Laser Pointer as Signal Device?

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...)

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

While it may or may not get you arrested, you don't want one of the dinky
red laser pointers for this use. You want one of these really bright green
ones.


http://www.bigha.com/laser/index.php




"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bxv3f.435623$_o.343983@attbi_s71...
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...)

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bxv3f.435623$_o.343983@attbi_s71...
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...)

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Keep a couple of blank CDs handy.

They're extremely reflective and the hole works really well for aiming.

Jay B

Keep a couple of blank CDs handy.

They're extremely reflective and the hole works really well for aiming.

Yeah, I've got them in the kit -- but they don't do much good on overcast
days.

Or at night.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Keep a couple of blank CDs handy.

They're extremely reflective and the hole works really well for
aiming.

Yeah, I've got them in the kit -- but they don't do much good on
overcast days.

Or at night.

Hmmmm. I assume you mean to use the CDs to reflect sunlight toward a rescue
aircraft. The reflected light doesn't go in the direction of the hole, does
it? It would leave the CD on an opposite angle from the sun to the CD.
Explain. I must be missing something here.

--

Darrell R. Schmidt
B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
-

"Darrell S" wrote in message
news:XBw3f.4816$gj1.4478@fed1read05...
Hmmmm. I assume you mean to use the CDs to reflect sunlight toward a
rescue aircraft. The reflected light doesn't go in the direction of the
hole, does it? It would leave the CD on an opposite angle from the sun to
the CD. Explain. I must be missing something here.

Only thing you're missing, it sounds like, is that you haven't yet had the
chance to learn to use a signal mirror. That can be easily corrected.

You use it just like you'd use a normal signal mirror (usually made of
stainless steel, with a hole in the middle). You sight through the hole to
aim the light at your target. A common technique is to hold your finger up;
looking through the hole with your finger aligned with the target, if the
light is hitting your finger, it's also hitting your target.

Interestingly, since the hole in a CD is *much* larger than in the typical
signal mirror, you can keep your target in view at greater angles of mirror
deflection than with a standard signal mirror. This ought to assist in
allowing one to signal a target with the sun farther away from an optimal
position than with a standard signal mirror (I admit, I haven't done an
actual comparison, so that's just theory ).

Pete

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message

Yeah, I've got them in the kit -- but they don't do much good on overcast
days.

Or at night.

I bought a 1.5million cw rechargeable spotlight for $10 from Radio Shack.
It's lighter than a maglight, insanely bright. You want to draw attention
to yourself at night, try that. When not flying I keep it next to my bed,
btw, in case of home intrusion. It's blinding.

-c

"Jay Beckman" wrote in message

Keep a couple of blank CDs handy.

They're extremely reflective and the hole works really well for aiming.

That's a brilliant idea, Jay. Thanks!

Jay Beckman wrote:
Keep a couple of blank CDs handy.

They're extremely reflective and the hole works really well for aiming.

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.


Best regards,

LtCol Jer/ Eberhard, Colorado Wing Checkpilot (airplanes and gliders),
Assistant Glider Program Manager, Colorado Wing, CAP

--
LtCol Jer/ Eberhard, CO-Wing, Thompson Valley CS., Ft Collins, CO
CELL/VM: 970 231-6325, CELL Message: 9702316325'at'mmode.com
EMAIL: jer'at'frii.com WEB: 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, 233 Young Eagles!

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?

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).

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.

Pete