Grandson has analog transciever now -is there a difference between the analog and digital ones?

Write your answer here...As the first answer above states, an analog beacon tends to have longer range, but takes far more training and practice to use correctly. A friend of mine hid a beacon with a candy bar, and sent his 8 year old out with the S1 to find it, which he did in no time flat! (amazing what the right tool and proper motivation can do). There is no chance this would have happened with an analog beacon. The S1's easy to read screen and flagging make it the best beacon out there.

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.

In a general sense digital beacons are easier to use in an emergency situation, and are superior in multiple burial scenarios.Get a digital beacon.