Best signalling equipment from the searchers point of view

[Scuba_Jenny]

BoP, the tape I believe you are referring to is called retro-reflective. Most reflective stuff bounces off at the angle that it hits the surface, however, retro-reflective bounces straight back no matter the angle it is hit from. Think Stop signs at night. RetroReflective is also used on safety vests and other gear. Good stuff.

 

[D_B]

a special kind of retro-reflective tape is called SOLAS tape .. Safety Of Life At Sea ... it's US Coast Guard approved and highly reflective

IDENTI-TAPE - 3M US Coast Guard 3M SOLAS Safety Reflective Tape
...

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I think you guys are right. There is a gridlike pattern so no matter what angle light hit it.. it reflects back. I also put some Solar blankets in vacuum sealer we have for foodstuff. Again easy to carry and someone here ages ago said the solar blanket has a good radar reflective property. The blankets need to be vacuum sealed as they will lose the silver if they are wet for extended periods of time. Again something small and easy to stow in a pocket and forget about unless needed. Just another component...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Solar blankets are really good at keeping food warm too. LOL. Used one once when we had a bunch of pizzas for a party and no way to keep them warm. So we wrapped the lot in the blanket!

Oh, and solar blankets can be bought at your local discount store in the camping aisle for a couple bucks...

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Solar blankets are really good at keeping food warm too. LOL. Used one once when we had a bunch of pizzas for a party and no way to keep them warm. So we wrapped the lot in the blanket!

Oh, and solar blankets can be bought at your local discount store in the camping aisle for a couple bucks...

Exactly. One of the cheapest saftey items out there. There was a case a couple winters ago here where someone who was lost in the bush in rugged terrain was found because he ripped up a solar blanket and tied the strips in the branches of a tree... that is what the search helicopter spotted!

 

[D_B]

Thanks for your thoughts and your perspective .. especially the "let them know what you have" part

Welcome to ScubaBoard, Navy

one thing I would add is that your mirror be a signaling mirror , the kind with an aiming hole/sight .. makes it much easier to aim

I carry always ... signal mirror, whistle, light, SMB, spool, knife, and I will be getting a strobe to put in my unused trim pocket (lol, rocket launcher )

This question comes up often and I've saved what I think are best/most often referenced sites ...

A very good, if long, read on rescue trials conducted in real world conditions in the Scapa Flow ... probably my favorite
... How far can you see me? ... Diver location trials: Introduction

.. Surface Survival Primer ... Surface Survival Primer

.. Equipped to Survive ... EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - SIGNALING GROUP and the rest of the website is a treasure trove of info ... Survival Gear and Equipment Evaluations - EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm)

CD's are less than effective for or anything related to signaling

 

[lucca brassi]

laser

Hunt for person who blinded two UPS pilots with green laser pointer

 

[D_B]

laser

Hunt for person who blinded two UPS pilots with green laser pointer

? ... lasers have range, but unless you know where to aim it,, a searcher will never see it, and if they do, you just potentially blinded him and caused him to crash

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Green lazers are illegal in Australia. Too many morons were aiming them at incoming aircraft pilots and blinding them. In such densly populated areas it is hard to locate the user and nobody wants to think about the potential of an airplane with a visually impaired pilot at the controls!

 

[lucca brassi]

you just shot beam vertical and not try to blind a pilot - ok ?

in my country are guns special automatic and semiautomatic illegal to !