I was browsing Ranger Rick's forum and started thinking about getting a good folding slingshot. For some reason, the thought occurred to me that a slingshot could be fired in the air and might be used to attract someone's attention.

What I thought was, as I have several yards of orange flagging tape in my PSK, one might try to attach the tape to a small stone (how? not sure) and then fire it straight up. The flagging tape would form a bright orange streamer; you could re-use this as long as your energy held out.

This was probably just a crazy idea; I suppose I'd try it if I'd done everything else I could think of and was bored sitting around waiting to be rescued. But how effective do you think it would be? Any suggestions on how to improve its effectiveness? Or would it just be a waste of energy?

I am not that up on physics, but unless the streamer was very narrow and light, I think you would be extremely limited to how much visibility you would gain.

On the face of it, I like it, just the physics angle bothers me.

How big are the personal smoke flares they sell these days? The kind you hold in your hand, not the ones you shoot into the air.

Bountyhunter

I have a small parafoil kite that I take backpacking along with a spool of spiderwire. A tail on that would attract a bunch more attention, flies much higher, be much less energy to use and could be launched, tied off to a tree and ignored whilst I made dinner with the sling-shot out of some of the local rodents. The kite is lighter by a factor of 10 even with the spiderwire and streamer. BTW, I would use some mylar as the streamer rather than hazard banner tape. Mylar is lighter and at kite heights might even attract radar attention because it is radar reflective. Make sure you get the strongest spiderwire if you intend on getting any real height on the kite. It will amaze you how hard the high altitudes winds will tug on that kite!

If anyone knows where I could get a decently strong mylar parafoil (frameless) kite that would fit in my shirt pocket along with a couple hundred feet of spiderwire I would be very interested!

i have a wrist-braced slingshot and i've had some fun shooting m-80's straight up. those are real loud [but of course in a survival situation you'd probably use smoke or a flare or something] and they go up quite high. there are 2 problems though: you need to know the fuse time really well [i'm lucky they're consistent, because you have to count 3 of the 4 seconds before launching] and you need someone else to light it [probably]. hmm, you could do it action-hero style with a match in the teeth.... hehehe

Yep, I've thought about using a kite for signalling, both as the rescuee and the rescuer (where you believe or hope that the lost person is able to come to you if provided a fixed reference point).

I figure if worst came to worst, I could make a kite out of a space blanket and some stout twigs, as long as I had a space blanket and some suitable cord. (The inner strands of a length of paracord, tied end-to-end with fisherman's knots, would probably suffice.) Left-over pieces of space blanket, tied to the paracord sheath, could form the tail. Probably, the most expensive component would be the paracord, which would be pretty much destroyed in the process. Still and all, the total cost would probably be less than the price of a movie with popcorn (and probably lots more fun) <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

miniMe,

Around last December there was a thread on an inflatable survival kite, geared more towards water use, but should work on land. I emailed the manufacturing folks in England and received the following reply.

[BEGIN QUOTE]
Dear Sir
Many thanks for your enquiry concerning the Skystreme 729 model.

The ex VAT cost would be £21.27 uk sterling, at an exchange rate of 1.6 US = $34.3.
We would round this up to US$35.00 to include P&P to Florida.
--
Best regards
Bernie Hanning
Co-Founder

Skystreme UK Ltd
C/O 138 Hicks Avenue
Greenford
Middx
Tel 07973 222 719
Fax 0796 746 3483
web add www.skystreme.com
e-mail bernie@skystreme.uk.net

[END QUOTE]

According to their website
"The worlds first radar reflective personal location marker which flies, floats, self launches and requires no power supply or gases.

The unique SKYSTREME is an essential piece of rescue euipment for all those who travel, work, enjoy and explore the great outdoors...In fact anyone who could potentially be in distress or rescue situtaion outdoors should carry a SKYSTREME.

Packed in a handy pocket sized pouch weighing only 43 grams (1.5 oz) you'll hardly notice your SKYSTREME in your bag.

Airtight and waterproof and constructed of metallised Mylar laminate, this unique 3 in 1 tool weighs only 43grams and measures just 12cmx9cmx3cm".

In a life threatening situtation, you'll be glad it's there. Rescue Kite 729 - This is a 3 in 1 emergency tool."

They were quick to respond to my initial email. I had originally toyed with the idea of getting one and then doing a review to submit to Doug and haven't as yet been able to take this idea off of the back burner due to more pressing issues.

HTH

Regards,
Comanche7

Thanks! Just what I was considering! I will let you know if I order one. A little pricey just now with santa having already spent the $$.

miniME,

Great. FWIW watch the currency conversion as it changes. I think that I heard on the radio the other day that it was less than 1.6:1 which could help out a bit. When you do get the kite, how about a photo or two from different angles. Their website photos are a bit vague in terms of shape, size, configuration etc.

Comanche7

I wonder if a streamer made of that silver mylar material might attract more aerial attention than the orange flagging tape. Just a thought.

If you use an old fashioned slingshot, like the kind David used, then you could very probably heave a hefty heavy hard hewn stone into the hemisphere.

Also, try launching firecrackers, or rocket engines into the air.