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Preface -- Introduction -- Light
Theory -- Light Detector --
Light Emitter
Light System Configuration -- Light Processing -- Receiver Circuits --
Transmitter Circuits |
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ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK |
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Download a PDF version of this handbook
Download a Word version
of this handbook |
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If you are an experimenter,
engineer, scientist or educator, you can benefit from the information contained in this
handbook. The Handbook guides you through some of the basic concepts of optical
communications. It discusses some of the physics of light and how light can be
manipulated, modulated and transmitted to send information. It provides details of the
components used in light transmitters and receivers. It also describes some unique signal
processing techniques which can increase the practical range of a communications system.
The book also gives you detailed information on building a long range optical transceiver.
The systems described can send voice information over a range of several miles using
simple components. The handbook also discloses how some common components, such as
fluorescent lamps, can be used for some communications applications. Much of the
information in the book has never been revealed before. In short, this book provides
sufficient information for you to design and build your own unique system. |
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This handbook is not meant to
be a textbook, which covers the subject in depth. Rather it is a collection of practical
information that you can put to work right away. I concentrated on those areas I thought
were most important and practical. I left out the complex mathematics and boiled
everything down into to some basic equations, concepts and circuits. However, to take
advantage of the information you should have at least high school algebra, some knowledge
of electronics and some general science experience. The book's goal is to save you
valuable time and give you a "jump-start" so you can begin designing and
building your own communications systems without spending years of trial and error
experimentation. I also wanted you to avoid some of the pitfalls that I had to endure. I
wanted to share with you some insights and proven methods that took me years to assemble.
There is still a lot of work to be done. |
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As new components become
available and as new techniques are discovered there will be even more valuable systems
that you could design and build. In addition, I hope the book inspires you into thinking
about the future. I've given you some basic ideas of how this technology could be used but
I hope you will dream-up some of your own applications. I also want to promote this new
technology. I'd like to see information exchanges. I want to find out what others have
done, what discoveries they have made. |
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This first handbook volume covers most of
the basics and tends to concentrate on voice audio communications. Volume II (now being
written) will present more information on specific applications. Volume II will include
information on high-speed and long-range computer links, circuits on television
transmission, details on some experiments with bouncing light information off clouds, more
circuits on wide area communications and some discussions on other applications not
covered in Volume I. |
Acknowledgements
(Of those who helped me with book) |
| Jan Johnson, my wife, who has put up with me and my
basement tinkering for over 30 years and also helped a great deal with the editing.
She is the webmaster of this site. |
| Donna Wallingsford, who helped edit my otherwise poor grammar.
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| Don Lancaster, whose books and magazine articles on self-publishing
gave me inspiration to publish this book. |
| Forrest Mims, whose 20+ years of interest in optical communications
piqued my curiosity. |
| Audrey Boag, a technician who helped construct many electronic
prototype circuits. |
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<--
Preface Introduction
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