Installed and ready for use in event of a UFO observation at the P.S.I. research site is the most sophisticated and diverse research instrument ever produced for application in ufology. Called UFO/VECTOR (UFO/Video Experiment Console for Transitional-Overt Response), its potential application toward gaining UFO hard data goes far beyond its use as a device for testing the capability or interest of any UFO intelligences to receive and respond to a laser-transmitted video program.

UFO/VECTOR incorporates a TV- aimed, remote-control console of the following instruments: (1) a video- modulated Liconix 605 M helium-neon (632.8 nanometers, red wavelength) laser; (2) a Criterion Dynamax-8 Schmidt-Cassegrain (catadioptric) telescope (2,110 mm focal length); (3) a custom-engineered photomultiplier and video amplifier; (4) a Sony video camera (AVC-3400); (5) a GPL remote control, all-weather, heavy-duty, high-speed (up to 10⁰/sec. vertical, 27⁰/sec- horizontal) pan and tilt head; (6) a Dumont "joy stick" pan and tilt control unit; and (7) a video monitor for remote aiming. Currently the aiming mechanism is being upgraded to provide automatic tracking once lock-on is obtained.

External to the UFO/VECTOR 'action' console are: (8) Liconix 605 M high-voltage power supply and intermediate frequency components; (9) high-voltage power supply for photo- multiplier unit; (10) Sony video recorder-playback unit (AV-3400) for playing the experiment video program into unit (8); (11) Sony video recorder-playback unit (AV-3600) for recording output from (3); (12) Sony video recorder- playback unit (AV-3600) for recording of UFO event viewed on (7) along with the observers' reactions and comments; (13) a video monitor for display of video and/or other modulated light data available through (3); and, (14) an additional video monitor by which the outgoing (laser transmitted) program is displayed.

The band width for transmission- modulation is from continuous (direct current) to 1.5 megahertz (up to 1.5 million data bits per second). The bandwidth of the photomultipler-receiver unit is from continuous to over 2 megahertz.

Now that the basic components of UFO/VECTOR have been illustrated, we should examine some of the potential applications of the unit to active UFO research, aside from its use in the primary video communications experiment. These include:

(A) General video and audio recording of UFO events.

(B) Detection, recording, and display of UFO light pulse data within the response band width of the photo- multiplier system (to several megahertz, depending on wavelength involved), using frequency analyzer, etc.

(C) Telephotography of UFO events at great effective focal lengths, via the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

(D) Non-video signaling with laser light.

(E) Possible evaluation of the theory that some UFOs have caused the path of light beams to alter or bend drastically toward them. This particular experiment is based in part on study of an October 23, 1949, UFO movie taken in the presence of several hundred witnesses by the late Rev. Gregory Miller of St. Peter and Paul Church of Norwood, Ohio. In several frames, the UFO seems to cause the beam from a carbon arc spotlight to divert as much as 37½-degrees from its projected coursed,  bending directly into the UFO's apparent position. Several reports in recent years suggest the same phenomenon. In those cases car headlights have reportedly bent many degrees toward UFOs at roadside. Details of this experiment design may be discussed in a future issue. Reader suggestions toward application of the laser transmission system for such studies are invited.

There probably are several other valuable UFO research functions to which UFO/VECTOR or some of its components might be applied. Should any such occur to a reader, the staff encourages that the ideas be shared for possible implementation.

The UFO/VECTOR system designer is Project Starlight Director Ray Stanford, a veteran of twenty-two years of UFO research. In 1953 Stanford conceived of what he calls "active" UFO research (instrumented hard-data monitoring and signaling) as a viable alternative to the mere collection and correlation of UFO reports. The now- completed UFO/VECTOR console is only one of a series of instrument systems which P.S.I. is installing.

The UFO/VECTOR-aimed components can be disassembled from their concrete-embedded mounting at the P.S.I. research site and individually placed on sturdy tripods for use in areas where there seems to be a high incidence of UFO events during a given period. All other P.S.I. equipment is, likewise, portable.