Is It Time For a New Beacon?

[Radar78]

I have a BCA Tracker 2. Two questions. Is it time for me to upgrade? I know technology has obviously improved but has it improved so much that I should look into getting into something new? Also, I have a 12 year old daughter that may be making a trip out west with me in the next couple of years. At 70 lbs soaking wet, I don’t think she would be any help in an actual burial situation at this time. Obviously as she gets older and bigger that will change. But until then, her beacon would strictly be for her own retrieval. Would the Tracker 2 suffice for that?

 

[Bnorth]

Newer units are a lot better than a tracker 2. That said I used to be pretty quick with a T2 when I was using it a lot. One thing that opened my eyes and got me to upgrade though was the range on the T2 compared to the newer units. The new ones are sending and receiving much farther out. Personally if I was taking my kid in Avy terrain I would have a pretty top notch unit on them.

How many times have you upgraded your truck, sled or sled gear since you upgraded your transceiver?

 

[GreyGhost]

I agree with Bnorth. You can almost get alway with a four yearl old beacon but anything older I would question it. I forgot what brand it was but a guy we were riding with, his died about a day in. It can be a life saving thing so I always make sure my beacons are good along with my radio

 

[RXN]

 

[Tchetek]

I have a BCA Tracker 2. Two questions. Is it time for me to upgrade? I know technology has obviously improved but has it improved so much that I should look into getting into something new? Also, I have a 12 year old daughter that may be making a trip out west with me in the next couple of years. At 70 lbs soaking wet, I don’t think she would be any help in an actual burial situation at this time. Obviously as she gets older and bigger that will change. But until then, her beacon would strictly be for her own retrieval. Would the Tracker 2 suffice for that?

Depends on the terrain the 12 year old is pushing. If they are pretty mellow that beacon will be sufficient as you will likely be in mellow terrain. It’s also likely the same beacon you would get if you were renting one somewhere to take out a newbie. But doesn’t hurt to buy a new one and have an extra. We make the kids close their eyes and we toss a beacon as far and hard as we can, make it a race for prizes to find it. Parents can bet strips of beef jerky or colas for the adult entertainment too.

It’s all about practice. If they learn to use the tracker 2 then they will only get faster with the long range screen display stuff. Tracker 2 is also a good one to be whipping into the woods.

 

[GreyGhost]

View attachment 247928

Haha yup the one I was thinking of was the one with the big red circle. That a BCA?

 

[RXN]

Haha yup the one I was thinking of was the one with the big red circle. That a BCA?

It is. The DTS model.
I have two even older DTS BCA beacons.
I will be shipping out on friday.

 

[GreyGhost]

It is. The DTS model.
I have two even older DTS BCA beacons.
I will be shipping out on friday.

Ahhh seen a few of them but can never remember. Thanks

 

[kingcat162]

I ordered up the mammut barryvox S out of Europe for $488 Canadian and gambling on the brokerage and duty - cheapest I could find in Canada was $600 so as long as the duty isn't $122 I'm winning

 

[norona]

I ordered up the mammut barryvox S out of Europe for $488 Canadian and gambling on the brokerage and duty - cheapest I could find in Canada was $600 so as long as the duty isn't $122 I'm winning

The s is a great beacon, but it is more for professional guides who are using it every day and testing, the regular barryvox is all anyone else needs. Getting a beacon that can do tons of stuff can be confusing if you dont use it all the time, using does not mean turning it on, it means doing searches all the time like guides do before each group etc.
I would also switch out beacons after 4 seasons and after 2 they really should be sent back to manufacture to see they have not drifted of the signal. So there is a cost per year and anyone buying a used one should do this also otherwise you dont know if it has been dropped or not working to its potential.

 

[kingcat162]

The s is a great beacon, but it is more for professional guides who are using it every day and testing, the regular barryvox is all anyone else needs. Getting a beacon that can do tons of stuff can be confusing if you dont use it all the time, using does not mean turning it on, it means doing searches all the time like guides do before each group etc.
I would also switch out beacons after 4 seasons and after 2 they really should be sent back to manufacture to see they have not drifted of the signal. So there is a cost per year and anyone buying a used one should do this also otherwise you dont know if it has been dropped or not working to its potential.

It was a good price - I'll use my old one to test with and figure it out - wanted to try a different brand than bca - the "S" stands for simple - people that don't do their own mapping tuning r&d and inventing could figure it out I'm sure

 

[deaner]

I wonder how much they give for your old beacon? Which beacon should a guy upgrade to?

I've never thought about it but my tracker is probably close to 20 years old!

 

[kingcat162]

I wonder how much they give for your old beacon? Which beacon should a guy upgrade to?

I've never thought about it but my tracker is probably close to 20 years old!

You send in the old beacon and they send you a 30% off voucher on a new one