How to light a Windex at night ?

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Just thinking laterally here, rather than the bother of illumination at the top of the mast, why not use something like a laser pointer strapped to your backstay (cockpit level) pointing upwards?
I think I might try it, as I also have dispensed with any lights up there.

You would be committing a illegal act if the laser beam were to enter the cockpit of an aircraft overhead.

 

[lpdsn]

You would be committing a illegal act if the laser beam were to enter the cockpit of an aircraft overhead.

Especially if it was powerful enough to enter from below.

 

[lpdsn]

Looks like an incandescent lamp to me, the fraudsters!

A small screw in bulb. It would be easy to find an LED replacement. I've got one to fit, so I'll be scouring the web shortly for a suitable LED.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Especially if it was powerful enough to enter from below.

1. Scrambledegg suggests of laser pointer strapped to the backstay, so it wouldn't be pointing vertically, particularly if heeled, hence much more likely to enter the cockpit.
2.The cockpit glazing refracts and scatters the light, causing dazzle and temporary blindness.
www.laserpointersafety.com/laser-hazards_aircraft/laser-hazards_aircraft.html

 

[sarabande]

You would have to be using a really really good laser to catch and hold an aircraft at >30000 ft. Attenuation at that distance would be substantial, as beam divergence even in lower mrads will create a disc of several metres width, with a proportional massive reduction in received Watts.

Using lots of laser torches at closer range (as in the Egyptian revolution a couple of years ago) is a different set of calculations.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

You would have to be using a really really good laser to catch and hold an aircraft at >30000 ft. Attenuation at that distance would be substantial, as beam divergence even in lower mrads will create a disc of several metres width, with a proportional massive reduction in received Watts.

Using lots of laser torches at closer range (as in the Egyptian revolution a couple of years ago) is a different set of calculations.

Can I suggest the use of Radium paint but best if you don't lick the paint brush or at least not make a habit of it.

 

[scrambledegg]

You would be committing a illegal act if the laser beam were to enter the cockpit of an aircraft overhead.

Apologies, I should have been aware that shining a laser upwards would cause a certain amount of excitement.
I see that laser pointers can easily be obtained with power outputs from 1mW to 10W, a factor of 10,000, and I believe the beam divergence varies a lot as well. The implementation would be everything.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Luminescent paint is the obvious answer, not a Radon based one I might add but there are plenty of others.https://www.glonation.com