 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off to get some, sound like a good laugh as well as keeping in contact with my Daughter, "No Dad, you can try that run ,I'm going on this one", when we nip off to Tonale in 2 weeks. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I use radios 'hands free' with covert type ear piece and throat mike in my line of work.
decided one year to take skiing between few of us. (most in same line of work)
BIG problems
1. people thought we were mad and talking to ourselves due to covert type mike and ear piece.
2. one day accidently used local police/ protection frequency and created havoc (gives away our line of work a little)
3. were trailed by local paparatzi for two days who spotted earpieces and were convinced we were actually protecting some celebrity (Tho' did get some 'free drinks' from them first !)
bought some 'civilian type' motorolas - not as good, but good enough and less hastle !
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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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Whitegold, I thought MOBILE PHONES were what 10-year olds played "hide and seek" with, as they all have them as playthings nowadays.
Unless people REALLY need to take mobile phones away with them whilst on holiday (i.e a family member in hospital etc..), then leave them at home.
Surely the main purpose of a holiday is to take a break from work/homelife, I know it is for me, so why would you want that thing with you?
2 way radios work fine in most situations, and are far more cost effective!
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Sutts,
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Unless people REALLY need to take mobile phones away with them whilst on holiday (i.e a family member in hospital etc..), then leave them at home.
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I always want to phone somebody at home during my holiday, and a mobile phone is very much easier (and usually cheaper) than trying to do so from a public or hotel phone, particularly since I have all the numbers I am likely to need already set up.
Yes, a holiday is certainly to get away from work, and if any client does happen to phone me, I just tell them I am on holiday and they go away 
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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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Might sound anal, but from my experience it's worth the group practising with the things before you spread yourself around the mountain and doing the fundamentals like agreeing the channel and even call signs. The babble you get from these things in most large resorts suggests there are are a hell of a lot of Bong, Mong and Mings out there, and although the prospect of meeting the girl/chap of your dreams through phishing the airways is an enticing fantasy, its not happened to me yet!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I also wonder about equipping my kids with them. I worry they will put them down and leave them somewhere.
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of course they will, if they're not paying. You need to provide an incentive not to lose it. For example "Lose one of these and you will have to ski with me all day" or "Lose one of these and get no more pocket money till you've paid for it".
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They can be a PITA when you'd rather be out of contact!
An alternative, and now licence free, is CB. There are CEPT approved handhelds for use in UK and Europe, and they operate around 27 MHz which offers more reliable communications in the hills than the UHF PMR radios.
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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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| Sutts wrote: |
Whitegold, I thought MOBILE PHONES were what 10-year olds played "hide and seek" with, as they all have them as playthings nowadays.
Unless people REALLY need to take mobile phones away with them whilst on holiday (i.e a family member in hospital etc..), then leave them at home.
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Although signals can be weak in the Alps, coverage is surprisingly good, and mobile phones can be one of the fastest ways or requesting assistance in an emergency. Make sure you know the local emergency numbers, of course - and I would switch off whilst using an avalanche rescue beacon.
Bet these two wished they could have phoned for help.
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Bet these two wished they could have phoned for help.
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I notice that the last empty chair up now has a bright orange flag tied to it and the lift isn't turned off until the chair with the flag is in sight of the bottom again! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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achilles,
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Make sure you know the local emergency numbers, of course
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In Europe (including the UK) 112 always gets the emergency services.
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alex_heney, yup - but I also think it is sensible to have numbers like the local mountain rescue services - which seem to have their own number (118?) in Continental Europe. Anybody had first-hand experience of calling in an emergency? What number did you use?
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You know it makes sense.
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Piste maps generally have the number for the local piste rescue services (in the case of our area there are several different ones, throughout the linked area). More useful in most circumstances than 112, and good to have in the phone. We often ski without piste maps in our own area. Our radios are a pain to charge because they will "cook" if left too long and overcharged. And we never know how long it will take to charge them. And the indicator is useless; it shows full until it suddenly goes to empty. So if buying new radios make sure they can be left permanently on their charging bases, then you can just pick them up as you leave, and put them back in the evening. I think ours were quite cheap ones, which explains the problem.
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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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I'm off to get some, sound like a good laugh as well as keeping in contact with my Daughter, "No Dad, you can try that run ,I'm going on this one", when we nip off to Tonale in 2 weeks.
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don't forget that they only work in line of sight, and taking two different routes down the same side of a mountain you may well be out of range, for a time at least. When contact could be vital, especially skiing with kids, I reckon you need mobiles as a last ditch resort back up. If it's just a case of missing each other for lunch, it doesn't matter.
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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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I found a set of four in Argos for £25, not too bad, but not great either, only 6 channels, but they worked ok with line of sight.
Word of warning though, as we were all making our way down a nice run in the sun (Meribel) this year, two of our friends (couple) stopped half way down, and as we all stood at the bottom of this section for a good 10 mins I decided to radio up checking that all was ok (well words to that effect, or more accuratley to hurry up, polite version) when they finally came down to join us, it only turns out he was proposing, he didn't say if my little radio call interupted, but I did feel a little embaressed oops!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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My cheap Dixons radios had an annoying habit of accidentally sending a call signal when I bent over or accidentally knocked the pocket.
It was easily sorted however by cutting a small adhesive foam square that sits around the call button and protects it from unintended operation.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boredsurfin,
I believe her exact words were "your a ........ehm -insert word for male anatomy here-" It was taken affectionaly as a yes, several bottles of champers were drank at the next bar stop down the hill, and almost straight afterwards my skiing went up a level or two 
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