Garmin Descent MK2

[Divetech Cayman]

Have they changed the way the Exit Location is saved? I find with the Mk1 the Entry Location to be very accurate, especially if you go into dive mode a few minutes before descending to give the GPS plenty of time to lock in on as many satellites as possible (something Garmin themselves recommend). The Exit Location on the Mk1 is not accurate at all and that's mainly because it doesn't turn the GPS on until a few seconds before it saves the location. It would be much smarter if they turned the GPS on as soon as the computer thinks the dive is ending (and it starts the End Dive Delay countdown). Even if the End Dive Delay is only 20 seconds, that's still a lot more time to get a better lock on the satellites. Note that I have requested this from Garmin in multiple ways but still nothing has been improved on the Mk1.

I'm not sure. I'm a bit lazy in how I dive the computer, in that I don't ever start a dive app. I just jump in the water and it immediately goes into the last dive mode it was in. A consequence of this however is it won't log the entry location. It will log the exit location, but I have no exact way of knowing how accurate it is, when I boat dive - I'm not sure exactly where the boat was.

I scrolled through my log, and found a shore dive I did off Lighthouse Point where I did start the dive before I jumped in. In this case the entry location was about 50-75 feet off from the dock where I actually entered the water. However I remember this day, and I started the dive app as I was walking down the dock, so it had maybe 15-20 seconds to get a lock on the satellites. It logged the exit point halfway up the dock, so maybe another 50 feet from the ladder where I climbed out.

Tony

 

[ATJ]

I enjoy your perspective on things like these. For me I'm been just thrilled with all the options that are currently there and honestly it has a ton more options than any dive computer I have ever had and I do wear it daily as well.

Though refinement and additon of new things is always something wanted. I would like a few of the shearwater options as discussed previously like SurfGF and personally would find them more useful than SI on the face since it was an already available and accessible and yet mindless calculation anyhow.

It does have a bunch of extra options but as a dive computer I much prefer my Perdix. The Mk1 would have been (and still could be if Garmin made an effort) equal to the Perdix as a dive computer.

Simple things like:

• displaying SI on the dive mode face before the dive (like every other dive computer)
• better handling of the start of dive determination (like my 2005 Citizen Cyberaqualand NX did perfectly)
• Better deco information (I'd much prefer it telling me the exact deco commitment rather than a less than intuitive TTS)

 

[ATJ]

I scrolled through my log, and found a shore dive I did off Lighthouse Point where I did start the dive before I jumped in. In this case the entry location was about 50-75 feet off from the dock where I actually entered the water. However I remember this day, and I started the dive app as I was walking down the dock, so it had maybe 15-20 seconds to get a lock on the satellites. It logged the exit point halfway up the dock, so maybe another 50 feet from the ladder where I climbed out.

Thanks... so it looked like they haven't improved that aspect.

 

[stuartv]

• Better deco information (I'd much prefer it telling me the exact deco commitment rather than a less than intuitive TTS)

Time To Surface IS the exact deco commitment...?

 

[ATJ]

Time To Surface IS the exact deco commitment...?

True, but I'd rather know I have to spend n minutes at 5 metres and I can plan around getting to the stop knowing I'll be there for n minutes.

I mostly do shore diving and as such I rarely have a direct ascent to 5 metres. I can take my time (gas allowing) working my way up there.

Oh and if I do take my time, I've often cleared deco even before I get to 5 metres.

 

[stuartv]

True, but I'd rather know I have to spend n minutes at 5 metres and I can plan around getting to the stop knowing I'll be there for n minutes.

I mostly do shore diving and as such I rarely have a direct ascent to 5 metres. I can take my time (gas allowing) working my way up there.

Oh and if I do take my time, I've often cleared deco even before I get to 5 metres.

Once you go into deco, the Descent doesn't show what your first stop is and how long you're to stay there??

 

[ATJ]

Once you go into deco, the Descent doesn't show what your first stop is and how long you're to stay there??

No. Well, not that I have seen. It just increments the Time To Surface.

Edit: According to this: Descent Mk1 - Viewing the Primary Gas Dive Data Screen it does. It certainly shows that for the safety stop. Perhaps it did show me this while I was actually doing a deco stop, but it did not show me what I'd have to do before I reached the deco stop.

 

[divinh]

Will Pay work if you don't have your phone with you?

Yes, it works without having your phone with you. The phone is used initially to run the Garmin Connect app to add the credit card, and once added, Garmin Pay can be used without the phone. For security, you have to enter a 4-digit passcode to activate Garmin Pay. It seems to work wherever NFC payments are accepted.

 

[SavDiver]

I've not heard anything about battery swaps, however I'd be shocked if anyone but Garmin could change them out.


Not very well. I've noticed mine is not terribly accurate, no matter how I calibrate it. However I was told by a pilot that this is not a function of Garmin's altimeter, but barometric altimeters in general. According to him, even the best barometric altimeters are not as accurate as one might think.

I am completely unqualified to comment either way, except it's not as accurate as I'd like.



I do wear it on my skin, all the time. I find the heart rate monitor is not accurate underwater. I posted a screen shot of the heart rate graph post-dive on my review.



Yeah shoot me a PM, I'd love to know the story.





The deco lockout can be disabled, even after it locks you out. It's the last option in the dive settings menu. It won't hurt the computer at all.

Tony

Yes and no... if you accidentally dive with gauge or apnea it locks you out 24hours. Had that happen to me before and I believed it was called deco lockout. I’ll send you that pm btw.

 

[SavDiver]

This would not be the first time I have heard of or been on the phone with tech support myself and they didn't know what they were talking about.

You go into dive settings and select the option to turn the lockout off. It then promptly asks you if you are sure and that you that you are going to die, then you go dive.

Actually that wasn’t the cause when you enter gauge mode/apnea mode it isn’t a deco lockout that you can turn off. You must either set you’re watch 24 hours ahead or go through a process of connecting it to you’re PC to take the lockout out. I’m sure you can google “farming descent mk1 gauge lockout”


Garmin website “
After diving in gauge mode, the device can only be used in gauge or apnea mode for 24 hours. “
Under section notes Descent Mk1 - Dive Modes