Avalanche ball
The avalanche ball or avalanche ball is a locating means for avalanche victim search .
Mode of action
At the end of a 6 meter long cord, a ball that can be opened with a spring mechanism is attached. This is attached to the rucksack in a system bag with the wound cord. If a ski tourer is caught in an avalanche, he can release the spring lock himself. Under normal circumstances, when the avalanche comes to a standstill, the ball comes to rest on the surface around 5 meters below (downhill) the victim. By pulling up and following the tensioned avalanche cord , the helpers reach the burial site and can start digging.
The purely mechanical device can be triggered again without any additional accessories, since no propellant gases or other propellants are used. A purely prophylactic release in case of doubt therefore does not reduce the operational capability during a tour.
The aim of the avalanche ball is to find the victim without location systems such as avalanche transceivers . In contrast to the avalanche airbag , the avalanche ball cannot influence the burial of the avalanche victim.
See also
Web links
- Avalanche Ball Must Revoke Claims , aplin.de, November 25, 2011
- Avalanche emergency systems in comparison , Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research of the WSL , 2009