Laser Pointer as Signal Device?

Peter Duniho wrote:
wrote in message ...
Actually, Civil Air Patrol and the local search and rescue group
tested this, and they really are not effective for signaling.
If it is all you have, use it.

Much better: USAF 4"x6" or 5"x7" glass signal mirror, with sighting
hole.

Did you compare them to stainless steel mirrors?

Yes, both stainless steel and plastic mirrors. The glass was FAR superior.
We could see the glass mirrors when we could not see the others...
We had a line of people standing 100' apart signaling the airplane.
THe air crews stated universally "the glass mirror 'blew us out of
the cockpit it was so bright'".

I would expect the big problem with CDs is that they don't actually have a
very smooth surface. The light is reflected very unevenly. But I wonder if
one is comaparing them to the commonly found 2"x3" stainless steel mirrors
if the CD's don't come out to perform roughly the same or better (the extra
area compensating for uneven reflections).

Unfortuantely, neither the stainless nor CDs worked well.

Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror? The only ones I've seen
are the smaller 2"x3" ones. My quick Google search turned up plenty of
side-view mirrors for SUVs, some survival equipment that includes 5x7 tarps
or blankets, but no glass 5"x7" signal mirrors.

Well, you're correct... what I am seeing is 3x5 as the largest.

Google "Wilderness Institude of Survival Education" (WISE) they have
tested this stuff in the field and sell what works. WISE teaches the
survival course the Colorado Wing of Civil Air Patrol. I've taken the
course 3 times and done the winter campout once. I dramatically
changed the contents of my survival kit after that information and
experience. :-)

Best regards,

Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocation!" Eberhard

--
Jer/ (Slash) Eberhard, Mountain Flying Aviation, LTD, Ft Collins, CO
CELL 970 231-6325 EMAIL jer'at'frii.com WEB http://users.frii.com/jer/
C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider, FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor
CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot, BM218 HAM N0FZD, 234 Young Eagles!

Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror?

More to the point, Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror that
will survive an airplane crash?

Jose
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
.. .
Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror?

More to the point, Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror that
will survive an airplane crash?

I expect that if a person in the airplane survives well enough to use a
5"x7" mirror, that the 5"x7" could be stowed in the airplane in a
sufficiently well-protected spot for it too to survive the crash. Probably
just keeping it away from the sides of the fuselage, and not packed against
hard objects, would be sufficient.

However, sure enough at the web site of the company Jer/ mentions --
http://www.wisesurvival.com/wisesupplies.shtml -- there is only a 3"x5"
mirror. I'm still wondering where one might find any 5"x7" signal mirror,
crashworthy or otherwise.

Pete

In article Bxv3f.435623$_o.343983@attbi_s71,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:


All this talk about idiots shining lasers in pilots eyes has me wondering if
we shouldn't add a laser pointer to the collection of knives, blankets, and
food? Anyone think one of these would work as a signaling device?


Answer is "Yes, probably work very well" -- esp. if you get one of the
green ones, though they're substantially more costly than the red ones
($150 vs $15).

Post your query to sci.optics or rec.skiing.backcountry and you'll
probably get more detailed answers.

"Jose" wrote in message
.. .
Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror?

More to the point, Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror that
will survive an airplane crash?

Inside of a sturdy metal case?

Ba-dum-dum g
--
Jim in NC

Jay,
You may also want to consider:

http://www.acrelectronics.com/milita...000/ms2000.htm
If you go down at night they will most likely be looking for you with
Night vision goggles.
Michelle



Jay Honeck wrote:

With the days growing shorter, and the temperatures nipping at the freezing
level, we're starting to assemble our "survival kit" that we always keep in
the back of our aircraft in winter.

All this talk about idiots shining lasers in pilots eyes has me wondering if
we shouldn't add a laser pointer to the collection of knives, blankets, and
food? Anyone think one of these would work as a signaling device?

Or would it only get me arrested? (After rescue, of course...)

:-)

AES wrote in
:

In article Bxv3f.435623$_o.343983@attbi_s71,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:


All this talk about idiots shining lasers in pilots eyes has me
wondering if we shouldn't add a laser pointer to the collection of
knives, blankets, and food? Anyone think one of these would work as
a signaling device?


Answer is "Yes, probably work very well" -- esp. if you get one of the
green ones, though they're substantially more costly than the red ones
($150 vs $15).

Post your query to sci.optics or rec.skiing.backcountry and you'll
probably get more detailed answers.

I would add that if you do get a pointer, green is the most visible,
and keep it to a legal 5mW pointer. Pointers are limited to 5mW
for a reason - it's *extremely* unlikely to cause any eye damage.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes? Supernews Sucks!

Jay, check out www.equipped.org. There are tests done on laser pointers
as signalling devices. There are also leads on aviation quality signalling
mirrors for about 10 bucks. Also, great articles on ditching.

Les



"Michelle P" wrote in message
ink.net...
Jay,
You may also want to consider:

http://www.acrelectronics.com/milita...000/ms2000.htm
If you go down at night they will most likely be looking for you with
Night vision goggles.
Michelle



Jay Honeck wrote:

With the days growing shorter, and the temperatures nipping at the
freezing level, we're starting to assemble our "survival kit" that we
always keep in the back of our aircraft in winter.

All this talk about idiots shining lasers in pilots eyes has me wondering
if we shouldn't add a laser pointer to the collection of knives, blankets,
and food? Anyone think one of these would work as a signaling device?

Or would it only get me arrested? (After rescue, of course...)

:-)

Jer,

Could you share your survival kit contents list with us?

Roger @ MD43 C150E
=========================================
wrote in message ...
Peter Duniho wrote:
wrote in message
...
Actually, Civil Air Patrol and the local search and rescue group
tested this, and they really are not effective for signaling.
If it is all you have, use it.

Much better: USAF 4"x6" or 5"x7" glass signal mirror, with sighting
hole.

Did you compare them to stainless steel mirrors?

Yes, both stainless steel and plastic mirrors. The glass was FAR
superior.
We could see the glass mirrors when we could not see the others...
We had a line of people standing 100' apart signaling the airplane.
THe air crews stated universally "the glass mirror 'blew us out of
the cockpit it was so bright'".

I would expect the big problem with CDs is that they don't actually have
a
very smooth surface. The light is reflected very unevenly. But I wonder
if
one is comaparing them to the commonly found 2"x3" stainless steel
mirrors
if the CD's don't come out to perform roughly the same or better (the
extra
area compensating for uneven reflections).

Unfortuantely, neither the stainless nor CDs worked well.

Where does one find a 5"x7" glass signal mirror? The only ones I've seen
are the smaller 2"x3" ones. My quick Google search turned up plenty of
side-view mirrors for SUVs, some survival equipment that includes 5x7
tarps
or blankets, but no glass 5"x7" signal mirrors.

Well, you're correct... what I am seeing is 3x5 as the largest.

Google "Wilderness Institude of Survival Education" (WISE) they have
tested this stuff in the field and sell what works. WISE teaches the
survival course the Colorado Wing of Civil Air Patrol. I've taken the
course 3 times and done the winter campout once. I dramatically
changed the contents of my survival kit after that information and
experience. :-)

Best regards,

Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocation!" Eberhard

--
Jer/ (Slash) Eberhard, Mountain Flying Aviation, LTD, Ft Collins, CO
CELL 970 231-6325 EMAIL jer'at'frii.com WEB http://users.frii.com/jer/
C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider, FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor
CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot, BM218 HAM N0FZD, 234 Young Eagles!

On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:01:37 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
Bxv3f.435623$_o.343983@attbi_s71::

Anyone think one of these would work as a signaling device?

Why wouldn't you just use your handheld?