S1 vs Pulse (test)

Test/Tester: I took my Tracker DTS, an Ortovox S1, and a Mammut Pulse to the BCA Beacon Basin at A-Basin. Normally there are 8 targets in a 100mx100m area, but right now it's just 4 targets in a 40mx50m area and they are shallow. Both the S1 and Pulse have the latest and greatest firmware. I have a lot of time on F1/F1ND analogs and a good amount of time on the Tracker DTS. I've also practiced with the Ortovox M1/M2, Peips DSP, and Barryvox 3000.

SINGLE AND DOUBLE BURIALS:

Pulse: First search ever = 0:22 and 0:56 for a double burial! This thing is super intuitive for a former analog user with some Tracker experience and pinpointing is super duper easy. The varying tone and rate of the beeps means I barely have to glance at the screen. Easy as pie on singles.

S1: First search = 0:46 and 1:35 for a double burial (I'd used the beacon once before). Pretty easy to use. Pinpointing is easy. I feel like I have to have my face buried in the screen to keep reading what it was telling me. Less prone to tell me to hold still than the Pulse. Easy as pie on singles.

CONCLUSION 1-2 burials: S1 and Pulse blow my Tracker away in terms of ease of use, lack of confusion, and speed in both doubles and singles. Not really faster than my analog for singles. Definitely faster than my analog for doubles. Definitely leaning towards the Pulse.

LOTS OF BURIALS

Pulse: Super easy to switch between which beacon it was tracking and so you could definitely use it to direct other searchers (who cares). But 3 beacons confused the Pulse... it thought the first beacon I flagged was both the first and second beacon and that there were only two buried! 4-beacons: didn't even try. Definitely required activation of analog mode.

S1: Super easy to see other burials on screen and flux directions so you could direct other people (who cares). Did 3 beacons with some confusion. 4 beacons confused the hell out of the S1 to the point of non-usability for finding any of them! It wasn't even sure if there were more than two buried! Definitely required activating the microstrip search.

Conclusion 3-4 burials: I think I'll have to read the manuals to make them work with more than two burials. First impression: I'll take my old analog beacon, please!

Thanks for the review.

I have not tried many other beacons. Tracker and some ortovox model, but i own a pulse and by far it is the easiest i've used. Fast and accurate.

Do you feel the firmware upgrade made a difference or did you not test it before upgrade?

Thanks again.

What does the firm ware upgrade?

I now have a Tracker 2 and a Pulse and plan on running some tests this weekend.

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Originally Posted by Summit

First impression: I'll take my old analog beacon, please!

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I am way faster with my Pulse than with my analog (ordo f1).

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Originally Posted by Skidog

Do you feel the firmware upgrade made a difference or did you not test it before upgrade?

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Have not used the older versions except prototype versions indoors.

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Originally Posted by inthemtns

What does the firm ware upgrade?

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Lots. Faster more reliable processing... see you dealer they should do it for free.

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Originally Posted by Hutch

I am way faster with my Pulse than with my analog (ordo f1).

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That comment was specifically for 3-4 beacons. Being able to dial down the sensitivity for a microstrip and then dial up or down more is great plus I can hear how many beacons there are better than the Pulse/S1 seem to be able to figure it out. 1 or 2 burials, the S1/Pulse were faster than my analog.

Although trying to quantify multiple-burial search times with different beacons is an interesting exercise, I see two problems:

1. Each trial is not equal because of potential signal overlap among the target beacons. In other words, Beacon X might have an easy run b/c all the targets were clearly differentiated. Just a minute later you head out with Beacon Y. Sure the targets are still the same, but two of the targets might have now fallen in sync with each other. Beacon Y records a longer time, but Beacon X might have been just as slow, or even slower.

2. Sometimes signal separation beacons display all the beacons almost immediately, sometimes not. The delay can seem like a long time when searching on the easy terrain of a beacon park or other practice area. I suspect that the reality of an actual search is that no matter how fast all the other elements are resolved, enough delays are going to occur even during a well-executed searching that the signal separation for the third beacon will be achieved by the time the searcher is ready to head onto the third beacon. (Now if four victims are fully buried and/or multiple searchers are trying to search in tandem, then I'm not so sure of that conclusion.)

Interesting points JS, but also thanks to Summit for posting this. I am in the market, so to speak, to upgrade my Tracker in the next year for a 3-antenna. Have been interested in the Pulse.

Backcountry mag last issue had their reviews as well, and seemed to favor the Pulse over the PIPS and S1. Obviously Ortovox has the new 3-antenna coming out as well (plus the Tracker 2).

Yes, sorry for my oversight -- I should have made explicit my thanks for Summit for posting that helpful feedback.
And I agree that the Backcountry magazine review was quite good (something I seldom say about their gear reviews), and would be very helpful for anyone shopping around for a beacon.

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Originally Posted by Summit

Conclusion 3-4 burials: I think I'll have to read the manuals to make them work with more than two burials. First impression: I'll take my old analog beacon, please!

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As an S1 user Im just going to throw it out there that the S1 does have a full analog mode as well as a special mode for 4 or more beacons. Both come in pretty handy for multiple burials.

I living with the pieps 6.2 and luving it. The things sweet fast and clean. Whats the word on the pulse1 HOW, WHAT, WHY. thank's for your time.