green lasers.....illegal??

Untamedlemon

Hi guys,
Prosperous Dave has a different thread up about his problems with customs. I didnt feel right invading his thread with my own questions so I decided to just ask it here. Basically im just wondering whether green lasers are illegal in ireland and if red lasers are ok. Thinking of buying a peq abroad with a red laser but those arent the cheapest things available. Thanks

DeBurca

A thread from a while back here that may answer all your questions

Untamedlemon

DeBurca wrote: »

A thread from a while back here that may answer all your questions

Thanks much appreciated

ironclaw

Google Ad's fanning the flames

Untamedlemon

ironclaw wrote: »

Google Ad's fanning the flames

Hummmmmm.......thats interesting according to customs there illegal but on sale in ireland and google arnt exactly known for being law breaker.......slight contradiction of the 'law'. Forward that to peosperous daves thread as well id say that would cause some conversation over there better than it would here. Thanks for that

ironclaw

Untamedlemon wrote: »

Hummmmmm.......thats interesting according to customs there illegal but on sale in ireland and google arnt exactly known for being law breaker.......slight contradiction of the 'law'. Forward that to peosperous daves thread as well id say that would cause some conversation over there better than it would here. Thanks for that

Its a randomly generated ad and nothing to do with Google. They just provide the platform its up to the advertiser to decide what locale they wish to advertise in. Anyway, the onus is on the buyer to know the legality of their region. It would be perfectly legal for H&K to advertise their newest, shiniest 15 joule MP5 here but it would be pointless as they couldn't sell it as no one would buy it.

Untamedlemon

ironclaw wrote: »

Its a randomly generated ad and nothing to do with Google. They just provide the platform its up to the advertiser to decide what locale they wish to advertise in. Anyway, the onus is on the buyer to know the legality of their region. It would be perfectly legal for H&K to advertise their newest, shiniest 15 joule MP5 here but it would be pointless as they couldn't sell it as no one would buy it.

Ohhh I see my mistake

TheDoc

legal limit is 5Mw power, that is the only legal measurement or legal anything around lasers.

Colour is irrelevant. A lazy assumption is red is grand, green and blue your in trouble. I've a few green lasers that are all legal.

This part of the charter

Which means that all Blue and Green lasers (which are out side of light frequencies of 630 to 680nm) are illeagle and should not be discussed here.

Is completely contradictory and incorrect. You can get any colour laser under 5Mw.

There is also NO legislation in Ireland covering, discussing or mentioning lasers being mounted on RIF's, unless something has changed in the last 18 months.

Charter should really be updated to reflect this.

Its like saying that we can't talk about chinese clones, cause they are all over 1j....

ironclaw

TheDoc wrote: »

Is completely contradictory and incorrect. You can get any colour laser under 5Mw.

There is also NO legislation in Ireland covering, discussing or mentioning lasers being mounted on RIF's, unless something has changed in the last 18 months.

Charter should really be updated to reflect this.

Its like saying that we can't talk about chinese clones, cause they are all over 1j....

Finally someone who can talk sense. Thank you.

Untamedlemon

TheDoc wrote: »

legal limit is 5Mw power, that is the only legal measurement or legal anything around lasers.

Colour is irrelevant. A lazy assumption is red is grand, green and blue your in trouble. I've a few green lasers that are all legal.

This part of the charter



Is completely contradictory and incorrect. You can get any colour laser under 5Mw.

There is also NO legislation in Ireland covering, discussing or mentioning lasers being mounted on RIF's, unless something has changed in the last 18 months.

Charter should really be updated to reflect this.

Its like saying that we can't talk about chinese clones, cause they are all over 1j....

As a matter of interest where did that quote come from is it from the thread from ages ago? Couldnt find it

Evade

TheDoc wrote: »

legal limit is 5Mw power, that is the only legal measurement or legal anything around lasers

So there's no restriction on wavelength at all?

ironclaw

Evade wrote: »

So there's no restriction on wavelength at all?

If you banned a wavelength you are basically banning a colour unless you specified it as 'An X-nm laser' Which you would then have to lawfully define. As such you'll find it very tricky to ban something based on frequency or wavelength.

You can however ban something based on its power output as is common in the radio (electromagnetic) spectrum. For instance amateur radio enthusiasts are limited in broadcast power in certain spectrums (Based on the Wavelength or Frequency) PMR is limited to 100mW I believe.

Wavelength and frequency are proportional to one another through the speed of light.

Speed of Light = Frequency * Wavelength



So if you ban purely on wavelength and don't explicably define a laser, your basically banning anything slap bang in the middle of visible light.

Evade

ironclaw wrote: »

If you banned a wavelength you are basically banning a colour unless you specified it as 'An X-nm laser' Which you would then have to lawfully define.

Well since the portion of text I quoted contained the word laser I thought it might be understood I was only asking about the wavelength of lasers.

ironclaw

Evade wrote: »

Well since the portion of text I quoted contained the word laser I thought it might be understood I was only asking about the wavelength of lasers.

Do you understand the concept of wavelength and electromagnetic spectrum? They are fairly key understandings for the discussion.

630nm is a wavelength. Just like the wavelength of 98FM is about 3.1 meters. Same concept, same electro spectrum. 630nm happens to lie in the visible spectrum. Irregardless of its production you cannot ban a device that creates a wave (i.e Light) at that wavelength. You can however ban a laser if it can produce a light beam of intensity greater than 5mW, provided you specify both a laser and the power ban.

The key is clearly defining a laser and the power output. Like I said on the other thread its not as simple as just saying laser. You must specify the power and should actually be quoting peak or average.

Untamedlemon

Is anyone else confused because I am really confused!!!!!

Evade

ironclaw wrote: »

Do you understand the concept of wavelength and electromagnetic spectrum? They are fairly key understandings for the discussion.

I understand the basics.

I was under the impression that green is absorbed more quickly by your retina so the risk of damage is greater than that or a red laser.

ironclaw

Evade wrote: »

I understand the basics.

I was under the impression that green is absorbed more quickly by your retina so the risk of damage is greater than that or a red laser.

I believe it is. I could be very wrong, but I believe green (Or UV) is the most sensitive and thus (from the very early days) is how us humans detected movement and hunted.

I'm not sure where specifically lasers are actually defined in Irish law. I'd imagine its probably under the Health & Safety Acts which would cover industrial uses and by coincidence that covers handheld lasers. I'd imagine customs are taking all green lasers purely because they are the most common aimed at planes. I doubt many custom agents would be educated in laser restrictions as opposed to tazers etc which are outright banned under the firearms(?) act.

The bottom line is if a handheld laser is limited to 5mW (Or whatever the exact wording is) output power then provided its less than this it can be legally owned. 1mW in laser terms is actually quite a bit given its so concentrated.

This is worth a read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_pointer