[VHFcontesting] Contacts using "Light"

[Zack Widup]

I don't know if it is a big deal since with light, you don't really need an
amateur radio license to experiment. And how is the FCC going to monitor it?
:-)

But with lasers you generally have a good idea of the center frequency. HeNe
lasers are at 632.8 nm, other lasers usually specify the color (e.g. a lot
of the red ones are at 650 nm).

The width of the HeNe laser line is dependent on how many modes are present
in the signal, which is dependent on the length of the tube. Solid-state
lasers are usually more broadbanded than gas lasers. LED's are more
broadbanded than that.

73, Zack W9SZ

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 1:21 PM, Dustin Williams <dustin at k5rnt.com> wrote:

> Ok I am not familiar with these "light" QSOs so forgive me if this is a
> stupid question.
>
> How do you know the frequency that you  are "transmitting" on? My
> understanding is that part of what we must do as Amature Radio operators
> is to know where we are transmitting at all times and stay within our
> bands. Now if I understand this right the frequency of light varies with
> its color. So I ask again how do you know where you are both for FCC
> compliance and contest credit?
>
> 73,
> Dustin
> K5RNT/R
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