Non-technical dive-planning software?

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daniel1948

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I got curious about playing around with dive-planning software and downloaded the free trial version of vplanner for Linux. At first glance it seems very complicated.

Note that as a recreational diver I never expect to plan technical dives (anything deeper than 130 feet, anything requiring deco, anything with trimix). I'll be planning non-deco dives on air or nitrox.

Note also that I use a computer and would always follow the computer if it indicates I've reached any limit before my dive plan.

But I'd like to play around with basic (non-technical) dive planning beyond the PADI RDP table. I can plan single-level dives with the RDP, including repetitive dives, and can plan nitrox dives with the nitrox tables (I am nitrox certified). But I don't own "the wheel" for multi-level dive planning.

Would folks suggest just learning to use vplanner, or is there an easier program for non-technical dive planning?

Daniel
 
P.S. I just visited their registration page and I see that vplanner wants an $85 registration fee. I won't be going that route, when all I want is to play around a bit.

Is there a good free or inexpensive dive-planning program?
 
Give Freeplanner a shot. It's based on VPM and is...well, free. A bit buggy, but the output seems to be in line with the trial of v-planner. I've been using it to validate more aggressive recreational profiles (but still end up diving MDL limits derived from tables).
 
I-Deco, for the Iphone and Itouch is a very nice little program and has a feature I think would be nice for the "recreational software" -- you can put in your (a) SAC rate and it will then estimate usage based on the time(s)/depth(s) you enter.

IF someone does come up with a "recreational" planner, I hope they include not only NDL times BUT also how much gas you would breathe given the profile you expect.
 
Give Freeplanner a shot. It's based on VPM and is...well, free. A bit buggy, but the output seems to be in line with the trial of v-planner. I've been using it to validate more aggressive recreational profiles (but still end up diving MDL limits derived from tables).
Freeplanner runs on Windows and Mac. My travel computer runs Linux. I guess I'll just have to stick to tables and my dive computer, unless someone knows an inexpensive Linux program.
 
P.S. I just visited their registration page and I see that vplanner wants an $85 registration fee. I won't be going that route, when all I want is to play around a bit.

Is there a good free or inexpensive dive-planning program?

:wink: You're right, you'll probably never be a tech diver...that's an expensive route....$85 will seem like a drop in the bucket....
 
I just use an Excel spreadsheet: one page for SAC calculations, a second for air consumption for the planned profile. The calculations are not hard and it's a nice exercise in dive planning to do it yourself.

If your needs change you can add NDL's, pO2's, OTU's, %CNS, EAD's, run times, best mix, rock bottoms, which tanks fit the profile, etc. ad nausea ... At the moment I'm mulling over the best way to add deco stop displays to the sheet.

Cheers,
Rohan.
 
Most computers have built in dive planners that provide the max time at depth based on previous dives logged. IOW's if you are diving, it takes into account nitrogen loading from your previous dives.

Planning a dive is important, but I think you will find if you do NDL at a given depth, and ascend VERY slowly, there is really no other planning necessary. Flat bottoms, and square profiles are easy to plan, but multilevel dive planning is not much harder. I use nitrox to extend BT on flatter profiles. On shallower reef dives where the max depth is maybe 40' the BT is generally limited by the boat assuming you are boat diving.

Initially dive planning seems like it would require some advanced calculations, but the reality is that it is not that hard. One is generally limited by NDL (deeper dives), or the captain (boat dives), or air.
 
I currently use GAP and am switching to V-planner you won't like the price of GAP if you are hem and hawing over a few dollars for V-Planner. You might want to take a look at hlplanner.com for a free software program download that is very sweet in my opinion for planning as well as checking your table dive profiles and gas planning.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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