"Seeing" the jamming beam pattern

[ATF]

First off, Happy New Year to everyone.

Secondly, I was curious if anyone has tried to 'see' the beam pattern from their Laser or LED based jammers? You can obviously use a TV remote to have your jammers fire. You can use a video camera to record and view the heads firing.

So then using both of the tools I just mentioned, could you say, use a fog machine or powder to actually see the beam via your camera? Just have the remote or LIDAR gun emulator constantly firing, and use the combination of the camera, smoke/powder to view where the beam is firing.

I think it would be a useful alignment tool, to level and aim your heads, in addition to using a bubble level.

[Lucky225]

First off, Happy New Year to everyone.

Secondly, I was curious if anyone has tried to 'see' the beam pattern from their Laser or LED based jammers? You can obviously use a TV remote to have your jammers fire. You can use a video camera to record and view the heads firing.

So then using both of the tools I just mentioned, could you say, use a fog machine or powder to actually see the beam via your camera? Just have the remote or LIDAR gun emulator constantly firing, and use the combination of the camera, smoke/powder to view where the beam is firing.

I think it would be a useful alignment tool, to level and aim your heads, in addition to using a bubble level.

no need for the fog, which wouldn't really work anyways because we're talking about IR, not visible light, and it's not a "laser" it's just IR light like the same remote control you'd be using to get the jammers to fire. Easier solution: Set your camera to Nightvision mode and you can see the IR leds firing.

[ATF]

no need for the fog, which wouldn't really work anyways because we're talking about IR, not visible light, and it's not a "laser" it's just IR light like the same remote control you'd be using to get the jammers to fire. Easier solution: Set your camera to Nightvision mode and you can see the IR leds firing.

Right, you can see the heads firing, but you cant see the cone of light being projected by the heads. I recently installed my LI Quad system utilizing only bubble levels to level the heads and my eyes for alignment. And I find it difficult to gauge if the heads are perpendicular to the car.

I'm theorizing in my head, if an IR spotlight can be used to illuminate an area with nightvision equipment, then the beam should also be visible if there's fog, smoke or dust.

[ATF]

So I think I've semi-proved my theory as plausible.

LI Test on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

(Pretend the video is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, or turn your head )

Towards the end of the video, I used the paper towel as a makeshift straight edge and marked where the laser should have been hitting against the garage door with my finger. It's not very scientific.. but I can use something calibrated later.

I'll shut the light off in the garage later and see if I can get better results. So now, can you add some kind of medium (talc powder, fog, smoke) to see the beam.

[Lucky225]

Aww I see what you're saying, you just wanna make sure the fog isn't to thick though and it'll probably get the results you're looking for. [Think high beams in the fog]

[ATF]

Also, from this quick trial, it really reinforces how the Regular head LI's are polarized in a certain direction. With the vertical mount in the BMW kidney grills, it worries me that I won't JTG (and I can't confirm this..). It makes me really want to get a second set of grills and start on a horizontal mount. I've read that the vertical mount would be successful against overpass shots, however I find that the Mass. Staties tend to do off axis from the side of the road (and there are a lot more winding and curvey roads up here in New England).

[languy99]

it would be kind of call to see this on the blinder m*7 heads, if anyone has a good night camera and the m*7 blinder, I would like this same test with a piece of paper to be done, it would be interesting, maybe in parking mode or something.

[ATF]

I gave it a second try with some rulers printed on to some paper.

[ame=http://www.vimeo.com/8480410]LI Test on Vimeo[/ame]

The heads were ~34 inches from the garage door. I think I'm going to have to seriously consider mounting the heads horizontally. You'll notice that the beams form a trapezoid of sorts, thats because the slats in the grill aren't perfectly vertical.

[languy99]

yeah you need to they are leaving some big gaps.

[ATF]

I don't know all the math to calculate the angle that it's actually jamming at, and to extrapolate the coverage for further distances. But from my common sense calculations horizontal is the way to go to protect from on the horizon off axis LIDAR shots... because we all know the LEO isn't going to be head on.