Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Mammut Barryvox and Barryvox S Introduction

 Doug Workman walk through the basic functions of the Barryvox and Barryvox S in this video.

Doug Workman at ESAW

Doug Workman trains avalanche professionals throughout North America in best practices of avalanche rescue. Along the way, he has witnessed some very simple oversights common amoung well trained proffessionals. At the Eastern Snow and Avalanche Workshop in 2021, Doug presented his views on  Best Practices for Simple Searches in all phases of a beacon search. Click on the link to watch the presentation.

Friday, November 6, 2020

Safety check airbag Inflation System 3.0 Fall 2020

Mammut has stood for quality, safety, and innovation since 1862. We stand behind our premium product and will continue to make safety our highest priority. 

Mammut has identified a problem with a portion of the Removable Airbag System backpacks (RAS) manufactured for fall of 2020, where the cartridge cannot be screwed all the way into the inflation system. This component is integral to ensure the proper functioning of the Avalanche Safety equipment. 

Based on production batch testing, we have isolated the problem to one batch produced this season, from which only a very small number of airbags have been shipped in North America, 83 in total. Mammut is in the process of contacting every retailer and individual who has purchased an Airbag from this batch to physically check for the problem, and to provide a replacement where necessary. 

We are grateful to our community for your trust in us as a safety brand and are committed to ensuring you have the best products to enjoy your adventures.

If you are in North America please contact us at service-na@mammut.com or by phone at 800.451.5127 9-4:30 EST with any queries.  Customers from other countries will find global contact information at the end of the instructions, below.

If you have a mammut airbag please immediately follow the instructions below to: 

1) verify if your pack could be affected and needs inspection

2) inspect your pack, and

3) contact Mammut if you have any questions or if your pack has a problem.

instructions below, or visit Mammut's global announcement here:  Link to inspection instructions at mammut website

1) Verify that your pack could be affected

In order to determine if your pack requires inspection, check the model and batch number. The only packs requiring inspection meet all 3 of the following criteria:

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Barryvox 3.4 BarryHeart Firmware Update

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Mammut Pushes BarryHeart 3.4 Firmware Update for Barryvox S and Barryvox

Leading mountain safety brand installs preeminent firmware upgrades

 

(Williston, VT) Sept. 17, 2020 -- Mammut, leading Swiss-born premium outdoors brand with over a century and a half of experience in mountain safety and outdoors activity, is rolling out new BarryHeart 3.4 Firmware updates for its industry-leading avalanche beacons, the Barryvox and Barryvox S. The Barryvox S and Barryvox beacons remain industry leaders and benchmarks in the avalanche beacon market, unmatched in safety features, search radius and intuitive technology. 

 

The new firmware offers the following advantages:

     Alternative Search Mode: Improved sound quality and easier interpretation of the analog sound check (Barryvox S only). 

     Batteries: Optimized battery recognition and support for high voltage-output alkaline batteries. 

     Service Software: More stable w-link connection to the service tools 

     Performance Boost: Improved signal separation in complex search scenarios with lengthy signal-overlaps or transmitters with continuous-carrier signals BarryHeart 3.2 

 

Notably, consumers are not required to buy new hardware in order to get the best technology available. Mammut’s Barryvox platform ensures that users will have the fastest, safest technology without needing to replace their beacon. “One of the greatest features of the Barryvox system is the updatable firmware,” said Mammut Avalanche Program Manager, Doug Workman. “Since 2006, when Mammut introduced the Pulse, we have implemented regular firmware updates which keep our hardware on the cutting edge. Coupled with Diagnostic Testing, our units can be in use for a long, long time without the need for retirement based on an arbitrary time frame.”

 

 

Barryvox 3.4 continues to provide more power to the Barryvox system, representing Mammut’s continued dedication to improving the performance of the Barryvox line.

 

The Barryvox avalanche transceivers have been tested extensively and their operation is tailored to minimize stress and maximize simplicity in the event of an avalanche. A new added function also allows upgrades to the BarryHeart 3.2 firmware to be made from one device to another. This makes it possible to run the firmware upgrade, even where there is no access to a network or service point, easily from device to device. 

 

All current devices from season 2020/21 will be equipped with the new Firmware BarryHeart 3.4. and will be available from winter 2020/21. 

 

For more information on Mammut, visit https://us.mammut.com/

 

 

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Media Contacts:

Mammut: Jess Smith, Jess@OutsidePR.com, 415.565.9530

 

About Mammut

Founded in 1862 in Seon, Switzerland, Mammut North America is dedicated to providing premium climbing, hiking, snow, and avalanche safety products for every outdoor explorer to confidently go. Mammut as a brand is founded upon innovation and excellence, with the belief that safety and revolutionary utility helps propel us into a new age of exploration. In North America, we take the learnings from our centuries-long past to generate new opportunities that create a safe, accessible, inclusive and sustainable outdoor experience for everyone. With 33 full time employees and headquarters in both Vermont and Colorado, our vision for the future is for both newcomers and seasoned experts to experience safe, enjoyable outdoor pursuits.

Mammut.com Twitter @mammut | Instagram @mammutna #confidentlygo

 

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Group Check: Myths and Misnomers

Recently an experienced user posited the question, "Is is dangerous, when doing a group check, for the two beacons to touch?"

First of all, there is absolutely no hazard in 2 beacons coming into contact during a trailhead check or any other time--it will not affect the future performance of either of the devices.

Likewise, you cannot harm your beacon by touching it with an iPhone. Electromagnetic noise is just that, noise. It makes searching for a victim difficult if it is within 20cms of the transmitting unit, but it does no permanent damage to the actual beacon. It is quite simply that the "noise" is so loud that the "beep" cannot be heard by a searching beacon.

The only issue with doing a trailhead check in extremely close proximity--or touching--is that there is a chance the beacon being tested has a broken antennae or other problem that cause it to have a WEAK signal. In this case the receiving device will still "beep" and produce a low number on the screen, even though the signal isnt strong enough to detect normally in a real beacon search--a "false positive" so to speak.

So, if you chose to do a beacon check in this manner (we at Mammut refer to this as a SEND CONFIRMATION) be aware that you have confirmed a 457 kHz signal, you simply do not know anything about the strength of that signal.

A "Send Confirmation" is an

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Pre Season Safety Check

Temperatures are dropping and snow is starting to fall in the hills-- it is time to start checking your safety equipment to make sure things are in proper working order. So, let's remind ourselves what we should be looking for when we take our avalanche safety equipment out of storage.

BEACONS

  • A general inspection should be performed on all beacons. Hopefully the batteries were removed at the end of the season. When putting new batteries in, make sure there is no alkaline battery corrosion, which will present as a white, powdery substance.



Alkaline corrosion can be very dangerous. Even if the beacon appears to be performing adequately, any piece of electronics that has alkaline corrosion on the battery terminals is suspect and should be returned to the manufacturer for inspection. Do not simply brush the terminals off and ignore. The electronics could be damaged and may not be reliable.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Barryvox S and Barryvox Firmware Upgrade - BarryHeart 3.2




Mammut develops and improves our products continuously, including our avalanche safety equipment. Our key focus is always making further improvements to reliability, functionality, and intuitive operation because simplicity and ease of use are essential when every second counts.


BarryHeart firmware upgrades are available now for both Barryvox and BarryvoxS devices.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Call for Inspection of Airbag Systems 3.0


SAFETY FIRST: Mammut asks customers to check that the airbag balloon is correctly attached to the airbag inflation system.

Product safety and quality are the number one priority for Mammut. For this reason, Mammut is asking customers who own Generation 3.0 Mammut avalanche airbags to check whether the airbag balloon is correctly attached to the airbag inflation system in order to ensure that their avalanche safety equipment functions correctly.


All customers who own a Generation 3.0 avalanche airbag from the Winter 16/17, Winter 17/18 or Winter 18/19 seasons (neon-orange colored deployment handle),including Mammut airbags in packs manufactured by Highmark by Snowpulse or other brands utilizing 3.0 airbag systems, are requested to check them according to the following instructions or to contact Mammut Customer Service. Avalanche airbags from previous seasons (2.0 system or earlier with red deployment handle) are not affected.

It is easy to identify whether the airbag is attached correctly (see the inspection instructions HERE link). If the airbag balloon is not properly attached to the airbag inflation system, in some cases the airbag may lose volume too quickly after deployment. As a result, the airbag’s functionality may be impaired in the event of burial by an avalanche.

If you identify that the airbag balloon is attached incorrectly, the affected airbag system should no longer be used and must be returned immediately to Mammut Customer Service to be replaced. In the event of any queries, Mammut Customer Service will be happy to help.

Thank you for reacting to this call for inspection - Safety First!

You can contact Mammut customer service at:


Europe eu.customerservice@mammut.com
+49 8334 36 20 301 

Switzerland 
customerservice@mammut.com
+41 62 769 82 59 

USA & Canada 
info@mammutusa.com
+1 800 451 5127



Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Note on Use of the Supplementary Pro Check Feature in the Barryvox S

The supplementary “Pro Check” feature is an extension of the Barryvox S standard Group Check available only when the "Pro Search" function is activated.

Instructions for activating the Pro Check function are in the Barryvox S Extended Reference Guide (link).

This new feature is intended for guides and advanced users who want to see additional details of each transmitter within their group, as a tool to identify when the parameters of one transmitted signal might cause searching problems such as a higher incidence of signal overlap within the group. It is not a feature most rescuers should use every day and it is not considered a “critical check” like the standard Group Check feature. Specific guidance may be found on our previous blog post, HERE (link)

Recent reports indicate the Pro Check feature in firmware version 3.0 sometimes gives erroneous “out of tolerance” readings with some Backcountry Access (BCA) Avalanche Transceivers.

About The Supplementary “Pro Check" Feature in the Barryvox S

To best understand how to use Pro Check some background is helpful. All avalanche transceivers worldwide adhere to the same legal standard, or “norm”. This norm ensures compatibility between all transceivers worldwide, thus every transceiver is able to search for others and to be found by others, independently of the transceiver brand and model. Although all manufacturers operate under the same standard, there are still many older transceivers in use and every manufacturer applies slightly different transmit parameters within the legal framework.  Rescuers should be aware that each different signal within the norm parameters will always work with other transceivers. Some differences between individual signals, in particular in pulse rate, is even an advantage in multiple burial situations as it reduces the likelihood of persistent signal overlap. At the same time, each different signal can create different scenarios when in combination with various other beacons—many of the questions we get can be traced to such issues, so we want to provide people with a tool to see what may be driving the way their beacon interacts with other beacons.

The three parameters you'll see tested in Pro Check are defined by the international norm for avalanche transceivers as shown in Figure 1. 

Figure 1:  Transmitter parameters ETSI 300718