 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all,
I am looking at buying an avalanche transceiver and I have narrowed it down to the Tracker 2 or the Pulse. I was just wondering what peoples opinions are of both. I know the best transceiver is one you practice with, but I am just trying to make sure I make the best decision, if not get the best beacon!
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The BCA Tracker is ace if you're new to the game, 'cos it's so easy to use. V important in a real avalanche scenario when the stress level is super high.
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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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The Pulse is also easy to use. I've not seen the Tracker 2 in use, but IMO the Pulse beats the original Tracker hands down.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Can only speak for pulse but in basic mode it functions like a Tracker. Arrow and distance.
Advanced mode is pretty simple to use after practising with basic and reading the manual. Aditional features in this mode are useful if you practice.
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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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Both are great, an important thing to consider is the range original tracker is about 25m in search mode whilst the pulse is about 50m. Next time you are out with beacons do a range check. One skier on transmit everyone walks away raise your arm when you can't see them. You will see that 25m is not very at all.
I have preference for the pulse and am saving up for a pair...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dublinfella, S1 is another to chuck in the mix.
I know the tracker 2 is meant to be better than the previous model - but hasn't it only just been released in the last couple of months? I think I would want the software to be on widespread usage for a year and be on the next version before I got one.
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Just done yet another stage of my International Mountain Leader qualification and got the chance to play with a lot of different transceivers.
We found pretty serious problems with the Tracker, so much so that I wouldn't advise anyone to use one. It's fine on surface burials, but with a deep burial it just seems to get completely confused (this is in the hands of very experienced users). We got better results with an old F1 !
I have the old Barryvox Opto 3000, which is pretty good (superficially similar in use to a Tracker). I had the chance on the course to use the Pulse and S1. The new technology is just stunning. Completely surpasses the older systems. The ability to "mark" signals once located makes dealing with multiple burials much, much easier and the 3rd antenna massively improves accuracy when searching for a deep burial. With the new kit, we were generally finding the target on the first or second go with the probe. The older kit was less accurate, leaving you to probe an area roughly similar to the depth of the burial.
In summary - when searching for a single transceiver buried just below the surface, anything will do. In a "real" situation with multiple deep burials, you'll be very, very glad you've got a Pulse or S1 in your hands. Personally my recommendation would be for a pulse, the S1 is also excellent, but can't really justify the higher cost.
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| Quote: |
In a "real" situation with multiple deep burials,
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I'd be questioning the groups safe travel technique.
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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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| stevomcd wrote: |
| With the new kit, we were generally finding the target on the first or second go with the probe. |
That was my experience with the Pulse, and I'm a fairly inexperienced user.
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Swirly, Sure, it's a "worst case" scenario, but much more realistic and much better training than looking for a single transceiver buried just below the surface, which is what most people seem to practise.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Dublinfella, Buy anything you like ....
...... just make sure that your ski buddy has the best money can buy 
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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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Patch, aye, we did consider at one point that the best system would be an ancient Pieps for yourself (with a beep loud enough to wake the dead) and Pulses for everyone else!
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for the info, narrowed it down to the pulse and Tracker 2 on price, 3 antenae, like the sounds of S1 but much more expensive. Looks like it is probably the pulse so, thanks for the help
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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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Dublinfella, only about £15 between the S1 and pulse when I last looked. But the pulse seems good.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi stoatsbrother, I think the pulse has come down a lot in price recently and the S1 is about £60 more on Face West. From what I have read it is very impressive, but cash is king and at the moment there ain't much of a monarchy left!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dublinfella, well I am sure you will love the pulse. I have the previous mammut barryvox beacon too, and it is nice and simple (playing hunt the beacon with it and an S1 in the garden yesterday as a refresher)
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| The Pulse is also easy to use. I've not seen the Tracker 2 in use, but IMO the Pulse beats the original Tracker hands down. |
As the owner of A Tracker1, I agree that the Pulse can be better in a multiple burial. If I were buying now, I would by a Pulse.
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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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Looks like it is probably the Pulse so. Thanks for all the help.
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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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| stevomcd wrote: |
Just done yet another stage of my International Mountain Leader qualification and got the chance to play with a lot of different transceivers.
We found pretty serious problems with the Tracker, so much so that I wouldn't advise anyone to use one. It's fine on surface burials, but with a deep burial it just seems to get completely confused (this is in the hands of very experienced users). We got better results with an old F1 !
I have the old Barryvox Opto 3000, which is pretty good (superficially similar in use to a Tracker). I had the chance on the course to use the Pulse and S1. The new technology is just stunning. Completely surpasses the older systems. The ability to "mark" signals once located makes dealing with multiple burials much, much easier and the 3rd antenna massively improves accuracy when searching for a deep burial. With the new kit, we were generally finding the target on the first or second go with the probe. The older kit was less accurate, leaving you to probe an area roughly similar to the depth of the burial.
In summary - when searching for a single transceiver buried just below the surface, anything will do. In a "real" situation with multiple deep burials, you'll be very, very glad you've got a Pulse or S1 in your hands. Personally my recommendation would be for a pulse, the S1 is also excellent, but can't really justify the higher cost. |
This is what I found also.
What for the future, one wonders? Transceiver data projected onto the your goggles' screen perhaps?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ortovox D3 works for me. Although generally I guess the answer is to go for the best that you can, remember this is about saving lives (including yours). Ortovox S1 is I believe accepted as being at the pinnacle of capability and easy of use. Don't forget the shovel and probe.
Whatever you end up with make sure you wear it, who knows you may have to find me..
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IMHO Ortovox S1 is by far the easiet to use, although with practice, the rest are probably as good. I've recently used an F1, which was lent to me for a ski buddy (thanks Tuxpoo), more difficult to get a direct hit at the avvy park, but no difference to getting to the last metre.
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Barryvox pulse was way ahead of all the others on my avi course at the weekend. It was just a matter of follow the arrow, press the mark button, walk to the next victim, press mark, so easy to use.
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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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I bough the ARVA transceiver last season after spending a week with a UIAGM qualified mountain guide and have to say that it is superb! I wasn't too sure about it at first but once I got the hang of it it was incredibly easy to use and very reliable.
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