on 20M sometime. BTW...I'm just a General, but I earned it with 13 wpm of code about 30 years ago.


20m is not very good on my system...but I have a Icom tuner on the way that should help.An AH-4.Until then good dx and 73!


No.I won't actually post my call here.Call me paranoid...but the qst lookup is so easy.I am a no coder...and have had no replies when I tried on 40 and 80 to cw.

I really like ssb.,..and with digital enhancement even more so.


Colorado springs......Tesla land.....EPIC. You lucky dog...such a great QTH!!!
Hope to work you soon...with my epic 100w station!Hee hee!
Click to expand...
 
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Laser Chick said:
I have a stable of class IV handheld lasers and have never had a single run in with the authorities.
I do like your idea of having a cheap laser on you and if you ever are stopped. You pocket the good laser and give up the cheap laser. Would break my heart to hand over one of my 1100mW 532nm or 3800mW 445nm lasers :(
The wisest thing to do though is never get yourself in that situation in the first place :)
Click to expand...

Agreed, but S___ does happen. You may need to make that $5 "investment". I'd sure hate to lose my Dragon/Wicked lasers. My little "overclocked" cheapo can look the part and how would an LEO dude be able to distinguish 50mW vs 500mW from a sky view??
 
cistercian said:
20m is not very good on my system...but I have a Icom tuner on the way that should help.An AH-4.Until then good dx and 73!


No.I won't actually post my call here.Call me paranoid...but the qst lookup is so easy.I am a no coder...and have had no replies when I tried on 40 and 80 to cw.

I really like ssb.,..and with digital enhancement even more so.


Colorado springs......Tesla land.....EPIC. You lucky dog...such a great QTH!!!
Hope to work you soon...with my epic 100w station!Hee hee!
Click to expand...

Funny...but I just moved from Colo Spgs to Tulsa via Tucson. May be back in Littleton in the very near future. Sure miss the Springs and the myriad activities there (rock climbing, cycling, hiking, etc, etc). BTW...I might have you delete my callsign from your quoted reply...thanks!
 
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I'm sorry to continue the off topic discussion; can anyone direct me to a good source to learn about HAM? I want to go from 0 information to the 2nd tier (I think it's General license) and eventually go to Extra. I don't have the skills and information yet. I'd like to learn, how and where should I start?
 
Trendkilla254 said:
I'm sorry to continue the off topic discussion; can anyone direct me to a good source to learn about HAM? I want to go from 0 information to the 2nd tier (I think it's General license) and eventually go to Extra. I don't have the skills and information yet. I'd like to learn, how and where should I start?
Click to expand...

This is a good resource for hams in the US:
hamstudy.org/

There's also the reddit.com/r/amateurradio

Also, its ham not HAM :) not an abbreviation.
 
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Trendkilla254 said:
I'm sorry to continue the off topic discussion; can anyone direct me to a good source to learn about HAM? I want to go from 0 information to the 2nd tier (I think it's General license) and eventually go to Extra. I don't have the skills and information yet. I'd like to learn, how and where should I start?
Click to expand...

Don't capitalize ham...it makes you look like a noob!Get your hands on an amateur radio handbook.Read it over and over again.Even an older one will teach you electronics.I read my dad's 1955 handbook until the cover fell off...then I started getting more of them.I am a bit of a bookworm...
On the website eham.com you can take practice tests using the actual questions.There are guys who do this until they pass easily but they don't actually know the theory which is a huge handicap to setting up a good station.

Local amateur radio clubs also teach classes which is another way to get started.Like any community ham radio has some very mean people in it.Ignore them...most hams are very nice and I still get very excited when I talk to someone very far away.It is just an absolute blast.

Good luck and don't put it off...it would be fun to talk about lasers on the air!!!
 
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