[ATMoB-discuss] 55mw green laser pointer oh my

[valleli at rcn.com]

George,
You are right that a 5mw green laser only works well if there
is moisture or dust in the air. 
Red lasers emit at 688 nm, way off the visible light
bandwidth, making them appear less bright mw for mw.

I hope you realize you are breaking state law by possessing
such a laser and using it outdoors without shielding the beam.
It is classified as an electromagnetic radiation device and
that is what the codes are written to.  

The allowed limit is 5mw Class IIIb. You should also be
notifying the FAA before use. Mike Mattei knew the ATC number
 - it was in CT.

I am very familiar with Wicked Lasers.  If you read the fine
print on the web site, only trained optical engineers are
allowed to possess greater than 5 mw.

Vladi has an 80 mW and is stretching the law when he takes it
outside Hardric Labs. It can burn tiny holes through thin
plastic. Many national star conventions have banned their use
outright, rather than raise the attention or ire of the Feds. 
I have heard that Wicked now sells a 400 mW device and it
easily pops balloons from quite a distance.

ATMoB regulations are rather permissive but reasonable, but I
predict that if you are caught by MIT, your model will be
banned outright.      

Maybe you want to be a test case, using it in Boston. I
predict you (and all of us) will lose another freedom.

Paul