[Laser] Laser and contesting above 50MHz

[TWOSIG at aol.com]

My thanks to Zack, W9SZ, for his input on contesting.  There are some  high 
contesters and experimenters around here (Wichita, Kansas) that have  
demonstrated their equipment and activities.  I still don't understand much  of what 
they are doing, but I think I understand them a little better now.
 
One comment they made does stick with me now.  I forget the band  (maybe it 
was 10 GHZ), but the comment was that it was difficult to point the  equipment 
because the transmitted beam was so narrow.
 
Now the beam was probably ten times wider than the non-laser systems that  
have been discussed recently, which would make them even wider than a laser  
system.  I thought at the time that if you had a laser communication system  
mounted on dish, or antenna of a lower frequency system, and made a laser  
contact, then there would be no need to hunt for the other station for the lower  
band contact.  In essence the other station would already be centered in  your 
gunsights!.
 
I think the contest rules prohibit you calling up another station on a cell  
phone to arrange a contact.   That may also apply to the use of other  ham 
radio frequencies.  But surely it is not against the rules to establish  a 
contact on one band that also aligns your antenna for another band.
 
The usefulness of this idea does assume that you can make a light  
communications contact easier and faster than for the other band, or bands that  you are 
trying to make.  Probably not below 10 GHz.  Another one of  those 
laser-brained ideas.  If it works, use it.  If not, try  something else.
 
 
James
N5GUI