Beacon Search - Nov 8th

[Wilk INStheWEST]

He clearly says at least 30cm. I have also heard this from multiple avalanche professionals. No where does he say not to try your own gear to come to your own conclusions he merely states that for him 30cm was fine.

Go find another witch hunt.

This also started over the distance between a radio and the transceiver, so he doesn't even know the actual argument he is making. My phone is off and in my pack when I'm riding. The only other electronic gear I carry is a Rino and it stays in my bar bag, unless I'm actively using it. I'll be adding a spot or inReach this season, and that will also be in my pack, most likely off until needed.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

From the CAC.


Avoid wearing clothes with magnetic buttons or larger metallic and/or conductive parts (i.e.heated gloves). Be aware that food, candy or cigarette box wrapping often include thin metal foils which therefore count as a metal object!
In transmit mode (which is what I was talking about originally) a minimum distance of 20cm has to be respected between the avalanche rescue transceivers and any metal object or electronic device.
In search mode, a minimum distance of 50cm has to be respected between the transceiver, electronic equipment and metals parts. All equipment on the searching rescuer has to be turned off, except:
- radio
- head lamp without switch power voltage regulator (usually found in high power devices with external battery packs)
- wrist watch without radio functions on the wrist; large, multi-functional watches with large screens should not be worn on the same hand like the searching transceiver is held.
- devices providing a backup transmit function in case of a secondary avalanche

All equipment on all non-searching rescuers on the avalanche has to be turned off, except:
- Cellular phones, satellite phones, PLB. As long as a search is in progress on the avalanche, use is restricted to short-lasting emergency calls/messages in minimum distance of 25m to the closest searching rescuer.
- devices providing a backup transmit function in case of a secondary avalanche
- head lamp

http://www.avalanche.ca/adx/aspx/ad...+Concerning+Avalanche+Rescue+Transceivers.pdf

 

[Bnorth]

So since there's a bunch of interference discussion here I'll put this here too.

I bought a syphon soundwrap last year and it operates off a bluetooth module. I am thinking of keeping the module on me as far from my beacon as possible and easy to get to so I can remove it quickly in a rescue situation. And it will work off my phone that will be in my sleds glove compartment. There is also an option to use an auxiliary cable but I'm not sure that it actually turns the bluetooth off, this option would also require me to have my phone or an ipod on my person. Thoughts?

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

So since there's a bunch of interference discussion here I'll put this here too.

I bought a syphon soundwrap last year and it operates off a bluetooth module. I am thinking of keeping the module on me as far from my beacon as possible and easy to get to so I can remove it quickly in a rescue situation. And it will work off my phone that will be in my sleds glove compartment. There is also an option to use an auxiliary cable but I'm not sure that it actually turns the bluetooth off, this option would also require me to have my phone or an ipod on my person. Thoughts?

I personally wouldn't ride with something like that. If you are planning on using it, it would be better to not use the bluetooth module. The disconnect does look like an Aux cable that you could probably get an extension for and just plug directly into the music device (which I would then keep in your pack, as far from your transceiver as possible). Remember that all speakers create magnetic fields which will cause serious interference. I'm not a fan of any sort of music being worn in the mountains (whether sledding, or even resort skiing). The slightest sounds can tell you a lot about your surroundings and I prefer to keep full use of my ears for the sounds of other sleds or any 'whumping'. I understand that just the sound of a sled can drown that out, but I don't want to add anything on top of that. Just my opinion, but that is apparently BS anyway...

 

[imdoo'n]

He clearly says at least 30cm. I have also heard this from multiple avalanche professionals. No where does he say not to try your own gear to come to your own conclusions he merely states that for him 30cm was fine.

Go find another witch hunt.

And that is fine, he is also saying that you won't have a problem with anything over 30 cms. I'm saying test it to be sure. I use locating equipment every day, but what do i know?

Have you ever heard this one". I have lived here all my life and i have never seen that hill slide, Oops don't know what happened today ? Sorry"

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

And that is fine, he is also saying that tou won't have a problem with anything over 30 cms. I'm saying test it ti be sure. I use locating equipment every day, but what do i know?

I never stated that.....

At least 12 inches away is what you should be aiming for, so 4-8 inches could make a difference. If my radio is in my upper right pocket, and my transceiver is down on my left side under my arm, easily puts it a foot away.

We got it the first 3 times you said that.
I left my phone on, during the this year's search in Calgary (to see how it would affect my transceiver). It was in my pants pocket and my transceiver was in my hands (more than a foot away), and we found 2 transceivers quicker than any other group. In the first search we did, my phone was off, and we found a single transceiver the second quickest, by 1 second. I'm not saying this is good practice, but I wanted to see how my equipment was effected.

That is what I said. Where does it say that you will not receive any problems over 30 cms? I just said that in my situation I didn't receive any noticeable adverse effects in the use of MY gear. No where did I say that everyone should take MY RESULTS and use that as the rule. You kept going on that everyone should test how their gear is affected, and I said I did a test and shared my results. So stop putting words in my mouth.

 

[imdoo'n]

This also started over the distance between a radio and the transceiver, so he doesn't even know the actual argument he is making. My phone is off and in my pack when I'm riding. The only other electronic gear I carry is a Rino and it stays in my bar bag, unless I'm actively using it. I'll be adding a spot or inReach this season, and that will also be in my pack, most likely off until needed.

Well here you go changing it again!! Yer slippery alright , we were talking about cell phones in relation to reciever, and possibly transcevier, and also with phones on,

 

[Mike270412]

Arguing with Larry is like wrastling with a pig in the mud.

What did I say? This could go on for days.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Well here you go changing it again!! Yer slippery alright , we were talking about cell phones in relation to reciever, and possibly transcevier, and also with phones on, Are you smoking anything illegal?

Now you are just arguing for the sake of it...
I've already wasted too much time on you.

 

[imdoo'n]

Looks like we are saying the same thing in a round about way. I'm saying check to see if you have interference with your beacon and anything you carry CELL PHONE, etc. ok other than that i am done

 

[oler1234]

Was that a new transceiver, or did it have some use on it? Tough to tell what is actually the best for range unless you are comparing all out of the box transceivers.

Judging by the new manual with no wrinkles and the nice new case, I would say brand new. I think he mentioned it was brand new actually.

you know all this interference talk, really guys if it is even questionable, just turn it off. Not a big deal. My **** is turned off and stored on the sled, including radios. I only turn mine on when locating ppl or needing help. Do you really want to chance it when someone is trying to locate you? It only take seconds to boot up most devices ppl carry now a days.

 

[Bnorth]

Here is the reply from Syphon, I think I will do some testing with it to confirm.

Hey Guys,

I bought this primarily to use snowmobiling but have some concerns about interference between bluetooth and my avalanche transceiver. Bluetooth is known to cause issues with the transceiver's send and receive signal and I am curious if the bluetooth module still transmits when used with an auxiliary cable?

No worries you should be good.

We haven't had any issue with our bluetooth module interfering with avalanche beacons. As long as you keep them at least 8 inches from each other, you should be fine. Also, the Soundwrap device is a receiver, not a transceiver, so most likely the higher threat to interference will be the transceiver (Phone).


BUT, totally understandable if you want to be extra safe and not use the bluetooth at all. If so, no worries, while using the Aux-in option the bluetooth module is completely deactivated.

 

[Highfly]

Thanks again for coming and for the ideas! Any others please let me know!

Rowdy, I really liked this year how you had scenarios that were done to confuse searchers (you caught me off guard!). It really stepped it up a notch. The testing of range on all transceivers again awesome idea and so important.

I was thinking this morning how the beacon searching while it is very important it is only one step of procedures that must happen efficiently. Take probing and digging for example.
Wondering if you might consider setting up the scenarios to take it to the next level and add mock probing and setting up proper shovel formations.

So again just stepping it up another level. I think this would be a great refresher for people that have taken avy training (and we can learn from each other). For those that have not had any training it would introduce them to just how much they don't know and how truly important it is for them to take some training.