Hearing impaired

[PhatD1ver]

My wife came with a partial hearing loss, and the warranty on her ended long ago, but darn it, I like her, so I guess I'll keep her.

That said, her hearing loss now has her officially listed as 'legally deaf' and she uses hearing aids in both ears to hear normal human speech and many other sounds.

Now, the problem with this is the physics of sound underwater... due to how sound waves travel, she is all but completely deaf, and there is no real aids.

Due to that, so far, no rattle, tank banger, probe or anything else has been able to gain her attention.

So, we are looking for anyone who might have a creative idea of any other sound device that might hit her sound range. Most of her hearing loss is LOW FREQUENCY, so anyone have any ideas for a higher (still human range) frequency sound device that could be used under water?

 

[Neoteric James]

Have you tried something with s higher frequency like an underwater whistle or the air horns that attach to your low pressure inflator on the BCD.

http://www.wind-storm-whistles.com/index.htm

http://www.divealert.com

 

[Doc]

For most divers I have encountered, she is on an equal footing with them. That is to say, the great majority of divers are absolutely oblivious to any sonic stimulus short of a grenade.

As inferred in post #2, experiment with the full range of the higher frequency systems available. Be creative, just try clinking two pipes together, that kind of inexpensive solution can work.

Instant solution? Can she hear piezo electric chirps from a dive computer? Wouldn't be very hard to make an old u/w flashlight to hold one scrounged from an electronics supply catalog.

I would just stay very close, as I also do with my wife. (Grenades got expensive, see? And I gave up on tying thirty feet of 550 cord to her ankle) I just gently thwack her tank with a 48 ounce framing hammer.

Sometimes she notices, sometimes not so much.

 

[sphyrnidus]

I'm not completely deaf, I lost 60 dB which is mainly in the higher tone range. I do not hear beeps from pdc's or anything else. I never use sound under water, just visual cue's. My wife and buddy listens for me to the briefings when on liveaboards. Hearing aids and water are more often than not compatible with water, so I don't bring them on trips. We stay rather close together down below, so she can also communicate vissually. Here in the murky waters of the Netherlands you have to, stay rather close anyway.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I am losing hearing slowly. I do not think hearing loss under water is any issue at all. Here is your solution: You wife will always dive with a buddy- you or someone else. The buddy ( you or someone else ) will ALWAYS remain within touching distance of your wife. This is just good buddy practice anyway. Debbie and I always dive no father apart than fingertip touch distance. Believe it or not, some couple actually like to dive holding hands. Stay close, communicate through tough and sign. Problem solved.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Mike126]

Have you considered using a Jon line to stay close so neither of you drift off? At least then you can communicate with hand signals or slate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PhatD1ver]

we are seriously considering a jon line, buddy line, or 550 cord (if I use det cord with a pre-programmed time is that bad?)... with the buddy line, at least we can just give a quick tug to gain the other's attention and still have some 'distance' and freedom with how we move. She likes to lead or lag depending on what she is looking at, the problem is that we both think different things are cool. so there is still a lot to learn about each other after all this time..

 

[Aguablanco1]

Not quite what you asked for, however, how about a very bright light?
RichH

 

[Mud&Rox]

I an hearing impaired as well 40% in one 35% in the other and this caught my intrest....video looks interesting! Torid Pulse - Dive Right in Scuba

 

[Storker]

That's a quite normal situation if you dive cold water. With a snug 10mm hood, you can't hear what people are trying to say topside, and the only thing you hear underwater is your own bubbles. Solution? Keep a constant eye on your buddy and make sure s/he does the same. And since we usually carry a torch, we of course use that to get our buddy's attention if s/he isn't keeping it

There's a reason it's called "the silent world"

--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug