cost of elpers?

[elipod]

Quick question. Is there a reason we don't use this type of distress beacon locator?

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sav21.html

I know..It is very expensive, but from videos I have seen, it seems to have a better accuracy.

[Eclipse]

Looks like another cheese block at twice the price.

If spending the same money is a given, which is better?  One team with a "more accurate" device, or two teams working together? 
Hard to say, but worthy of the discussion.

Nothing says a unit can't buy this, or whatever else they want, but with limited funds prices will always be a factor, especially when the
devices will basically do the same thing within our needs for margin of error.

L-Tronics was the traditional vendor of choice for years, but that doesn't make them a requirement.

A few years ago NHQ purchased and issues hundreds of the Siemac Pro Finds under a national contract.   They were also more expensive
than L-Pers, and they were / are junk.  Most of us who had them couldn't even get them to work at all, even after multiple trips back to the
vendor, and just returned them.

Most I'm aware of are sitting on a shelf, unused.

[a2capt]

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sav21.html

Hey, at least it's available ...

[Spaceman3750]

Quick question. Is there a reason we don't use this type of distress beacon locator?

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sav21.html

I know..It is very expensive, but from videos I have seen, it seems to have a better accuracy.

We don't use it because the headphones would only serve to reinforce the idea that you should hold your ear up to the L-Per as you twirl in circles like an idiot...

[davidsinn]

Quick question. Is there a reason we don't use this type of distress beacon locator?

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sav21.html

I know..It is very expensive, but from videos I have seen, it seems to have a better accuracy.

We don't use it because the headphones would only serve to reinforce the idea that you should hold your ear up to the L-Per as you twirl in circles like an idiot...

You mean you can't DF by ear? The needle on my unit's ancient Lper sticks and using my ear is the only reliable method of doing the job. So far it has found dozens of practice beacons even with bad echoes.

[Major Lord]

The Vectra uses a very poor antenna. It has minimal sensitivity, and extremely wide "lobes" (relating to bearing accuracy) However, its okay for open water use, since even low power transmitters can often be DF'd to the horizon. As a terrestrial direction finder, its nearly useless. ( I had one and experimented with it extensively) I believe that someone at National purchased a few of these at one point, and also found them inadequate for our needs. Nothing against the devices; As a man-overboard locator, its perfectly fine.

Major Lord

[sardak]

The Vecta3 is/was built by ACR Electronics and was the replacement for the Vecta2. Both are listed as discontinued products on the ACR website. ACR is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobham Plc.

Seimac, maker of the Pro-Find referenced earlier, was also bought out by Cobham Plc. but unlike ACR, Seimac was combined with another company into Cobham Tracking and Locating. Good luck finding anything about the Pro-Find on the company website.

I never saw a Vecta from CAP, but at one time National bought Tracker FTVs. These have folding "circuit board" antennas like the Vecta. The Trackers were good for a demo to show what not to spend your money on when looking to buy a DF unit.
The Tracker can be seen here: http://www.landfallnavigation.com/ftvreceiver.html

The Tracker and Vecta can be seen next to one another on Scott Lanis' DF gallery, along with other DF units, here: http://www.cap-es.net/ES%20Electric%20Technology/DF%20Unit%20Gallery.htm

...but from videos I have seen, it [Vecta3] seems to have a better accuracy [than the L-Per]

The accuracy of the Vecta, Tracker, L-Per and other DF units are very much dependent on the user. All of them require the user to find the "best" direction to the signal by the same process of turning in an arc and comparing signal strength.

Mike

[elipod]

The Vecta3 is/was built by ACR Electronics and was the replacement for the Vecta2. Both are listed as discontinued products on the ACR website. ACR is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobham Plc.

Seimac, maker of the Pro-Find referenced earlier, was also bought out by Cobham Plc. but unlike ACR, Seimac was combined with another company into Cobham Tracking and Locating. Good luck finding anything about the Pro-Find on the company website.

I never saw a Vecta from CAP, but at one time National bought Tracker FTVs. These have folding "circuit board" antennas like the Vecta. The Trackers were good for a demo to show what not to spend your money on when looking to buy a DF unit.
The Tracker can be seen here: http://www.landfallnavigation.com/ftvreceiver.html

The Tracker and Vecta can be seen next to one another on Scott Lanis' DF gallery, along with other DF units, here: http://www.cap-es.net/ES%20Electric%20Technology/DF%20Unit%20Gallery.htm

...but from videos I have seen, it [Vecta3] seems to have a better accuracy [than the L-Per]

The accuracy of the Vecta, Tracker, L-Per and other DF units are very much dependent on the user. All of them require the user to find the "best" direction to the signal by the same process of turning in an arc and comparing signal strength.

Mike

You are correct. It depends solely upon the user, and how he/she handles it. I meant, possibly it had a better user interface. More advancements.. well, obviously more 'spiffy' than our ancient elpers (the big ones with wood).

Out of the three elpers I have tried, the ancient one does the best job though