General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Synthetic and metal

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

12.4 cm

Width

8.5 cm

Height

3.8 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Non-motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Human powered

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Motronic

Country

Austria

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

British Columbia

Period

circa 1986

Canada

Taken from acquisition proposal, Reference 1: Owned and used by Herb Bleuer, a Swiss mountain guide who came to Canada in the 1960’s. Herb was a longtime member of the CAA and full mountain guide. Following the 1965 avalanche at Grand Duc mine in B.C. that killed 26 miners, Bleuer became head of the avalanche control program at Grand Duc mine.

Function

An avalanche rescue beacon (radio transceiver), is a radio transmitter-receiver device used to detect people buried in snow. This analog device broadcasts a signal as an audible tone which is picked up by users with other beacons and heard wearing the supplied earphone.

Technical

Taken from acquisition proposal, Reference 1: This dual frequency beacon operates at a frequency of 2.275 kHz as well as 457kHz. While the SKADI would have been the first commercially produced and successful beacon that worked, leading to successful live rescues, Pieps and Barryvox beacons were introduced in Europe ca. 1972 and North America. Older analog transceivers broadcast their signal at the 2.257 kHZ frequency. Now obsolete, this frequency has been replaced by the newer internationally recognized standard of 457kHZ. Analog beacons are not recommended for use by the CAA as they are not compatible with newer digital 3 antenna transceivers. The standard of 457kHz was adopted in 1986 by the International Commission on Alpine Rescue (IKAR), in 1996 by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and also by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Black print on front "PIEPS/ 2.275 + 457 kH/ DF/", "EIN[/]ON[/]OUVERT/ SENDEN/ TRANSMISSION/ EMISSION". There are four instructional images. "SUCHE/ SEARCH/ RECHERCHE", "NACHLAWINE/ AFTER-AVALANCHE/ AVAL. SECONDAIRES/ &/ BATTERY CONTROL". Below reads "MOTRONIC/ ELECTRONICS/ MADE IN AUSTRIA". Hand written in marker "BELT". White label on side "TLH/ HELISKIING/ LTD. 70". Black print on other side "PIEPS/ 2.275 + 457 kHz DF". There is an instructional drawing which incorporates "SUCHE/ SEARCH/ RECHERCHE/ 15-20 M". Below reads "I KOSSLER/ 39100 BOLZANO/ D vau DE 7992 TETTNANG/ DBP ZUL. NR. AGB-277/ CH MINIFIX 8207 SCHAFFHAUSEN/ PTT ZUL. NR. 10763/ F R. PONTVERT 38140 IZEAUX/ HOMOL. NO. 3309 PPL/ ITIL. FRANCE SANS LICENCE PTT". Handwritten marker "BELT", and "1106". Incised on bottom "design neufler/ 2507984".

Missing

Earphones

Finish

Goldenrod synthetic casing with black print and a white label. There is also a black synthetic cord which wraps around the unit. There are two black synthetic dials at the top of the unit. Round metal door which unscrews for batteries.

Decoration

N/A