Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

Buy Site Supporter Role (remove some ads) | LPF Donations

Links below open in new window

FrozenGate by Avery

Sky laser beam ?!

  • Thread starter Thread starter kbnn_
  • Start date Start date
K

kbnn_

Guest
Hi guys,

Could you please help me out on this little project !?

I need a laser beam that would be visible miles away.
It will be installed on top of 14 floor building.
Aiming beam to the sky. Something like greenwich "phantom"

Is it a DIY project, or i can buy ready kit from somewhere?

What kind of laser i need, what power?
What about heating problem? What color to choose?
Best if blue or violet

Will appreciate any help :)
 

Attachments

  • 2287046818_0ecb0363b6.jpg
    2287046818_0ecb0363b6.jpg
    80.3 KB · Views: 7,992





Blue will be too much, violet will not be easy to see.
You're best to go with green, and you wouldn't need much power, 100-200 mW for a distance of ~ 14 miles in the night or foggy sky.
 
You know those signs that say "Call This Number Before Digging"?

Well, you might want to check this website, before installing your bat signal.

http://flightaware.com/
airport_map_atlanta.gif


It does't matter to the cops or the FBI, whether you point a laser at a plane or the laser is stationary and the plane flies into it. Either one can get you jail time. :(
 
You should get a beam expander also. They are relatively cheap, and increase range with 10 or more times
 
If he plans to make his first priority the safety of planes I fully support his project. First step forget tall buildings and go to an empty area like a desert and again be careful that no planes are nearby. This isn't a game, if a plane somehow went down or crashed somehow you would responsible for the deaths of hundreds. Consider that fully.

Criminals are not welcome here but I'm sure he is just making plans, needed advice on the project, and to find an unpopulated area with no flights over it. That way your project would be safe to try. There are areas with no planes over them. Check what's called is a flight path before doing this, research plane flight paths and avoid all areas with planes.
 
This depends on what exactly you want to do...

For visibility vs. price, green is always the best choice.

If you want a visible beam that can be seen from the ground after a distance of a few miles, you may need a watt or more.
If you just want the spot to be seen, you will need more than 100mW and a laser with good divergence (or a beam expander).

Those pictures were taken with long exposures so the actual brightness may be less.

This would work best on a warm night.
If it is too cold and dry, there may not be enough moisture in the air. If it is too foggy, the beam will be very bright, but will be absorbed by the fog after only a hundred feet or so. (this is according to my experience).
If you plan on running this for long periods of time, you will need a laser capable of long duty cycles.

Whatever it is you plan on doing it probably won't be cheap.

The cheapest sufficient solution I can think of is to buy a 100mW green module from O-like.com and stick it in a big heatsink and hook it up to batteries. If you want a ready-made solution, Lasers like the Laserglow Aires and Optotronics RPL come to mind... And lab lasers, of course.
 
You need to contact the FAA or whatever airspace authority is in your country before doing this.

You guys giving advice need to be a little more responsible. No one knows if this is a kid or terrorist. Regardless who it is, its probably wise to get an idea who you are talking too first. Your advice could get someone hurt or arrested.
 
Thanx for answers,

No problem with planes, airport is 40 miles from city, and there are no planes flying over the city.
(not sure about helicopters or jetfighters)

I even can install sauron eye and no one will even bother :)

So, what i understand,
i need 1w Green Laser, with optics("beam expander") and a heatsink. !?

Why blue laser is a problem?

And is it possible to make laser show with this stuff? or i need other type of laser (kind of a laser machine used in clubs) ?
 

Attachments

  • vfiles25730.jpg
    vfiles25730.jpg
    54.7 KB · Views: 584
A blue laser isn't a problem assuming you have a couple tens of thousands of dollars to spend.
 
kbnn_ said:
Thanx for answers,

No problem with planes, airport is 40 miles from city, and there are no planes flying over the city.
(not sure about helicopters or jetfighters)

I even can install sauron eye and no one will even bother :)

So, what i understand,
i need 1w Green Laser, with optics("beam expander") and a heatsink. !?

Why blue laser is a problem?

And is it possible to make laser show with this stuff? or i need other type of laser (kind of a laser machine used in clubs) ?
Click to expand...

If you're gonna be buying a prebuilt laser system you don't need a heatsink - the module itself will have that built in. You may however need an aluminum plate to mount the laser to as some have internal cooling systems that dump waste heat to the bottom surface.
 
kbnn_ said:
Thanx for answers,

No problem with planes, airport is 40 miles from city, and there are no planes flying over the city.
(not sure about helicopters or jetfighters)

I even can install sauron eye and no one will even bother :)

So, what i understand,
i need 1w Green Laser, with optics("beam expander") and a heatsink. !?

Why blue laser is a problem?

And is it possible to make laser show with this stuff? or i need other type of laser (kind of a laser machine used in clubs) ?
Click to expand...

Do have any idea what all that would cost you?  :P Radioshack would be a better place to get your answers...

Well sure friend, go down to radioshack and ask them for everything you need. Definitely a place that has lasers. We don't know so much here, ask the clerks at radioshack they are the real experts! Make sure not to get that 1 watt laser in your eye, be very careful with it.

Good luck, [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
 
laser83
Do have any idea what all that would cost you?
Click to expand...
few grand

Definitely a place that has lasers
Click to expand...
i guess maximum that i can get out of radioshack is a red laser pointer for 50$

We don't know so much here, ask the clerks at radioshack they are the real experts!
Make sure not to get that 1 watt laser in your eye, be very careful with it.
Click to expand...
I see you are a local smartass? Well i did not ask you to help me. I'm new in lasers, and i ask forum members because i think they have experience to advise a better solution.

p.s. sorry for mistakes if there are some, english is my second language.
 
If you want a visible beam that can be seen from the ground after a distance of a few miles, you may need a watt or more.
Click to expand...
You're best to go with green, and you wouldn't need much power, 100-200 mW for a distance of ~ 14 miles in the night or foggy sky.
Click to expand...
...!?

How do i decide what power i need, if you cant?

I guess i probably need a 5 watt green laser 532nm wavelenght (that would cost me according to optotronics ~ 10 gran) . Or is there a better solution?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.





Back
Top