Large Helium balloon for locating RV when riding

You know,, back when,,, my Great,Great,Great,Great,Great grand parents used to leave camp, they would leave the weakest person back at the wagon with the shittiest rifle, they would stoke a fire and keep it SMOKING, as a reference to whence to return!

Humane evolution has evolved to,,,,,Wait for it,,,,,,,,,G,,,,,,P,,,,S..

So,, save money on stupid balloons,,buy a chord of wood! DUH!

Well,
Back a few dozen years ago when we were "duners" at Buttercup, Gordons Well and that ZOO Glamis, all we did was install an extendable flag pole on the back of our RVs. On top would be something that WE would recognize. Something that we either made or sewed up etc. Something that would be different from all others. WE always found our camp, no matter how many others were camped in close proximity.

As for night time riding, we'd install some form of an LED light, most of the time it was a flashing. We'd always find our camp at night too. But, we've not been out there for decades and, if I recall, I think lights, especially flashing ones, are now illegal out there but, no real confirmation on that.

An antenna, telescoping one, about 30' above the coach, and with the lightweight flag or, Rip-stop tube was great. It always worked.
Scott

Back in the days at Glamis we'd use a blow up doll of the adult nature filled with helium...

No one ever missed our camp.

I think retail sale of bulk hydrogen is by permit only. Maybe in excess of a certain quantity. Touched on this 25 years ago when perusing fuel cells. Hydrogen is nasty. The tiny atoms burrow their way through most container materials.

Helium is scare Nationwide right now. A friend is in the party business and the price of helium, if you can get it at all, is way, way up making it nearly impossible to maintain the balloon side of his business. He has the tanks, he just can't get them filled. A business friend loaded up a truck load of tanks who found a supplier 6 States away so they could run them down and get them filled. This is likely to change in the future but it seems the new well drilling is producing less and less helium and creating a serious shortage.

Bought our first GPS unit back years ago when we lost the RV. Forest area, Small state park, coming back after dark, unmarked roads, no signs. So, GPS is not to find out where to go, but to find our way back!!

Hydrogen?

Helium?

Did I miss a left turn?

buta4 wrote:
Hydrogen and lights??? Yikes!!!

LOL Hydrogen and glowtubes or now days a small LED is no problem. Furthermore the lights are under the balloon and hydrogen does not go downwards. If you check into that Lakehurst Hindenburg dirigible fire you'll see almost no one was killed by burning hydrogen. Most were drop falls or having the wreckage fall on them. Hydrogen actually works better than Helium for balloons it has more lifting power since He weighs 4 and H weighs 2. Air BTW weighs around 29. Of course safety issues override that in large balloons.

We had some idiots fill a trash bag with hydrogen, they held it several feet away and lit it off. The blast removed their eyebrows, some hair and gave them first and second degree burns. I don't know how they explained that to the Boss....heh.

Hydrogen and lights??? Yikes!!!

stacaz822 wrote:
At the dunes in Glamis, I have seen RV's with large helium balloons flying a couple hundred feet above them on a string or rope so riders can find their RV from a long distance. Does anyone know the best setup for doing that with a re-usable balloon and helium tank? Thanks!

They have a more modern version.......

It’s called GPS..........