[Laser] Tutorial.

[Zack Widup]

On Thu, 3 Jan 2002, Steve Schear wrote:

> 
> There is a Constitutional mechanism for changes in the basic laws of our 
> nation, it called an amendment.  The founders made the amendment process 
> intentionally difficult because such changes should be undertaken with only 
> the most serious consideration.  By turning a key passage of the 
> Constitution on its head, through creative "re-interpretation", bypassing 
> the requirement for an amendment and creating an end-run on limits to 
> Federal authority is tyranny and the results unconstitional.  Plain and 
> simple.  Might as well not even have a Constitution.  Become like Britain 
> where there are no firmly established limits to government authority and 
> your rights are only what Parliament deems them to be at any particular time.
> 
> steve
> 

We're rapidly approaching that point, if not there already.  Like a
slingshot, we might just fly past it into a real tyranny.

When YOUR house is surrounded by 500 soldiers with state-of-the-art
weapons (see the weapons parade at the cnn.com website) who don't care
what you think, say or do, there isn't a whole lot you're going to be able
to do.

Better stock up on those 15-watt lasers.

"The price of freedom: constant alertness, constant willingness to fight
back.  There is no other price."

73, Zack W9SZ

P.S.  This whole thread started when the list was asked for advice about a
15-watt laser.  Being pragmatic, I'm curious why someone would need such
power for a laser comm system.  I've had fairly reliable QSO's over 5 mile
distances with 3 mW and a very crude system with a receiver which I'd
liken to a "crystal set" for HF reception.  Nowhere near the quality of
some equipment I've seen on peoples' websites.  I have a couple 10-15 mW
HeNe lasers and a 100 mW IR laser diode I've yet to play around with.  I
figure with a decent system, collimated beam and Fresnel lens or reflector
receiver, I could be in the 25-50 mile category on a clear day.