High Point Lookout Signal Mirror Flashes

Signal mirror flashes at 32.2 mile range from both a 4"x5" glass mirror and a 2"x3" plastic mirror. The flashes are from the catwalk of High Point Lookout fire tower (Palomar Mountain), as seen at Black Mountain Lookout fire tower in Riverside County. Note from the audio that only a fraction of the flashes from the 2"x3" plastic mirror are being seen by the naked eye, despite the high altitude and clear air. Nonetheless, it does show that the flash from this small mirror can be seen at 32 miles under favorable conditions. Both mirrors used retroreflective aimers - a "red-dot" DIY aimer for the glass, and the built-in aimer for the plastic mirror. The plastic mirror was the American Medical Kits SOL Rescue Flash™ signal mirror, designed by Doug Ritter, sold by BSA Scout Shop for $9, and many other retailers.The development story of the Rescue Flash™ is online here: www.dougritter.... (search for "Flash" on that page), with illustrated instructions here: www.dougritter.... I carry one myself as EDC, but because it is easily scratched, for me it is "emergency only", and I use the 2"x3" laminated glass Coghlan's Survival Signal Mirror model 9902 for planned activity - while heavier and fragile, it is more durable (and brighter). If you are buying a glass signal mirror, I recommend a MIL-M-18371E mirror or the Coghlan's model. There are lots of other glass signal mirrors on the market that don't have functional retroreflective aimers, even though they appear to at first sight - see Doug Ritter's article, here: www.equipped.or...