Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 3, 2012 at 18:59

You are stranded on an island and want to signal a boat or plane with fire at night. To send an international distress signal, you could build fires in the shape of:

1. a triangle
2. an arrow
3. an X
4. an H

Reply to this discussion if you know the answer!

Permalink Reply by Andy Voelkle "AxeMan" on March 3, 2012 at 23:19

I'm not going to Google any of this, because I'm supposed to know. I'll give it a go, and thanks, Hog.

In America a set of three of anything is the emergency sign. Like three fires (#1 a triangle, or a row of three for that matter). In Europe it's six blasts of the whistle, flashes of light, firearms discharges, etc. Yo, I've always thought WHERE in the Alps can you find a flat spot AND firewood? A lifetime ago when I did some climbing, Michael tapped my helmet and said "It is SIX, André, not THREE — you are not in Texas now!".

So I'd put three in a triangle, amigos.

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 4, 2012 at 13:37

You are correct AxeMan!  A set of three as in triangle or in a row is correct and is generally accepted as a sign of distress. By the way in Europe it is 6 although responders do recognize the triangle as well.

BTW you were wise not to use Google. Presumably the island you become stranded on may not be wired for Google! Yes we actually need to know this stuff! LOL

Andy Voelkle "AxeMan" said:

I'm not going to Google any of this, because I'm supposed to know. I'll give it a go, and thanks, Hog.

In America a set of three of anything is the emergency sign. Like three fires (#1 a triangle, or a row of three for that matter). In Europe it's six blasts of the whistle, flashes of light, firearms discharges, etc. Yo, I've always thought WHERE in the Alps can you find a flat spot AND firewood? A lifetime ago when I did some climbing, Michael tapped my helmet and said "It is SIX, André, not THREE — you are not in Texas now!".

So I'd put three in a triangle, amigos.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 4, 2012 at 17:10

Good information Guys, I did not know either of these (shame on me)

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on March 4, 2012 at 17:23

Great info guys, but that must be some trick to build and keep 3 triangle fires buring at the same time. Miss Jan, I had no clue either.

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 4, 2012 at 18:56

Stranded on this island, in your haste, you fail to remember to read iKC members recommendations on what to bring on a trip. You now need to start the fire to signal distress. You have no matches, no lighter...You can however produce a flame by using...

1. a magnifying glass
2. a flat piece of softwood and straight piece of hardwood
3. a battery and some fine steel wool
4. a steel knife and rock such as flint or quartz
5. any of the above

Just hit reply to answer this quiz

Permalink Reply by Steven I Szabo on March 5, 2012 at 20:03

From my understanding an "X" is also an internationally accepted symbol if distress. 

Steve"Hog"Hanner said:

You are stranded on an island and want to signal a boat or plane with fire at night. To send an international distress signal, you could build fires in the shape of:

1. a triangle
2. an arrow
3. an X
4. an H

Reply to this discussion if you know the answer!

Permalink Reply by Steven I Szabo on March 5, 2012 at 20:04

The answer is Number 5, assuming you have proper tinder and have practiced! Lol.

Steve"Hog"Hanner said:

Stranded on this island, in your haste, you fail to remember to read iKC members recommendations on what to bring on a trip. You now need to start the fire to signal distress. You have no matches, no lighter...You can however produce a flame by using...

1. a magnifying glass
2. a flat piece of softwood and straight piece of hardwood
3. a battery and some fine steel wool
4. a steel knife and rock such as flint or quartz
5. any of the above

Just hit reply to answer this quiz

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 5, 2012 at 20:14

Steven you may be right, I will defer to your  expertise. I know the rule of 3 or Rule of 6 for US-European distress.

Steven I Szabo said:

From my understanding an "X" is also an internationally accepted symbol if distress. 

Steve"Hog"Hanner said:

You are stranded on an island and want to signal a boat or plane with fire at night. To send an international distress signal, you could build fires in the shape of:

1. a triangle
2. an arrow
3. an X
4. an H

Reply to this discussion if you know the answer!

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 5, 2012 at 20:28

Steven is correct!  and look below at the answers in bold to see why:

Steven I Szabo said:

The answer is Number 5, assuming you have proper tinder and have practiced! Lol.

Steve"Hog"Hanner said:

Stranded on this island, in your haste, you fail to remember to read iKC members recommendations on what to bring on a trip. You now need to start the fire to signal distress. You have no matches, no lighter...You can however produce a flame by using...

1. a magnifying glass..... use a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on tinder until a flame starts
2. a flat piece of softwood and straight piece of hardwood.... Make a hand drill: Put one end of the hardwood(spindle) into a depressed area of the softwood (fireboard).  Spin the spindle between your palms, moving them up and down the spindle to impart downward force and create friction in the depression.  When an ember is produced, move it to the tinder.
3. a battery and some fine steel wool...Use batteries from a flashlight, headlamp, etc. (e.g., 9-volt, C, D, or AA; if you use AA, you will need to hold two of them together end to end). The steel wool must touch both the positive (+) and the negative (-) terminals of the battery at the same time.  Hold-do not rub-the steel wool on the terminals.  Very quickly, the steel wool will become hot and glow.  Transfer it to the tinder carefully, blowing on the wool to keep the flame going, if necessary.  Note:  Holding the steel wool  on  the terminals too long will quickly drain the battery.
4. a steel knife and rock such as flint or quartz...Place the rock near tinder.  Scrape the knife's sharp edge across the rock to produce sparks that land on the tinder.  Blow gently whenever a spark is transferred to the tinder.
5. any of the above...Correct Answer!

Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on March 24, 2012 at 14:48

My simple quiz:

1. Which spice can you carry in your first-aid kit to stop  bleeding?
2. Why don't water purification tablets completely purify/disinfect stagnant water?
3. If you're hunting in a wilderness alone or with others, and one of you is taking a GPS, what should the person carrying the GPS always carry with it?
4. What can you do to cotton balls to make them excellent fire tinder?
5. What should you do to gasoline before you store it for emergency use?

The answers to this quiz will be posted in 3 days.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 24, 2012 at 17:00

My guesses

cayanne
wont kill parasites
extra batteries for the GPS
Vasaline
add a preservative Like Sta-Bil.

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