 Poster: A snowHead
|
It's time to upgrade my old dual antenna BCA Tracker.
I had a go with Mammut Pulse a couple of seasons ago and liked it a lot. I was all set to get one of those this season, but the new Tracker 3 (http://shop.snowshepherd.co.uk/BCA-Tracker-3) looks very nice. Does anyone have any first hand experience of this yet? I know it's new this year (launch was delayed from last year I think?), maybe someone has had a go at a trade show perhaps?
Any other new advances I should look out for?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I've just swapped my BCA tracker 1, for a Pluse, not figured out how to use it yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I considered the Pulse but in the end I went for it's little brother, the Mammut Element as I just could not envisage requiring all the advanced set up options of the Pulse. This has the same basis set up but is slightly simpler to use, something which can be important in an emergency. The multiple burial function is intuitive and I also like its compact size.
Thge other beacon I thought had a nice advantage was the S1+ as it doesn't follow flux lines but takes you in a straight line to the victim. There have been a couple of software issues but this type of processing does look set to become more widespread.
In the event price was a factor for me. I got the Element for about £235, perhaps if major technology breakthroughs come onto the market I will upgrade again in a few years. For now I have double the range of my old Tracker 1 and a much faster fine search with masking when I need it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I've got the S1 and it's a pretty good bit of kit, nice and easy to use which is the most important thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I bought the Element, all the features of the top model without the pulse of victim feature, easy to use and good range, sensible price too!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sah, heard good things about the BCA3 re size and functionality but I'm perfectly happy with my BCA2, I like the simplicity of use. If you like it maybe stick with the BCA brand?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I've got a +2.25 reading prescription & the only transceivers I can use without my specs (which will be buried in my backpack) are the BCA's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
spyderjon, What is interesting is that my old Tracker 1 seems to have a max range of 26 to 28 metres but the readings it gives are almost double that. So it will give the distance as 49m when the other beacons are reading 25m. This is consistent even during the fine search, you can be 2m away along the flux line and it is reading 4. The transmit function is fine though so I am keeping it for lending out and for practice drills.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Sounds to me like it's damaged in some way (ferrite rod cracked?) so that it doesn't receive as well as it should. If the signal is not as strong then it'll just think the transmitter is further away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Having damaged myself, twice, falling on my transceiver after which I had taken to keeping it in a pocket (I know, I know). One of the key things I was looking for was a good harness and a small smooth form. My tracker one had taken to being temperamental in search mode, with the direction waving around more than normal, the transmit is fine, I'll be wearing the old one and giving the pluse to whoever I'm skiing with. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
jbob, bin it
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
My old Tracker1 did the same after 13 years of service, they don't go on for ever!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Used a BCA T2 next to old T1 in the beacon park at Glencoe.
The 3rd antenna and faster processor of the T2 makes it a *much* better beacon and worthy upgrade.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
To be honest it is getting like modern skis, all the new three antenna beacons will work well
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Not tried the Tracker3 yet but can't wait!!
The Pulse is popular but it can be a bit confusing for multiple targets. To be honest this is probably true for many of the brands out there.
I use a Tracker2 and it works for me?
Just get used to using the one you have is the best advise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I found the Element fantastic and intuitive for multiples. It only tells you the numbers up to 3, then it just shows 3+ to let you know that there are 4 or more. It defaults to the closest, then once it is found you press the side button and it masks it and goes onto the next closest.
What it doesn't do is allow you to unmask again, but you could always just turn it off and on again if you ever needed this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
We've recently been practicing to find 5 in under 15mins for an exam and it can defiantly get confusing if you have multiple depths and orientations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Scarpa wrote: |
I found the Element fantastic and intuitive for multiples. It only tells you the numbers up to 3, then it just shows 3+ to let you know that there are 4 or more. It defaults to the closest, then once it is found you press the side button and it masks it and goes onto the next closest.
What it doesn't do is allow you to unmask again, but you could always just turn it off and on again if you ever needed this. |
One of the tricks used in find three transceivers ASAP tests, is to put one directly under another, fair enough as that happens in the real thing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
skierchris, jbob, Yup, even just really close positioning gives some difficulty in interpreting the readings. I'd better practice fast probing techniques 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| skierchris wrote: |
| We've recently been practicing to find 5 in under 15mins for an exam and it can defiantly get confusing if you have multiple depths and orientations. |
I don't ski in groups this big very often but surely loosing 5 people in one go would be really bad form.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OwenM, To lose one would be unfortunate, to lose 5 is extremely downright careless lol. Apologies to Wilde.
It is a good drill though
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
If you mean "maybe it's a good idea to ride so that a large number of people aren't all exposed to risk at the same time" then that's definitely true. But there are plenty of incidents where that happens..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's the level set to achieve for the NZ Avalanche level 2 and it's a high level so that you are really good at it!
Most avi course's stick to 2 in under 8mins or around this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I just thought that if you're taking an exam then you must be a professional of some kind, that could make these five people fee paying punters. I wouldn't think it's a good idea to loose that many customers in an avalanche even if they'd payed upfront, it just wouldn't do your reputation any good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Lets face it, if you can find 5 in 15 mins then the process is so automatic that you would be likely to cope with most search scenarios... train for the worst 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OwenM, I'm talking about training scenarios that train you to be really good at beacon searching.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Five in training will make two for real a cinch.
Slight digression, I do belive that transceiver practice should not be at the expense of good probing and digging technique. These are also important especially in deeper burials.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
jbob, I like your location Brum/Cham
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
jbob, Too right. I posted a load of links on the latest guidelines a few threads down in the Off Piste. In a lot of scenarios these days the search only lasts several minutes, it's the digging that seems to take up the bulk of the time for victim recovery. And proper probing technique rather than a haphazard random approach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
| Not tried the Tracker3 yet but can't wait!! |
It's always nice to have something to look forward to skierchris....even if it's an avalanche
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I'm also looking to update my transceiver, to replace an Ortovox M2 that has done good service. Has anyone had experience of the Arva Neo, its seems to get as good reviews as the S1, but rather at a better price.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
