bca TRACKER2 User Manual page 2

No two avalanche rescue scenarios are the same.
Throw in more than one buried victim and a search can get
complicated and may require special searching techniques.
While most beacons on the market come standard with
multiple search functions, these cannot be considered
reliable in all burial situations. Therefore, it is important for
rescuers to be well trained in more than one method for
solving multiple burials. Through special field experience
BCA has determined that in some cases a searcher may
need to rely on special multiple search techniques to rescue
the victims. In the following section we highlight three
techniques that serious backcountry travelers and guides
should possess in their beacon searching knowledge.
It's important to note that most multiple burials can be
approached as a series of single burials, solved either
"in series" or "in parallel." (See www.backcountryaccess.
com/research) It's also important to note that almost all
multiple burial searches are limited by the number of
shovelers available, which means beacon searching will
be the least of your worries. However, special techniques
may be beneficial if there are enough rescuers available for
shoveling. These techniques are mainly used and directed
toward professional guides and advanced beacon searchers.
Remember: it's fun to go out and practice multiple burial
searching, and we encourage you to master it! But manpower,
group organization and excavation efficiency play equally
important roles in real life avalanche rescue.
A note to guides:
A combination of these methods can help you pass any
complex exam scenario thrown your way. If you plan on
relying on a marking or special mode, you may be in for a
surprise when signals overlap. It's crucial for you to be well
practiced and always have a quiver of search techniques to
pull from. To learn more about advanced search techniques
or to set up a "How to Pass a Beacon Exam" training
session, contact info@backcountryaccess.com.
1. Three-Circle Method:
most effective in large, flat areas
This technique is used with your beacon in standard search
mode. It is most effective in large, flat areas, as it is limited
to a radius of 20m around the first victim and sometimes
requires walking uphill of the victim.
Figure A
Search (SE) mode
In search mode (SE), only the
strongest signal (beacon 1) is
shown. Signals further away
are received (beacon 2), but
not shown in the distance and
direction display.
To perform this method, stay in SE mode and take three
steps away from the found victim. With the searching
beacon on the snow surface, walk in a circle of this radius
around the victim, attempting to acquire another signal
in SE mode. If a new signal is acquired, begin bracketing
until it has been pinpointed. If no other signal is acquired,
take another three steps back and repeat up to a maximum
of three circles (nine steps). If a new signal is acquired and
pinpointed, return to the point where you abandoned the circle
search (in SE mode) and begin searching again from there.
Figure B
Three-Circle Method
When using the three-
circle method, walk
around beacon 1 in
concentric circles until
you detect the signal of
beacon 2. During the first
circle, keep the searching
beacon as close as
possible to the snow
surface.
1