What's Tactical strobe good for?

What’s the difference between ‘strobe’ and ‘tactical strobe’ ?

I think the vast majority of people will scoff at this idea because yes, it seems ludicrous and the scenario is 1 in a few hundred thousand…but let me suggest it. I have paid keen attention with all the rat scum terrorist attackers in the US the last couple years. Las Vegas concert got me thinking about how a rat scum can try to open fire on people anywhere from 10 to hundreds of feet away. If a nearby stander was 1) outside the range to engage, or 2) in a location they didn’t have firearm…what if they strobed the scum of a bitch with 500,000 candela? Now they could be 300 feet away, and if ANYTHING, at least reduce the attackers thought processing/ability to acquire “other” targets. Of course 2 major problems exist…one being it would have to be in lower light conditions and two being the source of the momentary strobe can become a target. Call me crazy, I know, don’t laugh…but I have thought of this scenario.

I’m not sure I’ll get this right. But, IIRC, a ‘tactical’ strobe is one which flashes in the frequency range which is most effective to disorient people. Better is a randomly changing frequency which varies within the disorienting range of frequencies. And even better still is a light with randomly changing colors (at the right frequency). If everything is perfectly calibrated, it can make a person completely disabled momentarily.

Think I’d prefer a 1200mW violet laser aimed right at the SOB.

Very high lux at just about any distance…

Strobe is best for pissing torch user while scrolling through modes.
Mike

Strobes are useful for light painting photographers - especially single frequency strobes between 10Hz and 20Hz, and 50/50 on/off time.

I have bought many and sold this to several doormen. Bars / discos.
They are very satisfied and the strobe works very well is the feedback.
on unwanted agression… :wink:

http://flashlight.nitecore.com/ILLUMINATION/P/P20UV/

Ahh yes, I remember the “puke light” someone here built. I’d have loved to have had it tested on me, very interested in seeing how effective it was.

Do you know about ToyKeeper’s Andúril UI?

The ‘Party Strobe’ has adjustable frequency. So does the ‘Tactical Strobe’.

Yes, would be good in a 18650 tube light with sensible output levels (such as S2+). Momentary strobe functionality is a popular requirement from light painting artists - few lights have single frequency momentary strobe.

Andúril is for lights with an electronic switch, but it has a nice momentary function that stays active until power is removed. It only works with steady output modes though.

I’m headed over to ToyKeeper’s E-switch UI thread to ask if the code could be modified to allow momentary strobe as well.

It works for making my girlfriend angry lol.

I do not use strobe that much but i find beacon mode useful when i am fishing at night especially if rock fishing.

A slower strobe could be used in the same way to signal where you are.

Dare I ask how you get the rocks to bite onto the hook?

Just to clarify this is what i mean! By rock fishing lol

Yeah, I agree with using strobe for signaling traffic. As far as a ‘tactical’ strobe, for most of us civilians, the best use would be to disorient an attacker. Though, IMO, full power 1000+ lumen strobes become increasingly less useful the brighter the light is. The strobe on the MF-01 is a prime example of this. Tactical-wise, the up close reflected light is almost as blindingly bright for the user as it is to the assailant. For signaling, it’s too blinding and distracting, unless whoever you’re signaling is a real good distance away

Even if you ‘conceal carry’, most anything offensive any of us civilians would try would, as you noted, just make for another target. I’ve thought of similar situations, as well. Realistically though, in such extreme situations, almost anything outside a police or military response would likely be futile.

The Puke Light Puke Light full UI. (Do not watch if your photosensitive to bright/rapid flashing colored light) - YouTube I could see a more potential with 3-4 strobing LED’s at different independent frequencies. As for door man and bouncers using the light, they are standing their ground and making a point. Not warding off a mugger.

I understand why some people hate it and some people like it. I only use it to signal the wife unit when she comes out of a store to where I parked or if I am pulling up to let her know “I am over here!” It is the only time she is ok with disco lights. LOL.

Personally, I don’t really use tactical strobe at all. I use a motion-freezing party strobe though, because it’s fun with moving water and such.

For light painting, a custom build would probably be helpful. Features like momentary tactical strobe aren’t typically useful on general-purpose lights. I added a ‘todo’ note for it in the code though.

Also for light painting, I’ve been making a rainbow (RGBA) driver lately for lightsaber use, and it’s designed to paint pretty patterns in the air while swinging a sword. I think it could be adapted for momentary use pretty easily, though the current code doesn’t directly support it unless the brightness modulator is turned off (which is boring). It flashes in whatever patterns the user tells it to, with a momentary “overdrive” function which could potentially be used to make the whole pattern work as momentary. Normally it’d be used to make a bright flash while blocking another saber or deflecting a blaster bolt or something, but it might work for light painting too.

For anyone looking at this thread, modern versions of Anduril do offer momentary strobe...