Avalanche and Garmin Rhinos

Tuesday · Dec 4, 2007

Besides using beacons, scan patterns and probes was wondering it the garmin rhino (location function) would be another tool to assist finding buried sledders?
It wouldnt be exact but may help save a few more minutes? Thoughts?

Tedd · Dec 4, 2007

This was one of the same exact thoughts that we had prior to purchasing our beacons. The only issue is, the person being buried in the slide would have to hit the PTT button on the rhino to transmit there location, otherwise it would lead you to the last position they were in when you talked to them last which could be miles away.

Tuesday · Dec 4, 2007

hmm i was under the impression you could ping them and get there location? Regardless if they could hit the ptt the could send you a location. Might save a life? shrug

adrenaline junkey · Dec 4, 2007

Tuesday said:
hmm i was under the impression you could ping them and get there location? Regardless if they could hit the ptt the could send you a location. Might save a life? shrug

I believe you are right they can be pinged but I don't know if the accuracy is there. but if i was buried i would want my life being saved by a beacon but a good thought none the less

HawkShot99 · Dec 4, 2007

But can it transmit through the snow?

Dogmeat · Dec 4, 2007

I think a beacon would be a lot more precise in it's determination of locating another beacon than a GPS-based unit would.

A GPS-based unit might be lucky to get you within 20 feet whereas a beacon can get you within 5 or so ....

adrenaline junkey · Dec 4, 2007

HawkShot99 said:
But can it transmit through the snow?

I would think so i know a few guys who use GPS units in water tight bags for scuba diving makes underwater navigation a snap.

Rixster · Dec 5, 2007

You can ping them, but it will only show there location as to when they lost satililite reciption. As for transmitting through the snow I adont know but next tiem i go ride I will bury one and find out.

Adrenaline Revolution · Dec 5, 2007

I was told by a buddy who has one that he tried burying his in 3 feet of snow and tried to get a fix on it and it did not work.

As far as getting close with a gps goes, I can get within 2 feet of a GPS waypoint if I have a good clear signal.

Geocaching is a great way to learn how to use your GPS, My Father in Law introduced me to it.

http://www.geocaching.com/

CoyoteGirl · Dec 5, 2007

Beacons are tried and true, stick to them.

My Garmin says accurate w/in 10'. Not close enough for me.

Satellite reception is key.............. you don't always have good reception.

I have read reports that say the signal won't penetrate the snow.

Last thing. Some experts DENY this, but I've seen it first hand....... the Garmin Rhino can cause interferance with the beacons. In my group, when someone is buried I yell "Turn your beacon to receive!" (OOPS Thanks 1fast68) THEN I yell "ALL radios and cell phones off!" Experts can argue till they are blue in the face, but I don't want to take a chance.

1Fast68 · Dec 5, 2007

CoyoteGirl said:
"Turn your beacon to transmit!"

Might want to rethink what you will be yelling.

Oregongirl · Dec 5, 2007

We experienced interference with our Garmin's and our beacons when we were practicing a recovery last year.

GunniApexRider · Dec 5, 2007

My 530 losses siganl in the dark pines while hunting, so I would think that being burried in snow would cause it to do the same.

If Pinging works the way way Rixster says, then that could be disasterous.

I think becon's are the best way to go

GPS's units might be helpfull, I personally would not bet my life on it.

BlgsRX-1mtn · Dec 5, 2007

I wouldn't try to use the Rhino in place of an avy beacon. My 130 was showing a 38' 3D accuracy in Cooke City two weeks ago. This was with clear skies.

There is a polling (or pinging) but the radios must have this "allow polling" option in their menu set to "yes" or it will only give the updated location if the ptt button is activated. I have both of my 130s set to this use function and have the "auto poll" also activated and it updates my wife's location every 30 seconds.

Jim

Sunridge Sledhead · Dec 5, 2007

FYI.....from our real life situation....I recommend turning off all electronic equipment, especially Rhinos, when you are searching with beacons. We picked up a strong squelch, thinking it was picking up a signal from the beacon, and it was picking up the Rhino. We lost some minutes digging in the wrong place as a result!

Tuesday · Dec 5, 2007

NO NO NO some of you missed my point completely. This was NEVER intended to replace the beacon. I was just "thinking out loud" . If you do your normal search with beacon/probes and use the garmin rhino to possibly get a ping/location of where they might be. Some slides are big and if you had a half azz idea of where to start looking that would save a ton of time. Trust me being within 5 feet and using beacons is a hell of alot easier then 400 ft.

I have heard numerous reports that the high sensitivity models can still pick/send info when under alot of cover so there may be a "chance" that it may assist the find. Again not to replace but to assist a find. So paying 300$ for a decent gps anyway another 200$ might aid in saving a life.

Just a thought. Hope this clears that up. Only idiots ride without proper gear.

Those that tested this theory where you using the high sent. ones or the regular models. 520/530hx vs. plain jane models?

CatWoman · Dec 5, 2007

If you are involved in an incident, you DO want all other electronic equipment turned off (beacons to receive).

I did some research into this, and all the avy peeps I talked to either;

1. Knew about the interference, but not why. I was told it was being studied by experts even higher up the chain.

2. Or didn't know anything about it, and went to work looking into it. Some I heard back from, others just let it go.

At one outdoor training session where there were instructors who hadn't heard of this (and didn't think it could happen, but couldn't be 100% positive), I was able to produce/prove interference by radios . There was a variety of beacons/radios available to test since this was at a Family Day ride/BBQ our club put on.....and quite a few folks there.

lztat573 · Dec 5, 2007

I just bought two of the 530 HX and people are saying that in a two story home, in the basement they are getting a good signal. So in the snow I don't know? And the hunters are saying in the thick trees they can get back to a location with in 2 to 5', so I think that is relatively close. But I’m getting them for another reason. I’m Starting to take my 12 year old son, and to ease the wife's stress.

Tuesday · Dec 5, 2007

so it looks like it may assist a find. That does sound promising and makes it easier to justify an extra 200$ imo.

NWGooser · Dec 5, 2007

My family & I all wear the Collet snofones. I contacted Tracker Beacons and they said it would not cause interference. I was comfortable with that but after reading this... I wonder.
One of the comments above asked about the buried victim keying the mic. No way will this happen. The compaction of the snow is incredible. Then add the friction/heat followed by a quick freeze. Not much wiggle room in there.

Avalanche and Garmin Rhinos

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