Why a flashlight need SOS mode?

[Timothybil]

Someone on another thread mentioned that they had left their flashlight flashing SOS during a blackout in a major city for several hours, and no one noticed. I would guess that outside of the LEO, Military, Fire/EMS/Scout community there are very few people today who could even tell you the Morse code for SOS, let alone quickly recognize it.

I believe that someone's marketing department was brainstorming on features for a new light. Someone probably said it should have a momentary button so the user could use it to send code like SOS. Someone else said let's make it easy and program an SOS mode so they just have to turn it on. They all thought that was a great idea so it became a feature. Once their light hit the market everyone else rushed to do the same so that hey could claim that feature too.

How many of you remember the design wars with American cars in the late 50s and 60s. Someone put a little fin on the tail of one model the first year. The second year everyone had a little bit larger fin on all their models. Then they started moving the tail lights up into the fin to make theirs different. It took almost 10 years for the fins to disappear again. It wasn't a matter of the drivers wanting the fins, it was just if you wanted the other features of the car you had to take the fins as well. Once the designers figured out that no one really liked the fins and could care less if they were there are not, they disappeared, never to be seen again.

 

[Woods Walker]

I think the primary purpose would be to increase the number of modes for marketing.

 

[subwoofer]

Yes but your arms will get tired and you need to sleep. Which is why I'm now curious as to how long SOS mode runs for. How long do people get lost for these days?

The context of my post that you quoted was talking about signalling a friend in a crowd of people (as SOS should not be used). I doubt you will need to sleep while meeting friends.

 

[Mr Floppy]

Mr Floppy, I'm sure you've done far more searches then I have, so please tell me your experiences where an SOS feature has ever been useful?

Actually, I haven't done any searches. I used partake in activities where I may be the one to be rescued but luckily I have never been in strife. The terrain I used to bushwalk in is actually quite forested and cliffs can come from anywhere. Before anyone goes into the terrain, the rangers give safety tips including signalling for help, and guess what one of the signals is?

 

[Mr Floppy]

The context of my post that you quoted was talking about signalling a friend in a crowd of people (as SOS should not be used). I doubt you will need to sleep while meeting friends.

So I did. Sorry. There used to be regulations in this country that forbids someone from using known distress signals when they are not in distress. That or that's what they told the kids to stop them writing SOS on the beaches in the sand.

 

[RWT1405]

My guess, Mr Floppy, as I wasn't there, is they meant someone clicking, by hand, SOS. Not using the oh so slow method that I've seen on most lights, as markr6 has stated earlier. But, if you want that SOS, so be it. Enjoy!

 

[Mr Floppy]

My guess, Mr Floppy, as I wasn't there, is they meant someone clicking, by hand, SOS. Not using the oh so slow method that I've seen on most lights, as markr6 has stated earlier. But, if you want that SOS, so be it. Enjoy!

I don't recall whether they suggested a speed for the dits and dahs.

It was actually suggested that you signal by shielding the light with something for those people carrying mini maglites as twisting and signalling is not as easy to maintain direction. Also better for lights with electronic switches and those lights that use double clicks to change mode.

 

[RWT1405]

Using your hand, to shield, makes sense. Enjoy!

 

[Ugly Dude]

Let me try to think out loud in terms of pros and cons, based largely on comments above.

The pros are that there's a small chance someone could be in a situation where SOS could be useful (arguably not, if beacon suffices). There's a small chance that someone would actually respond to that SOS signal (perhaps due to not understanding it or slow frequency).

So, (small) x (small) = really small chance!

Con is that SOS mode may be inconvenient? I can't imagine that it costs much to program in.

I guess it doesn't bother me too much, but not really a selling point.

As an aside, my autocorrect doesn't recognize "SOS"!

 

[TEEJ]

When they sell lights as "TACTICAL", it means they add a lot of modes and UI features no one who buys them, EXCEPT REAL TACTICAL users, find useful....and even then, they may not.


Tacti-Cool marketing is the primary driver if you will, of these drivers' UI.


For example, LEO use often means come on at max or strobe, depending on THAT LEO's scenario.

For a non-LEO for example, or an LEO who simply uses the light like a "normal person", coming on in high or strobe would not be as useful as coming on at a lower setting...possibly even a moonlight setting, etc.


So, people buy a light that SAYS "TACTICAL", and then ***** BECAUSE ITS TACTICAL....and they don't like the tactical features.



As for SOS mode, yeah, its like carrying a signal mirror you don't have to manually manipulate...and, yeah, SOME lights, did have it backwards...but the newer ones have corrected that typically.

The ONLY time the SOS vs beacon, etc, MIGHT be worth having is if you:

1) Are not able to manually signal due to time or positional restrictions, such as the way the trees are, needing to sleep, having your hands smashed in the crash, etc.

2) You need to INCREASE the odds that some random person who sees your light interprets it AS an SOS (Call for help), and sends help...because otherwise, they might interpret it as just some random light being used below, etc.


If you are KNOWN TO BE LOST, and people are searching for you - ANYthing you can do to help make sure they look where you are is going to probably work.

IE: Your boat capsized in the open ocean, and you are in a life raft....its night, and you radio'd in an SOS before you sank....so the coast guard, nearby craft, etc....are LOOKING FOR YOU....ANY light will work, and they are very very unlikely to be looking for a guy in a life boat to save him, and see you bobbing in the ocean in the dark except for your OSOSOSO signal, and NOT at least stop by to see who the lost dyslexic was, etc. A beacon, glowing bacon, a strobe, whatever, it won't matter...if it increases the odds of distinguishing you from the background.

VS

You capsize as above, but you didn't TELL ANYONE...

so, NO ONE KNOWS SOMEONE OUT THERE MIGHT NEED HELP.

So, you're out with friends, and, maybe a few miles away, you see a light. You assume its someone else out fishing, etc,,,and ignore it. A strobe, a beacon, etc, they DON'T mean "SAVE ME!!!!!!"

SOS means "SAVE ME!!!!" to anyone with a basic understanding of morse code (But, that's about it).


So, again for people who might randomly see you, the SOS has a chance of saying that you need help, so go provide help...as oppposed to "what's that light over there?" "IDK, some guy with a flashlight goofing off?" "OK, hand me another beer..."

They say "what's that light over there?" "IDK, looks like an SOS signal though, maybe someone's in trouble" "OK, lets go over there and check it out"


Can you manually signal SOS? Of course you can...depending on your level of injury, and if you're too busy bailing water out of your life boat/trying to gather wood to build a fire in the woods, etc.

Firing three shots from a gun/flare gun, and other traditional means of saying "HEP ME HEP ME!!!!" are common as well.

 

[eh4]

+1 what TEEJ said.

Say someone is slipping into a diabetic coma, or you have a hurt partner whom you've bundled up, and you've decided to go look for help instead of wait.
Etc, etc. The brightness, duration, and reasonable quality of the SOS code would be significant, along with having the feature well out of the way when not needed.

Strobes that only run twice as long as a light's high setting won't help much if the idea is to keep signaling for as long as an unconscious person might be alive.
A good SOS move should be bright and outlast the beneficiary.

 

[Lou Minescence]

I searched ' SOS flashlight rescue ' here on CPF and found some stories of actual rescues. one story from 2006 still has a working link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6070444.stm
Tell that guy he doesn't need SOS. I guess he flashed it out manually. There was another story but the link is dead.

 

[thedoc007]

I searched ' SOS flashlight rescue ' here on CPF and found some stories of actual rescues. one story from 2006 still has a working link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6070444.stm
Tell that guy he doesn't need SOS. I guess he flashed it out manually. There was another story but the link is dead.

No one has argued that we should abandon SOS as an emergency signal...just that SOS modes on a typical flashlight offer VERY limited utility. After all, in the rescue story, he managed to get his point across without a dedicated SOS mode.

Personally, I don't think the linked article supports the inclusion of SOS on consumer flashlights...especially since most of them do not adhere to established guidelines:

Here is the offical requirement for SOS from the 46 CFR 161.013.
So if you want it to be certified then ...

PART 161--ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT--Table of Contents

Subpart 161.013--Electric Distress Light for Boats

Sec. 161.013-7 Signal requirements.

(a) An electric light must have a flash characteristic of the
International Morse Code for S-O-S and, under design conditions,
(1) Each short flash must have a duration of \1/3\ second;
(2) Each long flash must have a duration of 1 second;
(3) The dark period between each short flash must have a duration of
\1/3\ second;
(4) The dark period between each long flash must have a duration of
\1/3\ second;
(5) The dark period between each letter must have a duration of 2
seconds;
(6) The dark period between each

S-O-S signal must have a duration of 3 seconds.
(b) The flash characteristics described in paragraph (a) must be
produced automatically when the signal is activated.

So it is clear to me that super-fast SOS modes (like on some Eagletacs, as mentioned earlier) are not necessarily a better idea than the "slow" sequences on other lights.

 

[insanefred]

A search team would recognize SOS, as its an international signal.

I'd bet that if had a flashlight, period, and shined it at a helicoptor searching for you, they'd see your light and investigate.

If I was not probably being searched FOR though...a passing aircraft, etc....would see a light, and, to them, it would just be a camper, etc. If strobing, still, it doesn't mean anyone is in trouble.

SOS though MEANS you need help, and, a passing craft would KNOW you needed help.

Which search teams? Very few are actually taught Morse code. Just shining your light is good enough, the SOS function is a gimmick.

 

[Mr Floppy]

Which search teams? Very few are actually taught Morse code.

I don't know Morse code. I know the Morse code for SOS. You don't need to know the entire code. It's not like you need to signal your life story to your would be rescuer.

Primary school kids know the code for SOS even if they aren't part of any scouting organisation. Some forget when they reach adulthood but a trained rescue team would at least recognise the signals.

 

[markr6]

When it involves someone's life, search teams are looking for a needle in a haystack. Any kind of sign at all. I'm sure they won't say "hey, there's a light down there but it's saying S-O-B...let's keep searching"

 

[RGRAY]

Interesting subject.
I think anyone who has been a boy/girl scout would know.
Anyone who watches military movies or shows would know.
Anyone was seen at sea distress movies would know.
So. a lot of people would know.
Even if you didn't know, the weird pattern would attract your attention.
Like has been said already I think the battery would last longer in SOS then strobe or high.

Now I have a question, are there any flashlights under 3 inches that has a SOS setting?

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

I'm not a fan of blinkies on my lights, and try my best to avoid them. And the #1 useless blinky mode is the SOS. Totally unnecessary, because any flashing mode would alert S&R if you were lost. And using it in any other circumstance, might be criminal mischief.

The #2 useless mode is the strobe, because if I'm getting mugged the only thing it will do is get my *** kicked twice as hard.

#3 useless mode is the beacon. It's only tolerable because I can skip over it in a mode sequence, and only see it flash once. But I suppose if I had to signal for help, I'd use the beacon mode because it has a long run time.

#4 is a slow flash (about 2-4 Hz). I could maybe actually use this one as a bicycle light during the daytime (for extra visibility). Pity that this is the one blinky mode that many lights do not include.

But if I have a choice (and I do), I try to get lights that don't have blinkies at all, or at least hide them.

 

[markr6]

The #2 useless mode is the strobe, because if I'm getting mugged the only thing it will do is get my *** kicked twice as hard.

I love that!! Besides, if you have time to get out a light and set it to strobe before someone mugs you (who is probably coming up from behind you anyway), congratulations because you're faster than lightning or have eyes in the back of your head.

 

[eh4]

HDS has great options for strobe.
ZL Mk2 and so on into the future presumably, has a very reasonable strobe (or beacon, or other blinky, take your pick) access.
Click, click, click, from off, that's not too bad.