 Poster: A snowHead
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My conundrum for the day, I have 2 transceivers, a Mammut Element and an old Tracker which works perfectly apart from the direction arrows, the distance indicator is accurate and it transmits well.
So, if skiing with someone who needs the avi kit for whatever reason, (ie my son on holiday), do I "a", have the fully functional beacon so I can find them quickly, or "b", go for the more selfish option of giving them the better one to get me out of trouble............
Initially my thought was "b" , but then I thought of how I'd feel if I couldn't get them out quick enough, especially if it was a family member........
Any thoughts on this?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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personally, I'd bin the tracker (or just use it for practice) and get another Mammut Element. if that isn't an option, wear the good one yourself and make decisions on the basis that if you get buried, it will be a miracle if you get dug out
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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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Ditch the one that doesn't work (or just use it for training) and buy a reliable replacement.
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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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@Arno, You type quicker than me!
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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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@Arno, @DCG, probably what I will do is get another Element and use the Tracker for training, was hoping for more opinionated replies, they must all still be eating dinner...................
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You'll never need either...
On a more serious note, does your son son know how to use it.. and could he really cope with the aftermath of you being caught in an avalanche? is he really going to find you and dig you out. The reverse also applies.
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@KenX, My old Tracker has stopped working correctly, prob a cracked tube from what I've been told, it transmits fine but shows half distance on search. I too wear an Element when taking people out. I give them the Tracker and more importantly take extreme care to stay on safe ground. I also have an ABS pack, spend a lot of time learning how to avoid slides in the first place (I've been damn close or actually in them 5 times during 28 years of climbing and skiing so this does not always work lol) and try to keep all of us safe. For a relative beginner I would not expect them to know the full drill involving probing and digging techniques so I would in no way rely on them to save me if I made a mistake.
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How much off piste do you really do?
When/if you do go off piste do you go with a guide or just you and your son?
If it's just the two of you get another Element. If you use a guide take your own and let the guide provide your son with one.
Either way use the old tracker for practice.
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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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Mostly off-piste these days, either with guides or someone who knows the area.......
Skiing with my son was just an example, there are plenty of times I've been skiing with people who don't have kit, even just to the side of the piste it can sh$t on you so I'm putting together a spare avi kit for those times....
If it were my son I was taking, rest assured he would get trained in how to use all of the kit in his bag!
I'll most likely get another Element as it's simpler to explain how it works if it's the same as the one you use on a daily basis!
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I am no transceiver expert but I have been told that loss of directional indicators (but otherwise working) tracker can indicate that one antenna is broken, ie on the original tracker and tracker 2, you are down to one antenna for both search and transmit modes and therefore are taking more chances with regard to orientation of body / flux lines making a search more difficult.
I can't get this link to work right now, but I believe this is where I originally read the above. It might be worth giving your old tracker a thorough test and then deciding whether it is fine for use or should be consigned to testing only.
https://www.wildsnow.com/6031/older-beacon-test-how-to/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@KenX, Yep same as everyone else above, bin the old Tracker, you could use it for practice, but I would not like to use it in a real situation, not much point in taking the risk! and it could stop working altogether at any time especially after an impact !
Very much like your comment
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even just to the side of the piste it can sh$t on you
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so true and not observed enough by lots of people 
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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.
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| KenX wrote: |
My conundrum for the day, I have 2 transceivers, a Mammut Element and an old Tracker which works perfectly apart from the direction arrows, the distance indicator is accurate and it transmits well.
So, if skiing with someone who needs the avi kit for whatever reason, (ie my son on holiday), do I "a", have the fully functional beacon so I can find them quickly, or "b", go for the more selfish option of giving them the better one to get me out of trouble............
Initially my thought was "b" , but then I thought of how I'd feel if I couldn't get them out quick enough, especially if it was a family member........
Any thoughts on this? |
KenX - pm'd you...
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@RobH, that would be the deduction of this electronics engineer too.
If it's not working properly then, IMV, there's an increased risk that it will fail altogether.
It may be economic to have the device repaired at the factory. Try contacting the UK distributors:
http://www.anatom.co.uk/brand/74/mountain/backcountry-access
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You know it makes sense.
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Just gone through exactly this thought process ..... I had a Tracker 2 and tracker DTS .... both worked fine .... but decided to standardise and have just sold the DTS and ordered another Tracker 2 .... considered the new Tracker 3 but understand most of the tech is same as the 2 apart from the multi burial masking function.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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in answer to the original question; the less experienced user should get the easier to use unit. a kid should be able to turn on the element and switch it's functions AND then in a search scenario be able to follow the arrows. it may not be quick ,but it should all work.
whereas u as a more experienced user should be able to go by intuition and sound of the beeper to search.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@altis, I've already spoken to the importers, no repair service available, but they did offer a heavily discounted replacement which I decided against as the Tracker is dated now, bought the Element instead...
@OliC, this was my thought process, but ordered a second Element now 
@livetoski, was 99% sure I wouldn't be using the Tracker again, just wanted to get input from others !
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How old is your son?
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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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@davidof, 24, good skier
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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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| KenX wrote: |
| @davidof, 24, good skier |
hmmm sounds like he needs a christmas present then
To try and answer your original question.
If there is more than two of you in the group keep the Element for you and give the Tracker to the other group member - do a distance test at the trail head to make sure it is working to spec. If two of you, well that's a non-optimum number but will at least mean less chance of multiple burial. Give the Element to the other person and keep the tracker for you; it will do the job well enough for finding a single beacon.
I wouldn't obsess over the gear thing overly. If I had the slightest doubt over a slope I wouldn't ski it myself.
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