Question about the signal mirror I kept in my glovebox for 14 years

I always thought a glass signal mirror was just a survival toy until I actually used one on a hike outside Bozeman last month and caught a passing pilot's attention, turns out the flash can be seen for miles. The whole time I was holding it wrong, you have to aim the reflection through the sight hole and line up the target with the bright spot on your hand. Has anyone else realized a piece of gear they carried for years was only effective once they actually tried it under real conditions?

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rileynguyen16d ago

Took me 12 years to figure out the compass in my truck wasn't broken, it just needed to be held level and away from the dashboard. Felt like an idiot standing in a field at sunset spinning it around like a magic trick.