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Almost all transceiver "range" tests measure the distance at which an avalanche transceiver can receive a viable signal. You can read the results of my extensive reception range testing. This page presents the results of tests to measure how far a
transceiver transmits a signal. Rather than telling you how well your transceiver will locate your partner, these tests indicate how easy it will be for your partner to find you.
 In November 2008, I took nine models of avalanche transceivers into the Utah mountains. Following the basic testing criteria
used in my reception range tests, I placed a transceiver in transmit mode and then measured the distance where I could receive a signal using a Pieps DSP and an ARVA Advanced. I measured
the distance that each of these avalanche transceivers would lock onto the transmitting signal and beep at least ten times without interruption. I then averaged the two distances. Note that the transmission ranges look relative short compared to the reception ranges. That is
because I was using an ARVA Advanced (which has a relatively short reception range) and because I required a very strong signal (i.e., at least ten beeps without any interruption, whereas for reception range tests I permitted an occasional missed beep). In the real world, the
transmission range will be longer.
The
following graph shows how far the tested transceivers transmitted a viable signal. As with traditional range testing, avoid the tunnel-vision trap of believing
that range is the only important criteria--it isn't. Range is certainly
important, but the difference won't matter if you are not proficient at searching, probing, and shoveling. And as with the reception range tests, variances of 5 meters are probably immaterial.
Since I only performed 18 transmission tests (versus more than 150 reception tests), these results are less conclusive than the reception tests. That said, the overall difference of less than ten meters is relatively small. My tentative
conclusion is the transmitting ranges of the beacons are very similar.
You can click on the transceiver
names (or bars) in the following graph to read more about that avalanche beacon.
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