Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
![]() |
|||
|
|||
![]()
What is the correct way to signal distress with a horn?
I want to paddle in the Louisiana swamps at the end of April and there is a chance of getting lost. The critters might eat my bread-crumb trail markers. So, do I signal SOS on the horn? How long do I wait between blasts? How many blasts can I get out of one horn. I'm supposing there is the "canned air" type and maybe a rechargeable type or similar battery operated type. Is there a different signal for paddling in the Hood Canal? -- Sincerely, Joanne If it's right for you, then it's right, . . . . . for you!!! Play - http://www.jobird.com Pay for Play - http://www.jobird.com/refund.htm Looking for Love? - http://www.jobird.com/hearts.htm Garden Kinder CDs http://www.jobird.com/cd/gardenkinderhome.html |
#2
![]() |
|||
|
|||
![]()
The standard answer is that three of anything is an distress signal. It
could be three gunshots, three blasts of a horn, you name it. This applies on land or sea. You can signal SOS in morse code with three shorts, three longs, and three shorts. I would suggest two seconds for shorts, six seconds for longs, with at least two seconds between toots, maybe 10 seconds between the shorts and the longs. I have not tested this to see how well the sound carries over long distances. I have never been a fan of the compressed air horns, figure that I will grab it after years of not needing it, and all the air will have leaked out. I guess I believe in Murphy's law. The Blaster Horn that we are talking about is mouth powered, and plenty loud. If you are worried about getting lost in the swamp, a GPS is probably the easiest solution, just mark the starting point, and when you want to go back, tell the GPS to point you which way to go. It is almost that easy, but practice by walking around your neighborhood. Obviously, you may not be able to go in the shortest line, but it will tell you the direction and distance in real time, and keep you from heading away from your car. If you have a shoreline for the swamp, then a compass will get you home. Compasses do not need batteries, while GPSs tend to be battery hungry. Richard Joanne wrote: What is the correct way to signal distress with a horn? I want to paddle in the Louisiana swamps at the end of April and there is a chance of getting lost. The critters might eat my bread-crumb trail markers. So, do I signal SOS on the horn? How long do I wait between blasts? How many blasts can I get out of one horn. I'm supposing there is the "canned air" type and maybe a rechargeable type or similar battery operated type. Is there a different signal for paddling in the Hood Canal? |
#3
![]() |
|||
|
|||
![]() "Richard Ferguson" wrote in message ... The standard answer is that three of anything is an distress signal. It could be three gunshots, three blasts of a horn, you name it. This applies on land or sea. You can signal SOS in morse code with three shorts, three longs, and three shorts. I would suggest two seconds for shorts, six seconds for longs, with at least two seconds between toots, maybe 10 seconds between the shorts and the longs. I have not tested this to see how well the sound carries over long distances. I have never been a fan of the compressed air horns, figure that I will grab it after years of not needing it, and all the air will have leaked out. I guess I believe in Murphy's law. The Blaster Horn that we are talking about is mouth powered, and plenty loud. If you are worried about getting lost in the swamp, a GPS is probably the easiest solution, just mark the starting point, and when you want to go back, tell the GPS to point you which way to go. It is almost that easy, but practice by walking around your neighborhood. Obviously, you may not be able to go in the shortest line, but it will tell you the direction and distance in real time, and keep you from heading away from your car. If you have a shoreline for the swamp, then a compass will get you home. Compasses do not need batteries, while GPSs tend to be battery hungry. Richard Thank you, Richard. This is great information. I wasn't planning to invest in a GPS just yet. So I'll use a compass and definitely get a manual horn. I love that idea; it makes much more sense than anything expendable. -- Sincerely, Joanne If it's right for you, then it's right, . . . . . for you!!! Play - http://www.jobird.com Pay for Play - http://www.jobird.com/refund.htm Looking for Love? - http://www.jobird.com/hearts.htm Garden Kinder CDs http://www.jobird.com/cd/gardenkinderhome.html |
#4
![]() |
|||
|
|||
![]()
On 7-Feb-2005, Richard Ferguson wrote:
I would suggest two seconds for shorts, six seconds for longs, with at least two seconds between toots, maybe 10 seconds between the shorts and the longs. At that length, folks might not think it's a signal. One SOS over a minute long (62 seconds to be precise)! I'd suggest a lot shorter. Less than a second for a short, about twice that for a long. Short gaps between each toot and longer between each repeat. If there is any chance for echoes, it may all sound like a mess of confusing sounds. For that reason, three toots is somewhat better than SOS in Morse. Also, that means that signalling with a whistle for any reason but distress should be discouraged. Mike |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Bwahaha! Bye Bye Bushy! | ASA | |||
Question on replacing a horn | General | |||
Awesome photos of Cape Horn (from on top) and the Beagle Channel | ASA |