# Beacon Suggestions



## EvanB (Nov 13, 2003)

Can anybody give me some pros and cons on some beacons? I'm looking at the BCA Tracker and the Pieps DSP currently. Any other suggestions? Thanks for any and all of your comments. Evan


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Mmmmmm.....bacon....

I'd stick with Hilshire Farms thick sliced


I have the Tracker, and like it. I'd say try a few out. Sometimes avalanche school has different ones, digital, analog, etc. you can try.


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## dgosn (Sep 8, 2006)

*Beacon*

Trackers are nice because they are really easy to use, and have a multiple burial setting. However they supposedly have less of a transmitting range than Ortovox or Peips. This probably doesn't matter often, but it seems like in a large avalanche a better range would be better, wider search grid, etc. I also like more transmitting power because of selfishness, and if there is not a "last seen" point, searchers may get a signal quicker from farther away. 
I really like beacons with good audio, it seems like you ears can really pick up on differences that the LED/LCD displays alone may or may not show.
Just my opinion


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## teleboater5.13 (Sep 29, 2005)

I would suggest the Pieps DSP. The trackers are nice and are simple to use, but the Pieps overall I think is a better beacon. It is just as easy to use I think and with a little practice the Pieps multiple burial system is much better in my opinion. (Or so I hear I fortunally have never had to use it outside of practice). I agree with dgosn that you need a beacon that has good audio because in a burial situation you dont want to be and wont be completly focused on the LCD screen of your beacon. I have used both the tracker and the Pieps and I like the Pieps better, but both are good beacons.


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

*Beacons*

I just went to a very informative beacon testing clinic. The new Pieps Beacon is very impressive. With the triple antenna system they are using and the easy to upgrade features. The Pieps beacon should be the last beacon you would ever need. The multi-search function is the most simple system I've ever seen. It's more expensive than the rest, but it's worth every penny.

PM me with your email, and I'll send you all the results. Very interesting how all the beacons played out.


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## Steve Zizzou (May 23, 2006)

I like the BCS Tracker because it is easy to use. If you have two and lend one out you don't have to worry that some one won't figure out how to use it, it is dummy proof. It has analog and digi as well. Pieps makes a good product as well. It all depends on your need and money. Good luck.


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

I currently own and use the BCA tracker and like it's simplicity, I have been able to demo the Pieps and am very impressed with there technology.

The triple antenna is a great feature as well as the multiple burial function. It has to be the easiest multiple burial function on the market, my next beacon will be the Pieps.


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## Geezer (Oct 14, 2003)

DTS Tracker.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Haven't used the new peips. Given the choice of any other beacon on the market, the Tracker hands down wins. It should be noted that absolutely no beacon is idiot proof and they are all hard to use given the circumstances. It doesn't really matter which you use, but I'd recommend after you become proficient, spend at least an hour of practicing before every day you go out. Last year was an extremely stable season by CO standards, don't be fooled. If you can't dig each other out, you or your friends are dead. Ski Patrol and S&R only find bodies, not people. That being said, powder to the people.
Patrol Joe

P.S. Dylan - you're crazy. If you don't even own a beacon, you couldn't possibly use one in an emergency nor do you have the experience necessary for being in the backcountry. Borrowing a beacon is like borrowing your first ever life jacket at the putin for Gore.


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## sandbagger (Feb 1, 2006)

JCKeck1 said:


> P.S. Dylan - you're crazy. If you don't even own a beacon, you couldn't possibly use one in an emergency nor do you have the experience necessary for being in the backcountry. Borrowing a beacon is like borrowing your first ever life jacket at the putin for Gore.


they have done tests with small children, and they were able to find a buried beacon using the tracker. :shrug:

But while I can't disagree with your overall point, it isn't that crazy to go in the BC with a novice using a borrowed beacon. It would be crazy if you skied dangerous terrain. But everyone has to start somewhere, and getting people into the habit of "don't go in the BC without the required equipment" is a good start. It's unrealistic to expect everyone to have the equivalent of a level one course. When people don't have the training, ski choices should be made accordingly, but it doesn't mean I need to stay at the resort.

And my opinion regarding which beacon to buy? Doesn't matter, because the best beacon is the one you own and know how to use.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

I have all kinds of things to say, but neither the time or energy to waste. Simply put, fewer kayakers die each year because the progression is slower and mandatory through increasing levels of danger. No one takes someone with class III experiences down class V. Anyone with an idiot friend and a borrowed beacon can go BC which is on par with class V. Yes there are easier slopes with less danger. Ever tried skiing knee deep at 15 degrees? You'd have more fun in the resort. Also, almost every BC route involves at least traversing avalanche paths. Theoretically you could be safe without a course. Realistically, you should have a course or lots of experience with beacons and smart friends. The best beacon is the one you own and know how to use, but if you don't own one, you don't know how to use one and might as well not have it. Children finding beacons is a marketing gimick. True they could find a single one in a 100x100 flagged area with no time limit. Could they find you still breathing in a slide? Wouldn't wager my last breath on it.


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## c--man (Oct 13, 2003)

Evan (or should I say Sugar),
I've been using the tracker for the last few years and prior was the F1 ortovox. I skied w/ bruce edgerly last season (bca president or something like that) and he had some great answers to some difficult questions. With any beacon-deep burials can be a bitch. For the most part you'll end up getting two strong signals(equally the same). W/ an analog beacon you can use the technique "pinpointing on a circle"-Manuel Genswein. I brought this up w/ Edgerly and since the tracker uses a flux line search they have a technique called "pinpointing on a line". I've used both methods (alot of practice)-my findings were that both were really good techniques. 
To say that one beacon is better than the other is a personal choice. I personally don't think that any beacon is fool proof. Regardless of how easy they say something is, it still takes alot of practice. Something I think the general public does not do enough of. 
Hope to see you this winter. CF


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## c--man (Oct 13, 2003)

The best beacon might be the one your ski buddy knows how to use.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

> The best beacon might be the one your ski buddy knows how to use.


Amen to that. If you do have a loaner make sure its the easiest to operate, most fool-proof beacon you own.

I've been using beacons for over two decades and remember having to go on sound alone with a little earplug, then displays, and now all kinds of bells and whistles that tell you how far you are, help you do your search pattern, etc. I'll take novices into the backcountry with just as I would on whitewater - with incremental levels of potential hazard after ground school in the parkng lot or put-in. There's no one-size fits all for how to do it and you have to use your judgement. That said I'll endorse an avy course any day.

One thing to bear in mind as you're gearing up with the latest beacon, shovel, probe poles, and avalung: before the chances of a live recovery start to decrease by half every half hour and time is of the essence, statistically, even if the victim's found immediately, 50% of all burials result in fatalities from trauma. 

Be careful not to let your safety gear lull you into skiing something that you wouldn't ski without the gear. Also be careful in the early season not to take the attitude that just because the snowpack's not deep, the danger's not there - I was once caught, carried, and partially buried, by snow that was just over my knee, in an early-season slide that was only about 10 x 20 yards.

Also, please consider contributing to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center: http://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/

Last year's first fatality report, 11/6/05:
http://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/Default.aspx?tabid=399#bert_11062005

Be safe,

--Andy H.


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## EvanB (Nov 13, 2003)

*Hey CF*

Are you Mitch or Jesse? I'm paddling Westwater with your partner in crime from the Northern this weekend. 

Thanks everyone for all of your input, I was psyched to see how many people contributed with comments. 

Evan


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## c--man (Oct 13, 2003)

Sugar-
Jesse is some pretty much retired. That fucker makes my head hurt way too much the next morning. However, I've heard rumor that evil Mitch has been spotted in the local taverns in BV. Have fun in Westy this wkend. Hopefully the weather will be nice.


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## couloircat (Nov 4, 2005)

The pieps dsp if you can afford it would be the beacon I would recomend, the three antenaes and the possibility of digital upgrades make it very attractive, it also has a easier multiple burial search funtion than the tracker. although you might want to wait and check out the Pulse by bayvox, they make great beacons (longest range easy to use) and this one looks like it has some really nice features notably the ability to triage before digging in a multiple burial... even though hopefuly none of us will ever put ourselves in a multiple burial position ski one at a time!
As far as loaning beacons I would say it depends on the group going and where you're skiing if it's a couple experienced backountry travelers and one noobie in moderate terrain go for it because only one person should be exposed to avy terrain at a time anyway so as long as one of the spotters is experienced you should have someone who can search for you, as for just myself and a newbie no way, because as mentioned earlier the best beacon is the one your friend knows how to use... just my two cents. Even though anymore I avoid bc travel with people new to the game.


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## EvanB (Nov 13, 2003)

*Along with that last post...*

Being a newbie in the b.c. How do I get started. I've taken an Avy 1 class to start with, I almost have all the gear. I don't necessarily have a large amount of b.c. friends. Most people are on-mountain exclusively, and with the new $829 dollar price tag for my "Locals" ski pass, I'm not so sure I want to pay the price. 

It's somewhat of a catch-22. Yeah, I'm a total rookie b.c. skier. But how do you get experience, if people with experience don't really want to take me out? Any thoughts?


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## Steve Zizzou (May 23, 2006)

Joe,
I see your point but, you don't want to go out in some scetchy terrain with some one who has never used a beacon not some one just borrowing one. I worked at Ski Deals, took Avalanche classes but being in college couldn't afford one at the time. Therefore, I borrowed one from a friend post classes and practicing at work and had no run ins, fortunately. Even though I didn't own one I felt comfortable as well as did the people I was with. That being said, that is more of what I meant by borrowning, not the blind leading the blind. Peace, Steve Z


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## sandbagger (Feb 1, 2006)

JCKeck1 said:


> Simply put, fewer kayakers die each year because the progression is slower and mandatory through increasing levels of danger. No one takes someone with class III experiences down class V. Anyone with an idiot friend and a borrowed beacon can go BC which is on par with class V.


That's ridiculous. People can die in class III, people can definitely go boating down runs they don't belong on, and not all BC is automatically class V. A 30 degree treed slope is very different from a 40 degree chute, even though both are "avy terrain". Nobody is suggesting just giving newbs a beacon and sending them into the BC on their own. So, presumably, the more experienced folks can make the assessments. Everyone has to start somewhere, if everyone only went into the BC with experienced BC skiers, nobody new would ever get into the sport.



JCKeck1 said:


> Children finding beacons is a marketing gimick. True they could find a single one in a 100x100 flagged area with no time limit. Could they find you still breathing in a slide? Wouldn't wager my last breath on it.


Yes, it's mostly an advertising gimmick, but the reason I brought it up was to show that the Tracker is easier to use by a newb right out of the box. That seems relevant to me. But since you won't ski with anyone who isn't super mega experienced in the BC, then obviously it doesn't matter to you.

I have a healthy amount of respect for BC travel, have taken a level 1 course and know that there is always always always more to learn. That having been said, it is rather easy to go BC skiing without putting oneself at serious risk. While it is important to remember that even a class V boater can die in class III water, that doesn't mean that the risk is the same, and that class V boater can much more likely safely guide a more novice boater through the class III stuff. It's no different BC skiing.


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## kiwi (Aug 12, 2006)

I tested a bunch of different beacons and ended up selecting the Ortovox M2. You will probably get a different opinion from everybody you ask, but here is my opinion.The Pieps DSP had difficulty with multiple burial senarios, continued to return to beacons which had already been flagged. The problem with a beacon that 'thinks' for you is that you don't have the raw feedback to work with if the beacon's microprocessor gets into difficulty. The ortovox has good range, about half that shown on the dial, but requires plenty of practice and knowledge of some multiple burial strategies. The Tracker or Barryvox, while having less range are very intuitive and easy to use, more suited to recreational users and guided groups, who do not have the skills to use the Ortovox effectively. Ortovox is putting out a new unit, but as with most technology, the first generation often has glitches that need to be sorted out. So for my two pennies worth, I would go for the M2 if you are going to put the practice in, or the Tracker if you are looking for an easy to use unit, but with less range. Whatever beacon you get the stats for deep burial are not good, avoiding getting caught in the first place ought to be your primary concern.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Here's my point. If you want to get into BC for the powder, do it right. Take a class. Practice serious scenarios with mulitple burials in different beacon positions with some deep burials. I know you should rarely have to look for more than one person, but searching for more will make you a lot better and more confident in your beacon. Be confident that you could find two well buried beacons in 100x100 in less that 2.5 minutes. Find experienced friends and go with them starting slowly. Everyone should enjoy the BC.
However, I see most people watching the weather channel and see it's a powder tomorrow, so they call someone with two beacons to try and get BC. No experience, no class, and stupid friends if they take you. The gear becomes worthless.

Andy also makes a great point that a whole lot of fatalities are trauma related and it makes almost no difference how quickly you find someone. Have a good season. Let it snow.

P.S. How about three old AT guides on the same buzz post?! How you boys doin?


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## couloircat (Nov 4, 2005)

Yeah AT! first on last off! how's it going Joe? Just got down from the Q at the Beave and we're shy 2' by about an inch it's looking good. 
However back to beacons I definitely agree with Joe about practicing deep burials because that's were it gets trickiest and I've seen some very skilled beacon users have a 2m burial totaly stump them. And as that's similiar to a realistic scenario practice those deep burials, although I think we can make an exception for Dylan so he doesn't have to dig deeper than he is tall...


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## Steve Zizzou (May 23, 2006)

Couloircat: Who might you be, so I know who is insulting my manhood? Kidding. AT ROCKS. Thanks for the consideration for not having me have to dig too far down.
JKECK:"Pigpen" Of course I wouldn't go into the back country w/ someone who has not used a beacon but as sandbagger mentioned, you have to start some where. No need to get into some seriously hairy sh%t but places like Berthoud or Vail pass would be fine for a newbie. 

BTW, where do you guys store the rocks that are in the river during the winter time?


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