Neo BT Pro Avalanche Transceivers

Arva Neo BT Pro is Arva's top avalanche transceiver: a three-antenna digital beacon with an 80 m search strip width, an analog mode that widens it to 90 m, and Bluetooth that pairs it with the Arva app. It is made in France, weighs 214 g with its batteries in, and comes with a soft holster made to fit a wide range of body types.

Who it's for

Anyone travelling in avalanche terrain, whether that is ski touring the Main Range above Thredbo, splitboarding off the Bogong High Plains or heading to New Zealand for a season. A transceiver only works as part of a team kit: every person in the party wears one switched to transmit, and carries a probe and a shovel. Arva pitch the Neo BT Pro at both professionals and the new generation of backcountry enthusiasts, and say experts will appreciate its analog mode.

How it performs in a search

• 80 m search strip width, so a searcher covers ground in wide passes during the signal search
• Analog mode with automatic calibration widens the strip to 90 m and helps separate signals in complex situations, especially where there is electromagnetic interference
• Three antennas for detection during the signal search and precision during the fine search
• Digital signal processing guides the rescuer towards the burial area
• Dynamic interference management lets you adapt your search technique where interference is heavy

Using it under pressure

In a multiple burial, the scrolling function lets you choose which signal to go after, because the nearest victim is not always the easiest to reach in broken terrain. A marking function records victims you have already found, and the screen shows up to four victims, with a plus sign when there are more. A U-turn alarm warns you if you start heading the wrong way, and standby mode keeps the unit on while you dig. If there is a secondary avalanche, the automatic revert-to-transmit mode puts the beacon back to sending. The screen is backlit for contrast in any light.

Certification and standards

Arva declares the Neo BT Pro (reference ARNINEOBTPROV1) compliant with EN 300 718-1 and EN 300 718-2, the ETSI standards for avalanche beacons, and with EN 300 328 for its Bluetooth radio, under the EU Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU. The notified body is LCIE - Bureau Veritas (no. 0081).

Maintenance and checks

• Runs on three AAA (LR03) batteries, alkaline or lithium. Never use rechargeables.
• Battery life in transmit mode is 350 hours on alkaline cells and 450 hours on lithium.
• An autotest mode checks that the main functions are working.
• Group check mode, including a transmit frequency check, confirms every beacon in the party before you leave the trailhead.
• Take the batteries out for the summer.
• Connect it to the Arva app to configure the unit and run practice searches before the season.

We stock the Neo BT Pro because it gives a guide what a guide wants and gives a newer tourer an app to practise with, and practice is what makes a beacon search fast.