Lighting Stations

[Caver1402]

On one surveying trip, we used tiny red lights for the instrument reader to sight on ... I think they were some kind of fishing bait. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so, where I could buy some? I have an REI and a Dick's close to me. Otherwise, have others found any particular kind of light useful? I know carbide works well, but I don't plan to use it this weekend. I could just get a small flashlight, ha ha.

[cavemanjonny]

On one surveying trip, we used tiny red lights for the instrument reader to sight on ... I think they were some kind of fishing bait. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so, where I could buy some?

You're not talking about little glow sticks, are you? ( http://extremeglow.com/Merchant4/mercha ... y_Code=112 ) I've heard they make great station lights, although I've never used them myself. I've wanted to try taping them to my instruments so the dial is always illuminated, but have yet to do this.

[Caver1402]

I followed your link ... nope, it's not those. These were only about an inch long and have a red light at the tip. There is a tiny on switch. Those glow sticks look like they might work, too, though! You should give it a try!

[cavemanjonny]

Maybe a keychain light?

http://www.photonlight.com/LED-Keychain ... ts-s/1.htm
http://www.maxmax.com/aFlashLEDKeychain.htm

[SpeleoRover]

My problem with glow-sticks is that they are specifically designed as a throw-away item. Cheap or not, they're ultimately trash regardless of their utility.

LED keychain lights are pretty useful to mark stations, though. I suppose a constant-on option would be the best of both worlds since you could leave the marker in place for extended periods if you needed to.

How cool would it be to have an internal LED on survey instruments?

[Caver1402]

Yeah, it's like the bulb of a key chain light, but does stay on as SpeleoRover would like!

I'll try emailing my friend who used them, to see where he bought them from, and what they actually are called!

[cavemanjonny]

My problem with glow-sticks is that they are specifically designed as a throw-away item. Cheap or not, they're ultimately trash regardless of their utility.

I agree, although so are the majority of batteries that we use. My thinking is that throwing away non-toxic glow sticks is better than throwing away toxic batteries. Maybe there is some sort of glow-in-the-dark stuff that is "rechargeable" (set it in the sun for a while) and lasts long enough to be useful as a station light and as a survey light.

[Scott McCrea]

I think you are talking about bobbin bobber lights. You can stick this little light, a bit smaller than a matchstick, in a bobbin bobber to make it easier to see at night. There is a small, red LED at on end. Push the LED to turn it off and on. They make great station markers, but they will also be trash when the battery dies. You can get them at Dick's, Wal-Mart, Kmart, any place with a hook and bullet section.

[Jeff Bartlett]

we used tiny red lights for the instrument reader to sight on ... I think they were some kind of fishing bait.

Laura, get in touch with Dan Gregor - he was using these in Mammoth over New Year's and talking about how he got a great deal on a large number of them, so he or Joyce will be able to point you in the right direction. They are fantastic - you can actually just put a gob of mud on them and stick them to walls or ceilings!

They're bobber lights for night fishing or something. Who knows, I know as much about fishing as i know about astrophysics.

[Jeff Bartlett]

I think you are talking about bobbin lights. You can stick this little light, a bit smaller than a matchstick, in a bobbin to make it easier to see at night. There is a small, red LED at on end. Push the LED to turn it off and on. They make great station markers, but they will also be trash when the battery dies. You can get them at Dick's, Wal-Mart, Kmart, any place with a hook and bullet section.

wow, I checked to make sure no one had correctly answered the question before I posted, and while I was typing Scott beat me to it! *shakes fist* =)

[Caver1402]

Yes, yes, that is them! And yes, it was Dan who I was surveying with, ha ha!

[NZcaver]

I'm not familiar with fishing bobber lights, but if you're interested the light I've been using for marking stations is the Pocket Pro LED. A Google search should reveal where you can get them, and the price seems to hover around $15 each. They're designed to clip onto your shirt pocket etc, and the LED is on a handy little arm so you can point it where you need light. They'll also clip onto a hanging length of flagging tape, or prop on a rock. They do time out and turn themselves off after about 5 minutes, and I doubt they're much more than mildly water resistant. I bought a handful of these lights cheap when I had the opportunity.




I was also just given a couple of Personal Illuminator System PIS-103 LED lights, but haven't had the chance to try them out yet.




Regarding color choice for station markers, I've tried red, blue, and green as well as clear/white. I've noticed blue tends to "star" a little when I stare straight at it. Red seems to work OK, but I much prefer green because it's highly visible and relatively easy on the eyes.

[Spike]

Last week Amy and I picked up some LED pen lights that click on and off like a ball point pen at the local imperialist shopping center. They worked great for leaving at the station in the on position and also for lighting the compapotimus and clinoserous.

Spike

[Jeff Bartlett]

I usually use one of these, while we're sharing our personal light preferences, except i snagged one of the red ones on Amazon for $16 before they replaced with the Infinity Ultra line with a mil-spec "M" version that costs twice as much. The red LED is really bright, it's proven to be quite waterproof (and gritproof), the switch is easy to operate with a muddy, gloved hand, it fits comfortably in the front pocket of my Meander coveralls, and they claim 100 hours on a single AA (beats me, i've been on probably 15-20 survey trips since i bought it and i sure haven't had to replace the battery).

Laura, you should have stolen some of those bobber things from Dan, he has like a gross of them in his garage somewhere

[Caver1402]

local imperialist shopping center

compapotimus and clinoserous

I needed that laugh today, thank you! And the LED Pen lights are a good idea, too. I have to go to Lowe's for flagging tape, and I need a new back-up headlight, so I'll see if they carry those pen lights, too.