What other ways of making a loud noise can you think of besides whistles to help searchers find you if lost?

A couple of comments on the 4th page of the whistles in the woods thread suggested this question to me.
One of the comments pointed out how well lower frequencies can travel in some cases.
Another comment mentioned drums.

What other things besides blowing a whistle or shouting could a lost person do that would make a lot of noise and hopefully get them found if searchers were within range of it?

So lets just throw some ideas around and see if we can come up with anything.

Banging on a tree with a stick was a good one, though I'm not sure if that would wear a person out after a while...though it could also help them stay warm.

Personal favorite though is a bullroarer. These can be made fairly quickly out in the woods with a knife and some cordage. Being low-pitched, their unusual sound carries for a long distance.

-Blast

I have just posted this in the other thread.

I think the horn is your next best bet for making noise that travels. I prefer to think in terms of signalling though - finding an elevation, and periodically using a mirror, or controlled fire, or light source, or a cell phone (sometimes) or ham HT to broadcast your position.

Personally, my PLB is the best little noisemaker so far invented for purposes of affecting rescue.

PLB are by far the best if you are traveling in remote locations but if you are in a relatively high visited area a whistle or other low tech devise is often the quickest for of getting help. In this circumstance i would also be more inclined to get someones attention than taking up the valuable resources of a full scale activation that a PLB would cause.

Obviously i am talking about whilst out hiking or something. It really depends on the circumstances. If i was in a plane that came down in a relatively well visited park close to town i would activate the PLB because i will want a full response from the emergency services.

There is a distinction between sending a distress signal and making noise. The problem with shouting is that it frequently is not perceived as a distress signal. Whistles are probably superior in this regard. The book solution is the rule of threes - three shouts, blasts, or whatever, repeated regularly. I am not sure that many folks will pick up on that either. Just because people might be in the area doesn't mean they will respond meaningfully.

I am a real fan of signal mirrors and fires. They are odd enough that they are going to attract attention. There are situations where fires should not be kindled, even for emergency signaling, but they have the benefit of putting out smoke and providing heat. Mirrors only work in the daytime, but they work extremely well in the right conditions. A lot of lights have a strobe function, even some with SOS, and they could be useful, as well.

First of all the rule of threes is great except for in Europe where it is the six, 3 is the reply.

Secondly Signal mirrors can be used on moonlit nights. During WW2 many covert airdrops where made by having the drop zones marked by signal mirrors. I also know of at least three rescues carried out after spotting a signal mirror at night.

Anyone that has tried lighting and maintaining 3 signal fires will know how hard and unpractical it is especially if you are by yourself. One fire will do. Two 12 year olds recently used a fire to attract a S&R helicopter in the lake district. After getting lost in freezing weather. Good skills for 12 year old.

Scafool posed the question not me - "if searchers are out", how best to signal them. If searchers are looking for me it doesn't really matter how remote I am, I could have a broken back and be 1 km from the trail head, I am not walking out, I am not in contact with others, I won't be heard by searchers with most whistles or by shouting. And I left my bugle and bongos at home. Activate my PLB and SAR hones in on the signal, reducing the search time and hopefully ensuring the safety of searchers. I vote for the PLB to help connect searchers with the injured and lost.

Like i said Lono "It really depends on the circumstances." Under the circumstances that you describe I would hope you would press the button.

Hitting things together can provide some kind of sound signal. Rock on rock, wood on wood, metal on metal. Hitting something hollow better than something solid, but "needs must."

Blast might coach us on a series of small explosions or fast exothermic reactions from household products you probably [could] have in your gear.

Perhaps a percusionist among us could provide ideas on improvising drums? bells? chimes?

Perhaps a vocalist among us could give tips on yodeling or other use long distance voice signals?

Really. really awful puns might inspire your companions to provide copious low frequency groans?