Bugaboos Rescue

[G-spotter]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=3e7a35b0-674b-473f-be7f-20fb77463b69

[Argus]

There is more info here:

 

http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=50&contentId=6063&position=3&languageId=1

 

 

[northvanclimber]

Glad everyone got out safely!

 

A couple weeks ago i was up there with a couple buddies when one of them took a terrible fall on snowpatch spire and busted up his foot badly. despite our best efforts to make a splint for his foot, it was apparent he wasn't going to be able to walk back to our tents, let alone back to the car. luckily, a team climbing on a route nearby had a VHF radio and were able to call us a rescue helicopter and even better, the upper vowell glacier made for a nice helipad. we were pretty grateful those guys had a radio and i'm wondering now about the merrits of getting one myself.

 

since a lot of mountaineering and climbing takes place in remote areas where cel phones don't work, do any of you c.c.'s carry radios when you're climbing? dru, any thoughts? i know you have to get an amateur radio license, but that doesn't sound very hard considering how useful it can be...

[LeeLau]

I've got a Vertex VHF radio. Very very handy and I got it for the same reason you mentioned ie keeping in touch with party members or with SAR if all goes wrong. Esp if you get a whip antennae you can hit repeaters. Even with line of sight reception/transmission is v good. Basic politeness if to ask permission to get the correct codes for the repeaters - eg in the Bugs you would call CMH Bugaboos and ask for permission and don't always expect it to get granted.

 

Here's a good place to get them http://www.mparam.com. He can do modifications for you and he can set you up with what you need.

 

I got the Vertex VX - 170 btw - very tough. Its taken falls, dropped on snow and ice, basically beaten the crap out of it and it still works great.

[PaulB]

i know you have to get an amateur radio license, but that doesn't sound very hard considering how useful it can be...

Even with an amateur license (which is not very hard to get) and a radio which operates on the amateur frequencies, you may not find it as useful as you had hoped. Out of the box, amateur radios are not capable of transmitting on commercial VHF or UHF frequencies such as those that CMH, BC Parks or the ACC would be using in the Bugaboos.

 

As it is difficult to buy a commerical VHF radio unless you have the appropriate frequency license, many people purchase an amateur radio and have it modified (which usually involves removing a resistor or jumper from the circuit board) so that it can transmit on non-amateur frequencies. While this is legal (as far as I know), using the radio to transmit on non-amateur frequencies is not. However, the chances of getting busted are pretty small unless you're constantly tying up someone's frequency and they go through the effort of trying to track you down. In emergencies where there is "grave danger to life or limb" it is generally accepted that licensing concerns are trumped by helping whoever is in distress.

 

Having a radio isn't much good unless you know what frequency to use, so it's worth doing a bit of research for the area you are visiting. You'll want to find out if there are any amateur or commercial repeaters nearby and what their frequencies are. Even then, as Lee says, if the repeaters are configured with an access code (rare in the backcountry, I think), you won't be able to use them unless the owner gives you the code.

 

I have a modified Yaesu FT-60R which I take along on most trips where I know I'll be out of cell phone range and have access to at least one repeater.

 

Check out the March 2008 article here for lots more info.

[northvanclimber]

Check out the March 2008 article here for lots more info.

 

very interesting article. i'm a little confused though, if i need some sort of rescue, who exactly would i try contacting? it sounds like commercial services use frequencies i can't (legally) access...

[PaulB]

i'm a little confused though, if i need some sort of rescue, who exactly would i try contacting? it sounds like commercial services use frequencies i can't (legally) access...

Therein lies the crux. Unless you pre-arrange regular contact, there is no guarantee that you will contact anyone. Whether using amateur or commercial frequencies, you are dependent on someone hearing you and being willing/able to call the RCMP to initiate SAR.

 

Radios aren't a sure bet for getting help, but they do increase the odds if you've done your homework. Sat phone is a step up, but PLB is the only guaranteed way to get attention when you absolutely need it.