I ordered this 2"x2" glass signal mirror with retroreflective aiming mesh online from "Battle Systems".

It is made by Howard Glass (manufacturer of the 2"x3" and 3"x5" US military issue MIL-M-18371E glass signal mirrors) in the USA.

It arrived this evening. I've only tested at night (flashlight and streetlight) so far, but it seems like a solid product.

It is probably the best 2"x2" glass signal mirror on the market. (The only other one I'm aware is the French military issue 2x2 mirror with solid red "bulls-eye" retroreflector, in use since the 1950s).

The mirror is laminated glass, with nicely rounded ground glass edges, and Black "hook" Velcro on the back. It is about 0.35" thick with the Velcro, and 1.5 oz.

Of course, if you can afford the weight/space, you can get a similar standard 2"x3" glass retroreflective mesh mirror, and it will be brighter and cheaper. ( The U.S. issue MIL-M-18371E mirror, also made by Howard Glass, or the Coghlan's mirror, made in Japan).

I'd have held off posting until more complete examination, but many of you go to the SHOT show, so when I noticed that "Battle Systems will be at SHOT Show from Jan 14-Jan 19th.", I posted now, so interested folks attending the SHOT show can stop by their booth. They also sell visibility panels (visual and IR), and a few other items.

[ UPDATE: Jan 18: I don't think Battle Systems has a booth at the Shot Show - I can't find them on the list of exhibitors on the Shot Show web site. I guess they just went to look. Sorry about that. ]



Here's their web product page for: Compact Emergency Signal Mirror, Glass, 2”x2”

http://battlesystemsllc.com./Compact_Signal_Mirror.html

and an online review:

http://jerkingthetrigger.com/blog/2013/0...battle-systems/

( I have no connection with this firm other than as a satisfied customer ( and compleat signal mirror fanatic) )

> It is probably the best 2"x2" glass signal mirror on the market.

Thinking about that, while AFAIK, it is not currently on the market, this is the fanciest 2"x2" glass signal mirror I have seen:

[img:left]http://www.flickr.com/photos/signalmirror/8222358593/[/img]

Complete with peep + crosshairs sight, signal shutter, tripod mount, and gimballed 2nd mirror in case the sun is opposite the target, this is hands down the 2"x2" mirror I'd want for signaling to a fixed target.

A bit bulky with all that metal hardware though.

Go here: Portuguese Heliograph Type 938C Right Side Isometric 1 to read about it (and there are "mouseover" annotations).

Julia Child's CIA issue signal mirror.
Google opens so many doors to hidden wisdom.
The new ones are nice, too.

Nice and compact, but $20 for a 2x2 signal mirror? Wouldn't you get a brighter flash from a cheapo Coughlans 2x3 glass? or even a compass mirror (without the precision aiming, of course)

That 1930's heliograph is quite intriguing. I had no idea something like that was in production so late....

OOps! you already answered my question. I should have read more carefully....

That 1930's heliograph still is quite intriguing.

You must be a real ladykiller.

JK, Good info. Thanks

I have been wishing to find something a little smaller. A few years ago I found a good deal on the "starflash" brand mirrors and bought a whole bunch. I will be dead and gone and these will still be good to go. They tend to scratch a bit, but thats about the only thing I don't like about them.

I wonder if the glass ones would even hold up where I live? Glass and severe cold usually don't get along that great. Ive lost a couple of compass mirrors due to the cold. I know glass reflects better than plastic, but I wonder if the difference is that much?

> That 1930's heliograph is quite intriguing.
> I had no idea something like that was in production so late....

Since this seems a bit OT, send me a PM if you want to know more. However - most heliographs sold on Ebay are British heliographs made in WWII.

I read an account today of a military foot patrol in Pakistan in May 1951. For communication, the patrol carried a walkie-talkie, carrier pigeons, and a heliograph (the book included a full-page photo of the latter in action.)

In my last trip to the mountains we had three cell phones (from two different carriers), two amateur radios, plus aimable signal mirrors ranging up to 12"x12". But we didn't think to bring carrier pigeons!

> I wonder if the glass ones would even hold up where I live?
> Glass and severe cold usually don't get along that great.
> I've lost a couple of compass mirrors due to the cold.

I think it likely would, though minimizing thermal shock would be prudent.

The US military mirror spec Doug Ritter posted here: Thermal Test Requirement for MIL-M-18371E Signal Mirror includes taking the mirror to -65 +/- 2 deg Fahrenheit ( -54 +/-1 deg Centigrade) and holding it there for 24 hours. (Also, to +160 deg F). This test cycle is to be repeated twice. This mirror is made by the same manufacturer (S.I. Howard Glass) as the MIL-M-18371E mirror, and seems to be made by the same methods.

The US Military "Cold Climate Survival Kit" from the early 1960s included a glass signal mirror. Antarctic survival kits for several nations include signal mirrors, but I don't know what type. I have read two accounts of improvised glass signal mirrors in use in Antarctica: Improvised Antarctic Signal Mirror and 1909: "the western party used a heliograph, consisting of a shaving mirror"

If you want to know about glass signal mirrors and/or retroreflective mesh signal mirror aimers,
see this excellent article by Doug Ritter, the founder of this web site:

"Warning: Phony Glass Signal Mirrors", by Doug Ritter, on Equipped to Survive

Doug's article covers:

- How retroreflective signal mirror aimers work
- How to tell a real retroreflective aimer from a phony one
- How to use a retroreflective signal mirror aimer
- Where to buy 2"x3" and 3"x5" glass signal mirrors with retroreflective aimers.
- The original patent on the retroreflective mesh aimer
- The US Govt. MIL-M-18371E specification for glass signal mirrors

There are quite a few official US Government photographs of MIL-M-18371E mirrors in action. Some examples:

(1) 2"x3" MIL-M-18371E mirror in use, with notes
(2) Close look (2000x3100 pixels) of 2"x3" MIL-M-18371E in use
(3) 3"x5" MIL-M-18371E mirror in use, with notes
(4) Close look (2068x1504 pixels) at 3"x5" MIL-M-18371E in use


[Disclosure: I provided Doug with references and illustrations for his article.]