Help with Gekko, first time user.

Hi,

I purchased the Suunto Gekko a few months ago but I've been really busy so I haven't really been able to dive. With summer on the way though I plan to start diving again...a lot. So I finally sat down and began reading throught the manual on the Gekko to learn how to use it properly.

First of all, from what I read it seems that it automatically alerts you when you should make safety stops, is this true? Or do you have to set it? Also, could someone explain to me the purpose of the no-decompression stop time? I barely understand the purpose of the Green, Yellow, and Red Zone. Do they just correspond to how soon you should come up? Red meaning to come up immediately?

Also, I haven't finished the manual yet but how would I go about changing the depth measurement from meters to feet?

Thank you.

Three buttons: think of the one on the side as the "Enter" button. There is usually a small word next to the button on the screen that will tell you what to do (OK, Quit, or I forget the other word). This button also turns your computer on.

Buttons on the bottom are your navigation buttons, forward or back.

Yes, the computer will tell you automatically when to make a safety stop. You don't need to set anything for that. On the right hand side the red, yellow, green will show a bar during your ascent. Stay within the green. Remember ascents should be no faster than 60 feet per minute.

The computer is very easy to use once you get the hang of it.

I have to get to work, or I would be happy to explain everything else. I HIGHLY recommend that you get out your OW manual and re-read the information on no-decompression diving. You are right, that is the maximum allowable bottom time for a recreational diver to be at a depth. Your computer will track your bottom time and depth and will tell you how long you can be at your current depth.

If you are a new diver, I would also encourage an Advance Open Water class. It will give you more dives (and different types of dives...navigation, deep, night, etc...) under the supervision of an instructor. It will also give you a chance to ask him/her your questions as you use your computer. They should be able to answer most of the questions about it.

Papasmurf89:

Hi,

First of all, from what I read it seems that it automatically alerts you when you should make safety stops, is this true?

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Sort of. It counts down your 3 minute stop as soon as you get to 6 metres or shallower. It also indicates your decompression ceiling in the case of a decompression dive but it doesn't tell you where to stop or for how long. It will, however, alert you if you go shallower than your ceiling.

Or do you have to set it? Also, could someone explain to me the purpose of the no-decompression stop time?

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The no decompression stop time corresponds to the NDL (no decompression limit). You should know about the NDL from the tables. The computer has a time in the display telling you how much no decompression time you have left, or in other words, when you cross the "line" after which you need to make decompression stops during ascending....

The no decompression indicator counts backwards from whatever it's showing you to zero. When it gets to zero the dive becomes a decompression dive and the display starts showing you your total ascent time after that. As your no decompression time goes down, you'll notice it will also go back *up* again if you go shallower. This is normal and it's indicating the extra bottom time you get from making a multi-level dive, which is the reason most people use a computer.... more bottom time.

Keep in mind that all the things you learned in your course about proper profiles (deepest dive first, slow ascents, no zig-zag profiles etc etc.) apply to the computer too. The computer will keep crunching numbers for you but it's up to you to use your head and make your profile nice and clean.

I barely understand the purpose of the Green, Yellow, and Red Zone. Do they just correspond to how soon you should come up? Red meaning to come up immediately?

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I didn't know the Gekko had this.... The green/yellow/red thing is probably telling you the same thing as your NDL indicator, which is how close you are to the "zero" point.

Also, I haven't finished the manual yet but how would I go about changing the depth measurement from meters to feet?

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There's a setting for it under the "SET" menu somewhere. You'll find it by the time you finish the manual.

R..

Go here to download the PDF manual.



Read it and you will understand how to use your Gekko.

It took me almost 3 dives to figure out all the functions of my Vytec DS w/ Transmitter.

Thanks guys. Got most of it figured out now.

Edit: Okay, so I just want to verify. It counts down the safety stop from 3 minutes but it doesn't give you an exact depth to stay at, right? You just have to stay between 10 feet and 20 feet? Also, they say they have a mandatory safety stop and a recommended safety stop, I read through it but couldn't really decide how they were different. It seems that one just says "Stop" and you can't move above the ceiling at all while one is just recommended. Is this right?

Also, this is probably a dumb question but I don't understand what you're doing when you have to "Plan" your dive and they show you the no decompression limit for each depth and you choose a depth. If I recall correctly decompression stops were only considered an emergency procedure and were never part of the actual dive plan? Before I used a computer we would just dive, come up slowly, safety stop, and proceed to the surface. Now it's so complicated.

If anyone could give me a quick run down of what I should be doing with the computer before each dive and what I should be looking out for during the dive it'd be much appreciated!

Bump.

Your questions kind of make me think you have some basic things to learn about using the computer that should be explained in person. Try to go on a dive with an instructor, divemaster, or even just a very experienced buddy who can show you how the computer works during a dive. It's actually not complicated; it will simplify your diving if you're used to using dive tables. But, your comments make me think you're not really familiar with NDL, which is a basic dive table term, not just a computer term. It could just be a language thing; anyhow, go diving with someone who can really show you before and during the dive how it works. Even if you have to pay for this, it would be well worth it.

BTW, in case you didn't get this question answered, red does NOT mean surface immediately, it means you're nitrogen loaded to the point where you can't surface and have a required deco stop. If you think your computer is confusing when it's in normal no-deco mode, just wait until it goes into deco, then it gets much more involved.

If you download the manual it will explain to you what is the "purpose of the no-decompression stop time?"

If you still dont get it jump into a swimming pool and play with it. That is what i did with my Vytec.

mattboy:

BTW, in case you didn't get this question answered, red does NOT mean surface immediately, it means you're nitrogen loaded to the point where you can't surface and have a required deco stop.

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I don't know why but now I get it, this made perfect sense for me now. Not really sure why I had such trouble with it. Anyways, if you do need to make a Deco Stop does the Gekko do that automatically as well? From what I read thats what it seems like but I just want to make sure.

These are all taken from the Gekko Manual found here