What Beacon now?

[Jason4]

I’m also a fan of the Barryvox S. I prefer it over the BCA Trackers for resolving multi-burial scenarios and for the greater range.

[summit]

I cannot imagine a happy Pulse owner wanting a Tracker: not because the Tracker is objectively bad, but because of the different interfaces and design philosophy will frustrate you and give you an unneeded learning curve outside of single burials, which literally any modern beacon can do fine. It's much easier for Tracker users to migrate the other direction IME.

As others have said, get a Barryvox (plain, S, 2, or S2). The S or S2 will be the equivalent of your Pulse. The Barryvox or Barryvox 2 would be the equivalent of an Element.

I have a Pulse and a Barryvox S and just ordered a S2 yesterday. Before those I had an Ortovox S1, Peips DSP, Tracker DTS, F1ND, M1, and F1. I've also drilled/taught most every 21st century beacon out there. I used the S2 last year so I know what it is vs the S.

TBH I honestly love the Pulse the most because I can have auto analog audio for signal/flux search but auto switch to digital pitch shifting tones for fine search audio (with manual analog mode available if needed in a complex proximity). I find the pitch shifting is faster than analog audio for a non-complex fine search, especially if snow gets on the screen because you can hear the numbers without seeing them. The Barryvox S/S2 (and any other similar powerfully optioned beacon) makes you choose digital all the time or analog all the time (if at all, unless you switch modes). Just a personal sticking thing... the Barryvox S and S2 have other advantages over the Pulse that made me upgrade besides the age of my Pulse. I just wish Mammut would add that custom option back to choose digital/analog modes by distance.

[~mikey b]

have you tried the new Pieps yet?

[summit]

have you tried the new Pieps yet?

The EF environment at CSAW did not allow me to meaningfully try it. I would like to though! I've heard positive things. (Side note, I remember using the predecessor of this new Pieps: the Pieps Vector... before it got recalled and cancelled shortly after launch... but that musta been 10 years ago)

[kootenayskier]

Bought a new Tracker S. Just wanted small, simple, and cheap. A huge fuck around to get it (with Canada Post being on strike), only to find the (crude) on/off switch is faulty. WTF. It can’t be turned off transmit without removing the batteries. I’m sending it back, and have a Barryvox 2 on the way.

[summit]

New Barryvox S2 or 2, look in the battery compartment. If there is a small green dot on the label, it was fixed!

I poo-poo'd the size decrease vs the S but after using it, it makes it SO much more pleasant as a pocket beacon!

[Meadow Skipper]

… a pocket beacon!

I see what you did there.

[Hicks]

Stayed away from Barryvox and Pieps for their ongoing recalls and opted for a not so fancy but simple to operate Arva EVO BT. Has a good range and is reasonably priced.

Will report back after some trials.

[~mikey b]

Bought a new Tracker S. Just wanted small, simple, and cheap. A huge fuck around to get it (with Canada Post being on strike), only to find the (crude) on/off switch is faulty. WTF. It can’t be turned off transmit without removing the batteries. I’m sending it back, and have a Barryvox 2 on the way.

I had a Tracker 4 come through with faulty a switch this week…

[Jonathan S.]

I have two nearly new beacons for sale, BD Recon LT and ARVA Neo BT Pro.
Each is $195.
Details here:
https://nerandorace.blogspot.com/p/gear-swap.html

[kootenayskier]

Bought a new Tracker S. Just wanted small, simple, and cheap. A huge fuck around to get it (with Canada Post being on strike), only to find the (crude) on/off switch is faulty. WTF. It can’t be turned off transmit without removing the batteries. I’m sending it back, and have a Barryvox 2 on the way.

The Barryvox 2 is such a sweet unit. Significantly smaller in my pocket than my Pulse, has all the features I could need without the complicated gadgetry of the S2, an intuitive interface, and way more refined in every way to the Tracker S. I’ll be happy to carry this thing around for another decade or more.