GPS Coordinates into Subsurface

[William McDaniel]

Hello, I have just finished importing my dive log into Subsurface. I really like the program and have a quick question about future dives. I currently have Scubapro G2 so there is no way to save coordinates. So lets say I am on a liveabord and bouncing dive site to dive site and want to save the coordinates of my dives how do you all save the coordinates? On a seperate device? Thoughts?

Thanks! Bill

 

[dirkhh]

Install Subsurface-mobile on your phone (iOS or Android) and run the "location service" in Subsurface-mobile while you are bouncing from dive site to dive site. I usually have my phone in my dry bag while on the chase boat that gets us to the actual entry / exit points. Once you downloaded the dives from the G2, Subsurface-mobile can then use the GPS locations it has recorded and match them with with time stamps of your dives. Using the Subsurface Cloud you can keep your dive data in sync between your mobile device and your laptop / desktop computer.

 

[atdotde]

Another possibility is to use your phone to take pictures of the dive site. Once you associate the picture to the dive in subsurface, it will pick up the image’s geo tag.

 

[D_Fresh]

Additionally, if you're not keen to use a cell phone based solution, ask the captain for the coordinates and write em down somewhere....

This may not apply for many people, but I usually take my small, mostly waterproof, GPS unit with me whenever/wherever I travel... I've been known to turn it on for a bit while gearing up or just before splashing (leaving the GPS on shore/boat), then marking the spot on my GPS unit... Dive 1, Dive 2 or whatever...then just pull the info from there.

 

[gamon]

You could use the Navionics app on an iphone. Once on site, all you do is click on the "pin" icon on the main screen to save your location. This creates a new icon on the map at your current position. You can choose from a variety of icons including a dive flag or wreck symbol, and add notes to it such as the dive site name. It records the GPS coordinates automatically. At a later time you can enter them into Subsurface. The 2 programs use different GPS formats so you need to do a conversion which is easy enough using a variety of online converters, including Google Maps.

With the Navionics app, you could conceivably get the upcoming dive site schedule in advance and plot the dive site locations ahead of time, and even monitor your progress as you motor to each one throughout the week.

 

[James Casteel]

Or if you really want to go crazy, buy the Garmin MK2 and it will automatically pull the GPS coordinates of where you enter and exit the water.

 

[D_Fresh]

Or if you really want to go crazy, buy the Garmin MK2 and it will automatically pull the GPS coordinates of where you enter and exit the water.

You're not wrong. But One could also spend that same amount of money on an entirely new set of gear, a Shearwater DC with Transmitter, or a used motorcycle.....

Personally, I am rather excited about the capabilities of the mk2, but would like to see the price come down significantly (at least, before I would invest in one). I know, the argument For the Mk2 is "you'd spend xxx on a smartwatch, plus xxx on a dive computer, yet this rolls the two into one." And that's not wrong, not at all. But for the purpose of logging GPS coord's, it might be a bit of an over investment.... LOL.

 

[James Casteel]

You're not wrong. But One could also spend that same amount of money on an entirely new set of gear, a Shearwater DC with Transmitter, or a used motorcycle.....

Personally, I am rather excited about the capabilities of the mk2, but would like to see the price come down significantly (at least, before I would invest in one). I know, the argument For the Mk2 is "you'd spend xxx on a smartwatch, plus xxx on a dive computer, yet this rolls the two into one." And that's not wrong, not at all. But for the purpose of logging GPS coord's, it might be a bit of an over investment.... LOL.

I completely agree! I don't own one for a reason, and that reason is likely motorcycles.

I'm interested in trying the photo tip listed above, that to me seems the most intriguing.

 

[dirkhh]

I have used the Garmin Descent Mk1 while diving and it's an 'ok' dive computer. I still wore it on every dive since getting it (as one of several backup computers - this may be a personal issue related to writing dive log software... I usually have three or more computers with me) because the GPS location for every dive is SO convenient.
I have an Mk2 but haven't had a chance to dive it, yet. The display seems much improved, gas integration... yeah, definitely an improvement (and I'm wearing it every day as sports watch).
Also, Garmin actively supports our work on Subsurface, so I am clearly biased to them. But then, so does Shearwater and I love my Teric

 

[Fishyhead]

I bring a Garmin handheld GPS that I use for land based activities along with me on dives and pin sites with it.