Reliability Wireless gas pressure transmitters

[victor]

Has anyone experience with these units. :huh:
I like the idea of 1 less hose, no pressure gauge, everything on my wrist. However it would have to be reliable and rugged enough for boat diving.
Any info on the various makes and models would be appreciated.

 

[nyprrthd]

I have the Oceanic VT Pro, and have been happy with it so far. Nice big characters for those of us who are age-related visually impaired. I've only used it on 10 dives, but they've all been boat dives, and mostly back-roll entries. It's even been scraped and banged, and continues to funtion well. I've only lost the signal once, and then only for a few seconds.

The dive history stuff that you can do after downloading the data is also pretty cool. You can study your minute-to-minute profile, and figure out where you need to work on your technique.

However, I believe in redundancy, and also have a set of mini gauges (pressure/depth/compass), and a dive watch. I wouldn't want to lose a day of diving, and/or cut a dive short, due to computer failure. Am I a little crazy? Perhaps; but, if you need something I probably have it in my dive bag. I take the "save a dive kit" concept to a new level!

 

[victor]

I agree about the backup.
Things like battery life, spare battery, tools needed to change etc can be a pain. I don't mind carrying a mini preasure guage in my kit as backup. I have a backup depth guage in my watch.
I am planning to add a nitrox certification so need to do some research to insure my new kit matches my needs.

 

[NJdiver85]

No equipment related problems with my Vytec hoseless after 75 dives. One dive it was not transmitting, but the problem was my fault due to forgetting to "pair" the computer and transmitter before my dive. Once paired, I have yet to have a problem like incorrect pressure readings or loss of signal. That being said, I carry a standard brass and glass spg clipped off and out of the way, and compare readings with my Vytec a few times during each dive. So far, after my 75 dives (approx 3000 minutes), I still have full battery indicator lit.

 

[nyprrthd]

My VT Pro is Nitrox capable to 50% (I'm Nitrox certified), as are many others on the market. It can be used to dive "air" or set to EAN21 (same thing as air) if you are doing multiple dives, but not all Nitrox. They are nifty toys. My DW has the Oceanic Versa Pro (not air integrated, but still good for Nitrox). The Vytec was on my list, along with a few others, but I got an incredible deal on the Oceanic.

 

[plwtwo]

Ditto on the Oceanic VT Pro!!! I've got 140 dives on it no problem...and I'm waiting on a VT3, which allows monitoring a buddies air pressure, too.

 

[dkktsunami]

I use a Suunto Vytec - it's in the shop for repairs after about 15 dives. The transmitter flooded. I still like the computer and consider this a fluke. I carry the Suunto Cobra for a back-up (not on the same dive).

 

[victor]

Reading Suunto D9 is it worth it?
The people who have wireless setups all seem to have a preasure guage backup. For me that defeats the purpose.
It is only worth the money if it is reliable enough to replace my preasure guage. I would like to get down to 2 hoses one over each shoulder.
The other problem I have with suunto is the very conservitive dive profile it has come up with in the past. diving with my trusty sherwood and a buddy with a suunto he was into deco while I was still well clear, only just entering orange. Now we dived approx the same dive.

 

[MarkUK]

You just beat me too it – every single person I know who routinely uses an air-integrated computer also has a mini SPG on their rig as well as a back-up. Like you, I consider this defeats the object of having air-integration in the first place. You might as well just do what I do, which is have a small pressure gauge that clips out of the way and isn't a great, big clunky unit with compasses, depth gauge and other superfluous crap.

Now during testing, I have used Uwatec and Suunto air-integrated computers for two or three months of solid diving, and never had a problem with either of them (I like the way the Uwatec remains linked for the duration of the battery life, you don't have to do it prior to every dive), but even then, I also had my back up SPG.

If you want gadgets, go for it, but otherwise, just get a decent computer and dinky SPG.

JMHO

Mark

 

[amadeusmattes]

I use the D9 with no problems and no backup.