Is there an optimal color for a strobe that would catch a rescuer's eye from the greatest distance yet would indicate there my be an SOS situation?
I.e. maybe a clear strobe light could be regarded as a marker or buoy rather than someone indicating an emergency,
Trying to noodle out your application. You are concerned about being mistaken for other objects that are activated. Okay, you're diving in a fairly congested area and at night. That's about all I got out of it.
Unless it is dead calm and
the boatsman is actively looking for you, a strobe that is not held high out of the water will likely go un-seen. The best strobe color is white (see OBX and Charlie above). Find one that you can easily secure or pre-mount on an SMB. This will allow you to really elevate the beacon. This is a key.
The ones with more than one AA or AAA battery will likely cause most any SMB to
sag and flop over. Weight is critical. The run time on the small units seems quite adequate.
If you are concerned about being
spotted from the air, strobes again
only have a nighttime application. If that's the case, as little as the spark of a Bic lighter would likely do the trick. The Coasties aren't looking with their naked eyes. It depends upon your situation and if you have flown balloons around the world as to whether they'll fire up the Sea Stallions or not.
The
Silberman/Rothco strobe from NudeDiver above? I have had very poor results with these while diving at depth. They are really
not for diving, although you can hang them off a boat ladder a few feet down. (Read the website, it says "water resistant") They are great for a life jacket application. The D Cell makes them clunky, but they will run for days. Again- excellent for marking the ladder or hung at 15' from the boat.
MagLites unfortunately are not waterproof
if you turn them on. If they are deployed at the surface, they would likely suffice, if you greased the o-rings. Whatever you do, the mating surfaces will corrode after few dives and make the bezel inoperable. I know, I was literally the first person to ever dive with a MagLite and have it flood. When they usewd to say "waterproof to 200 feet" they might have said, "if you don't turn it on". Now, they make no reference as to waterproof specs. The
Flash Cap falls victim to this problem.
The
Dual Light Saver is useful, but the strobe is a rescue device and should be as small as possible. The adding of a flashlight and additional batteries is clever, but a strobe can run fine with one AAA battery (versus the 3 here). The smaller the better. In that it is a rescue device, it should not be unhooked, touched, or exposed to damage until the crucial moment of need. I advise rolling them up inside your SMB and securing them to the top of the tube. (Remember- if they're heavy, the SMB will not hold them up)
Tek-Tite is my choice.
There is no one-size-fits-all for rescue signaling gear. What works at night, will not help you in the day. What works in the Philippines at night may not work at all in Lake Michigan or Florida.
Pre visualize the situation, gear up accordingly.