Transceivers and EM Interference

There's an interesting discussion going on over on the TGR forums about avalanche transceivers and electromagnetic interference with their operation by common electronics skiers and snowboarders are carrying and using these days: cell phones, MP3 players and (shockingly) video cameras (GoPros, Contours, etc.). Link to the discussion: www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.p...g-with-beacon-search

I've noticed while practicing with my beacon that in transmit mode the beacon isn't affected by these devices but in search mode the beacon is noticeably affected. This seems to only be the case for digital beacons where the distance readout and arrows are the only indicators a searcher has. My cell phone seems to affect the beacon the most, followed by my GoPro then my iPod. I didn't know that you need to keep your personal electronic devices at least 30cm (1 foot) away from your beacon. I think until I have more comprehensive experimental data I'll be turning off my electronic devices when riding in the backcountry and will require my partners to do so, too.

Does anyone else have empirical insight as to how personal electronics affect beacon operation in both search and transmit modes?

I have heard about this... with other electronic gagets (gps,cell phones, radios,etc) in use and near the transever i have heard it was acceptable to place the transciever in a pant pocket as long as its a zippered pocket, and an internal pocket.... would be curious to learn if this is an acceptable practice?

Although I don't ski with any electronics except the transceiver, I do have one interesting observation:

This would have been around 1976. We were doing transceiver drills using Skadis in the townsite of Mica Creek, BC. Someone had buried a Skadi beneath a powerline and I couldn't locate it but noticed that there were two roughly equidistant maximums on either side of the powerline. Although I wasn't as astute or experienced at the time I do believe the observation was accurate.