On line Nitrox course

[gcbryan]

I learned a lot about Nitrox by watching a DM fill some tanks and picking her brains about what she was doing. I got a free lesson on analysing and a couple free introductory dives with the same lady. That was enough for me to figure out that it wasn't necessary for the type of recreational diving that I do since I like to do wrecks on each outing which usually go around 120-130 feet in the area that I usually dive and if I understood correctly Nitrox maxes out at 100.

You didn't understand correctly however you may have come to the correct conclusion for your diving.

The MOD for 32% is 111 fsw if you use 28% the MOD is 132 fsw.

 

[gcbryan]

Nitrox Course in Short:

Here's some new tables, they work the same way your old tables did, the numbers are just different.
Don't smoke or have open flame near O2, that's bad.
Here's an 02 analyzer, it works just like you'd expect it to.
Here's how to mark a tank.
Here's how to figure out which table to use with your fill.
Here's your card.

It should take about 15 minutes. That PADI and others have managed to charge for this and turn it into a multi-day affair is really an astounding feat!

It should also include the formula to derive best mix for a specific depth or Mod for a specific mix. Then there is time for the exam.

It should and does take 3 hours or less in most cases. I had private instruction (SDI) and had already read the book and completed the quizzes. I used the PADI book since I had already bought it. We analyzed gas the next day and in my case did a free dive.

No one makes this a multi-day course unless other things are being included and the student is OK with that. Maybe if the class is one evening and dives are requested and done another day.

I'll agree that this should be and is a simple class but with all of the misunderstand on the subject of Nitrox posted on this board by people who have taken the course including instructors maybe it isn't quite as simple as some think.

 

[offgasn]

Nitrox Course in Short:

Here's some new tables, they work the same way your old tables did, the numbers are just different.
Don't smoke or have open flame near O2, that's bad.
Here's an 02 analyzer, it works just like you'd expect it to.
Here's how to mark a tank.
Here's how to figure out which table to use with your fill.
Here's your card.

It should take about 15 minutes. That PADI and others have managed to charge for this and turn it into a multi-day affair is really an astounding feat!

How long did your Nitrox course take?

Did you learm about Oxtox, no oil, formulars etc.....

I have never taught a Nitrox course that has not been at least 3 hours and thats assuming the student(s) had the book read, KR's done and watched the DVD prior to coming to class.

 

[knotical]

https://rabbit.he.net/~divesda/SDAnitrox.html

I took this course and it was VERY THOROUGH.
More so than the PADI course my buddy took in Roatan.
They kinda bundled his Nitorx course with AOW and both courses were completed in 3 days with virtually no classroom time.

It's a shame the SDA folks got such a bashing in this forum...but then, I don't know the full extent of what went on with the online OW classes.
I do know the online Nitrox course was very very good.

How well has your card been received by nitrox providers? How often have you used it and where? What were the reactions?
How did SDA handle the inability for you to touch an O2 analyzer over the net?
thanks

 

[mksmith713]

Using an O2 analyzer isn't exactly rocket science.
In fact, I wouldn't even call it a skill.
I have an O2 analyzer that I've used tinkering a time or 2 but never seem to need it because my shop allows me to check my fills with their guage and it reads exactly the same as mine.
How to use an O2 analyzer is a moot point in online, or any nitrox course, for that matter.
In fact, almost no one who takes ANY KIND of nitrox course ever buy their own analyzers.

How well has your card been received by nitrox providers? How often have you used it and where? What were the reactions?
How did SDA handle the inability for you to touch an O2 analyzer over the net?

 

[knotical]

mksmith,
I'm glad you had a good experience with the SDA online Nitrox course.
But one of the main reasons divers take this course is so they can actually get and use Nitrox.
So I'll repeat my more significant earlier questions:

How well has your card been received by nitrox providers?
How often have you used it and where?
What were the reactions?

Thank you.

k

edit: I see you sort of addressed the acceptability of the card back in post #5. I'd still be curious for more detail.

 

[vladimir]

Nitrox Course in Short:

Here's some new tables, they work the same way your old tables did, the numbers are just different.
Don't smoke or have open flame near O2, that's bad.
Here's an 02 analyzer, it works just like you'd expect it to.
Here's how to mark a tank.
Here's how to figure out which table to use with your fill.
Here's your card.

It should take about 15 minutes. That PADI and others have managed to charge for this and turn it into a multi-day affair is really an astounding feat!

That's funny, and I pretty much agree--there's nothing particularly complex about any of this, and it lends itself quite well to on-line instruction. It annoyed me to no end that I devoted two dives in the Coral Sea to getting this cert. What skills did we cover on the dives? We breathed nitrox instead of air, and managed not to exceed our MOD--all under the watchful supervision of our instructor.

mksmith,
I'm glad you had a good experience with the SDA online Nitrox course.
But one of the main reasons divers take this course is so they can actually get and use Nitrox.
So I'll repeat my more significant earlier questions:

How well has your card been received by nitrox providers?
How often have you used it and where?
What were the reactions?

Thank you.

k

Yes, we buy the card so we can buy the gas. I wouldn't expect an SDA card to be accepted by anybody who managed to distinguish it from an SDI card.