I just spotted this 5 page article on signal mirrors (seems to be from last month).

How to Use a Signal Mirror at howstuffworks.com

This is a quite comprehensive article - very well researched. They cite a few signal mirror success stories that I had not located, and give lots of references.

When you are reading the article, click on the links in the article text for more details.

==== Index to Signal Mirror Resources (not new) ====

Signal Mirror Resources from rafowell

- Thanks to YouTube's update, my YouTube signal mirror videos are better organized.

- Some of my previous articles on signal mirrors:

• Why you want a retroreflective signal mirror aimer
  
• SIgnal Mirror Rescues in the News
• Regulations requiring ships and planes to carry signal mirrors
• The History of Signal Mirrors in WW2
  
• Signal Mirror Successes in the Vietnam War
  
• BCB "Mayday Mirror" vs. AMK "mini"
• Military Use of Signal Mirrors at Air Shows
  
  Two of my more popular signal mirror movies:
  
  My Mirror flash demo video
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwCbgQGmID4
  
  
  WWII double-sided signal mirror film I paid to have digitized for YouTube:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmnRrCVBaP0
  
  

Signal Mirror Resources from Doug Ritter, Founder/Editor of ETS

• WARNING: Phony Glass Signal Mirrors
• Using the Rescue Flash(tm) SIgnal Mirror ( An excellent tutorial for mesh-grid mirror aimers)
• UST Resumes Shipping StarFlash Ultra
• Doug's earlier article on signal mirrors
  

Survival Instructors on Signal Mirrors

• Peter Kummerfeldt (12-yr, Survival Training Director at the USAF Academy)
• Cody Lundin (instructor, author, TV survival show)
• John D. McCann (instructor, author)
  

Thank you, Rafowell - most interesting stuff. One of the joys of ETS is the presence of "deep specialists" on things like signal mirrors, electrical stuff, et al - people who really are subject matter experts.

As far as signal mirrors go, I am a satisfied user. Living, working, and undertaking SAR in Arizona and southern California for most of my life, how could I be otherwise? Ounce for ounce, there are few things one can carry in the outdoors that are as effective. You don't use a signal mirror on every excursion, but when you do use it, it will usually be for a most important reason.

This is top notch material and well worth the time to read and view it, Thanks!

I personally have found the using a Signal Mirror properly was one of the 'Harder' Survival Skills to learn. It not only takes time to learn, but it is a skill you need to practice and keep practicing. I practice each time before I demonstrate it to a class.

I also bring out a cheap plastic signal mirror, a compass mirror, my old Boy Scout mirror, and a piece of foil; so that participants can really see the difference a Quality Signal Mirror makes in a Survival Situation.

I appreciate all the great signal mirror knowledge you bring to ETS! I'm gonna watch both those vids a couple times.

What about the ones from Adventure Medical Kits? Mine is small, but seems to work fine. Just wondering.....

Just checked their site....I must have a very old one because it is way smaller than what is listed on their site.

The AMK "Rescue Flash" signal mirrors are an excellent choice - good reflectance, flat = nice tight beam, and good retroreflective aimers.

One little quirk - remove the protective film from both sides before using (yes, they put some on the back, for some reason), and replace the film on the front after, to protect it.

I carry the 2"x3" Rescue Flash as my EDC mirror. Their big plus is that they are lighter than glass, and more shatter resistant. The drawback is that they aren't as bright as glass, and they scratch easily-keep that self-adhesive plastic protective film on it until you need it, and (too late for you, I imagine) you might consider fashioning the blister pack into a handy protective case.

In my car kit, I carry a MIL-M-18371E 3"x5" "Non-phony" glass signal mirror 3"x5" glass mirror, since it is more than twice as bright. However, the US Coast Guard downgraded their life vest equipment from 3"x5" glass signal mirrors to 2"x3" plastic signal mirrors in the 1990s, so they seem to think 2"x3" plastic is fine.

The 2"x3" AMK Rescue Flash mirror was designed by Doug Ritter:

• The development story of the Rescue Flash Signal Mirror (45% of the way down the page)
• Doug Ritter's Rescue Flash Signal Mirror Instructions
• Another good set of instructions for the Rescue Flash Signal Mirror
• American Medical Kits page for Rescue Flash Signal Mirror

Here I'm using a 2"x3" AMK Rescue Flash polycarbonate mirror at 11 mile range:



When you say "way smaller" - their standard is 2"x3", but they also make the 1.5"x2" "Mini Rescue Flash" (depicted below) that has a bit less than half the reflecting area. I can't see going that small, myself, but if you must, it's clearly your best choice in that weight category - far better than the "Mayday Signal Mirror", as you can see.

However, if you do have the "Mini" - think about using it as your "proficiency testing" mirror, and put a (sealed in blister pack, with cardboard trimmed and shipping tape sealed) unopened and fresh 2"x3" version in your emergency kit as your emergency mirror.

Comparison of the beam of the "half-sized" mini with the competition: