How do you signal air remaining?

[SmokingMirror]

In Europe we use different measuring units for pressure. A full tank is 200 bar (1 bar being about the equivalent of atmospheric pressure at sea level).

Indeed. I regularly dive the UK, and the standard here - at least at the LDS with whom I dive - is to ignore the units (so 1-9) altogether, and use the hands (or hand singular, depending on the amount) to display the tens, with the T sign (a horizontal hand atop a vertical one) used after any indicated number to show a hundred.

So for a full tank of 200 bar, you would sign with two fingers (doesn't matter which two, as long as it's clear), then make the T. 135 would be represented by one finger, T, three fingers (actually signalling 130, but the units aren't counted).

 

[Divedaily]

Apart from the last poster, it seems that this diskussion (and the problem ) only lies with the divers who use the psi-system. As other European divers have pointed out, no miskommunikation in the metric system possible. Either you show spg, or use the "T" (= 100Bar), fist (= 50 Bar) and finger (= 10 Bar each) signals. As for the diver that uses 6 fingers for 60 Bar, it might be incorrect, but everyone would still understand, so still no complications. 5 bar increments aren´t used, you just round it up/down to the nearest.
Smokingmirror, I don´t really get your system, and it sounds like your LDS is a bit on its own there. I never heard of signalling 5 Bar steps, and they would signal a full tank (as most of divers over here would dive 200 Bar tanks)? That would be on the surface I guess?

 

[drbill]

Being a solo diver, D_B, I have no one to signal so I just look at my SPG and then show it to my "buddy," my pony bottle.

 

[D_B]

thanks everyone for all the thoughts
... this was a good discussion and got people thinking (I even remember this thread being mentioned in the ScubaBoard news letter ... way back when)

I most times just show my SPG

 

[stakanak]

1000 is a fist with a forward knock. Flash 5 for 500 or number of fingers there of. One hand and easy. Oh yeah, showing your spg is a great idea. How come no one told me that in class!

 

[peterbj7]

No time to read all this thread. In Belize it's universal to do it the way the OP described - the fingers of one hand on the (other) upper arm to indicate hundreds of psi, fingers held up to indicate tens of psi. Up to 50 uses one hand, 60-90 either using both hands or more commonly one hand held up twice (the numbers added together). Can be started with either hand. If in doubt I always ask to see the SPG, but part of the drill is not just to learn what the other person's pressure is, but to see if they know.

It's been so long since I had to tell anyone air pressure in the UK I can't remember how it's done!

 

[String]

UK is the worldwide standard (ie everywhere except N america!) of just bar.

Full tank is 232 bar. 100 bar is T shape with hand, 50 bar is closed fist. 10s of bar with single fingers.

So 120 bar would be T then 2 fingers.

 

[goonsquad]

How do you signal your air pressure remaining to your dive buddy?
When I did my intro. dive in Roatan, the instructor did it in a way I have not seen since. She indicated thousands by splaying right hand fingers across her left arm, above the wrist , and then hundreds by holding up the corresponding number of fingers , again using her right hand.
I think it was/is easier to understand than the standard 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 3 = 2000 + 300
It looked simple, quick and was very easy to see how much air someone had left , with the 2 on arm + 3 fingers , to indicate 2300

DB

Thats what I was taught in SLC UT.

 

[Jax]

Apart from the last poster, it seems that this diskussion (and the problem ) only lies with the divers who use the psi-system. As other European divers have pointed out, no miskommunikation in the metric system possible. Either you show spg, or use the "T" (= 100Bar), fist (= 50 Bar) and finger (= 10 Bar each) signals. As for the diver that uses 6 fingers for 60 Bar, it might be incorrect, but everyone would still understand, so still no complications. 5 bar increments aren´t used, you just round it up/down to the nearest.
Smokingmirror, I don´t really get your system, and it sounds like your LDS is a bit on its own there. I never heard of signalling 5 Bar steps, and they would signal a full tank (as most of divers over here would dive 200 Bar tanks)? That would be on the surface I guess?

Five year-old thread, but still a good one!

 

[Divedaily]

Hehe, didnt even notice
But seems it IS actually still a good one, looking at the replies it got in a single day, after sleeping for 5 years.....