I hesitate to publish news about unreleased avalanche transceivers on BeaconReviews.com, because the news can appear years before the products are actually released (e.g., the ARVA Link, Ortovox S1, and BCA Tracker2). But I do realize that people like to know what’s on the technology horizon and the news is interesting. So with a big disclaimer, or apology, for spreading rumors, I’ve added a Rumors page to BeaconReviews.com. On its debut, I have posted information about the not-yet-released Pieps Vector and Mammut Pulse Element. Both of these avalanche transceivers are scheduled to be unveiled at the Outdoor Retailers show in January 2011, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Stay Safe,

Steve

Thanks Steve.  I for one appreciate the info as I work in the field and like to keep abreast of any new developments.  Keep it up

Davy

+1

Purely out of interest, I have often wondered if anyone has looked into other person-portable methods of searching for burried victims.

In earthquake and other types of ‘burial’/searching for underground people (e.g. Taliban hiding in caves) scenarios a range of other techniques are used, such as thermal, ground penetrating radar, smell (i.e. copying a dogs-nose), etc.
Do any of these companies carry out research into techiques other than radio-signal tracking ?

ps

One of things that got me thinking, was how well my mobile phone operated in snow-hole !

I think people are always considering other options. E.g., I’ve been on recovery missions where ground penetrating radar was used (there were previous tests where researchers buried (dead) pigs and then used GPR to see how effective it was). I’ve used a magnetometer to search for cars and snowmobiles. The RECCO system was a new approach to locating folks. The addition of third antennas, Pieps’ proposed Vector (with a GPS), the Pulse (and ARVA Link) adding an additional radio band ("W-Link") to gather more information from the victim and to share the info with other searchers, etc. It is certainly a niche market, but there are plenty of smart folks who like to play in the mountains…

Steve Achelis

Shameless Plug: Checkout my book about rescuing people in the mountains by visting MountainResponder.com.

There was a programme on French TV about a Swiss avalanche burial on the French side of Mont Blanc. The victim was deeply buried and the avalanche dogs could not locate him. The PGHM (French Mountain Police) said they would have to wait for spring to recover the body. The family hired a ground penetrating radar and the operator and brothers/friends of the victim spend two days searching the site. The radar had to be dragged on a sledge. Eventually they located the body. The PGHM were extremely dubious at the start but very admirative of the family and their efforts at the end of the documentary. GPR units, as used by archeologists, are much smaller now than 5-10 years ago (when the programme was made) and maybe they will see more use in the future.

This season the French PGHM are experimenting with radio location of mobile phone signals.

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0985-spooks-gadget-could-revolutionize-mountain-rescue/

Mobile phones etc can also be picked up by Recco units which have made considerable progress in the last few years with some live recoveries here in the French alpes amongst others.

I’ve experimented with RFID location a couple of years ago. I can post the results, which are quite promising, if anyone is interested?

Of course some of the gadgets are more in the bizarre end of the spectrum, such as the DKL Lifeguard

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/les-gendarmes-renifleurs/

You may remember a similar device was sold in big numbers to the Iraqi govt. to detect suicide bombers.

Some 20 years ago Hamish MacInnes trialed the early ground radar systems for avalanche recovery.  These early units were huge and unwieldy and it was used to find a missing walker on a remote peak in the “Grey Corries” where an anomaly showed on the trace which narrowed the area for searching and the body was recovered.  While the body wasnt found by the radar it helped a little.