Dive Computer vs Bottom Timer vs watch

[mempilot]

The difference in price is fairly large, ~$500 for a computer, ~$250 for bottom timer, probably ~$125 for a simple watch.

It looks like the bottom timer may be the way to go as its big and would be easy to read while submerged.
What do people here use? Any try the OMS Bottom timer? Good/Bad??? Suggestions???

Thanks

The UWATEC Digital bottom timer and the OMS are pretty much the same. I paid $160 for the UWATEC the other day at Brownie's in Ft. Lauderdale. I use an Oceanic VT Pro and the UWATEC together. The bottom timer keeps it simple, while the Oceanic logs everything. I use MS Access to review all the information from the dive recorded by the Oceanic. There is a lot more info there than you can access through Oceanics logbook.

The bottom timer is easy to read, large numbers, and easy to operate, do nothing.

For rec dives, the Oceanic is my plan, and the UWATEC is my backup. For tec dives, the UWATEC is my plan, and the Oceanic is the backup and recorder.

 

[rcohn]

boney, rcohn is right.

Wow, I think that's the first time anyone has said rcohn is right! Thanks.

Ralph

 

[Uncle Pug]

Wow Ralph... I totally missed that... Congratulations!!!

 

[IndigoBlue]

Soooo.... I gotta ask.... air? you use air?

Uncle Pug, its just like I have always said: it all depends on location, location, and location. And on what is down there to go and see.

The main disadvantages of air (as you know) are:

1) Higher N2 uptake compared to EANx or He
2) Longer deco times compared to EANx or O2
3) Longer surface intervals compared to EANx
4) Shallower repetitive diving compared to EANx
5) More pronounced narcosis compared to He

But if air is all you got, then air is all you got.

 

[Web Monkey]

How's the diving around Cuba? (I keep waiting for The President or Congress to decide that we can go there.)

Terry

So You were at 122 ft. for 48 mins. hmmmm
So if You have enough Air, You can just stay down below 100 ft. for as long as You like?
__________________
CPT D
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Reef Raiders
"Honor Bound to Defend Freedom"
"Keep Your Powder Dry"

 

[IndigoBlue]

Yeah, I'm in Cuba...Air is all We have...Air and Caribbean Blue Water..Been checking the DCS Thread..It just puzzles me. I'm in the range of 14 dives a week. From 30 ft to 100 ft. (Base Reg) I have heard of people going to the 220 ft level... Weekends can be crazy. 4 or 5...But ..Yes, Air is all We have here. We do have a chamber on Sight...Thanks to the Navy...Never seen it used in My Year here..The whole entire dive community is shut down. If one person's in the Chamber..NO DIVING for anyone. Base Regs...

For warm water, a PO2 limit of 1.6 is common, although most would recommend 1.4 instead.

At 220 fsw, you are right on a PO2 of 1.6 .

( 220/33 + 1 ) x 0.20946 = 1.6 ATAs

This is an exceptional exposure dive, according to NOAA and the Navy dive tables, and as such, there is no NDL period, and every such dive requires decompression stops.

It takes 3 mins, at least, to get to that depth. So the minimal practical dive to that depth would be 10 mins of bottom time, and for a dive to that depth for 10 mins the Navy tables prescribe 2 mins at 20 ft and 5 mins at 10 ft deco. But most divers would go to the next prescribed schedule, at least, and stop 2 mins at 40 ft, followed by 5 mins at 20 ft, and then 16 mins at 10 ft. Or more!

So what you are telling me is that your friends are deco diving on air. I just hope they are following deco protocols, at least. Twin tanks on your back, with at least two hanging tanks as backup (one at 40 ft and another at 20 ft), would be the minimum. And when I say minimum, I mean that those are even antiquated protocols, and virtually nobody dives like that anymore. It is a mixed gas world, now.

If your friends are not deco rated, then what they are doing is not too smart. And if they are deco rated, then hopefully that recompression chamber is well maintained and ready to go at all times. Because you never really know when DCS is going to visit, and an exceptional exposure dive is a really likely time anytime for a DCS hit.

Hopefully you will not be tempted to imitate your friends as well.

NACD (National Association for Cave Diving) has a 100 ft limit for cavern diving, and that also happens to be a very good limit for any diving, with a single tank, whether air or EANx. That is what I recommend.

And since we were talking about bottom timers, to begin with, then for an exceptional exposure dive, TWO bottom timers on your wrist. I do not believe in being buddy-dependent if your own bottom timer goes bad, while you are in deco.

 

[H2Andy]

Wow, I think that's the first time anyone has said rcohn is right! Thanks.

well, always glad to be of service, of course, but
consider your source

 

[DoUDive2]

I did a bunch of searchs under this forum but really couldn't make up my mind...

Been looking at computers, bottom timers, and even watches to keep track of my bottom time, temps would be nice too.
Computers seem a little too expensive for me, and then I saw the OMS bottom timer. Looks like it has everything I'm looking for, but to get even simpler I could just get a Timex watch or something that has a timer and temp gauge.
The difference in price is fairly large, ~$500 for a computer, ~$250 for bottom timer, probably ~$125 for a simple watch.

It looks like the bottom timer may be the way to go as its big and would be easy to read while submerged.
What do people here use? Any try the OMS Bottom timer? Good/Bad??? Suggestions???

Thanks

I have a Citizen Diive Watch and an older style Oceanic Air Computer. I dive nitrox on the air computer. I use the watch and tables as my backup. I usually dive live-aboards. The tables will normally max out after my third dive. If I lose the computer before the tables max out, I'll continue diving using the tables; otherwise, I will probably call it quits for the day. Though my computer has never failed me, I will not dive without the watch. Being proficient in the use of the watch and tables is a necessity for me.

Bottom timer?
My dive watch is good to 200 M and will store the dive profiles of my last 5 or 10 dives ($450). I cannot imagine myself ever diving beyond the limits of this watch. My question is: When does a watch become a bottom timer ... or vice-versa?

More over, I can download the dive data from my watch to my laptop and integrate my nitrogen load. :geek:

Chris

 

[armyscuba]

Yeah Blue,

Air is all We got..Yep..We dive Doubles..We dive Everyday..Chamber is ready..and Hell it's Free..I don't need DAN on My deployment. We have some Great walls..You have to see them to believe them..We do surface swims or swim slots that lead to 600 and 700 meter drops..We sit at the wall and wait for submarines to pass. I did 4 dives today, the last being a night dive. Today was no more than 80 ft for Me. I try to be good and not venture past the 150 limit to often. We have some (4000+ Dives) divers that rip off deeper dives with no issues all on Air though. During Your Year deployment, You can accomplish about 800 dives. It's been a great experience. I have to say.

 

[armyscuba]

How's the diving around Cuba? (I keep waiting for The President or Congress to decide that we can go there.)

Terry

Web MONKEY,,

Diving is Great in Cuba..My computer registers 81 degrees at 140 ft. Visibility is about 120 ft. on a good day. Coral Heads, Wrecks, Spearfishing, Beautiful coastline..Yes someday...hopefully We can all return when Fidel is a memory...The only problem is that communism works for them. The tourist industry from all other countries is huge. The honestly could care less if the U.S. ever visited. Most Americans sneak in from the Caribbean or Canada.