msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Mounted search and rescue
List archive
- From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
- To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [MSAR] colors
- Date: Sat, 02 May 2009 13:06:33 -0400
If you decide to use a “night”
light red is not the best color. This is an urban myth from the user’s
point of view. Red is one of the hardest colors to see at night, thus if
there are snipers out there you use red for self protection. Most cockpit
lighting is now green or even diffuse white or white green. This
eliminates the red-green color blind problem, the color shift effects of red
and other colors on the object being looked at, and normal eyes see best in
black and white at reduced light levels. If you need a marker beacon use
an infrared or blue flasher. Blue is the second most visible color after
amber according to emergency vehicle lighting studies but conveys an official
presence as amber is used by everybody. Many vehicles now use blue or
green LEDs for gauges. If you are using the lights for work, like
tacking up, loading, briefing, investigate the possibility of using a few shielded
white lights as area lights rather than wearing one. Often one or two
sets of work lights can do the trick where 10 or more headlamps are just a
headache. And examine the pattern built into the light. A small spot, like a MiniMag, may be
intense but not cover sufficient area to be useful. A full size Maglight or
Streamlight with variable focus is good, and the aluminum tube filled with D
cells is useful in other ways. The Litebox uses a sealed beam equivalent
to about 8 watts on a lead battery and can be placed on the ground, the head
can be aimed or carried on a strap. It comes either spot or flood depending on
the lamp. Great for changing tires or lighting a table but heavy to carry. For
base camp there are units powered by gel cells or little generators. I
would expect to see fuel cells small enough to be carried soon that run off air
and propane for silent generators and water production. The fire company I run
with has found that the quartz work lights sold for $10.95 to roughly $29.95 outperform
the “emergency service” units we used to buy as long as an
explosion proof lamp is not needed. Examine your needs and buy what fits 80%
of them. It can get extraordinarily expensive to get next 5 to 10% of
utility. Irv Lichtenstein From:
msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pennbo@verizon.net These are all good points Irv and follow my thoughts too. I do think
every unit should carry headlamps but not for mounted work. There have been
times on night searches where we were headed into some rough utterly unfamiliar
terrain. We got off and walked the horses. THEY may see well at night but
humans not so much and a light is handy! :-) Also a red lamp is a more
useful tool as it doesn't destroy your night vision like white light does. (and
doesn't cause the cussing a white light does when you forget you have it on
your helmet and you look someone in the face!) |
-
[MSAR] headlamps,
Bridgette Adkison, 05/01/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] headlamps,
Barry Wells, 05/01/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] headlamps,
IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN, 05/01/2009
- Re: [MSAR] headlamps, Jorene Downs, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] headlamps,
IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN, 05/01/2009
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
Re: [MSAR] headlamps,
pennbo, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
Barry Wells, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
Kinch, 05/02/2009
- Re: [MSAR] colors, Una Smith, 05/04/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
Kinch, 05/02/2009
- Re: [MSAR] colors, Jorene Downs, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
Barry Wells, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] colors,
IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN, 05/02/2009
-
Re: [MSAR] headlamps,
Barry Wells, 05/01/2009
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