Mandatory tracking device for divers?

[BRT]

I'll bet a dead body locator beacon would kill a few more divers. If they know where the body is at there will be extreme pressure to go get it.

 

[doctormike]

It looks like Sona. That is why transmistter needs to be in water as well. But what is a diver is above water already but wash away by current, this system won't work. Range of this method from the boat is OK because boat has unlimited power, and even that the claim is 100ft. If the transmistter was pocket size, I am not so sure about the range anymore. But still a nice underwater beacan device.

I guess you need both, sona for underwater, then Nautilus for above water. I can buy the concept.

I think that they claim 1000 feet, actually, between transmitter and receiver. But clearly a niche market (like solo divers at Dutch Springs, as I mentioned). Doubt many people would carry those transmitters unless mandated (like it is on the private property of the quarry). I was just mentioning them to point out that the gadget already exists for those who want it.

On the surface, however, is a different story. I won't go in the ocean without a Nautilus Lifeline.

 

[dmaziuk]

Actually, a more practical and immediate application would be to find lost [living] divers on the surface. If you've ever ascended into a squall, and the boat is a kilometer away picking up some other divers -- or gawd ferbid, over the horizon somewhere -- this might come in handy.

How often do you ascend into a squall? (More accurately, descend when a storm warning is in effect.)

 

[Ana]

I use external acoustic pingers when I test UUV's after a big repair or upgrade, just in case the onboard emergency systems fail as a result of some great addition made by a PhD.

Most of these pingers are powered by a 9V battery, the cost is probably around $100, and the size depending on the model is no bigger than a soda can (mostly smaller). Google Dukane or Sonotronics, there are more.

As Wookie pointed out, the receivers are expensive (several thousand $), but the dead diver doesn't need to buy the receiver, just tell what frequency range you are using and the Coast Guard, Navy and other agencies have the gear to hear it.

Other than that, let us not throw around the "mandatory" term so easily. I want my loved ones around as long as they are alive. Once they die, I see no benefit on getting them out of the ocean, into the fire just to throw them back into the ocean.

 

[ktomlinson]

Mandatory just rubs me the wrong way. Why do YOU (the general you) care what happens to MY dead body?

 

[doctormike]

Mandatory just rubs me the wrong way. Why do YOU (the general you) care what happens to MY dead body?

I don't think that you are going to get any experienced diver supporting anything "mandatory" in diving, but we might want to think about how people outside of diving might see this.

I lost two good friends over the past month (Lynne and Tom). Neither of them were ever found, but both of their accidents triggered a massive air and sea search by the Coast Guard, over several days. That was paid for by the taxpayers, and wasn't cheap. To me, that's fine, that's one of the reasons that we pay taxes, but we shouldn't pretend that everyone shares our priorities.

So maybe not for a swim over a Caribbean reef in 30 feet of water, but I can certainly see someone in authority who is not a diver pushing for a transponder like that on bigger dives.

 

[RJP]

I don't think that you are going to get any experienced diver supporting anything "mandatory" in diving, but we might want to think about how people outside of diving might see this.

I lost two good friends over the past month (Lynne and Tom). Neither of them were ever found, but both of their accidents triggered a massive air and sea search by the Coast Guard, over several days. That was paid for by the taxpayers, and wasn't cheap. To me, that's fine, that's one of the reasons that we pay taxes, but we shouldn't pretend that everyone shares our priorities.

So maybe not for a swim over a Caribbean reef in 30 feet of water, but I can certainly see someone in authority who is not a diver pushing for a transponder like that on bigger dives.

The issue, of course, will be the fact that outside of a place like Dutch Springs (small, confined, not deep, no current, requiring a specific dive plan) the practical utility of such a transponder is limited at best.

 

[doctormike]

The issue, of course, will be the fact that outside of a place like Dutch Springs (small, confined, not deep, no current, requiring a specific dive plan) the practical utility of such a transponder is limited at best.

Possibly. I'm not an engineer, so it's hard for me to discuss specifics and practicality.

However, the specs that I read for that old unit that they rent at Dutch suggest that it works for 1000 feet through water. Furthermore, technology tends to improve, especially if there is some incentive to fund development.

But even if it just answered the question "is the diver on the bottom or on the surface?" (which this one probably could do), that's a huge and valuable piece of information in terms of allotment of resources.

 

[ktomlinson]

I don't think that you are going to get any experienced diver supporting anything "mandatory" in diving, but we might want to think about how people outside of diving might see this.

I lost two good friends over the past month (Lynne and Tom). Neither of them were ever found, but both of their accidents triggered a massive air and sea search by the Coast Guard, over several days. That was paid for by the taxpayers, and wasn't cheap. To me, that's fine, that's one of the reasons that we pay taxes, but we shouldn't pretend that everyone shares our priorities.

So maybe not for a swim over a Caribbean reef in 30 feet of water, but I can certainly see someone in authority who is not a diver pushing for a transponder like that on bigger dives.

I am sorry for the loss of you friends, having two lost in the same month without closure is horrible.

You've made a good point about the cost of a Coast Guard search, I hadn't thought of that. Keep in mind though that having a VHF radio isn't required on many boats (at least in Florida). One would hope that putting trackers on divers would come WAY after requiring boaters to carry a radio.

 

[RJP]

I am sorry for the loss of you friends, having two lost in the same month without closure is horrible.

You've made a good point about the cost of a Coast Guard search, I hadn't thought of that. Keep in mind though that having a VHF radio isn't required on many boats (at least in Florida). One would hope that putting trackers on divers would come WAY after requiring boaters to carry a radio.

Can't imagine a situation where I'd dive from a boat without a radio.