How a beacon helps keep you safe in the great outdoors

Most winter sports enthusiasts are familiar with avalanche transceivers – beacons - which will help rescuers locate them if they are buried. Whilst most pistes are well groomed to avoid any danger of avalanche, it is still advisable to have a beacon – just in case the worst should happen. In winter conditions there is a limited window of opportunity to locate, uncover and care for survivors, so it is a pragmatic safeguard. If you are venturing off-piste or touring a remote region, a beacon is essential.

Beacons are so common that they are even sewn into winter clothing - made to last for the current season at least. Clearly this type of beacon only transmits and has a limited life span as they do not have replaceable batteries.

Newer beacons are capable of both transmitting and receiving signals. If someone is buried, you simply switch the other beacons to receive mode to listen to the locating signal. With this type of beacon, it is advisable to use fresh batteries and to wear it on your person rather than in your pack. There are a number of good quality manufacturers (Backcountry Access, Pieps, Ortovox) and virtually all models use the international frequency standard of 457 kHz.

With the advances in beacon technology, even untrained people can actively assist in the location of a buried member of a touring party. The more you can learn and practice the techniques of both surviving being buried in snow as well as locating those buried, the better prepared you will be to face this natural danger with confidence.

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About The Author:

Alison Murray is a successful author and publisher at www.1st-at-gps-tracking.com. Recommending gps equipment and associated products
25-06-04