LRAD - defend your ears from their new tool.

Protestors against the G8 in Chicago on May 20th may be in for a real aural treat,
It seems the authorities are gonna roll out the LRAD again after good rsesults at Pittsburg 2 years ago.
Shouting for freedom does not deserve this treatment, surely to God.
If you are protesting, always wear expanding foam, disposable type ear plugs.

www.commondreams.org...

Incidentally, a water wet scarf and a pair of swimming goggles will protect you from those bags of flour

Top tip for the day

PEACE,
RK

reply to post by Rigel Kent


Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Now if we could find a good way to defend ourselves against the silencing gun we'd be all set...

I thought they moved the g8 to Maryland?

Originally posted by mattthew
I thought they moved the g8 to Maryland?

The article says Chicago,
glad for any reference to other location
Look after yourself

PEACE,
RK

When these were tested does anyone know what they concluded the risk of permanent damage was? I would imagine that even temporary exposure could potential damage a persons hearing permanently, especially if these things are not used with appropriate caution, which they almost never are.

reply to post by Bigfoot12714


Ear plugs are a good defense against the silencing gun as well. The concept behind the device is that it replays everything you're saying, back at you, but a fraction of a second later. It confuses your brain and causes you to stop speaking. Ear plugs in, you don't hear the playback, and you have defeated the device... that's my theory anyways. I haven't had any encounters with the thing, so I haven't been able to test it.

Police may as well just take a sharp stick and go around and indiscriminately stick it into peoples ears, regardless of who they are and what they are doing. The acoustic trauma that can be caused by this device is of palpable concern:

Noise induced permanent hearing loss is the main concern related to long- term exposure from the LRAD while acoustic trauma, temporary hearing loss and possibly permanent hearing loss are also concerns related to short term unprotected exposure from the LRAD at high volume levels and short-range (particularly the high frequency warning tone).

When the effects of an NLW acoustic system depend on the loudness of the sound, there is usually a risk of permanent hearing damage.”

In the warning mode the LRAD produces sound pressure levels which are dangerous to hearing if unprotected target subjects are exposed longer than certain durations: a few seconds to 50 m distance, 1.5 minutes at 100 m. Below about 5 m, any exposure can produce permanent hearing damage.

The LRAD is capable, if used improperly of permanently damaging human hearing…. incorrect LRAD use could permanently damage hearing when forces are attempting to disperse large group of civilians, resulting in harmful tactical and strategic effects

On January 18th of 2011, U.S.A. Today reported this:

The news outlet says the 348-passenger Spirit of Adventure deployed a long range acoustic device, or LRAD, that can cause permanent ear damage at 300 feet. The device emits a loud noise.

Then later updated this article to include this:

UPDATE, Tuesday, 7:55 AM ET: A spokesman for LRAD Corporation, the company that makes the long range acoustic device noted above, tells USA TODAY the Daily Express overstated the distance at which the device can cause permanent ear damage. LRAD's Robert Putnam says the device would have to used at much closer range, less than 50 feet, to cause hearing loss. Putnam also says the company does not call the device a weapon. It's a "highly effective long range communications system," Putnam says.

Denying this device is a weapon and insisting it is instead a "highly effective long range communications system" is like calling a gun a "highly effective long range projectile system". Indeed, when a gun is shot off as a warning, one could - under the same logic - argue that gun has ceased to be weapon for the moment and is now a "highly effective long range communications system".

reply to post by Rigel Kent

This is really scary stuff because it does not differentiate between a passer-by, a peaceful protester or an unruly one, or for that matter anyone who happens to live on the 'police route'.

I hope someone will remember to give this thread a bump again when May comes around. It just could save someone's hearing

along with the LRAD they also have a microwave gun that can make your skin feel like its burning. I cant remember where I saw it but to get past this little bugger you can use a bed comforter or in more extreme cases a whole matress will stop it cold.

have a good day.

Would having Concave shaped protest signs help?

Deflect/Reflect the sound waves back at the authorities?

Originally posted by CitizenNum287119327
Would having Concave shaped protest signs help?

Deflect/Reflect the sound waves back at the authorities?

that is a really interesting idea! I wonder...?

m.guardian.co.uk...


Yeah it got moved to Camp David in Maryland. Hopefully know one is planning on going to Chicago.

Originally posted by Talltexxxan
along with the LRAD they also have a microwave gun that can make your skin feel like its burning. I cant remember where I saw it but to get past this little bugger you can use a bed comforter or in more extreme cases a whole matress will stop it cold.

have a good day.

No, it doesn't. But have at it, if you like.

PS: ear plugs aren't protection either. Might help a tad, but then all the guy has to do is turn it up just a tad.

Originally posted by CitizenNum287119327
Would having Concave shaped protest signs help?

Deflect/Reflect the sound waves back at the authorities?

Nope. Actually, the sound doesn't come off the LRAD device itself - it's created in the focus of the device, which is a lot closer to you.

reply to post by Rigel Kent


Hmmmm, I just filed my patents for a device that could be used as countermeasures for microwave crowd control weapons (Active Electromagnetic Shielding, LF to 5ghz and higher, haven't checked the patent database however to see if it's listed yet, I get busy and it's the weekend). I wonder if I should tackle this acoustic crap next? Funny too, my device and method/process might be infringed if anyone else uses the same system for acoustics.

The laser systems are easy and Brewster windows are common public domain knowledge now, you can actually buy laser goggles off the shelf. I think Efton Science still has them. You can search them Here.

You'd think these characters in the military would realize that it doesn't matter what they make, someone will make a work-a-round ;-) Another guy did it on the TSA scanners too.

Cheers - Dave

reply to post by Bedlam


The "heat ray" crowd control system runs at 75ghz, it is a nerve inductor or stimulator and excites/overloads nerves sitting just below the skin surface. One interesting way of possibly producing a low tech countermeasure is to make a suit of flexible aluminum screen, you'll need to wear it everywhere though. In the heels of your shoes put electrically conductive spikes that would hopefully dig into the ground. It's just a quick idea off the top of my head. What I am suggesting is that you make a full body Faraday Cage that has at least some mobility.

ETA: If you want to have some fun, use two levels of screen/foil, one inside and one outside with a rubberized plastic sheet between the two (you may have to use foil in most areas except over the eyes, nose and mouth where you use screen). Ground the inside screen/foil and you have a body sized capacitor that might collect energy from the heat ray gun. So that if anyone touches the outside screen, say to manhandle you, they will receive quite the electrical shock, this is a purely defensive system. It would almost be like a body sized polymer battery that extracts energy directly from the 75ghz microwave signal. There's a solution to every problem ;-)

Cheers - Dave

Originally posted by bobs_uruncle
reply to post by Rigel Kent

 

Hmmmm, I just filed my patents for a device that could be used as countermeasures for microwave crowd control weapons (Active Electromagnetic Shielding, LF to 5ghz and higher, haven't checked the patent database however to see if it's listed yet, I get busy and it's the weekend). I wonder if I should tackle this acoustic crap next? Funny too, my device and method/process might be infringed if anyone else uses the same system for acoustics.

The laser systems are easy and Brewster windows are common public domain knowledge now, you can actually buy laser goggles off the shelf. I think Efton Science still has them. You can search them Here.

You'd think these characters in the military would realize that it doesn't matter what they make, someone will make a work-a-round ;-) Another guy did it on the TSA scanners too.

Cheers - Dave

Thanks for the link on the lazer glasses,
I think the LRAD would be pretty useless against expanding foam ear plugs PLUS a pair of Peltor's over the actual ears. The microwave weapon that gives your skin that "prickly heat" feeling sounds altogether more sinister. I have also read of devices that affect the human brain activity and make the person feel docile, lethargic and despondant. There are even shotgun cartridges now that contain a small bean bag instead of lead shot.
What will they come up with next one has to wonder....

PEACE,
RK

Originally posted by bobs_uruncle
reply to post by Bedlam

 

The "heat ray" crowd control system runs at 75ghz,

95GHz.

it is a nerve inductor or stimulator and excites/overloads nerves sitting just below the skin surface

Not so much. It heats the top fraction of a mm of skin.

What I am suggesting is that you make a full body Faraday Cage that has at least some mobility.

If you could do it, it would work. However, you'd have to have no seams or openings larger than a fraction of a millimeter, or it'll go right in the hole and light you up anyway.

Ground the inside screen/foil and you have a body sized capacitor that might collect energy from the heat ray gun.

Radio waves aren't charged. While they certainly behave as reactive elements, at least over the frequency range they're good for, you can't collect radio energy in a capacitor the way you do direct current.

Originally posted by Rigel KentThere are even shotgun cartridges now that contain a small bean bag instead of lead shot.
What will they come up with next one has to wonder....

PEACE,
RK

I'm personally fond of the M5 MCCM. There's also a taser shotgun slug that's sort of entertaining.

reply to post by Rigel Kent


I was thinking of the LRAD device in a logical manner, and I came to the conclusion that the government is breaking noise pollution laws to enforce other laws. Noise pollution laws are enacted to ban amplified noises that are disturbing to citizens. How can the government ever enforce a noise pollution law when they use the LRAD noise amplifying device?