I am looking for information on Beta Light products. It looks interesting to me, but I can't get hold of any to see if I like them.

Beta Light

There are restrictions for shipping to the US and sales are to military and law enforcement only.

Which product? I have a marker, nice to find your keys... but too bulky and too expensive.

I use them. The light output is minute but still useful in completely dark conditions.
I have about a dozen in total, one affixed to keys, a couple to lanterns, a couple more to flashlights.
Certainly sufficient to find these items in the dark.

After manufacture the light output declines very slowly, they NEVER fail or go out completely if physically intact. After about 12 years the light output is halved, after another 12 years it halves again and so on. Replacement every 10 years or so is therefore advisable.
Do not throw the old ones out, they still give some light but you need several old ones to do much good.
I place my old ones on a high ledge in my bedroom such that they give an indirect light reflected from the ceiling.
Even with dark adapted eyes, the light is not really enough for safe movement but it does help with locating oneself, no question of blundering around facing in the wrong direction.

In the UK these Beta Lights are readily available from suppliers of outdoor goods and are often given away as free gifts with higher end outdoor clothing and sleeping bags, so that the zipper can be located in the dark.
The common "key ring size" ones cost about £5 to £10

I also have a giant Beta Light purchased from fleabay, that gives light to read by ! just if suitably placed.

These products are not easily obtained in the USA due to concerns about them being very slightly radioactive.

auction site link

Link shows one of the giant ones, I have no connection with the seller.

Tjin, I just wanted to know about the base capabilities these products mostly. I do not have enough information to even know if it is worth exploring as a PSK component.

I know there are many form factors and some that are intended for tactical use (which usually can translate well to camping and survival). I am just curious at this point.

Adam2, thanks for the information. I can definitely see the utility for tactical use, and from what you tell me it may be too limited for survival use. One small enough for a PSK may not give enough light to be of much use, and there are many small flashlights that are easy to obtain.

I do see the utility of using them to mark things you need to find in the dark though. Especially when camping. Thanks for the information.

The main use IMHO for outdoor camping or survival would be to locate vital kit in the dark. In case of an intruder, a beta light attached to a firearm or knife would enable you to quickly and silently locate the weapon without showing a light and making yourself a target.
(attach the beta light in some non permanent way such as blu tack or a rubber band)

In the home, beta lights can usefully be attached to door frames, and near stairs. The odd "reference point" thus provided allows safe movement in the dark.

Beta lights attached to light switches are useful especially for battery operated lights that might be needed in total darkness.

The Beta Light is what is recommended in the SAS Survival Guide. I believe they give about the same glow as a small (2 inch) glow stick. Good for map reading or to attract fish at night for spearing. I think it is powered by tritium like in a Cammenga compass. I hope this helps. I would like one also....

BOATMAN
John

Some thirty five years ago I worked in the next building to the original patentees and manufacturers, Saunders-Roe Developments Ltd, of the 'Betalight' as it has become known and in a pot in my stud box I have a few dozen of the large torch cells left over from those days still glowing well enough to read by.

The best place nowadays to find the raw tubes cheaply is as fishing float bite markers which here are known as "Isotopes" for some reason.

They are easily converted for markers with a drop of epoxy glue and a 'Crystal' ball point pen tube.

The Tritium gas inside is radioactive (no radiation escapes the intact tube as the glass effectively shields the beta radiation) and could cause problems in quantity but the amount in the tube is so small that breakage and release may be ignored. The problem is with storage of a significant quantity and possible breakage.

In the UK we had a rather nice telephone called a Trimphone that had its dial illuminated by a long curved Betalight. The phone company (British Telecom) were successfully prosecuted by the Government for having a full skip of thousands of scrap phones all with their internal betalights, way over their radiation storage allowance.

Haven't got my SAS guide to hand, but suspect what that refers to is the Betalight Torch

http://www.betalight.nl/en/outdoor-tactical/torch.html

After communicating with the company, and their vendor in the US, it does seem that it is not worth the effort. There are too many other options available.

It would actually be illegal to import the devices into the US without a specific license. You can debate the need for the license and the actual danger of the material, but the pain of bringing them in would be too great. Not enough return for the investment.