Ortovox M2 vs other beacons?

[dbb]

So I've been looking into buying a beacon, and I want to hear what experiences people have had with the Ortovox M2 (their digital beacon).

Do people think it's worth it to spring for the digital ones over the regular analog OM1s/ F1NDs/etc.. ?

I origionally learned of a regular beacon, but have been using a tracker more recently and think it's a bit faster.

Also, does anyone know wheather the O-M2 is a dual digital analog beacon? They claim to have an 80m range, which is twice that of the tracker...

[Beck]

The M2 is an analog beacon with digital technology, this validates the manufacturers' clamims of being a dual digi/analogue beacon.

[EV]

I'd stick with the Tracker. All the above points are valid, but when you get down to the fine search (I can't remember the proper term), the Tracker is 2-3 times faster.

[Marcus_Engley]

EV, yes! I forgot about that. Much, much quicker with the Tracker, and it makes its own adjustments as you get closer....

[Norm]

I learned on an F2 switched to an F1 (F2 died), and then picked up a Tracker, after seeing how fast novices picked up how to use it. Although the Tracker has half the range of the F1, once you've got a signal you're dialed in. I've found in competetive searches people with trackers spend a little more time running around trying to pick up a signal then immeaditly home in to do the fine search, while those with the F1 are still working out thier large grid. One other thing to consider about range: Staying away from large slides is easy; it's the little ones you've realy got to be careful of.

[dbb]

Beck, what does this mean then? Does it simply follow the induction line like other digital beacons or does it have "digital features" like distance to source, but is mainly meant to be used in gid-search form?

I know you can do induction with analogs, but it seems the whole point of digital is to make that process easy. Maybe I should try and rent one and compare it...

[Lambone]

They both work fine, but didgital beacons are faster hands down.

Yes I believe it is a dual analog with two antennas inside it.

It's the one to get in my opinion, but it takes a bit more knowhow than the Tracker. I like that you adjust the volume on your own. More similar to the old school beacon.

The Tracker suposedly isolates multiple signals better. But lots of range is key.

[Marcus_Engley]

dbb,

My girlfriend and I both have the Tracker, and I've used the M2 quite a bit. They're both good beacons, but I found the Tracker much easier to use "off the couch", and I think it's a better beacon to loan out as well, since it takes almost no time to figure out the basics.

As for it's range v. the Ortovox, I haven't found that it's a real problem. The Ortovox definitely has a greater range (one of it's prime selling points), but I don't think that outweighs the ease of use of the Tracker. The majority of avvie accidents are in pretty small slides, so I don't think you'll run into that problem often...

My 2...

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