PIEPS DSP and Motorola Radio Problems

Avalanche operations: “Devices not compatible!” 

“THE PIEPS DSP Avalanche Transceiver MODEL and THE Motorola GP340 Radio 

are not compatible. It is possible for the avalanche transceiver to unintentionally 

switch off or switch over!” This urgent warning to operations personnel comes from 

St. Anton/ Arlberg in Austria. 

 

“In the Avalanche Commission and the Piste Rescue Service on the Arlberg, we 

sometimes, SIMULTANEOUSLY, use Pieps DSP avalanche transceivers and 

Motorola GP340 radios. We discovered, purely by accident, that the close 

contact of these two products can have dangerous consequences. When the 

Motorola GP340 Radio and the Pieps DSP Avalanche Transceiver come in 

close contact, the Pieps DSP will either switch off or switch from transmit 

mode to search mode.  As the parties at hand have no knowledge of this 

occurrence, avalanche incidents may evolve into exacerbated life-threatening 

events,” says Ferdinand Alber, a St. Anton, Alberg cable operator. He, also, 

provides Mountain Rescue Volunteer service at our St. Anton location. 

 

According to the PIEPS company, they are aware of the problem, adds the Tyrol 

expert. The manufacturing company argues that each and every person is 

responsible for not letting the two devices get too close. “I doubt whether that can be 

taken into account when people are buried in an avalanche,” says Ferdinand Alber 

from the Tiroler Oberland region. 

According to Peter Veider, training manager at the Tyrolean Mountain Rescue Team, 

it would not be a bad idea to observe or test other product combinations along these 

lines within their own ranks. 

Information: Ferdinand ALBER, 

St. Anton am Arlberg Mountain Rescue Volunteer 

———— 

Work contact address:  

ARLBERGER BERGBAHNEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT 

KANDAHARWEG 9 ׀ 6580 ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG ׀ AUSTRIA 

EMAIL: alber.f@abbag.com 

 

Community

Starting July 2008, ASARA has a new website at alaskasar.org. The ASARA website at ClubExpress and the ASARA Yahoo Groups will be taken offline. The new ASARA website is a work in progress and will continue to be developed over time.  If there are ideas to increase functionality or bring additional concepts and information to members and those interested in Alaska SAR, please let us know. 

The new website has three primary goals:

     • build community 

     • access to information

     • membership / database management

ASARA is in the process of building the most comprehensive list of SAR organizations across the state of Alaska. Your organization will be listed in the community resources section of the new website by sending the following information:

1) Organization name, location, and contact info.
2) web links and email
3) A paragraph or two describing a brief history, capabilities, primary response area, and any other information that you feel promotes your strengths and abilities.
4) Organization Logo

Cheers,

Corey