Several years ago, I believe QST had an article regarding using a Laser
ionized air path as an antenna. Hmmm ... it may have been the April issue!



Asimov wrote:

"Frangois Guillet" bravely wrote to "All" (16 May 05 10:04:17)
--- on the heady topic of "Ionized air antenna"

FG Reply-To: "Frangois Guillet"
FG Xref: aeinews rec.radio.amateur.antenna:30438

FG HSV Technologies Inc is developing a "weapon that uses ultraviolet
FG laser beams to harmlessly immobilize people and animals at a distance :
FG the Phaser-like device uses two beams of UV radiation to ionize paths
FG in the air along which electrical current is conducted"
FG http://www.hsvt.org/

FG Do you think the ionized path in the air could be used to carry HF
FG currents? With strong laser beams -if they don't diverge too quickly-
FG this would lead to "virtual" very long wire antennas easy to erect!


Being basically an electric arc, its noise might be a problem.
Some time back I mentioned using a cold discharge tube, such as a long
neon, but IIRC the comments were generally negative.

A*s*i*m*o*v

... 2 rules for success: (1) Don't tell everything you know..

"Ham op" a écrit dans le message de
...
| Several years ago, I believe QST had an article regarding using a Laser
| ionized air path as an antenna. Hmmm ... it may have been the April
issue!

:-) But Gravitational waves had also been discussed in a funny April issue,
and now with Baker they seem to be a near possible reality
(http://www.gravwave.com/). This would be also a real breakthrough for hams.
So may be we can expect some innovation in the future with ionized air path
in free space. Thanks to Bob and Asimov for their interesting objections
about the problem of diverging which would limit the path length and about
the noise due to the ionization. Not yet the virtual km long wire in a
pocket!

François f6flt

But, an ionized line of sight air path would surely make a WHOPPER
BEVERAGE ![ antenna that is]!! Surely, better than a 1 KM long Beer Can
antenna.

François Guillet wrote:

"Ham op" a écrit dans le message de
...
| Several years ago, I believe QST had an article regarding using a Laser
| ionized air path as an antenna. Hmmm ... it may have been the April
issue!

:-) But Gravitational waves had also been discussed in a funny April issue,
and now with Baker they seem to be a near possible reality
(http://www.gravwave.com/). This would be also a real breakthrough for hams.
So may be we can expect some innovation in the future with ionized air path
in free space. Thanks to Bob and Asimov for their interesting objections
about the problem of diverging which would limit the path length and about
the noise due to the ionization. Not yet the virtual km long wire in a
pocket!

François f6flt