U.S. Army Survival Handbook--Polar Survival Signals

Chapter 12 Signaling

When you are in a survival dilemma, one of the first questions you need to consider is how to contact allies. If you are in an escape situation, you must also consider how to avoid the enemy.

Normally, the contact is to give information and receive information. As a survival person, you must use some way to send out information. This way should be able to make lifesaving teams easy to receive.

Ready to signal

Which signal to choose is very relevant to the environment. Remember: In the air, it is difficult for pilots to find a person or a small group of people, especially when the line of sight is blocked. So you have to do everything you can to attract the pilot's attention in every possible way. He should be able to see how high and how fast he can fly. But be careful with the way you signal, in some cases, the pilot mistakenly regards your flash signal as the enemy's ground firepower.

The following are some ways to signal: artificial geometry, such as lines, circles, triangles, X-shaped patterns can be used in uninhabited areas; a large number of fire or flash; large, bright, slow moving objects; A large signaling device; either using contrast, color contrast, or light and dark contrast.

No matter what signaling device or technology you plan to use, you need to know how to use it and be able to send signals in a short time. If possible, try to avoid signals that might put you in danger. Remember: The signal sent to allies may cause the enemy to find your whereabouts. Before signaling, carefully weigh the possibility of being rescued by friendly forces and the possibility of being captured by the enemy.

The radio may be the most reliable and quickest way to get others to know where you are and to receive information from others. So be familiar with your troops' radios, learn how to operate them, and how to send and receive messages.

In the following paragraphs, there will be other signaling techniques, devices, articles, etc., to learn how to use them. Think about how to adopt or adjust different ways in different environments. Practice these signalling techniques, devices, and items before use.

Signaling method

There are several different signaling methods, but the method used depends on your situation and the materials available to you.

fire. In the dark, fire is the most effective means of signalling. Three piles of fire were made to form a triangle (internationally trapped signal), or in a straight line. Each pile was about 25 yards (23 meters) apart. As soon as time and circumstances permit, make the fire alive and be careful not to extinguish them until you need them. If you are alone, keeping three fires burning can be a bit difficult, then protect a bunch of fire.

When signalling a fire, consider your geographical location. For example, if you are in the jungle, find a natural open space or create a fire near the stream to prevent the fire from being blocked by the leaves of the jungle. If there is no natural open space, then you need to clear out an empty area. If it is in the snow, you may need to clean up the snow on the ground or use a platform to make a fire so that the fire will not be quenched by the melted snow.

Burning trees are another means of attracting attention. Trees containing resin can ignite even if they are not dry. For other types of trees, you can put some dry wood on the lower branches and light the dry wood so that the fire burns upward and it will light the entire tree. Before the trees are finished, add some fresh trees to the fire to produce more smoke. Must choose trees far away from other trees to prevent forest fires and endanger their own safety.

smoke. Smoke can be used to attract attention during the day. The internationally accepted trapped signal is three pillar smoke. You should try to make the difference between the color of the smoke and the surrounding background: if the background is light, use black smoke and vice versa. If you add some green leaves, moss, or a little water to the fire, the resulting smoke will be white; if you add some rubber, oil-soaked rags, etc. to the fire, the resulting smoke will be black.

In desert areas, smoke cannot rise and is always entrenched in the ground, but pilots can still see it in the open desert.

The use of smoke as a signal is usually only suitable for relatively sunny days, and wind, rain, and snow will disperse the smoke and reduce your chances of being discovered.

Smoke grenades. If you have smoke grenades, you can use them in the same way as fire. Be sure to keep the grenades dry, make sure they are effective when you need them, and be careful not to light the surrounding plants.

M186 signal gun. There is a survival device in the pilot's life jacket, including a gun with a green nylon rope tied to a pellet. When firing, the pen-shaped bullet sounds much like a pistol shot. The bullet has a range of 500 feet (152 meters) high and an air range diameter of about 10 feet (3 meters).

To get the bullet to stand by, you can take it out of the package, screw it partially into the pistol, place the pistol trigger in the non-fired position, and then hang it on the neck with a rope or chain ready to fire once the rescue aircraft appears. And get ready for the second launch. At the same time, it also needs to be prepared for concealment in case the pilot mistakenly uses the signal bomb as an enemy firepower.

Star-shaped fireworks signal bomb. Red is an internationally dangerous color, so use a red pyrotechnics if possible, but any color can help rescuers find your location. The star-shaped pyrotechnic signal flare has a range of 200 to 215 meters and can sustain burning for 6 to 10 seconds at a rate of 14 meters per second.

Star-shaped umbrellas throw signal bombs. The missile has a range of 200 to 215 meters and a speed of 2.1 meters per second. The M126 (red) burns for about 50 seconds and the M127 (white) burns for about 25 seconds. At night, these signal bombs have a visible range of 30 to 35 miles (48 to 56 kilometers).

Reflector or flash. In the clear day, the mirror is the best signal device. If there is no mirror, you can polish your cup, belt buckle, or other similar objects so that it can reflect the sunlight. Concentrate the reflection in one place and avoid the sight of the enemy. Now practice using a mirror or flash to signal, do not wait until you need to use to practice.


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