Beacon Search - Nov 8th

[Wilk INStheWEST]

I'm thinking, it would be easy to test it out to make sure before using! And i'm not sure all beacons are the same. Maybe placing beacon cellphone, radio, camera etc together and seeing if all in the group pick you up would be a reasonable test

Bluetooth/Wifi are apparently the biggest culprits messing with the signal. So make sure you have those off if you are carrying your phone and cameras. My phone is generally off when I'm riding anyway. I do carry it in case of emergency though, but being with Rogers, the phone is always looking for a signal and kills the battery quickly.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Cellphone's should be off at all times if they are anywhere near your transceiver. Even airplane mode effects the transceiver. We tested this at last years transceiver search

Airplane mode doesn't always turn everything off, so that could have been the issue, depending on the phone. It'll turn off wifi and the radio, but won't always turn off bluetooth or the location tracker.

 

[~Rowdy~]

Airplane mode doesn't always turn everything off, so that could have been the issue, depending on the phone. It'll turn off wifi and the radio, but won't always turn off bluetooth or the location tracker.

I just play it safe and keep my phone off. I have it in a pelican case in my pocket for easy access in case, but I just leave it off. I'd rather be safe than sorry

 

[imdoo'n]

I turn mine off, Radios(rino) on the bars, best to test your chit out before so u know what will affect your beacon. Dead people are usually those that listen to others BS.
Best to find out before you find out the hard way

 

[Bnorth]

I attached my transceiver into the front pocket of my vest. Reason I did that is because my old vest froze up on me a couple times and I wasn't able to get it off. This way if it happens I can still access my transceiver easily.

Yeah I keep mine in the same place now, just more vulnerable out there.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

I turn mine off, Radios(rino). On the bars, best to test your chit out before so u know what will affect hour beacon. Dead people are usually those that listen to others BS.
Best to find out before you find out the hard way

I keep my Rino on the bars as well. It's way too bulky to even carry on your person. Cell phone stays off and in my pack.

 

[Turts]

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.

Exactly

 

[~Rowdy~]

Yeah I keep mine in the same place now, just more vulnerable out there.

Yeah I feel weird having it there, but beats not having access to it at all. I tell you, it sure sucked when I dug a big @$$ trench all alone and I couldn't get my vest off. It would have looked hilarious me flailing my arms about to try and get my shovel out!!

 

[imdoo'n]

We did a beacon practice, and i found out first hand cell phones will affect the search beacon, and they were about a foot apart+\_. So it has been my experience to take peoples good intentions(BS ). as that a d find out for yourself , before it is too late. Try out all the stuff you carry. and see if it will be compatible and check your riding partners too. They are the ones finding you!.

 

[fnDan]

I'll have to do a test and see if the Spot interferes with my transceiver. It's usually on the other side of my body but with the new avy vest purchase, I have to rethink where to clip it on.
The Rino is always on the sled where I can see while riding. Hard to navigate to a buddy with it in my pocket or pack.
I never carry my cell phone sledding.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

We did a beacon practice, and i found out first hand cell phones will affect the search beacon, and they were about a foot apart+\_. So it has been my experience to take peoples good intentions(BS ). as that a d find out for yourself , before it is too late. Try out all the stuff you carry. and see if it will be compatible and check your riding partners too. They are the ones finding you!.

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.

 

[Bnorth]

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.

My phone was also on for all the searches as well. Our group was the quickest in the first search and did well in the second. Personally I found all of the beacons without interference from my phone.

 

[imdoo'n]

Thats nice, wilk did you check everyones beacon and cell phone and combination of, unless you did how can you make such a dangerous blanket statement, maybe become part of the solution. Or would i need to repeat again

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Thats nice, wilk did you check everyones beacon and cell phone and combination of, unless you did how can you make such a dangerous blanket statement, maybe become part of the solution. Or would i need to repeat again

Care to share what blanket statement I have said?
Here's the blanket statements I can see that I have said:
Electronic devices will interfere with transceivers (wifi/bluetooth especially). I said as a guideline, it is a good idea to keep electronic devices more than 30 cms from your transceiver.
Here's the blanket statement you have made:
Any information anyone gives you is BS unless you have tested it for yourself.
Guess I won't trust information I have received from people who teach avalanche safety courses or the CAC, until I test it out myself.

 

[imdoo'n]

Best not to take a blanket statement, such as 30 cms as gospel, always better to find out for yourself, as your life depends on it. The guy laying out the 30 cm BS statement if wrong always responds with. An ops sorry. And u promoting this just adds to the problem. The 30 cm may be right? But in the real world i friggin doubt it. Better to test and find out than hear an oops ii'm sorry must have been wrong.
I learned long time ago, your life depends on you, And if you think i'm wrong, there are a lot of graves out there. Anyway that is what i'm trying to say. You can take it anyway you want?

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Best not to take a blanket statement, such as 30 cms as gospel, always better to find out for yourself, as your life depends on it. The guy laying out the 30 cm BS statement if wrong always responds with. An ops sorry. And u promoting this just adds to the problem. The 30 cm may be right? But in the real world i friggin doubt it. Better to test and find out than hear an oops ii'm sorry must have been wrong.
I learned long time ago, your life depends on you, And if you think i'm wrong, there are a lot of graves out there. Anyway that is what i'm trying to say. You can take it anyway you want?

I think AT LEAST 30 cms should be taken as gospel. You do not want anything less than that for sure, especially in transmit mode, and I would increase that for searching. This all came up because you said increasing a distance of 4-8 inches wouldn't make a difference, and I said it would help.... The interference is certainly affected by distance, and I said that increasing that distance would help, I never said it would eliminate all interference.
As far as finding out how the real world is interfering with your transceiver, how extensive of a test have you done? Your watch, a snow saw, your probe, shovel will ALL interfere with a transceiver.
I'm passing on information that I have been given by people working in the industry. Perhaps you should become part of the solution by passing on more constructive information, rather than just saying everything is BS. I agree testing is a good idea though.

 

[imdoo'n]

Sorry you must be right 30 cm is the exact distance that any phone will not interfere with any known avi beacon. This is now confirmed by wilk, anyone finding anything different, please refer to wilk and his lawyer, as he may need one.

 

[Bnorth]

Sorry you must be right 30 cm is the exact distance that any phone will note interfere with any known avi beacon. This is now confirmed by wilk, anyone finding anything different, please refer to wilk and his lawyer, as he may need one.

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.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Sorry you must be right 30 cm is the exact distance that any phone will note interfere with any known avi beacon. This is now confirmed by wilk, anyone finding anything different, please refer to wilk and his lawyer, as he may need one.

 

[Mike270412]

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