I got a little more play time in, and I'm liking the 3+ overall.
I tried orienting it vertically (poor coupling) with a searching beacon flat to test the dual-transmitting antenna function. The numbers on my friend's Pulse bumped from 20 to 26-27 from optimal to poor coupling . Then I set my beacon in the snow vertically and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes and observed nor change on the Pulse's indicated distance. Am I testing wrong or what? This was a big selling point for the beacon and I'm a little disappointed by the lack of observable advantages.
Anyone?
The increase in the 3+'s range (relative to a "normal" transmitter) will only be noticeable if the now-transmitting (i.e., bottom) antenna is pointed toward the receiving antenna. The more important improvement is that the 3+ should be easier for the searching transceiver to locate. If a transmitting beacon is vertical, the flux lines are all vertical (think of the flux lines as shooting straight up from the transceiver and falling from the sky). That’s difficult for any searching transceiver to interpret. When the 3+ switches over and transmits on the horizontal antenna, the flux lines are more parallel to the ground and easier to locate.
Steve
BeaconReviews.com
