Don't get me wrong, I love technology too....BUT....
While flashy & "neat" to look at, I've yet to see any evidence that "bounces"
at depth increase risk of DCI. Sure, wild fluctuations in depth are not good, but if I'm at 90' & I "bounce" from 90-80-90-80, I don't believe that there are any data suggesting this is terrible. But, like I said, if you want to stimulate a few extra neurons by looking at your profiles, a computer is the way to go.
Perhaps it'd be most useful if you were actually
testing yourself in a relatively flat environment (i.e., "I was trying to keep a constant depth through this dive....did I?").
Perhaps.
Nah, I don't think so. Unless you're blowing through NDLs, or perhaps bouncing around with no respect for ascent rates, I don't see how the little alarms help much. Can you give me an example of how you've recently applied "alarm analysis" to sequential dive planning?
"Air time estimates": I look at my air gauge about twice/dive on average unless the conditions are completely & totally new to me. You should be able to predict your air remaining within 100psig or so at any time, just from experience. If you're not there yet, you will be, and then you'll ignore that little part of your computer (I bet).
"Remaining no deco times": if you don't have a computer & you're a recreational diver, you're probably using tables. If so, it's not too hard to remember a couple numbers (NDL for planned depth & one or two on either side).
"Current depth": not hard to glance at an analog depth gauge.
"Current dive time": not hard to glance at a watch or bottom timer, which, by the way, may have your depth on it as well.
"Current PSI accurate to the single digit": Who cares?? If you're worried about the single digit, you've screwed up your plan...big time.
I would say that it's hard to imagine that it would be a more dangerous way to dive, but I would not make claims about improving safety. Computers fail, and unless you've built in redundancy, you've just lost your air gauge, depth gauge, and bottom timer.
From an education standpoint, I understand that looking at a computer profile may help new divers review their buoyancy, etc. in a graphical format. Fine. But, I've seen
way too many new divers just strap a computer to their wrist & jump in the water, completely relying on the computer to do their dive planning for them. I realize that you don't do that, but you must admit that many do.
Jim
