 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, guys
We're just back from skiing in Val d'Isere last week and I thought it would be good to share some info about avalanche transceivers/beacons with you.
Basically, the electronics do get old, so it's worth checking that your transceivers are still in spec before the start of the season.
I have just bought myself a new transceiver after my venerable, 14-year old, BCA Tracker showed signs of age during some practice search sessions ( thanks to our guide for highlighting this to me on a start of season holiday ).
Back at home, I went throught the BCA official checklist when I got home and - sad to say - confirmed that it has become erratic at detecting signals at the recommended 30 metre test range. So, better safe than sorry, I plan to replace it. ( http://www.backcountryaccess.com/customer-service/tracker-inspection/ )
Different manufacturers have different policies, so check the website to see the recommended service intervals and approaches for whatever transceiver you have.
Annoyingly, my SO's transceiver is absolutely fine.
But - on the other hand - I do I get to play with a super-duper, shiny, new toy. Which is nice.
But its almost as hard to throw away the old transceiver as to get rid of old rucksacks! Its like euthanising old friends! ( a regular Friday night tradition in these parts..  )
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If your old set is transmitting ok keep it and use it as a target for when you practice on your own.
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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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| OwenM wrote: |
| If your old set is transmitting ok keep it and use it as a target for when you practice on your own. |
Yes, good idea.
But i'd better make the defunct unit look butt-ugly, so I'm not tempted to lend it to a friend as a "real" transceiver.
Cuz I'd be a complete tool if there was an accident, and they tried to use it to find me!
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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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^^ I'd be interested to see how erratic a brand new (same model) one was.
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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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Tomahawk Tone, fourteen years, would you / are you still be using a mobile phone of that age 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tomahawk Tone, Useful info, I'll run through that exercise with mine.
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Weathercam, I have a ten year old phone that is better in the mountains than my fancy new one. Lasts two weeks between charges, has a torch, and the buttons are covered so it's more waterproof 
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| Tomahawk Tone, fourteen years, would you / are you still be using a mobile phone of that age |
I'm just saying that transceivers are safe to use as long as they continue to meet the manufacturers testing/re-certifying procedures.
So I am extremely happy that my 14-year old tracker lasted so long. The BCA website says that their transceivers are warranted for 5 years, and should last around 10 years. So I got great value out of my unit. No complaints at all.
BUt its is worth it to be systematic about how you check they still meet the specs and follow manufacturers instructions on how to do that.
For instance, my defunct unit still transmits and receives. So a quick trail-head group check makes everything look fine.
Its only when we did a longer practice search with buried transceivers that glitches appeared.
Different manufacturers have different protocols for how to the full checks.
For example.
Mammut Barryvox advise return to dealer for checking once every 3 years,
BCA provide a checklist that they suggest you use once at the beginning of each season. ( the entire check took me less than 15 minutes, so its not onerous. And most of that was faffing )
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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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^ In the past avalanche beacons used cermaic Oscillators.
Modern beacons (after circa 2005 ish) use crystal Oscillators : which are much less likely to drift over long periods of time.
Of course it is worth testing your beacon regularly to make sure it still works, and manufacturers like to cover themselves with warranty periods.
But unless you are running a very old beacon then "frequency drift" is unlikely to be an issue.
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I just had exactly this! My venerable original Tracker was found to be faulty on a recent mountaincraft course in Tignes, it transmits fine, but while the distance indicator was ok, I was only getting the left-most arrow lighting up.......
So now it's a test beacon and I've bought a Barryvox/Mammut Element, always worth checking both transmit and receive in future
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