Ronja, Karel Kulhavy's Open-Hardware LED-based optical datalink that connects two PC's point-to-point. Uses relatively easily available parts and avoids the alignment difficulties which are a feature of laser links.
IrDA, Infrared Data Association, the association behind the development and specification of the IrDA standards
Cirrus/Crystal Semiconductor Corporation, manufacturers of the CS8130 multi-standard infrared transceiver
IrDA information from Hewlett Packard
IrDA, Linux and related topics
Sam's Laser FAQ. Probably the best source of laser info on the WWW.
K3PGP, amateur laser and other communications.
Amateur Radio Laser Communications by Jim Moss. DSP methods and SW.
Getting Started in Laser DX (and an introduction to lasercom in general) by Paul Kelly
Handbook of Optical Through the Air Communications, by David Johnson
Jim Hatton's Laser Page. Photos of equipment used for a 44 Km contact.
Phoenix Microwave Club. Photos of laser equipment used for a 119 mile contact.
Laser communication system, a project by Charles Long (N3YPA) and Julie VanHoorelbeke. Designed with a laser source in mind, describes an experimental system which directly modulates an LED giving 200' + range at 57.6 kbit/s.
Experimental Laser Data Link, an experiment using direct modulation of a laser beam with a serial bit stream. Part of Tomi Engdahl's electronics info site, a rich source of electronics information.
RS232 Laser Transceiver, 9600 bps, >100 m, published in Electronics Australia Oct. 1997
VolXlaser, 115200 bps, 50 m + range laser link. (German)
A Rangefinder with Fast Multiple Range Capability, with circuits for modulating a laser diode at 1.5 GHz and receiving this modulated beam.
Oatley Electronics, suppliers of laser (and other) components and kits. Their 50 mm Loupe (O29, $12) contains two 50 mm dia x 100 mm FL glass lenses which are suitable as photodiode lenses for extended range UPNLT links.
Meredith Instruments, laser subsystem and component suppliers
Edmund Scientific, optical and laser suppliers
Wireless WAN/LAN Modem Product Directory, much useful information primarily about RF link hardware but including some optical hardware
Wireless Field Tests, not laser links but some interesting information on an RF link test project
Some Australian Legislation relevent to laser data links:
- The RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS
ACT 1992 . The definition
of "radio emission" appears to exclude 670 nm light, so the
controls, requirements and fees imposed by this Act appear not to apply to
red laser data links.
- The TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ACT 1997 . The owner of a "network unit " that is used to supply carriage
services to the public must hold a carrier licence unless responsibility for the
unit is transferred from the owner to a carrier. The definition
of "network unit" appears to exclude free-space 670 nm laser data links.