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The Ortovox S1 Avalanche Transceiver has a range of 70m to aid in your search for up to four victims in an avalanche burial. This beacon utilizes sensor-controlled technology, the first of its kind, to give your search an advantage. Using this technology, the S1 can simultaneously scan for multiple victims at one time while providing search directions and distances from the searcher. A graphic real-time screen helps pinpoint your victims without having to interpret confusing signals, and the unit also contains an electronic compass, temperature function, and inclinometer.
Bottom Line: Use top technology to give your rescues an advantage with the Ortovox S1.
As long as it is transmitting on 457 freq and not so old that it is on the older freq or a dual freq model it should make him even safer. In practice/testing I have found the analogs like the F1, M1 & M2 seem to have a stronger transmitting signal than some of the newer digitals. As to searching for a partner now that is another matter.
The M2 like the M1 or F1 are excellent units for someone willing to train & practice with them. For a trained searcher it should have a faster find time than any 2 or 3 antenna beacon for the simple reason it does not need to take the time to process the incoming information like the Pieps DSP, tracker, or similar beacon. It is easy for an excited searcher to outrun a 2 or 3 antenna beacon. That being said for someone not willing to practice with the beacon go with a Tracker, Pieps DSP or similar type with the tracker being the easiest to use for a non-practicing beginner. Fast successful multiburial scenarios with the M1, M2 or F1 require lots of practice and excluding guides, ski patrol, & SAR folks I doubt most people would get enough practice to pull them off with success. Here again the Tracker & Pieps DSP would proform better for a person not trained and not practicing often.
I got slammed into some trees one time with this beacon on, broke 3 ribs, but I was saved because it keep transmitting... I do not think this beacon is any more likely than any other beacon to break in the case of being slammed up against some hard object while being carried in an avalanche.
Before pocket calculators I used a slide rule to make mathematical calculations. Once you learned how to use one of these devices,the more you practiced the quicker you got results. The same can be said of previous avalanche beacons. The S1 did for me what the calculator did compared to my slide rule. In a search I get more accurate results and I get them faster. When it comes to life and death and time is of the essence, accuracy and speed are what I want from a beacon. The S1 delivers. This device is great but there is no substitite for practice.
I love this beacon, it's almost idiot proof, if you already know what you are doing. It gives you the distances and directions to the victim, and works just as you need it to if you are the one that needs the help. This, in my opinion, is a better option than the Tracker.
I am new to this site and could not figure out how to actually enter an answer to someone else's specific question. Here is some feedback on the question of how the compass, inclinometer, and thermometer hep in rescue. I am addressing more the information about the first two. You need to know that the compass and inclinometer are not jut a few features thrown in for grins. The unit actually uses data provided by them along with the standard flux line info to locate the burials. In other words, the S1 not only uses an antenna to find the signal sent out by buried beacons but it also has digital compass sensors in the unit that also compare the location of buried victims against the magnetic field of the earth. Additionally, the inclinometer helps to keep you keep the unit relatively level in the search which is needed for proper function. I believe too the inclinometer helps to provide distance reading at a straight-line angle to the buried victim/beacon. Rather than giving distance to the spot in the snow directly above the victim. Ortovox decided to give the user/owner access to these tools to be used as a compass and as a slope meter. As long as the tools were there might as well be able to use them. One more thing ... the unit now can basically self set magnetic declination. All in All the S1 is really an advanced tool. As some other have mentioned you can upgrade the software package via infrared ports. In this day of software driven devices you can now keep your transceiver up-to-date and ward off unreasonably short term obsolescence.
They are similar in that they are both three antenae transceivers used for avalanche rescue. The 'selling point' of the two units is what differs. The Ortovox S1 has a screen that flips up like a cell phone. This screen then shows you the distance and direction of buried victims by placing icons representative of people on the screen. The Mammut Pulse is popular because it can actually detect small chest compressions and relay that information back to other Mammut Pulse transceivers. The downside of this is that it cannot transmit these vital signs to any other beacon but the Mammut Pulse. So, the victim and rescuer must both have the Mammut to use the feature it has become popular for.
I've had to return two S1 beacons within one year because of screen failure. Ortovox need to fix this problem. You would think the flip open and close feature would protect the sceen better, maybe it has nothing to do with it. Basicly one day you'll turn on your S1 open it up and only have half a screen working. For five bills I shouldn't have to be returning the S1 not even once. What a burden.
Did you have the latest version of this beacon? from the added picture on this form it looks like they may have changed the screan, but it's hard to tell.
For clarification, all avalanche beacons send a signal during the standard (transmit) mode, and will "beep" for hundreds of hours on new batteries when they are turned on (replace the batteries once they show any signs of weakness, usually on a meter on the device).
It takes a conscious effort to switch the beacon to receive, so that it cannot happen accidentally. The device then stops transmitting the signal, and operates in search mode. It is important for everyone in the area to understand how to switch to search mode immediately in an emergency (someone is caught in an avalanche) so that there is not an extra signal being picket up by the searchers. It is also important to understand how to switch back to send (transmit) in case of a second avalanche during the rescue.
No matter what beacon you choose, be sure to practice with it in as many scenarios as possible: single burials, deep burials, multiple burials, etc. There is a lot of educational information, but only real life practice (in the snow, in the forest, on steep slopes, near cliffs, and other challenging conditions, before you are ready to ski into those circumstances).
Also, find partners who are willing to practice with you until everyone can consistently find and uncover a beacon in a stuff sack (probe practice too!) within 5 minutes. Then go charge those big lines!
Avalanche education courses are super informative and well worth the $$$.
Have fun and make practicing like an adventure game (it can be easy to spend hours or a full day doing it when conditions aren't great for skiing). If you need inspiration to practice, read accident accounts at:
transceiver = transmitter + receiverAll modern avalanche transceivers operate using the same radio frequency...so all can "hear" one another when a search is required.
Beacons default to a 'transmit' mode when you're wearing them. In the event that someone becomes buried, all non-buried humans then switch their beacons to a 'receive' mode so that a search can be performed. Hope that answers your question and remember: practice practice PRACTICE or these won't do anyone any good!
I have been using an older transeiver and feel comfortable. How does this work? Does it point you in the right direction and acually have a dot on the screen where the victim is along with others in a multiple burial?
yes. acurate graphical representation of all beacons within the search range. arrows to help point you to closest signal and sound. When a situation occurs, you open the beacon and follow the arrows, numbers and sounds to quickly get to the victims. All the technology built into this tool makes it a more functional field tool for pit analysis and when it comes to being fastest, it is about how well practiced you are at responding in an extremely stressful situation and how familiar you are with your beacon.
How would the electronic compass, temperature, and inclinometer make your search more accurate as stated in the description? Sure, those features can be quite useful for avoiding the need to do a search in the first place, bug I'd certainly hope any partners I was skiing with would not be monkeying around with them if the worst happened and I was caught and buried by a slide.
Transceiver signal is always the most important part of a burial rescue. These are features that also can help you in the event that you are helping rescue in a burial situation.
1 Comment Last Comment: November 7, 2009 by: sta3400980
By: sta3400980
November 7, 2009
buying for my daughter; she's getting into the backcountry more.
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