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The glass signal mirrors reflect more light than most of the plastic mirrors. The Ritter PSK mirror is an exception. However, all the plastic mirrors scratch easily compared to the glass mirrors. The flip side is if you drop a plastic mirror it is not going to break like a glass mirror. You will have about 30 seconds to deploy your mirror if you see an aircraft. If you have the large glass mirror you are not likely keep it around your neck because it is big and heavy.

A true signal mirror has a sighting gauze in the center hole that shows a fireball of light where the reflection will shine. To use this type of signal mirror first face the sun. Tilt the mirror so the reflection is just in front of you. Now move the mirror to your eye while looking where the reflection is. You should see the fireball in the mirror. Now you can tilt the mirror and place the fireball where you want the mirror to shine.

The problem is that if your face or hand blocks the sun on the mirror then the fireball disappears. To make a reflection 180 degrees from facing the sun is no problem. I had taken a survival class with the Phoenix Park system and the park ranger had us use two mirrors to reflect light to a point beyond the 180 degrees. To do that you face away from the sun and hold one mirror in front of you, over your head, and shine the light onto your chest. Then put your signal mirror up to your eye and tilt the mirror above your head onto the signal mirror and you can now signal objects in the opposite direction from the sun. It is had to keep the reflection on your signal mirror from the reflection of the other mirror. The Park Ranger was making it a two person exercise. One person held the mirror while the other used the signal mirror. This was a Cluster Foxtrot, as we use to say in the army.

So Gene show how if you face the sun and then when you turn keep the mirror on the eye that is closest to the sun and use the right hand for the left eye and the left hand for the right eye. That way your face and hand do not block the light. I tried it at home and was able to reflect the light straight away from the sun, up, and down. So I don?t need the second mirror or a second person holding one. I am able to do a 360 degree sweep of the horizon with only one mirror.

It works! Give it a try.

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