How do you signal without a mirror?

[D T]

I notice that in more than a few UL and SUL gear lists that most don’t carry a signal mirror and I am curious as to how you would signal for help when the need arises. Do most just rely on a signal fire , or luck, or maybe the ability to chop down trees with your bare hands to spell out SOS? I am also curious because signal mirrors mostly work with direct sun light, so what do you do on a cloudy day? Here are the parameters:

1. Cloudy day with or without rain in a dense forest. Lows around 40 and highs around 60. On a 60 mile trip leaving a trip plan with someone.

2. You are unable to travel (or lost) but still able to preform simple tasks to survive.

3. No signal mirror, cel phone, sat phone, or personal locating beacon.

4. Excluding whistle(searchers out of ear shot), signal fire, smoke signal, or bright colored artical of clothing (usually to small to be seen), as well as LED light(usually not bright enough to be seen over one mile).

5. Still having your usual three season gear with you and none is missing or broken.

6. Your method to include the ability to signal searchers in the air as well as on the ground.

Anyone up to the challange? I look forward to reading your resonses.

[paul johnson]

Recently, Vlad Putin (wonder what his real name is?), suggested a mylar space blanket could be used in place of a signal mirror.

[D T]

Great tip! That’s the kind of answer I’m looking for. Keep them coming.

[Michele Mason]

windscreen

[Dale Wambaugh]

My main compass has a sighting mirror too (Silva Guide 426, 1.2oz.). That way I can see who’s lost :)

The old Boy Scout signal was three spread-out small smoky fires, but you excluded that.

Turn your Space Blanket into a small hot air balloon….?

Laser pointer?

[Rick Dreher]

Doesn’t #1 negate the first part of #6? There’s no way to establish line-of-sight visual communication between ground and plane in forest cover. A smoky fire would be the only plausable way, so how about adding that back into the mix (since you’ve still got your gear)?

[D T]

Rick, I excluded a smoky fire because that’s an obvious answer. Even in a dense forest there are natural breaks which may not be large enough to use a bright garment as a signal, but you would have a clean line of sight to the air to signal a passing plane or helicopter. As for a line of sight on the ground you may be right with the possible senario of you being in a well elevated position (not always likely). I posed this question to get an answer that is outside of the box, or perhaps to get an answer using items that you currently carry but would not normally relate to using as a signaling device.

[Scott Ashdown]

Use your guylines, spectra cord, tent poles, twigs, and tarp cover, myler blanket etc to make a kite and fly that sucker above the tree tops!!!!

[John S.]

HAM radio.

[Worth Donaldson]

On occasion I have had to carry an emergency handheld aircraft radio about the size of a GPS in the tundra. However, it is only good if you have a visual. We would have probably used it in conjunction with the bear banger/flare pen.

Snap light sticks can be useful.

By the way, a signal mirror can be used at night with the use of a flashlight.

[Author]

Posts