Jonathan Shefftz posted this advisory on Telemark Talk… given we sclepp a lot of electronics into the backcountry (iPhones, iPods, iBeacons etc) what is the latest skiing on searching with avalanche beacons?

Hmmm that’s quite interesting, is it the radio broadcast or the speaker magnet that is causing the problem? I have an ARVA 9000 that uses a magnet and hall or reed switch to actuate the beacon. Obviously a stronger magnet, such as in a speaker, could cause problems. I think the DSP has a reed switch so it seems like the speaker magnet is causing the problem. I guess if you are buried this could be a factor as you have little control where your radio might end up. Something to think about.

Reed switches seem like a flakey design to me, but beacons must be waterproof and this is one way to do it, switch is actuated remotely through the case by a small magnet in the clip.

It’s extremely unlikely to be the magnet. Reed-switches are normally activated when the triggering magnet is within 1- 2 mm and since magnetic flux decays on a logarithmic scale, another magnet would have to be both very close ( ferrite speaker magnets are rather weak ) and well aligned along the axis of the poles to have an effect.