#83656 - 01/24/07 04:59 AM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Geezer
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
|
If I had to guess, I would say that well under 50%of the general population even knows that a Morse SOS looks like. I know for a fact that many peace officers don't. Not sure about SAR folks, the ones I know do, but I can only guess about the rest. In that case, I would guess that any flashing light would be just as effective as one flashing SOS only...
_________________________
OBG
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83658 - 01/25/07 03:25 AM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Geezer
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
|
Many (most???) of the "new breed" were not in scouts or the military, don't camp or hike, don't have a clue. They do have a college education, (but can't spell without spellcheck), and worse of all, don't even drink coffee or eat donuts (gasp), just suck on designer water...
_________________________
OBG
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83659 - 01/28/07 01:33 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Veteran
Registered: 12/12/04
Posts: 1204
Loc: Nottingham, UK
|
I've seen people argue that if the light has an SOS mode for emergency use, it needs to be easily accessible, which means putting it early in the switch sequence. Similarly with "tactical" strobes. As such they can get in the way.
On the other hand, the Photon Freedom has an SOS mode which is so buried in the user interface that it almost might not be there at all. I find it hard to get to, and hard to remember how to get to it, and hard to distinguish it from the 3 other strobe effects it has.
There are some advantages to making it a function of the software rather than just putting your hand over the light. One is that it lengthens the battery life. Another is that you can leave it switched on strobe/SOS even while you sleep or are otherwise occupied.
_________________________
Quality is addictive.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83660 - 01/28/07 01:53 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Addict
Registered: 11/11/03
Posts: 572
Loc: Nevada
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83661 - 01/28/07 02:38 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 11/09/06
Posts: 2851
Loc: La-USA
|
I agree with the other posts in that the average person doesn't know what an SOS in morse code looks (...---...). For SAR purposes, my experience has been that the brighter non-directional light source is more noticiable than a weaker directional light will be.
_________________________
QMC, USCG (Ret) The best luck is what you make yourself!
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83662 - 01/28/07 04:29 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Newbie
Registered: 12/24/05
Posts: 28
Loc: Canada
|
I'm sort of embarrassed to say it, but I learned the Morse code when I was younger from an ad for SOS scrubbing pads, that had pots clanging SOS in Morse code.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83663 - 01/28/07 04:42 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Geezer
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
|
With just about everything, it doesn't matter where you learned, only that you did...
_________________________
OBG
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83664 - 01/28/07 10:27 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Old Hand
Registered: 11/25/06
Posts: 742
Loc: MA
|
I'll second that. You know what it means, & thats enough. Knowledge is contagious; doesnt matter who you caught it from.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83665 - 01/29/07 09:26 PM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Member
Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Chicago burbs
|
Say it ain't so, Joe. You can not possibly be talking about the Chicago PD.
M
At the 1996 DNC in Chicago, one of the more popular CPD t-shirts read, "We kicked your father's ass in 1968, wait 'til you see what we do to you."
_________________________
I hear voices....And they don't like you.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#83666 - 01/30/07 04:04 AM
Re: strobe vs SOS for SAR
|
Geezer
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
|
All I know about CPD is that the bands on their hats looks like the flag on a "follow me" jeep. But I like the shirt!
In L.A. there used to be little stickers available you could put on your baton, inside of an oval, "LA Slugger. You ain't s*** if you ain't been hit"...
_________________________
OBG
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
0 registered (),
749
Guests and
11
Spiders online. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|