Beacon Contest - no prizes

[snoboy]

Alright, the season is on us, so let's get motivated.

 

I propose an honour bound beacon contest.

 

Here are the rules:

1)Two beacons

2)Minimum 60cm burial (2 ft.)

3)Probe hits required. You can leave the first probe in. Put them in a pack or under a crazy carpet so you have something to hit.

4)Hilly terrain prefered. Note if your field is flat.

 

Let's hear about your best times, and what beacon/technique you are using.

 

Here's mine from Jan 2001 - 3:40 with an F1, using the SOS arc technique.

[fern]

you forgot the part where you don't get to turn off the first beacon after you find it.

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by fern:

you forgot the part where you don't get to turn off the first beacon after you find it.

---

Thanks! But I bet if they are digging up a 60cm deep pack they are going to be "running a little late."

 

For those of you haven't done the CAA Level 1 course; this is the test that you must pass. Under 5 min to pass, under 3 to get full marks, and if you don't pass the beacon test first try, you don't pass the course.

[iain]

That is also the minimum for many mountain rescue units: 5 min for multiple burial, beacons remain on once found.

 

For a good time try doing this on a powerline clearcut.

[snoboy]

What's wrong people, are you going to let me win by default???

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by snoboy:

Alright, the season is on us, so let's get motivated.

 

I propose an honour bound beacon contest.

 

Here are the rules:

1)Two beacons

2)Minimum 60cm burial (2 ft.)

3)Probe hits required. You can leave the first probe in. Put them in a pack or under a crazy carpet so you have something to hit.

4)Hilly terrain prefered. Note if your field is flat.

 

Let's hear about your best times, and what beacon/technique you are using.

 

Here's mine from Jan 2001 - 3:40 with an F1, using the SOS arc technique.

---

[thelawgoddess]

quote:

---

Originally posted by snoboy:

Alright, the season is on us, so let's get motivated.

---

the season isn't quite "on" for some of us yet.

[snoboy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

quote:

---

Originally posted by snoboy:

Alright, the season is on us, so let's get motivated.

---

the season isn't quite "on" for some of us yet.

---

Don't I know it... I was skiing "rock hard bottomless crust" on Sat because I was so desperate to slide down a hill.

 

How about old times to beat then... Give us something to aim for

[thelawgoddess]

quote:

---

Originally posted by snoboy:

I propose an honour bound beacon contest.

---

what does the winner get, ???

[thelawgoddess]

okay, it says "no prizes" but come on, dude. you got to give us something!!!

[snoboy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

okay, it says "no prizes" but come on, dude. you got to give us something!!!

---

Says who

[Dru]

he will give couch space in rossland BC, lead-tainted powder capital of BC

[snoboy]

Come on, some of you must have snow by now...

[Beck]

It's was raining pretty solid up at both Crystal Mountain and Stevens Pass today, i'm waiting for a little more wintery weather before a beacon session, at which i intend to do multiple beacon practice.

 

Will try out the new x-1 versus the Tracker, maybe even bother to try the Barryvox (to become convinced of their complexity) then go to old standby, the f-1 and see how they compare.

 

Everyone should do a beacon refresher afternoon on a tour early in the season. Pick a nice day, scale back your objective, then after you eat lunch, spend an hour or two practicing with your ski buddies. It's fun, it's a lot less work than skinning another two hours, and you get to see how competent your buddies are at potentially digging YOU out of a slide. try it on slopes of 30-40 degrees if you want more realism to scenario, but check the avy danger before you start an avy drill in avy terrain.

The reality of beacons is, most people don't practice regularily, the majority of us haven't practiced more than once, since the first time we got our beacons, whenever that was.

 

Every year, get good at it early in the season, then try again every couple of months- practicing with your ski partners helps ensure YOUR OWN safety. And, If you can educate people how to "shoot" induction lines , or RUN that grid pattern, you'll be that much more popular when the cookies are passed around.

[snoboy]

OK this is back to the top, coz most of you have some sort of snow by now...

 

I've done a couple runs lately, but didn't time myself.

[iain]

It's a pointless contest because conditions of the contest are not controlled.

[snoboy]

I did post some conditions. What do you think is needed to even it out?

[iain]

everyone showing up at the same place w/skis on (if skiers) and av. gear in pack (and beacons strapped in). stuff like that

[snoboy]

Good ideas. I was mostly trying to get people motivated though. With the recent multiple burial things going on, I thought it might be a good idea to drag this up.

 

I'm not trying to test people on how the undo their jackets

 

Obviously there will be not perfectly scientific results.

 

I think a lot of people bury beacons too shallow in practice, and a lot of people don't spend enough time on multiples. It gets a lot harder when the sending units are 2ft down even. Might reinforce the need for probing skills too!

 

[iain]

I'd agree there, beacon searches are a lot different when they are buried deeply (digitals reading 3ft distance when right on top of transmitting beacon for instance, throws people off). Well cheers for the motivating contest anyway.