Standard Hand Signals

[Doppler]

Just read yet another thread about hand signals... what follows are four illustrations showing the "standard" signals I use when teaching technical diving... these are from the world of cave diving and some may not be applicable in open water... nevertheless, they're useful


Doppler

 

[Doppler]

Here are some more

 

[Doppler]

Here are yet more

 

[Doppler]

Last set of hand signals

 

[Doppler]

Thanks for accessing this images... are there any comments or questions you would like me to answer?

Doppler

 

[wetman]

Heres something that i was reminded about last week - make sure your buddy can see your signals. I had a tendency to do most of mine in front of my chest and when you've got black gloves on and a black suit it was hard to see. I hadn't actually thought of that for a while. So, now its all off to the side in a high contrast area.

steve

 

[Doppler]

wetman once bubbled...
Heres something that i was reminded about last week - make sure your buddy can see your signals. I had a tendency to do most of mine in front of my chest and when you've got black gloves on and a black suit it was hard to see. I hadn't actually thought of that for a while. So, now its all off to the side in a high contrast area.

steve

Excellent post Steve:

It is important to ensure that during "conversations' body remains perfectly horizontal in the water column and the hand signals are displayed "out front of the house" In fact precisely where the hands would be held in normal swimming... that's to say extended ahead... which of course helps in the delicate balancing act of diving in the most efficient form.

most of these can be done with one hand while the other holds a light (when used) above and slightly to the side, being careful not the blind your buddy(ies) in the process.

"PLEASE REPEAT" is one hand signal not shown and it is done by holding the hand a little like Vana White and rolling it over and over around a horizontal axis... harder to describe than do and most people get it right away.

Thanks

 

[Popeye]

Doppler once bubbled...
Just read yet another thread about hand signals... what follows are four illustrations showing the "standard" signals I use when teaching technical diving... these are from the world of cave diving and some may not be applicable in open water... nevertheless, they're useful


Doppler

Thanks, very useful.

We need some artist dude or dudette to make a chart on how to signal numbers (such as tank pressure) with one hand.

Three signals I use the most are a "T", with a following number, indicating how far out of deco I am, and if I tap my reg, I'm asking you if your air is OK. I really don't care how much you have, just so you know. Just check your SPG and give me an OK. I also sometimes tap my computer, and wait for an OK sign. I do this a lot when I'm on nitrox, and diving with someone on air.

I go over these three signals, and how to do one handed numbers, with any new divebud.

 

[canuckdiver]

what I usually use for tank pressure is one hand, and open with one finger for every 100lbs of pressure.
(I think it's pretty much standard)

For instance, if I have 1700psi, open the hand 3 times with 5 fingers, then once with 2.

 

[Popeye]

canuckdiver once bubbled...
what I usually use for tank pressure is one hand, and open with one finger for every 100lbs of pressure.
(I think it's pretty much standard)

For instance, if I have 1700psi, open the hand 3 times with 5 fingers, then once with 2.

Never seen it done that way, and I'd read 5,5,5,2, and think you were narced.

Standard around here is to try and do it on two hands, then turn your SPG to the other diver.

This is tough till you get it, but vertical fingers are for 1-5, horizontal fingers for 6-9.

Two vertical fingers are 2, two horizontal fingers is 7 (5+2)

Four horizontal fingers is 9.

17, in your method, is lllll, lllll, lllll, ll.

17, in my method, is l, =.

27, lllll, lllll, lllll, lllll, lllll, ll. Yours

27, ll, =. Mine.

I always use zeros, too.

ll, =, oo.

I learned it years ago from Barry Burton at Smoky Mountain Divers.

Give 'er a try.