Hopefully, an avalanche transceiver is the one piece of equipment you will never have to use. That being said, you still need to know how to use it.
Ortovox has designed its 3+ Avalanche Transceiver to be reliable, accurate and easy for anyone to use. A digital beacon, the Ortovox 3+ comes with three built-in antennas. Smart antenna technology allows it to automatically switch to the best transmission antenna depending on the orientation of the target signal.
The Ortovox 3+ is equipped with a built-in Recco reflector. This technology, developed by a company in Sweden, works two ways. The reflector sends up a directional signal to a rescuer wearing a Recco detector. The rescuer is then able to pinpoint the victim’s location. Recco technology was originally developed for use in and around skiing areas; today, more than 700 skiing areas and backcountry rescue teams around the world are wearing Recco detectors. It’s basically a backup option to help rescuers accurately pinpoint the location of victims and for victims to be found more quickly. In the fall of 2013, Ortovox announced that all of its avalanche transceivers will be equipped with a Recco reflector.
Another neat function of the Ortovox 3+ is that after about two minutes of inactivity, the transceiver will switch over automatically from search to transmit. The reason? In case a followup avalanche occurred.
The Ortovox 3+ is equipped to handle multiple burial situations as well. It allows the rescuer to maintain an overview of burials—once the first burial is found, the rescuer can blend out the signal and pin them as found.
This transceiver requires only one AA battery and battery strength is displayed on the screen at startup. The Ortovox 3+ comes with a five-year warranty and it can be updated.
For more information, visit the Ortovox website.
