Road Test: HyperWhistle
The HyperWhistle was designed for flight launch crews on aircraft carriers. Beware, it’s stupidly loud.
What is it? Cover your ears, people! This weird-looking object is touted as “the world’s most powerful mouth-blown whistle”.
Eh? How else are you going to blow a whistle? Actually, don’t answer that. carry on. Well, it was invented for the flight launch crews on US aircraft carriers, who needed something that could be heard above the sound of idling jets.
How loud is it? Up to 142 decibels – that’s way louder than a jackhammer. (It comes with ear protection, which you should use.) You can hear it from 3km away.
How does it work? The 8.5cm-long design has three chambers, which cleverly employ harmonics to create the ear-splitting sound. And get this: it also works underwater.
Verdict: It’s a brilliant device for attracting attention in an emergency survival situation. Or if you just like annoying whales, whatever.
$29.95, survivalsuppliesaustralia.com.au
Room with a view: Tassie east coast gem hits market
This four-bedroom home near Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast offers uninterrupted ocean views – and even has a dedicated crayfish cooking station. Price: $4.5 million-plus.
Why don’t we embrace eccentrics in Australia anymore?
The recently departed, singular filmmaker David Lynch had the strength to be exactly himself. Parts of the world venerate independent thinkers like him but our nation is not one of them.