PIEPS Freeride Manual - User Manual

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MANUAL

FREERIDE

P R E M I U M A L P I N E

P E R F O R M A N C E

We’re delighted that you have chosen to purchase a PIEPS search device for
avalanche victims. The Pieps Freeride is a standards-compliant, fully digital single
antenna avalanche transceiver forming part of the PIEPS safety system (shovel,
transponder, avalanche transceiver). Used in combination with the PIEPS iProbe
electronic transponder, the Pieps Freeride offers an efficient solution for cases of
multiple burial.

IMPORTANT!

The PIEPS-FREERIDE device cannot protect you from avalanches. A

thorough understanding of the topic of avalanche prevention is just as indispensable
as regular practice of victim search in accident situations. The procedures and
advice given below relate exclusively to the special case of searching using PIEPS
FREERIDE victim search devices. The fundamental rules for the procedure in the
event of an accident, in line with relevant technical publications and material from
avalanche training courses, must be complied with.

DEAR FELLOW MOUNTAINEER / SKIER!

Transmission check light

LCD display: simple overview

with illumination for poor l
ight conditions

SEND-SEARCH switch

dynamically responsive

audio output aids
victim search

ON-OFF main switch

Battery compartment

  requires only one
  conventional AA (LR6)
  1.5V battery

Carry  your  PIEPS  FREERIDE  using
the  supplied  carrying  equipment,  on
your  body  and  outside  the  innermost
layer  of  clothing.  The  clasp  on  the
safety  line  must  be  connected  to  the
appropriate  strap  (=recommended
and  safest  option).  There  is  also  the
option  to  carry  the  PIEPS  Freeride  in
a  securely  fastenable  trouser  pocket
without a protective case, though here
it is important to fix the safety line to
the clothing in an appropriate way so
as  to  rule  out  losing  the  avalanche
transceiver.

IMPORTANT!

Always carry the PIEPS

Freeride  with  the  display  towards
your  body  and  under  as  many  layers
of  clothing  as  possible,  as  near  as
possible to your body.

CARRYING EQUIPMENT

SWITCHING ON AND OFF

On open ground (on ski tours or off-
piste), always carry the PIEPS Freeride
in transmission mode “ON”.

TRANSMISSION MODE

Battery capacity in %

ON-MODE

OFF-MODE

A victim has the best chance of being rescued if the largest possible number of
companions in a given group have not been buried and work efficiently as a team
on the task of rescuing their companion. In the event of an accident, the most
important considerations are

STAY CALM, OBSERVE, RAISE THE ALARM.

(1) Determine location of coverage and disappearance

How many victims buried? Are there several companions ready to engage

in rescue? The most experienced person takes over assignment and

management - see Pieps DVD “What to do in the event of a

snowboard accident”

(2) Call emergency services

Dial 140 or 112, if this is possible without losing time.

(3) Establish search areas

Where are the probable burial locations?

(4) Surface search

Search for the avalanche cone with your eyes and ears.

(5) Search with avalanche transceiver

Switch off non-searching avalanche transceivers.

(6) Depth measurement

Check the search results. Leave transponder in place. Deactivate the

avalanche transceiver using iProbe by means of iProbe Support.

(7) Dig

Start digging at a distance from the transponder equal to the indicated

depth of burial. Dig over a large area. Watch out for any breathing cavity

by the victim.

(8) Rescue and first aid

First clear the face and airways. Protect from cold.

IMPORTANT!

Ensure that, during search, there are no electronic devices (e.g.

mobile phones, radio equipment etc.) or massive metal items in the immediate
vicinity. The fundamental rules for the procedure in the event of an accident, in
line with relevant technical publications and material from avalanche training
courses, must be complied with.

IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENTS

Switch your Pieps Freeride from transmit to
receive mode by pressing 3 times on the “Send-
Search” switch.

SEARCH-MODE / COARSE SEARCH

<<<

press 3x

SEARCH FOR INITIAL DETECTION

Walk  quickly  over  the  defined  search  area  in  a
pattern corresponding with the recommended search
strip  width  whilst  searching  for  initial  detection.
Given  that  every  standards-compliant  avalanche
transceiver transmits only around once per second,
turn  your  Pieps  Freeride  slowly  in  all  directions  (in
three  dimensions).  The  recommended  search  strip
width for the Pieps Freeride is 30m.

IMPORTANT!

In SEARCH mode work calmly

with  full  concentration.  Avoid  hasty  movements.
In  SEARCH  mode  no  signal  is  transmitted.  In  the
event  of  a  second  avalanche,  hold  the  “send/
search” switch down for 3 seconds (?) in order to
resume SEND mode.

A rescuer searching for initial

detection

Several rescuers searching for initial

detection

SEARCH FROM INITIAL DETECTION
THROUGH TO FINE SEARCH

(COARSE SEARCH)

As soon as the PIEPS Freeride receives signals, the
approximate distance to the victim is shown on
the display:

Symbol for “1 victim” within reception zone.

  Symbol for “multiple burial”
  In a case of multiple burial, all signals are
  processed simultaneously, but only the
  strongest signal is shown on the display.

  The arrow on the dynamic field direction
  display is 100% full so long as the Pieps
  Freeride is aligned with a field line:

Fie

lin

For distances closer than 5m, the search speed should be reduced to a maximum
of one step per change in display (between 0.5 and 1.3 seconds depending
on avalanche transceiver model). At an indicated distance of 2m at the latest,
carry your Pieps Freereide in search mode right on the surface of the snow. The
dynamically responsive audio output (the nearer you get, the faster it sounds)
aids with locating the point.

IMPORTANT!

When locating the point don’t make any fast movements (20-

40 cm/sec). During the entire point locating procedure, hold the device level
in the same position without rotating it and as close as possible to the surface
of the snow.

Continue  moving  in  the  most  recently  followed  direction  until  the  indicated
distance begins to increase again. Mark the point of minimum indicated distance
(“maximum  1”) with a glove for example and continue in the marked direction
(3m-4m)  looking  for  any  further  maxima.  If  there  are  no  further  minima  of
indicated  distance  along  this  axis,  return  to  the  marked  maximum  1  (glove)
and try to determine the minimum distance by executing repeated cross scans
separated by 90 degrees in each case. If during cross scans in the four possible
directions the distance should reduce further, then continue in this direction till
the distance starts to increase again (mark maximum 2 with a glove) and start
again with the cross scanning described earlier. Again continue 3-4m along the
same axis searching for any further maxima.

Continue with this procedure until
no further reduction in distance
can be detected.

SEARCH MODE / FINE SEARCH (point location)

IMPORTANT!

Practice your preferred
search method. Only this
way will you gain valuable
seconds or minutes in the
event of an emergency
rescue of a companion.

Situation: Two avalanche victims are carrying avalanche transceivers without Pieps-
Support. Two rescuers equipped with the Pieps safety system (Pieps Freeride; iProbe
transponder; Pieps “Tour” shovel). At first the rescuer has no initial detection.

•   Rapidly patrol the search area using the recommended search strip width.
•   As soon as they are in the reception zone of both transmitting avalanche
  transceivers, the symbol for multiple burial appears on the display.
•   Only the strongest transmitted signal is shown on the display
  (approximate distance from nearest victim)
•   With the aid of the dynamic field direction display, quickly follow the field
  line to the first victim. If the indicated distance increases, turn round 180 °.
•   Point location is aided by the dynamically responding audio output.
•   Depth measurement: the iProbe’s acoustic and visual target display
  confirms “on target”.
•   The Pieps Freeride’s digital technology aids searching for further transmitted
  signals and their maxima with the aid of the “3 circle method” or “micro
  search strip method”.
•   Whilst the search for the second victim commences,
  the second rescuer begins digging with a view to first aid.
•   Point location, depth measurement, digging out and recovery of the
  second victim.

MULTIPLE BURIAL

IMPORTANT!

With avalanche transceivers that receive by means of one or two

antennae, up to 3 maxima (3 indicated distance minima) are possible.

Snow surface

IMPORTANT!

Only a high-specification triple antenna system as used in

the PIEPS DSP consistently yields a single maximum on the display during
point location by virtue of its three-dimensional reception zone. The smallest
indicated distance is the shortest distance to the victim.

Vertical transmitter:

Two maxima (right and left).

Horizontal transmitter

in the event of deep burial (>1m):

Three maxima (right, left and

above the victim).

Tilted transmitter:

Two maxima (right and left)!

MULTIPLE BURIAL

Situation: 2 victims are carrying Pieps with Pieps Support (Pieps
DSP 5.0 or Pieps “Freeride”). Two rescuers equipped with the
Pieps safety system (Pieps Freeride; iProbe transponder; Pieps
“Tour” shovel). At first the rescuer has no initial detection.

IMPORTANT!

For the case of

multiple burial combined with
transmitting avalanche transceivers
without iProbe support, training
in and use of the search methods
developed and publicised for
all single antenna avalanche
transceivers is recommended.

iProbe

• As described above to the point of depth measurement of first

victim.

• After successful location (acoustic target located signal by

means of Pieps iProbe), deactivate the victim’s transmitting
Pieps with iProbe Support.

• Automatically, without the need to press any buttons, the Pieps

Freeride shows the next victim on the display.

• Whilst the search for the second victim commences, the second

rescuer begins digging with a view to first aid.

• Point location, depth measurement, digging out and recovery

of the second victim.

Display shows 2 victims

Location of the first victim

Depth measurement with iProbe,

located avalanche transceiver
is deactivated

Automatic display of the next victim

TECHNICAL DATA

Device designation:

PIEPS FREERIDE

Transmission frequency:

457 kHz (intern. standard frequency)

Power supply:

1 battery, alkaline (AA), LR6, 1,5V

Battery lifetime:

min. 200 Std. Sendebetrieb

Maximum range:

40 metres

Temperature range:

-20°C to +45°C

Weight:

110 g

Dimensions:

(L x W X H) 110 x 58 x 24 mm

Option pack:

iProbe-Support

WARRANTY CONDITIONS

•   The device is guaranteed by the manufacturer against defects in material
  and workmanship for a period of two years from the date of purchase.
•   This warranty does not apply to damage caused by incorrect use,
  dropping or dismantling of the device by unauthorised persons.
•   Any further warranty or liability for consequential damage is expressly excluded.
•   Warranty claims should be addressed - enclosing the receipt of purchase -
  to the relevant sales outlet or directly to PIEPS.

CERTIFICATION

Warning: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer,
responsible for compliance, could void the user`s autority to operate this device.

Europe:

Manufacturer: PIEPS GmbH, Country of manufacture: Austria; Gerätetype:

PIEPS Freeride; The device conforms to the Standard ETS 300718 WEEE 2002/96/EC

Canada:

IC: 7262A-FREE01;

USA:

FCC ID: REMFREE01, This device conforms to

Paragraph 15 of the FCC regulations.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

This device may not cause

hamful interference, and

this device must accept any interference received, including

interference thar may cause undesired operation.

CONFORMITY

PIEPS GmbH declares hereby, that the product PIEPS Freeride fulfils all requirements and
regulations of directive 1999/5/EC! The declaration of conformity can be downloaded at
the following source: http://www.pieps.com/certification_pieps_dsp.pdf

MANUFACTURER, DISTRIBUTION & SERVICES

PIEPS GmbH

, Frauentalerstraße 102, 8530 Deutschlandsberg, Austria

e-mail: office@pieps.com, www.pieps.com

All information supplied without liability. Status september 2007.

SPECIFICATIONS

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