 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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A good idea, not sure about the charging model for using the Avanet service if you've already laid out for the sensor kit - seems churlish to charge people to upload data to help others... IF they wanted to charge non-owners for the info, that's another thing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Checked the prices... $2249 for the sensorstick, $495 per year to subscribe to the service. Not currently available to 'recreationalists' so those notoriously wealthy snow professionals need only apply...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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In principle the idea is good, would want to see a of of data from multiple locations around the world to be convinced it was accurate, also not sure that a 5ft probe is actually long enough, the yearly charge seems very expensive
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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150cm probe. That's a bit short isn't it? What if you want to know if there is significant growth of depth hoar? Only works with snowpack depth up to 150cm?
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It is of very little utility to recreationalists but it may help snow professionals - in particular patrollers - take a lot more samples to get a better picture of the state of the snowpack over a wider area and to see how it develops on a daily basis with comparable results from different people. At present a patrol like at Tignes will do one or two snow pits per day, probably in a similar location. Assuming it uses a strain guage one could expect results accurate to a few percent.
It basically replicates what backcountry skiers do at present with ski poles. However this device could probably detect a 1mm weak layer which would be missed by someone probing with their ski pole.
But forget dreams of sticking your device in the top of the slope and getting a "go/no go" message. The environment is far too complex for that.
@rob, weak layers below about a meter under my feet doesn't worry me much as a skier, I'm very unlikely to trigger it. Most avalanches are triggered on a weak layer in the top 30-50cm of the snowpack even if they take out other layers. Depth hoar is always there, 150 cm below the snowpack and it would need a big TG to be growing much. Something regular snowpits and common sense will tell forecasters.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yep I watched the vid and read all the stuff i could find, and think this might be an extra tool for the ski patrol, etc, once they have built a good level of distribution then I am guessing that their business model will be to lower the price of viewing the data?
Tend to agree that the 150cm probe is a little short but, I am sure that they have taken advice on that or there is some tech reason why?
I worry a little when they say on their web site
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| THE SP1 IS EXCLUSIVELY A PROFESSIONAL TOOL |
then go onto have lots of disclaimers written as if it was an un trained individual using it 
PS Also looks like they are very well funded?
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This is awesome for anyone that digs a lot of snowpits and wants to get a lot of data on layer composition quickly. Completely useless for anyone that doesn't. Snowpits are already a bad way of assessing avi danger for recreational skiers for the already mentioned spatial variability.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| 150cm probe. That's a bit short isn't it? What if you want to know if there is significant growth of depth hoar? Only works with snowpack depth up to 150cm? |
Generally if a weak layer is more than 1m deep the weight of snow above will quickly compact it.
If however the weak layer is closer to surface the extra snow just adds more loading.
As ever there are exceptions to this "rough" rule!
For example if the weak layer is ice, as opposed to hoar frost.
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FAQ
