Why do RadioShack laser detectors list significantly shorter ranges than some other advertised detectors?
The difference in reported ranges is more of a marketing issue than a physical one. With range defined as distance until the beam becomes undetectable, a laser beam has near-infinite range, being detectable over millions of light years. In more reasonable terms, range can be described as the distance over which a beam can be seen at night on a white, nuetrally-reflective surface and depends primarily on the wavelength of the light, the power input of the laser, ambient lighting and the reflectivity of the surface the beam strikes. With all these variables, it is not uncommon to see wide variation in reported ranges for lasers. To avoid any appearance of misrepresentation, it is RadioShack’s policy to use conservative specifications where possible.
