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Simple Answers to Difficult Questions: Beacon Technology 101 | UNITED STATES, OREGON | 12/18/2008, by awesomepatrol
You want to ski. You want to stay alive. You have to buy a beacon. But honestly, you don't have the time, brainpower or attention-span to research all of the technical differences between beacons. Someone starts talking about analog signals and you just hear "bla bla bla".
Well I'm not here today to bore you with detailed explanations. I won't waste your precious time with educational crapola. We've got questions and answers. 5 minutes or less: Everything that you actually need to know about beacon technology.
What's the difference between an avalanche beacon and an avalanche tranceiver?
They are the same thing!
What's the best avalanche beacon?
Ortovox S1 ($529.00). Why? Lots of functions, but it's still easy to use.
I'm on a budget- which is the cheapest acceptable beacon?
Pieps Freeride ($199.90). Warning: You will have to spend time learning how to use this beacon and practice often!
Balancing cost and functionality, which beacon provides the best value?
Backcountry Access Tracker DTS ($290). It's easy to use, relatively cheap, relatively accurate.
What's all the hype about the Tracker 2?
It will have 3 antennas, which equate to a slightly longer range and no spike readings within 3 meters. It also gives signals in real time (most digital beacons have a 3-4 second delay). The Tracker 2 might be released early in 2009, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Other beacons already have these functions, but the Tracker 2 is presented as the "easy to use" version of modern, high functionality beacons.
Digital vs. analog beacons- wtf?
Get a Digital beacon. I say this because I know that you won't practice with it on a regular basis, and so you won't remember how to do a pinpoint grid in a rescue situation (which is necessary to use an analog beacon).
Analog = longer range, longer battery life, cheaper, harder to use, less accurate
Digital = shorter range, shorter battery life, more expensive, easier to use, more accurate within 10 meters.
What's the difference between single, double, triple or quadruple antennas?
More antennas = good. more accurate and more expensive.
Single antenna= not so good, but it will have a long distance range.
What are flux lines?
If you don't know what flux lines are, then you've never taken an Avalanche class and you probably don't belong in the backcountry. So I'm not even going to tell you what flux lines are. Go take an avalanche class!
If for some reason, your friend is unlucky enough to have you as their only hope for rescue, and you still haven't taken the time to learn about flux lines, then I sure hope you have a Tracker beacon. Follow the directional arrows or lights on your beacon and pray for help.
Which brand makes the best beacons?
They all do a pretty good job of making crappy beacons. I am just waiting for the next leap in technology. I want a beacon that plays soothing music while electrically stimulating my legs to move at light speed directly toward the victim.
Seriously, each brand has pros and cons. It's just a matter of personal preference and practicing with the beacon you've got.
What's the most important thing to know about beacon technology?
They don't work unless you turn them on. And in all honesty, you probably need to worry more about your shoveling technique than which beacon to buy.
That's Our Opinion. What's Yours?
Sarah Helms wrote on 12/18/08 at 11:39:36 am pst:
Seriously, beacons are pretty dang easy to use if you practice just a little.
Shoveling, on the other hand is a serious pain in the ass. I get so frustrated an tired shoveling! And while practicing rescue, I always seem to shovel in the wrong spot.
RJ wrote on 12/22/08 at 9:36:25 pm pst:
I have an Ortovox beacon. My girlfriend has a Tracker. Even though her beacon is supposedly "easier to use", she forgets to turn it on more often than not. So I have become very diligent about beacon checks as we start the day. However, she also forgets to turn it off, so the batteries wear out and we have to replace them before we start the day.
My ortovox beacon automatically turns on when I buckle it around my chest. It automatically turns off when I take it off for the day. I don't think it's difficult to use, in fact I find it very intuitive.
I don't know if Pieps or Mammut or any of the other beacons have manual on/off buttons or not, but it is my favorite feature of my ortovox beacon and I truly worry about my girlfriend and other friends who easily forget such a crucial step.
Jonathan S. Shefftz wrote on 03/10/09 at 3:43:08 pm pst:
The information about battery life is incorrect. All beacons function for hundreds of hours of use on a single set of batteries.
The information about "accuracy" is very confusing. The reality is that a second antenna allows for directional indicators. And a third antenna eliminates spikes & nulls during pinpointing (i.e., within 2 or 3 meters of victim, going by various definitions). And some digital beacons have signal separation for multiple burials.
