Now, you really aught to see the importance. I don't want to hear people chatting either but this device is not for that. This is buddy to buddy not a area of the ocean. The need to speak is there. Not a single person I know has NEVER needed to talk at one time or another. Think about that.....it is there IF you need it kinda like a sub-alert. You don't go around blowing your horn,. but it is there if you need it.
opinions on communication units?
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DEEP SEA
Contributor
JP, is your unit the one that looks like a lawn mower muffler on the side of your head and you have to yell to be heard? Some guy had one and it sounded like he had a mouth full of marbles when he talked! I use the MKII Buddy Phone. It is a transceiver that I can talk and listen to my Dive Buddy. We typically get about 300 yard range if we need it. We also use it a lot when setting the anchor of our boat. I can talk to my buddy from the bottom while he dives the boat! Pretty cool. I also use receive only units for divers who want to learn about the area we bring them to. The head shrink would love one if he came down with us. I learned the value filming a TV show one time. The talent was Chris Reeves and Dee Scarr. She brought us down and really showed us a lot of cool stuff. I never really thought about all the cool stuff until someone from an area that really knows all the little creatures explains clearly what is going on.
I also filmed once with Stuart Cove. It was really cool to watch him feed the sharks and tell us on camera exactly what he was doing, the names he gave all the sharks, male/female, etc. Maybe communication underwater is not for all the time but it has its place without a doubt.
One important fact - if the communication is not clear and you can't get at least 30' of range, its worthless in my opinon!
I also filmed once with Stuart Cove. It was really cool to watch him feed the sharks and tell us on camera exactly what he was doing, the names he gave all the sharks, male/female, etc. Maybe communication underwater is not for all the time but it has its place without a doubt.
One important fact - if the communication is not clear and you can't get at least 30' of range, its worthless in my opinon!
Deep Sea,
I'm in San Diego CA. I don't have a large boat, but just picked up a 14ft hardbottomed inflateable that's perfect for the area. Let me know...
Mario
I'm in San Diego CA. I don't have a large boat, but just picked up a 14ft hardbottomed inflateable that's perfect for the area. Let me know...
Mario
Iguana Don
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Personally, when I slip down into the abyss, I like to leave all the chatter topside. My spouse & I took a sign language course at the local junior college, works great. No I'm not deaf.
Love to hear all the sounds in the deep without having to listen to yak yak. Kinda like getting back to nature.
Yes there is a place for it & it is a great idea, but like the Beachman said it's not for me. New technology is great, I dive for the beauty, serinity and love of the sport. I find that anything I have to say verbally can wait an hour or so till we ge topside, makes great conversation on the boat ride back.
But probably one of these days I'll get one.
Love to hear all the sounds in the deep without having to listen to yak yak. Kinda like getting back to nature.
Yes there is a place for it & it is a great idea, but like the Beachman said it's not for me. New technology is great, I dive for the beauty, serinity and love of the sport. I find that anything I have to say verbally can wait an hour or so till we ge topside, makes great conversation on the boat ride back.
But probably one of these days I'll get one.
Iguana Don
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Mario SQ Caner,
Do they have a lot of those RIBs out on the west coast, it's hard to find a dealer here in "Y'all Country". Did you buy yours new or used?
Sorry, got off the subject.
Do they have a lot of those RIBs out on the west coast, it's hard to find a dealer here in "Y'all Country". Did you buy yours new or used?
Sorry, got off the subject.
Don,
Do you doubt sunny SoCal? Tell me it 'aint so', there's plenty of good deals to be found on Ribs around here. Though I have to admit I haven't been able to find an 18ft hard bottomed inflateable with a center console that was in my price range... yet... it's just a matter of time!
Don't forget that you can always find a nice boat online too. So you can be all the way 'down yonder'
and still pick up a sweet rib.
try out Boat U.S. http://www.boatus.com/scripts/hp.asp if you cant find it there, try out some other search engines like Google or Northern Light.
Happy Hunting
Mario
Do you doubt sunny SoCal? Tell me it 'aint so', there's plenty of good deals to be found on Ribs around here. Though I have to admit I haven't been able to find an 18ft hard bottomed inflateable with a center console that was in my price range... yet... it's just a matter of time!
Don't forget that you can always find a nice boat online too. So you can be all the way 'down yonder'
and still pick up a sweet rib.try out Boat U.S. http://www.boatus.com/scripts/hp.asp if you cant find it there, try out some other search engines like Google or Northern Light.
Happy Hunting
Mario
On a really really well briefed flight, barring any emergency, you can go from takeoff to landing without ever transmitting a word to your wingman, accomplishing everything with a few hand signals. And so it is with diving. Having a radio for unforeseen emergencies, however, is a definite plus, and that would also be useful in diving. On the other hand, one of the things I truly value on a dive is the lack of verbal intrusion. So for me, it would be good to have so long as it weren't used for useless chit-chat.
Rick
Rick
DEEP SEA
Contributor
What does Al Giddings, Stan Watermen, Howard Hall, Jean Michele Cousteau, Jim Cameron and many other divers have in common? They all use underwater communications! Jean Michele once said, the silent world is an option. I find using underwater communication adds a dimension that is fun. Especially when diving with a group of friends in a remote location. However, I have also found them to be distracting if you get a talker that blabs on about everything.
I think one of my funniest dives with underwater communication was diving at Stuart Cove, Nassau Bahamas with everyone on rented scooters. We were zipping along exploring a major drop off with everyone on communications. We had a blast, it was like a squadron of pilots coordinating while underwater. One buddy found a great cave that started at about 70. You actually traveled along coming out a hole just big enough for one diver. The exit was in about 40. Great dive!
I think one of my funniest dives with underwater communication was diving at Stuart Cove, Nassau Bahamas with everyone on rented scooters. We were zipping along exploring a major drop off with everyone on communications. We had a blast, it was like a squadron of pilots coordinating while underwater. One buddy found a great cave that started at about 70. You actually traveled along coming out a hole just big enough for one diver. The exit was in about 40. Great dive!
Deep Sea,
Sounds like a blast. I've had some experience with Hydrospeeder's... I'm sure you've heard of these things, they are incredibly fun to play with. With no bulky equipement on the diver, the craft doing all the carrying and about 8 knotts of speed you can't beat 'em... Unless there were a few pilots WITH underwater communication gear.
I actually went through training to be a Hydrospeeder instructor in San Diego... it would have been 'my' market, as that is the way the negotiations were being handled. The guy backing it flaked out. At the time neither PADI , TDI nor SDI had outlines for them, which I was authoring, but never finished because the deal went sour.
Mario
Sounds like a blast. I've had some experience with Hydrospeeder's... I'm sure you've heard of these things, they are incredibly fun to play with. With no bulky equipement on the diver, the craft doing all the carrying and about 8 knotts of speed you can't beat 'em... Unless there were a few pilots WITH underwater communication gear.
I actually went through training to be a Hydrospeeder instructor in San Diego... it would have been 'my' market, as that is the way the negotiations were being handled. The guy backing it flaked out. At the time neither PADI , TDI nor SDI had outlines for them, which I was authoring, but never finished because the deal went sour.
Mario
DEEP SEA
Contributor
Mario, I do know about the Hydrospeeder. I shot a TV show called, "SEA NET TV." The Hydrospeeder was the fire of the episode. However, the following is the problems I witnessed;
1) The scooter is real heavy which means you have to have a good size boat with some sort of lift to support it.
2) The scuba bottle located inside the scooter cannot be changed while in the water and it is a pain to get the heavy scooter out of the water.
3) The on-board air being used by the rider is on a short hose. You cannot leave the boat to explore and/or fix things in an emergency. One case and point, the driver made a quick turn in the middle of kelp. The kelp was sucked up in the propeller. The driver could not reach the propeller without removing his second stage regulator. I had to stop filming and help. It would have been a long swim back to the boat without a scooter had I not been around to help!
1) The scooter is real heavy which means you have to have a good size boat with some sort of lift to support it.
2) The scuba bottle located inside the scooter cannot be changed while in the water and it is a pain to get the heavy scooter out of the water.
3) The on-board air being used by the rider is on a short hose. You cannot leave the boat to explore and/or fix things in an emergency. One case and point, the driver made a quick turn in the middle of kelp. The kelp was sucked up in the propeller. The driver could not reach the propeller without removing his second stage regulator. I had to stop filming and help. It would have been a long swim back to the boat without a scooter had I not been around to help!
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