Online Nitrox and SDA??

[n2ooz]

I have been looking into an online Nitrox class and came across a site offering an online course with no practical work required. I called the location and asked what organization would be issuing the certification. I was told it was through Scuba Divers of America.

• Has anyone heard of SDA?
• If anyone reading this fills tanks for a living, would you fill a tank if I gave you an SDA card?

I plan on getting trainied locally before heading to Bermuda, but I was weighing all my options. If you are wondering what site I'm referring to, Google online nitrox. They are within the top 3 listings.

 

[frankc420]

Considering the fact that the scuba industry is not standardized in ANY way, anyone can start an agency. The choice is really up to the dive shops on whether they actually recognize new agencies.

That's my understanding anyway.

 

[fisherdvm]

Geez... All you have to do is say, I promise not to go below 100 ft, and will program my computer to 32% oxygen.... Why should anyone care what card you carry?

How many nitrox users actually test their gas??

 

[ClayJar]

I have been looking into an online Nitrox class and came across a site offering an online course with no practical work required. I called the location and asked what organization would be issuing the certification. I was told it was through Scuba Divers of America.

• Has anyone heard of SDA?

I have now. It seems not even Google has heard of them: [google]"Scuba Divers of America"[/google]

• If anyone reading this fills tanks for a living, would you fill a tank if I gave you an SDA card?

Sure. I love getting presents. (Of course, I'd have to know you were certified, too.)

I plan on getting trainied locally before heading to Bermuda, but I was weighing all my options. If you are wondering what site I'm referring to, Google online nitrox. They are within the top 3 listings.

That is an extremely garish site. I wonder where they got the name Aquastrophics from. (It sounds like they took "aqua" and "catastrophic" and melded them, which is a rather interesting concept.)

Regardless, it's a good idea to at least try analyzing a mix before you start using nitrox. That whole death thing isn't worth it. I'm not adamantly against instruction incorporating self-study, but if you can get a card without even touching an analyzer, I can't help but wonder. (To me, analyzing a mix was laughably trivial, but I happen to appreciate the continued survival of even the less adept among us. )

 

[michaelo]

sometimes I don't test if I trust someone and they only have one mix. BUT I've been to one place that could not fill their tanks to over 2700 no matter how hard they tried.(they "filled to 3200, but it cooled"?????). When I tested theirs, it was lucky to be within 2% +/-!!

 

[moxie]

Don't know about SDA.

All nitrox users I'm familiar with test their gas, every time. Don't you?

 

[frankc420]

You test it by breathing it don't you?

 

[DandyDon]

So what about Scuba Divers of America? Surely someone has tried an online course with them and comment? This thread is old, but may as well use it...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I know for a fact that PADI,NAUI, and YMCA will not accept this outfits stuff for certification. Yet they say you can go into any shop anywhere in the world. It's a scam.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

When I was in Bonaire (Last week) there was a shop advertising Nitrox course for $79 with no books or tests. My son did the PADI version while we where there with a differnet shop. Good instructor he spent time on tables including O2 exposure and calculating PPO2 for mixes other than 32 and 36. Did all the tests etc...

We analyzed every tank. They were all as marked (within 1%).

Edit:
Never heard of SDA. Except Google search maybe someone else?