That's making light out of a difficult problem. ;)
73, Gary KA1J > > > > Laser Com Announces New Topband Antenna System > > > > > Reported by Woody K3YV > > > Laser Com, Inc. of Titusville, Florida recently announced their > development of a revolutionary new 160 meter antenna system > based on their proprietary laser communications system. > > > Dr. Benjamin Dover, Laser Com´s chief engineer, cited their research > into laser-based space communications as providing the "happy > accident" that led to the discovery of the laser based 160 meter > antenna system. > > > Dr. Dover said that an accidental connection of the wrong cable > led to the discovery. A cable that had been carrying 1.8 MHz > signals was inadvertently connected to the modulation input of the > laser transmitter that that Ben was testing. "Imagine our > surprise," said Dr. Dover, "when we noticed that 1.8 MHz radio > frequencies were being radiated all along the laser beam. This is > something we never expected. The possibilities are endless." > > > > Laser Com plans to market the laser antenna not only as a commercial > product, but also as a low cost 160 meter amateur radio antenna. Dr. > Dover set up the prototype as a demonstration of the product´s > simplicity. > > > The secret to the 160 meter laser antenna is in the base unit´s > modulation transformer that directly modulates the Plesseo-Dyminium > laser crystal. The user simply places the laser box on the ground and > adjusts the laser beam straight up into the air. As the laser beam > rises into the sky, the 160 meter signal travels up the laser beam and > is radiated all along the length of the optical beam. > > > The laser beam shines nearly a mile into the atmosphere. However, due > to path losses along the beam, the actual 160 meter radiation is only > transmitted by the first few hundred feet of the laser´s beam. The > result is an omni-directional vertical 160 meter antenna that is > several hundred feet high. > > > Acting like a co-linear antenna array, the over all antenna gain is > approximately 10 to 15 dB in the 160 meter band. > > > Dr. Dover said, "We're really excited about this product. There are > no antenna restrictions on an invisible light beam, no lightning > risks, and no damage from wind storms. The only down side is s ignal > attenuation due to heavy fog, which can attenuate the 160 meter signal > by as much as 6 dB. Otherwise, this is as near to a perfect antenna as > you can hope for." > > > Laser Com plans to introduce the amateur version of this antenna at > the Dayton Hamvention this May. > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband