Beacons for climbers...your thoughts?

[klenke]

Saw the news article about it yesterday. Wondering what your thought are on the device?

 

This is a device that can put out a signal to a satellite that can aid in the location of an injured climber in times of rescue. It's a lot like an avalanche beacon but with a much greater range, obviously. Cost currently is ~$300.

 

One concern is supposedly the inadvertant activation of the device and thus an "unwanted" rescue being incurred. Fines could ensue for misuse.

 

[ 10-18-2002, 01:05 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

[Greg_W]

Already discussed here: web page

[klenke]

I wouldn't say it was "discussed" there in Gear Critic. It was only posted there. Your post there does not add anything to the discussion. On the front page I thought I'd get a better response. It's Friday, so we'll see.

[iain]

Something that starts at $300, and is for safety and may never be used sounds like a similar marketing wall to overcome as avalanche tranceivers. Perhaps even more difficult. I think they need to be cheaper and/or rentable at this point.

[mattp]

I would say it might be more difficult. To buy and use such a locator beacon is kind of like saying you fear you might get lost (which would very likely be your own fault), whereas to buy and use an avalanche beacon is to acknowledge that you plan to spend time in dangerous terrain (which we tend to think is a reasonable choice, if you take "adequate" precautions). However, my recollection is that the use of avalanche beacons became standard practice among all the backcountry skiers I know within a few years of their release on the general market.

[Bronco]

Yeah, you could think of it in these terms -

 

you are on a ledge watching cerebral fluid leak out the ear of your partner who just cratered on the 10th pitch of the N. Ridge of (insert favorite mountain)he may or may not survive the night. Do you say -

 

a. "call in the calvary" and activate your beacon

or

b. "good thing we don't have one of those pussy rescue beacons, any last words dude?"

 

I really don't care to die in the mountains and if the thing isn't huge enough to hinder speed and they are proven effective, I will seriously consider picking one up.

 

You could also carry it when you go to pub clubs incase you get lost and need diro's.

[Greg_W]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bronco:

Yeah, you could think of it in these terms -

 

you are on a ledge watching cerebral fluid leak out the ear of your partner who just cratered on the 10th pitch of the N. Ridge of (insert favorite mountain)he may or may not survive the night. Do you say -

 

a. "call in the calvary" and activate your beacon

or

b. "good thing we don't have one of those pussy rescue beacons, any last words dude?"

 

I really don't care to die in the mountains and if the thing isn't huge enough to hinder speed and they are proven effective, I will seriously consider picking one up.

 

You could also carry it when you go to pub clubs incase you get lost and need diro's.

---

First of all, we didn't get lost . Second, you must realize that your hobby carries a certain amount of death-potential with it. Why not carry a cell phone?

[Bronco]

I generally do carry a phone but it seems like it rarely works in the mountains.

 

I realize everyone has their own taste for risk, and I am certainly not suggesting one would be irresponsible if they chose not to carry a beacon, but, I believe I would be interested in one when they are available.

 

Kinda like carying a hand gun, you may never need it, but, if you do ever get into a situation where life is threatend, it sure is nice to have.

[Cpt.Caveman]

satellite phones with a gps are the best

[iain]

I'm not badmouthing the product. All I am saying is there have been problems marketing avalanche safety equipment, where there is even a visible and known threat to the user, so there will probably be trouble marketing something similar to protect against the "unknown" and which has no use other than when you need an evacuation.

 

I wonder how much different models will weigh.

 

How many Mt. Hood climbers rent an MLU?

[Bronco]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

satellite phones with a gps are the best

---

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bronco:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

satellite phones with a gps are the best

---

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Hey bro dont use one when it's just you and FB and we'll see who's talkin smack

[troubleski]

my understanding is that these will fuction along the same lines as Marine epirbs etc.

 

I think that their true calling would be for people on remote expetitions. I wouldn't take an epirb for a day sail on puget sound... but damn strait I test it before I go out in the pacific. I would imagine something along the same lines in the mountains...

[Bronco]

nobody talks the smack like you mofo! I thought all you pansis would be over at the rope up pube club by now.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I wish I was but I am waiting for Charlies ass to show up. IF he is a no show then I wil leave with my mutt in the next hour,

[Smoker]

$300 for a gadget? No thank you. As Greg points out there IS a certain amt of risk in the hills.

 

I am a cheap bastard, and don't want to take more gear that cost bushels of cash in my climbing pack. Plus, what gives any of us the right to expect a rescue for doing something as reckless as climbing? If we think that rescue is an option are we really climbing? Maybe we are simply making poor choices.

[Rodchester]

Cell phones, GPS, now this?

 

Talk about extra weight, bulk, and cost. I've been around for years in the woods, back country, alpine envro and been there is some pretty bad situations. Don't need it.

 

I'd bet the VAST majority of those that buy it are gumbys. Sure build it, sell it, not problem. But wouldn't bother with it myself.

 

[troubleski]

I know... I know... flame on... I didn't read the article that was in the news yesterday... and I should really come to class prepared...

 

I just don't think that there the recreational market is where these things are going to go... I think that most likely you will see a lot of them going with people who have dangererous ocupations in remote places. A bush pilot in AK has an ELT that goes off if he crashes... but the state biologist who he drops off has nothing if he slips and breaks his leg. Sat Phones and Radios cost $$$ for agencies that are fighting tight budgets. Same in the private sector. Why send the field team in with a phone 2000.00 phone that costs several dollars per minute, when you can send them in with a 300.00 sat beacon....

 

I really, really don't think REI is going to sell many of these...

[klenke]

I can see for business use that the employer might supply the employee with a beacon to avoid spousal litigation after employee has died while doing his/her job (because no one rescued him/her). But then, seems to me, employees should not be going out into the bush alone. They should be partnered up.

 

For personal use, it's a different story.

[mattp]

These things might save somebody some time, but without thinking very much about it I can see some real problems with the use of them. Here's a couple of them:

 

Issue one: when do you activate the thing? When somebody is losing mass blood or just when you find that you are not going to make it down off Johannesburg tonight and you didn't bring bivvy gear and it looks like rain? (In the old days you would tough it out, but now you think you don't have to and you really don't know if you could survive a night out so you feel justified in calling for help.)

 

Issue two: Will the prospect of a ready-to-order rescue cause people to try a climb that would previously have been too intimidating?

 

Issue three: once you push the panic button a rescue will have to be initiated becaause if the signal thereafter stops they won't now if the unit stopped working or the user switched it off.

 

If we want a rescue calling device, I'd be hoping they come out with a tiny satellite phone.

[Winter]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

 

How many Mt. Hood climbers rent an MLU?

---

I don't think I've ever seen one on the mountain. Has one of those things ever been credited with assisting a rescue?