Beacon...check...probe and shovel...check...

[Bannick]

So with christmas gift cards I picked up a BCA Tracker today at MEC. Now to take the courses and practice...guess what....not much is offered here in Ontario and the courses at Baker do not coincide with my trip. DAMMIT!

But at least MEC rents them by the day so I am going to rent a couple in the next few weeks to practice with at the park.

gonna see if any other outfits will be offering courses in the PNW while I am there.

[Bannick]

So the question I have is how do you pack your transiever for air travel...in your carry on or in your checked baggage? I would think I want it in my carry on but not sure what the security types have to say about that.

Thoughts, advice?

[lacman]

I've taken mine as checked baggage...well protected and padded mind you. As for damage or lost baggage, chances are your skis/binding and other luggage cost far more than your beacon.

If you can't get a course, you can at least get prepped...pick up either Snow Sense by Jill Fredston or Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper. Both are well written and cover a lot of the same material you'll find in Level 1 (or in Canada, the AST Level 1). Even if you do get a course, do some reading before going into it and you'll be way ahead of the curve.

Also, start reading avalanche advisories (if you haven't already). Get a sense of what the PNW snowpack is like well in advance of your trip.

[PWDR8S]

My recommendation is to carry on most electronics... esp. a transceiver considering it's inherent safety value when at yoru detination. Also, there are new rules about batteries, etc and the TSA might be slow on the uptake in knowing what is what. This is focused on lithium batteries but they don't hire the brightest lightbulbs in the TSA.

New rules regarding batteries may or may not have effect on your travels.....

lifted from.... http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html
Effective January 1, 2008, the following rules apply to the spare lithium batteries you carry with you in case the battery in a device runs low:
Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.
You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage
You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips (http://safetravel.dot.gov/tips.html) and how-to sections to find out how to (http://safetravel.dot.gov/how_to.html) pack spare batteries safely!
Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed.
The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours:
Under the new rules, you can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. Examples of two types of lithium ion batteries with equivalent lithium content over 8 grams but below 25 are shown below.
For a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer! Examples of extended-life rechargeable lithium batteries (more than 8 but not more than 25 grams of equivalent lithium content):
http://safetravel.dot.gov/images/laptop_battery.jpg 130 watt-hour “universal” lithium ion battery
http://safetravel.dot.gov/images/whats_new_batt_3.jpg 160 watt-hour lithium ion battery for professional audio/visual equipmen

[pulverschwein]

AAI HQ is in Bellingham. Many, many courses available - hopefully when you'll be there:http://www.aai.cc/ProgramDetail/avalanche1/.

As for your beacon, I agree with 8's - carry it for the sake of protecting it from smashing. I've been leary of flying with it, fearing that the TSA peeps'ld be baffled by an unknown electonic device that appears to do nothing but emit a series of beeps and pick up various interference, especially in a non-snow saavy airport like the one I use a lot - Newark, NJ. However, I (knock on wood) have never been questioned in any airport anywhere worldwide when carrying my transceiver. Sometimes they take a look at it, ask you to power it up, but in my experience, that's it.

According to my bro who lives in B'ham and everything I've read, avy danger has been pretty hairy all season. http://www.nwac.us/forecasts.htm Be safe and enjoy.

[clg898]

I just took mine in my carry on. Had the same concern about it spooking TSA folks, but they didn't even ask about it. I brought it packed in its box figuring that might help explain exactly what the little beeping, flashing thingy with a chest strap was designed for.

[Bannick]

Thanks to all for the tips...will be carrying it with me in the box....hopefully all will be swell!

[Affix Snow]

This is focused on lithium batteries but they don't hire the brightest lightbulbs in the TSA.



Just a note here on Lithium batteries......

DO NOT USE THEM IN YOUR BEACON!!!!!!!

They screw with your beacon...they also suddenly die...they dont wain light normal alkaline. Thus, beggining of the tour your beacon will register full power, then half way through it will be dead.

[PWDR8S]

Just a note here on Lithium batteries......

DO NOT USE THEM IN YOUR BEACON!!!!!!!

They screw with your beacon...they also suddenly die...they dont wain light normal alkaline. Thus, beggining of the tour your beacon will register full power, then half way through it will be dead.

VERY VERY GOOD POINT! I had used LIon in my digicam once and the batteries got sooo freekin hot I though my cam was gonna explode... I promptly took the batteries out and nearly burned my fingers in the process. Those dang batteries melted some wiring inside the camera and permanantly disabled it... Those DO short out sometimes and it's a mess.

[Bannick]

Just a note here on Lithium batteries......

DO NOT USE THEM IN YOUR BEACON!!!!!!!

They screw with your beacon...they also suddenly die...they dont wain light normal alkaline. Thus, beggining of the tour your beacon will register full power, then half way through it will be dead.

Ya have had issues with other devices and litiums...Thanks for the reminder eh?

[pulverschwein]

So with christmas gift cards I picked up a BCA Tracker today at MEC. Now to take the courses and practice...guess what....not much is offered here in Ontario and the courses at Baker do not coincide with my trip.
Bannick - new courses added at Baker - hopefully during your stay http://www.mtbaker.us/mec.php

220" in December has led me to boycott talking to my brother in Bellingham. :envy:

[Bannick]

Bannick - new courses added at Baker - hopefully during your stay http://www.mtbaker.us/mec.php

220" in December has led me to boycott talking to my brother in Bellingham. :envy:

Ya I know...don't work for me. I may try to go a couple of days early and do the level one course or stay for the banked slalom and do it from the 7th to the 10th...I am going to a free avalance awarness seminar at MEC (like REI but Canadian) tomorrow.

Ya I am boycotting our bellingham/baker friends too....they suck.