[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by STRIPE

I always teach that three of anything means Help Needed, fires, gunfire,over and over so you dont think someone is hunting, horn blowing, light flashing, Iam sure you get the idea.

Yep, although I read that one BIG bonfire is easier to see from the air than three smaller ones, and you will have a hard time getting to each one and getting them lit in time for a SAR flyby, rather than staying by one and making it as big and as smoky as possible. If you are by yourself, I would agree with that logic, though if you had a group, making 3 fires and making them big and spread apart from each other by what seems to be a huge distance on the ground will likely be exactly right for a signal from the air.

Rule of three is good for almost everything in a survival situation if you can manage it. Good info STRIPE.

[mscureman]

Originally Posted by dukman

I never thought of it before... but come 4th of July, I am going to get some cheap smoke balls to add to my GHB. While they do dissapate quickly, just adding them to a signal fire will help color the smoke so it stands out more against fog and low clouds.

This may not be a great idea, but what about slingshotting them into the air to get them above the canopy? Maybe improvise some kind of fixed throwing device (sling shot, bow, etc)that would be cocked and ready, load in 3 or 4 lit smoke balls and chuck 'em skyward.

More I think about this, it sounds like a cool idea but may more complicated than necessary. Maybe easier to just throw them into a heat fire to get the colored smoke going in the already present heat column. Then throw the green stuff on top for the dense smoke.