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We use AGAs with the wireless buddy phones, but my understanding is that the wired comms are preferred. they work well for us diver to diver and diver to shore (approx 500' range)
We work in zero viz water, swift water in canals and rivers and we never had an issue with our wireless buddyphones. We are set up for wireless on our AGAs and hardwired with surface supplied air on EXO26's.
Our team does every operations online so we chose to go with wired coms from OTS. We demo'd both units and the wireless are nice. One problem is keeping all the batteries up to date. We have two MK-7 surface units on our dive truck and just keeping those batteries up to snuff can be hard. Now if you added the wireless units to that it would make even more batteries to maintain. Just something to think about.
If you have never dove a FFM it takes some getting used to. It is very different from a standard setup. Divers on our team have been reluctant to switch from thier $500.00 high end reg setup to an AGA. I have been diving it for 6 years now and I love it. My mask has held up very well over the past 6 years. We have our masks serviced annually and several of us on the dive team were put through the tech class. I am meticulous about keeping my mask in good shape.
Diving with a full face mask and coms is the safest situation for a public safety diver to be in. The wired system is alway VOX so even if the diver is not talking the tender can hear him breathing and by listening to his rate can determine how the diver is doing. Which brings up another thing. In addition to the mask diving differently talking is a trick to learn for both the diver and the tender. The exhaust bubles can be turbulent and make it hard to hear as they pass the hydro phones. You need to listen in between your exhales. Tenders who pay attention know to talk right after you have exhaled. With practice we have become very proficient at communicating.
Best of luck on your decision.
P.S. Not to promote any one vendor over another. The owner of OTS came out to Connecticut from California with multiple sets of gear for us to demo. He spent and entire Sunday and gave every diver and tender the opportunity to try it out. Then once we made our purchase they came back with our gear and helped us check it out in the pool again another Sunday. Now this stuff is not cheap but what it does for you team safety in my opinion is priceless.
The company I worked for when I was still diving did lots of testing and we found that the wireless units worked fine in open water.
Unfortunately we did most of our work inside pipes and there they did not work well or at all.
I prefer hard wired comms but it depends on the job and the people.
Good Evening,
We use agas and ots hardwired comm gear. We have 15 agas and 4 mark sevens and one big comm box for mulpi divers down, some of our masks are 15 years old. we have 2 service techs onboard to take care of them.
grumpie.......
Definitely recommend AGAs with OTS comms. Customer service is outstanding. I had questions about some specific applications and found myself on the phone directly with Michael Pelissier, President/CEO/Founder of OTS. (super nice guy) If you need to talk to someone while you are submerged you can't go wrong with OTS. Check out their sub forum in the Equipment of SCUBA Diving right here on SB. I'm sure any specific questions you have would be answered directly.
BTW... I use a MK2-DCI Aquacom surface unit and hardwired AGAs with Hot Mics. I use them for TV broadcast believe it or not, not for public saftey diving. They work wonderfully!
Well it is nearly unanimous. The Interspiro Mk II (AGA Mask) is the preferred mask for most PSD teams. The Interspiro mask has a proven track record and department personnel can be trained to perform their own maintenance.
Ocean Technology Systems is also the preferred underwater communications system for most agencies. Our team uses BOTH hardwired and wireless and as others have mentioned, the hardwired comm system is preferred by PSD teams in many applications. If your team uses line tended line searches, the benefits are apparent. The hardwired system is less expensive, more reliable and offer clearer communications.
Whether you purchase hardwired or wireless, you should give strong consideration to purchasing the HUCs (High Use Connections) between the mask and the comm system.
Also, if you purchase the Interspiro masks, consider the "Gill" option which allows the standby diver to breath ambient air on the surface with the mask in place.
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