Changes

A secondary 5mW green (532 nm) laser was also purchased, with the intent to more properly match the optical characteristics of the receiving photodetector. This green laser was used in the final, successful 10km test, due to its perceived* ability to cut through the dense fog that lay in the valley between the transmit and receive locations.

A secondary 5mW green (532 nm) laser was also purchased, with the intent to more properly match the optical characteristics of the receiving photodetector. This green laser was used in the final, successful 10km test, due to its perceived* ability to cut through the dense fog that lay in the valley between the transmit and receive locations.

*note: this has not yet been quantitatively verified

''*note: this has not yet been quantitatively verified''

==GPS Verification==

==GPS Verification==

In order to investigate the accuracy of GPS measurements, which can potentially introduce another source of error, the group set out to locate several Geodetic Survey Markers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker] near the usual 10km test sites. These marks indicate very precisely triangulated locations determined by surveyors for the US Geodetic Survey. The OpComms team was able to locate mark AA1874 [http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=AA1874], in the parking lot of the Skyline Boulevard test site, as well as nearby HT3252 [http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=HT3252].  By finding these marks, the group was able to confirm the accuracy of some of the GPS coordinates assumed by the MATLAB script. The group also purchased several mid-range quality GPS hand units to verify measurements, and found that in-field measurements were accurate to 4 decimal places in latitude and longitude, but were accurate to only 10’s of meters in altitude, due to the nature of satellite triangulation.

In order to investigate the accuracy of GPS measurements, which can potentially introduce another source of error, the group set out to locate several Geodetic Survey Markers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker] near the usual 10km test sites. These marks indicate very precisely triangulated locations determined by surveyors for the US Geodetic Survey. The OpComms team was able to locate mark AA1874 [http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=AA1874], in the parking lot of the Skyline Boulevard test site, as well as nearby HT3252 [http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=HT3252].  By finding these marks, the group was able to confirm the accuracy of some of the GPS coordinates assumed by the MATLAB script. The group also purchased several mid-range quality GPS hand units to verify measurements, and found that in-field measurements were accurate to 4 decimal places in latitude and longitude, but were accurate to only 10’s of meters in altitude, due to the nature of satellite triangulation.