Lightweight Signaling Options for Survival Kits

panzertroop

panzertroop

Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,142
Did a quick video on the Battle Systems Signal Panel. A overlooked but important piece of gear. What's nice about this little guy is the ability to fold up small and be part of a personal survival kit. Plus a few other options that I cover in the video. Please check it out and subscribe if you like it. Thanks

[video=youtube;1b9LZGabgUg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b9LZGabgUg[/video]
 
For a VS-17 panels we just use orange garbage bags highway departments use for highway clean up. Large enough to be useful as a signal panel. Even larger if you cut the bottom fold and one side or the two sides. Large enough to make two large VS-17 panels from one bag. The bags are light, tough, cheap, and MULTI PURPOSE --- four attributes we always look for and hope to find in any gear. Big enough and tough enough to use as a signal panel, tarp, waterproof gear, pack cover, ground cloth, bear bag, etc. I've yet to (not deliberately) tear/cut one.

Resized%2520Mount%2520Rogers%2520Lunch%2520-%252012%2520Feb%252016.JPG
 
Last edited:
I have reflective roadworks vests to make me visible to traffic but they can do double duty marking my location for rescue.

One novel approach to signaling is the rescue balloon. There are a few military ones out there that can be picked up on radar in addition to providing a visual marker.

Not too long ago someone wanted to make a civilian version but it never got the funding to get off the ground. Interesting alternative to a signal flare in any case. http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/rescue-me-balloon-uses-helium-led-lights-141111.htm
 
Wonder if there is a source for the orange bags? I dont think my highway department will hand them out to the public. All great ideas for signaling
 
I have a hunter orange bandanna in my kit. Plus I often carry a watch cap and a fleece vest each of which are reversible to blaze orange.
Also small signal mirror, plastic whistle, flashlight.

I know morse code from decades of ham radio but doubt it's very useful because both sides need to know it. (other than SOS)

Probably the most important is my Personal Locator Beacon. Not lightweight but as long as civilization is working it's pretty nifty and is my permission slip from my wife to go by myself.
 
Yup. The high tech toys give you very powerful signalling options at the cost of requiring electricity and fees where applicable. That alone might disqualify them from "kits", where it is more of a set and forget mentality.

Personal locator beacon
Phone / satellite phone
Spot messenger

And some of the more useful communications gear used away from civilization isn't exactly light weight. I'm thinking CB / marine radio for vehicles. Worth knowing about though and it can save your skin.

If your need to signal help comes fron being lost there are powerful stand alone GPS gadgets optimized to work without a-gps access. The GPS receivers built into phones are often of a lower quality than those in stand alone units... or the software leans heavily on a-gps (pinging cellular network masts) and even cellular data availability making then slower and less reliable in a wilderness setting.
 
This is great stuff, and an often overlooked part of survival kits. I carry bright orange bandannas, flagging tape, and heavy duty space blanket that can all aid in signalling. I also carry a signal mirror, whistle and plenty of ways to start a fire. Along with a compact shelter system, these are what I consider most important if I become lost or injured.
 
panzertroop said:
Wonder if there is a source for the orange bags? I dont think my highway department will hand them out to the public. All great ideas for signaling
Click to expand...

You can get them funny enough from halloween stores since people fill em' up with leaves and dress them up like jackolanterns. Probably could score some on the cheap the day after halloween. Seen them at home depot/wally world type places as "contractor bags" too. Plastic place probably has the thicker (3mm) ones by the case for pretty cheap.

I like the idea these guys came up with. I think I could get the most use out of something like that for hunting season on my redcloud 110. I look forward to seeing more from these guys, thanks for the review and a great new bookmark to folllow :thumbup:
 
panzertroop said:
Wonder if there is a source for the orange bags? I dont think my highway department will hand them out to the public. All great ideas for signaling
Click to expand...
Find an Adopt-A-Highway program in your area. Make contact with one of the groups who've adopted a few miles and volunteer your time picking up litter with that group. Your state's highway department gives them bags. Google your state's highway department's Adopt-A-Highway program.
 
I plan on doing more video on signaling components and my PSK so stay tuned on my Youtube channel. It's been a learning experience making the video.
 
The orange bags are a very sensible idea. Plan on implementing that one if I can find bags.

Added: One could slice the bags in two and cut a portion of the bags into strips and mount the shreaded bag to a pole so any wind motion will trigger movement that might be easier to see than a stationary orange bag. The other half can be stationary.

The light safety vests are another sensible idea. I wear one on my kayak, but not any other time other than perhaps a work project.
 
Last edited:
For those who use liner bags to waterproof their packs; the drybags used in the military ILBE rucksacks are orange on the inside. They were designed to do double duty signalling. The bright orange liner reflects a lot of light making it MUCH easier to find things at the bottom of your pack. They also have a neat vent for crushing out excess air.

There are a couple of versions made by sealine. I think the 56L version was orange on the inside (good) and the 65L version was green on the inside (bad) but do your own due dilligence on that one.
 
sideways said:
For those who use liner bags to waterproof their packs;...
Click to expand...
Though not appropriate as a signal panel one of the best pack liners is a garbage/trash compactor bag. I venture to say more of those bags are sold to people who don't own a trash smasher than to people who do.
 
Orange trail marking tape is really thin, you can wrap a fair bit around something before it gets bulky, and it weighs virtually nothing.
 
Lots of good suggestions. I often carry trail marking tape as well. Got in that habit from Search and Rescue. When tied up high on a branch the movement coupled with the color make for a nice attractor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top