[Dick]

Here is a collection of ground to air messages that you may want to store away in your pack / brain.


Realistically the only one we will need is “LL”.

[Craig]

Thanks for the info, Dick. Are those symbols universally recognized by SAR crews? That would be an easy sheet of paper to print out and store in your pack.

[Dick]

Yes, these are internationally recognized symbols. I assume they are a standard part of aviation training.

[crazydave]

I allways teach the three marker method, an equillateral triangle with cairns, fires or smokepots at the points.

its also the kind of thing you put in a survival primer under the lid of your survival and first aid kits

[Celticwarrior]

I've always wondered why there are signals for all of those weird, often bizarre situations (need signal lamp?), but not one that is just for "HELP! I need to be picked up, I'm LOST!" Instead, you gotta fake an injury and use "require a doctor" or "unable to proceed" and hope they decide you need help bad enough to land for ya. You'd think after decades of civilian SAR, someone would have come up with a sign for that, not just signals for a bush plane downed and unable to lift off without help.

[crazydave]

I think its just a continuation of military signals like semaphore. if a plane is downed but not serious then it can be left while more important things are done. now everyone expects a chopper to come out.

[Ron Fontaine]

How would you communicate

"Send Lawyers, guns and money?"

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by Ron Fontaine

How would you communicate

"Send Lawyers, guns and money?"

A giant WZ?

(man I miss Zevon.)

[duster22]

Signal mirror, definitely!

They say on a clear day it can be seen up to 100 miles away (but I doubt that one could see a plane that far away to signal to it in the first place...)

Not sure how you could send a message (besides Morse code) but at least you could get their attention.

[SwampRat1]

duster that all the mirror is for, to get their attention. also with those ground signals be sure to make them big enough for the pilot to see. CW probly know for sure but i think the standard is something like 3'x8' or 2'x8'.