Citizen Aqualand - Main instrument or just back up?

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ozziworld

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I'm a Fish!
I am considering a Citizen 20th Anniversary Aqualand JV0020-04E watch to use as a depth gauge and and bottom timer. Does anyone use this or other aqualand model to main depth gauge and bottom timer? Though I plan to use it mostly as a back up to a dive computer.

Would it be reasonable to use this watch together with a Brass Body SPG and a dive computer? I want to replace my current console (depth gauge, spg) with just the brass SPG and this watch.
 
If you dive with a computer in DIVE mode, then, as a backup to the computer, the Aqualand can be used in conjunction with TABLES to establish your stops.

If you dive your computer in GAUGE mode with TABLES, then the Aqualand with the TABLES can be used as a backup to the computer to perform the same function during the dive as the computer in gauge mode.

So, if you are going to carry a Dive Watch and want it to be useful as a backup, then you either need to have the tables for the dive written on a slate, track the tables during the dive as your primary dive plan, or be prepared to have tables anyway as a backup to your computer running in dive mode.

I am not sure that the Aqualand will "Start" the dive, so you will also need to remember to start the dive. Your computer will start when it hits the water, but your watch may not, so you need to remember to do that to track your dive time.
 
You could use it as a primary device, but I would recommend against it. I have used this watch for 3 years, and it has done well mostly. I do not wear it every day and on several dives it has gone into battery saver mode. I must add it was always my fault, and if I had left it in the sun the day before the dive would have had no issues. If you wear it all the time then charge should be sufficient.
As for starting, it goes into ready mode as soon as the sensor gets wet, and dive mode as soon as you get to 3 fsw. It then shows elapsed dive time with the minute hand.
My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I have to squint a bit to read the depth.
Maybe TeamCasa (Dave) will jump in with his experience> I know he dives one as well.
Safe Dives
Charlie
 
You could use it as a primary device, but I would recommend against it. I have used this watch for 3 years, and it has done well mostly. I do not wear it every day and on several dives it has gone into battery saver mode. I must add it was always my fault, and if I had left it in the sun the day before the dive would have had no issues. If you wear it all the time then charge should be sufficient.
As for starting, it goes into ready mode as soon as the sensor gets wet, and dive mode as soon as you get to 3 fsw. It then shows elapsed dive time with the minute hand.
My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I have to squint a bit to read the depth.
Maybe TeamCasa (Dave) will jump in with his experience> I know he dives one as well.
Safe Dives
Charlie

Thanks for the advise. What happens on battery saver mode? is it a warning or does it already limit some features that render it less 'usable' for your dive?

I appreciate the advice on the squinting. I too am beginning to need reading glasses. I find the mask and underwater magnification makes these things easier to read underwater. :)
 
Thanks for the advise. What happens on battery saver mode? is it a warning or does it already limit some features that render it less 'usable' for your dive?

I appreciate the advice on the squinting. I too am beginning to need reading glasses. I find the mask and underwater magnification makes these things easier to read underwater. :)
Ozzie,

I have two of the Citizen Dive "computer" watches. One is the aqualand dual timer which uses batteries. (I don't have one of the eco drives). I bought it back when I was freediving and, when I started in SCUBA it became my backup computer. It is great for those purposes.

I might also mention that I am on the older side (66) and eyes are an issue. I like the Dual Timer because it has digital readout as well as analog. I can usually read the digital pretty well under water even with a plain mask. (I have + 2 3/4 inserts in my own masks so I can read pretty much anything that I need to underwater.)

When I started using Nitrox a lot, I decided to upgrade my backup computer. Having had good luck with the Citizen, I went for another. I bought the Cyber Aqualand Nx which does nitrox. I can't say enough good things about this computer. Except that it isn't air integrated, it is at least as good as my old main computer. (Oceanic Pro Plus 2). There is no question that you could use this computer as your main one and, since it isn't that much more expensive than one of the basic ones, I recommend that you consider it seriously.

One more point. The Cyber has rechargable batteries so you can simply put it in the charger before your trip and you are good to go. The Cyber also has two different PC interfaces available (infrared - built in - and USB - add on). The information that it stores and the data that it provides is very complete (except for information on gas which you need to get elsewhere).

I hope this helps...

TED
 
When the watch goes into battery saver the hands stop moving and the LCD screen tells you to "charge battery" rendering the device useless for a dive. But that has always been my fault (storage out of sunlight or face down) and was never an issue as I have backup. Just something to think about if you intend to use it as a primary device. BTW, this watch is very large.
Thanks for the advise. What happens on battery saver mode? is it a warning or does it already limit some features that render it less 'usable' for your dive?

I appreciate the advice on the squinting. I too am beginning to need reading glasses. I find the mask and underwater magnification makes these things easier to read underwater. :)
 

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