Smartphone apps as avalanche transceivers

[AlexC]

Apparently this is a thing, and there are three of them out there. To me, it seems grossly irresponsible to develop these, let alone market them as something that could save a life. Anyways, the Canadian Avalanche Centre looked at them and made the obvious conclusion they shouldn't be used in place of a transceiver.

http://www.revelstoketimesreview.com...229142381.html

[mfa81]

maybe the morons that try to use something like that deserve the consequences

[cmcrawfo]

Transceivers (much like helmets) are over rated.

"when people feel safer they get more comfy in/with they're surroundings. even when those surroundings increase in risk/hazzard. safety/comfort brings complacency, complacency leads to an increased risk of fucking up. " -icelanticskier

I personally feel safer, trailing 50 ft of rope behind me, with a healthy dose of fear.

[skifishbum]

Transceivers (much like helmets) are over rated.

"when people feel safer they get more comfy in/with they're surroundings. even when those surroundings increase in risk/hazzard. safety/comfort brings complacency, complacency leads to an increased risk of fucking up. " -icelanticskier

I personally feel safer, trailing 50 ft of rope behind me, with a healthy dose of fear.

bro did you just try prove a point quoting the idiot people put on ignore and would rank in the 1% of the which tgr poster would maggots least desire as a touring partner?

I feel safer w/ competent skilled partners with strong self companion rescue skills and if any of those are smartphone or fear dependent well.....
maybe catch ya on the next tour

[cmcrawfo]

I posted that quote with that exact sentiment in mind. Please see my exchange in the "Helmets are Cool" thread.

And there is nothing wrong with trailing 50ft of rope. Freedom of the hills, 1st edition style. besides, I use 100 ft on deep days.

[Hugh Conway]

Really wish they didn't keep burying the lede

“WiFi and Bluetooth signals are significantly weakened when passing through snow, and easily deflected by the solid objects we expect to see in avalanche debris," he said. "And the accuracy of a GPS signal is nowhere near the precision required for finding an avalanche victim. ”

That's what should get lead with everywhere.

[od]

Because the Morons are new to offpiste/backcountry skiing and don't know any better.

[icelanticskier]

Transceivers (much like helmets) are over rated.

and you sir are a fucking moron. transceivers are nothing like helmets. they are recovery tools. that is all.

rog

[bigdude2468]

Because the Morons are new to offpiste/backcountry skiing and don't know any better.

I just read the review on the UAC site and immediately looked here to see if a thread had started. I cannot see any reason to have the app other than to be able to show it off to the ladies while slurping a beer at the bar. I guess the only good thing is at least it is not like that fucking transmit only crap that was being hawked last year that was on the correct frequency. This won't interfer with a legitimate in bounds search with a bunch of people standing around and not having the sense to turn their smart off or switch it to search.

[icelanticskier]

I feel safer w/ competent skilled partners with strong self companion rescue skills

well ya cuz you can't ski fer shit! you need partners who can uncross yer tips when you go over the bars in teh pow pow. how do i know? i seen you ski! pleeze post that video of you again from that epic line you skied

sorry lee, had to do it

rog

[PNWbrit]

transceivers are nothing like helmets.
rog

Are they like airbags.

[icelanticskier]

nope

rog

[Theo-san]

and you sir are a fucking moron. transceivers are nothing like helmets. they are recovery tools. that is all.

rog

Nothing?

They both only help after you've already fucked up. And isn't that your whole schtick? Don't fuck up in the first place?

[PNWbrit]

Nothing?

They both only help after you've already fucked up. And isn't that your whole schtick? Don't fuck up in the first place?

I already tried... he ain't biting.

[Theo-san]

Well you know what they say.. if at first you don't succeed.. Then you're not Rog.

[icelanticskier]

helmets help to protect yer skull in the event of an injury (fuck up). beacons aid in recovering your body. many folks ski terrain (cliffs, trees with more speed, bigger air) with a helmet that they wouldn't without one. you wear a beacon in avy terrain, or inbounds resort controlled avy terrain (at least i do and others i know) so that the folks recovering yer body won't have to search as long and your family members find out the news sooner.

rog

[PNWbrit]

Wow...............

I thought you were just going to say something moronic.

But you really surpassed yourself.

[cmcrawfo]

helmets help to protect yer skull in the event of an injury (fuck up). beacons aid in recovering your body. many folks ski terrain (cliffs, trees with more speed, bigger air) with a helmet that they wouldn't without one. you wear a beacon in avy terrain, or inbounds resort controlled avy terrain (at least i do and others i know) so that the folks recovering yer body won't have to search as long and your family members find out the news sooner.

rog

Beacons help recover your body in the event of burial ( fuck up). Helmets protect yer skull from stuff. Many folks ski terrain ( cliffs, open bowls, steeper lines) with a beacon that they wouldn't without one. You wear a helmet in avy terrain or inbounds ( at least I do and others I know) so folks picking you up off the wont have to deal with head injuries and your family won't have to feed u with a spoon.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

helmets help to protect yer skull in the event of an injury (fuck up). beacons aid in recovering your body. many folks ski terrain (cliffs, trees with more speed, bigger air) with a helmet that they wouldn't without one. you wear a beacon in avy terrain, or inbounds resort controlled avy terrain (at least i do and others i know) so that the folks recovering yer body won't have to search as long and your family members find out the news sooner.

rog

my head hurts...

I'm confused; is Rog Chuck Norris?!?

[TBS]

The iSIS app is especially misleading. I took the time over the summer to do a thorough review, especially the "I've fallen and can't get up" feature.
See last post in http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...20253_f534e27d

And FWIW, the iPhone Beacon has been around for almost five years. See Wild Snow's review
http://www.wildsnow.com/1773/avi-the...on-for-iphone/

[bigdude2468]

The iSIS app is especially misleading. I took the time over the summer to do a thorough review, especially the "I've fallen and can't get up" feature.
See last post in http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...20253_f534e27d

And FWIW, the iPhone Beacon has been around for almost five years. See Wild Snow's review
http://www.wildsnow.com/1773/avi-the...on-for-iphone/

I just read your review from last year, good work, this mirrors what the UAC posted. After reading all the "good" things iSis had to say about their app it was telling that they never responded to your testing. Just seems silly that anyone would pay a monthly or annual fee for this.

[snoqpass]

and you sir are a fucking moron. transceivers are nothing like helmets. they are recovery tools. that is all.

rog

I know people who are still alive because they were RESCUED wth a transceiver, one of them inbounds.

[icelanticskier]

^^^^^^recovery, rescue, retrieve. different than helmet.

glad it worked out for those you know.

rog

[Alaskan Rover]

Beacons help recover your body in the event of burial ( fuck up). Helmets protect yer skull from stuff. Many folks ski terrain ( cliffs, open bowls, steeper lines) with a beacon that they wouldn't without one. You wear a helmet in avy terrain or inbounds ( at least I do and others I know) so folks picking you up off the wont have to deal with head injuries and your family won't have to feed u with a spoon.

I'm having trouble following this path of logic.

Because SOME people (probably a minority) ski/ride terrain with a helmet that they normally wouldn't...that means ALL people do so?

And because in some instances, wearing a beacon helps rescuers recover a body instead of a live person means that beacons don't work for recovering survivors??

Ummm....wow.

The fact is...helmets make sense no matter WHAT terrain you are skiing. You can catch a tip or slip on blue ice and crack your noggin just fifty feet from the lodge. Helmets are far lighter now than they used to be. I use a light climbing helmet and granted, it doesnt maybe have some of the protection of a downhill race helmet...but it still is very protective in most falls including back of the head blows. If wearing a helmet adds to safety, I endorse it.

Same with beacons. Sure...beacons won't help worth a shit if you're going solo or doing the "macho he-man" thing and skiing so far ahead of the group you might as well be solo. Use your noggin and group up with experienced, avi-skilled friends AND wear a beacon in avi country....AND a helmet.

And WTF?? Helmets are also dissimilar to beacons in that helmets make sense at all parts of ALL ski areas or back country...and beacons would make no sense on some green run in a Michigan ski area with 460 ft of vertical!

[cmcrawfo]

I'm having trouble following this path of logic.

Because SOME people (probably a minority) ski/ride terrain with a helmet that they normally wouldn't...that means ALL people do so?

And because in some instances, wearing a beacon helps rescuers recover a body instead of a live person means that beacons don't work for recovering survivors??

Ummm....wow.

The fact is...helmets make sense no matter WHAT terrain you are skiing. You can catch a tip or slip on blue ice and crack your noggin just fifty feet from the lodge. Helmets are far lighter now than they used to be. I use a light climbing helmet and granted, it doesnt maybe have some of the protection of a downhill race helmet...but it still is very protective in most falls including back of the head blows. If wearing a helmet adds to safety, I endorse it.

Same with beacons. Sure...beacons won't help worth a shit if you're going solo or doing the "macho he-man" thing and skiing so far ahead of the group you might as well be solo. Use your noggin and group up with experienced, avi-skilled friends AND wear a beacon in avi country....AND a helmet.

And WTF?? Helmets are also dissimilar to beacons in that helmets make sense at all parts of ALL ski areas or back country...and beacons would make no sense on some green run in a Michigan ski area with 460 ft of vertical!

I didn't read any of your post past the first sentence.

I was playing off Icelanticskier's logic. There is a bit of history not captured in this thread. You are reading too much into it.