Lowlight Considerations: Note Taking

[Metal 0-1]

Most of us prep our gear in ideal lighting conditions, for example during the day, or indoors, but often this gear is being used in less than ideal circumstances.

One of the things often seen, is people prepping routes or writing critical information on paper, then resorting to a red lens to read it.

This gives off a signficant light signature, which means to maintain light discipline you will need to take additional steps (getting under a poncho for example) to just check a simple note you made. This is not time conducive, and at worst can lead to the patrol being compromised.

A simple yet often overlooked trick is writing on phosphorescent luminous tape, aka Lume Tape.

By sticking the lume tape on a piece of paper and writing on it with a map marker, you have notes that can be checked quickly in low and no light situations and read, without resorting to a red lens, and which give off a substantially smaller light signature.

The first photo, is the tape in a completely blacked out room. It is slightly brighter due to the exposure on the camera, but it's a good representation that you can indeed read what's written on the tape. The second photo shows the room it is in, and the third photo shows what it looks like in daylight.

It's important to note that you still should take steps to protect light discipline, as (according to a Texas A&M study in 2015) a human eye can detect a candle flame at 2.76 kilometers.

Don't be complacent. But it's far easier to conceal the faint glow of flat lume tape on paper, than it is the light given off from a headlamp.

Be Worth Remembering

 

[AlKardai]

Most of us prep our gear in ideal lighting conditions, for example during the day, or indoors, but often this gear is being used in less than ideal circumstances.

View attachment 879331
One of the things often seen, is people prepping routes or writing critical information on paper, then resorting to a red lens to read it.

This gives off a signficant light signature, which means to maintain light discipline you will need to take additional steps (getting under a poncho for example) to just check a simple note you made. This is not time conducive, and at worst can lead to the patrol being compromised.

A simple yet often overlooked trick is writing on phosphorescent luminous tape, aka Lume Tape.

By sticking the lume tape on a piece of paper and writing on it with a map marker, you have notes that can be checked quickly in low and no light situations and read, without resorting to a red lens, and which give off a substantially smaller light signature.

View attachment 879332
The first photo, is the tape in a completely blacked out room. It is slightly brighter due to the exposure on the camera, but it's a good representation that you can indeed read what's written on the tape. The second photo shows the room it is in, and the third photo shows what it looks like in daylight.

View attachment 879333
It's important to note that you still should take steps to protect light discipline, as (according to a Texas A&M study in 2015) a human eye can detect a candle flame at 2.76 kilometers. Don't be complacent. But it's far easier to conceal the faint glow of flat lume tape on paper, than it is the light given off from a headlamp.

View attachment 879334

Be Worth Remembering

I feel like it could still give away your position. That’s why most military units take notes after the reconnaissance mission,or only make light sketches at the mission location

 

[Metal 0-1]

I feel like it could still give away your position. That’s why most military units take notes after the reconnaissance mission,or only make light sketches at the mission location

Yessir, it can you never read the whole thing.

Any kind of light you have to be careful about it. One real simple trick is putting towel on your head while you are doing admin stuff at night .

There's no rule saying you won't take notes during recon. Most of the notes are take during land nav, observing target and making target reference card of the objective

 

[Beny Karachun]

Most of us prep our gear in ideal lighting conditions, for example during the day, or indoors, but often this gear is being used in less than ideal circumstances.

View attachment 879331
One of the things often seen, is people prepping routes or writing critical information on paper, then resorting to a red lens to read it.

This gives off a signficant light signature, which means to maintain light discipline you will need to take additional steps (getting under a poncho for example) to just check a simple note you made. This is not time conducive, and at worst can lead to the patrol being compromised.

A simple yet often overlooked trick is writing on phosphorescent luminous tape, aka Lume Tape.

By sticking the lume tape on a piece of paper and writing on it with a map marker, you have notes that can be checked quickly in low and no light situations and read, without resorting to a red lens, and which give off a substantially smaller light signature.

View attachment 879332
The first photo, is the tape in a completely blacked out room. It is slightly brighter due to the exposure on the camera, but it's a good representation that you can indeed read what's written on the tape. The second photo shows the room it is in, and the third photo shows what it looks like in daylight.

View attachment 879333
It's important to note that you still should take steps to protect light discipline, as (according to a Texas A&M study in 2015) a human eye can detect a candle flame at 2.76 kilometers.

Don't be complacent. But it's far easier to conceal the faint glow of flat lume tape on paper, than it is the light given off from a headlamp.


View attachment 879334

Be Worth Remembering

In the Israeli army, everything that glows in the dark is forbidden.
Just use your memory instead of notes. There's no real need for it.

 

[Metal 0-1]

Just use your memory instead of notes. There's no real need for it.

Yeah sure, I'll remember grid coordinates

 

[Beny Karachun]

Yeah sure, I'll remember grid coordinates

If you can memorize a phone number you can memorize grid coordinates.
Besides, there aren't really any situations in which you have to memorize them.

Don't underestimate the human brain, you can remember everything if you try.

 

[Metal 0-1]

If you can memorize a phone number you can memorize grid coordinates.
Besides, there aren't really any situations in which you have to memorize them.

Don't underestimate the human brain, you can remember everything if you try.

Yeah sure buddy, there goes your wifi

 

[jhungary]

Ranger School teaches on 3 Discipline.

Light, Noise and Smell. (Well, 4 if you counted footprint)

That's because all 3 would not happen under natural circumstance. Which mean if you see light source at night, hear people talking and smell something like cigarette, you know there are people nearby.

Generally, all 3 are forbidden during March or during long range patrol.

In the US, we don't use Lume Tag, we use IR Flag. you don't communicate with words, both spoken or written, you manipulate your IR flag to communicate without making noise and light. One good example is using your finger to cover IR Tab on the sleeve and tap out moss code or prearranged signal, you would need a NVG to see it

IR Tab is the small patch above the US flag

 

[Metal 0-1]

Light, Noise and Smell. (Well, 4 if you counted footprint)

That's because all 3 would not happen under natural circumstance. Which mean if you see light source at night, hear people talking and smell something like cigarette, you know there are people nearby.

Oh you're talking about SLLS? I think that's a different topic on it's own.

One good example is using your finger to cover IR Tab on the sleeve and tap out moss code or prearranged signal, you would need a NVG to see it

That's interesting tid bit