Title: INTERNET SCOUTING
Author: Michael F. Bowman
Company: Attorney at Law

SCOUTS-L
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LANTERNS

 From owner-jambo97@freke.hoplite.org  Tue Oct  1 15:42:22 1996
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Date: Tue, 1 Oct 1996 13:16:24 -0600 (MDT)
From: Amick Robert <amick@spot.Colorado.EDU>
To: jambo97@hoplite.org
Subject: Re: JAMBO97 Gas/Electric Lantern
In-Reply-To: <32513F35.3338@otter.IVY.TEC.IN.US>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.961001123736.10132B-100000@spot.Colorado.EDU>
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Electric flourescent lanterns are the way to go for both troop and
personal use.  They are five times more efficient than tungsten bulb lamps
and give a broad, evenly distributed light.  Gas lamps are far too bright,
and cause incredible glare which reduces the adaptive ability of the eye
to see (i.e. the pupils constrict so the amount of light reaching the
retina is reduced, hence what you are looking at appears much darker than
it would if the light source were not "blasting" you directly.

 It's kind of like looking into a setting sun when you are trying
to drive down a highway. Once you get into a shaded area, your pupils
dilate and you can suddenly see what you are looking at much better. So
keep the light source shielded from your eyes, and let it illuminate what
you are looking at.

To get back to the flourescent lamps, always use alkaline lantern
batteries because they last five to seven times longer than carbon zinc
batteries.  They cost two to three times as much, but will provide
continuous current until they fail, where carbon zinc batteries just start
getting weaker and weaker.

If you can use rechargeables, so much the better. Generally the Jamboree 
Subcamp HQ has power outlets and will allow you to plug in your chargers,
for video cameras, lanterns, whatever. If you have a solar charger, that
is also preferable.

The vertical dual flourescent tube camp lanterns are ok for general
illumination, but also tend to produce "glare" because they shoot light
out in all directions.  If you can get one with a reflector, or even
build your own reflector out of aluminum foil to place on one side of the
plastic lens to reflect light in the opposite direction, it is preferable
for adaptive vision.

  The solar powered flourescent walkway lights
are a great idea and will keep your camp  softly illuminated all
night for safety and security.  Siemens and other companies make nice
varieties of these lamps and can be obtained at most hardware/building
stores.

Newer flourescent lamps have very good color rendition. If you can get the
"spec 35 designer series" they have a color rendition very similar to 
tungsten light bulbs or tungsten halogen (quartz) lamps; and can be
retrofitted into existing flourescent lanterns
that use the smaller tube diameters and lengths. A major advantage is that
they allow you to see the true color of objects.  Most cool white or
daylight flourescents distort colors and make them look faded or washed
which results in eyestrain.
 
The most common size
is about 7 watts. If you can't get designer series, then get warm white as
the next best thing. The warm white or designer series phosphors produce
more useful light in the color spectrum utilized by the eye than cool
white or daylight series and is easier on the eyes for close work and
reading.

Bob Amick, EMT-B, Explorer Advisor, High Adventure Explorer Post 72,
Boulder, CO; and Medical Technician, Subcamp 9, 1997 National Jamboree>