PADI E-Cards

[Hawkwood]

When folks come into the shop without their cards, we simply look them up using "Dive Chek". If they are in the system, all certifications will be available for the shop to view. It may not work for everybody all the time, but it is an option. Granted, there may be some operators without internet access.

If they do not want to replace their lost or missing card, so be it. Their certification can still be verified.

"PADI Members may better serve customers who have left their PADI certification card at home or have misplaced it, by verifying their certification using Dive Chek® Online."​

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[-hh]

I am just discovering this unpleasant situation for myself. I have changed my name (recent divorce) and naturally wanted my cards to read my correct name. I can't believe PADI expects me to pay over $330 to get replacement cards. Ridiculous.

More the reason to not bother with Agency cards for every trivial thing (shades of UW Basket Weaving). In any case, I'd be happy to make some Photoshop magic happen for a third of that price


-hh

 

[JoePDiver]

Someone in an earlier post got it right, get your cards together and use your phone to photograph the back of each card. Fill the screen shoot and save, done. I have done this with each c card, my driver license and various other cards I need to carry, flawless.
I would NEVER pay anyone such an outrageous fee for a digital COPY of a card for a course I have already paid for.

 

[Abdullah]

Someone in an earlier post got it right, get your cards together and use your phone to photograph the back of each card. Fill the screen shoot and save, done. I have done this with each c card, my driver license and various other cards I need to carry, flawless.
I would NEVER pay anyone such an outrageous fee for a digital COPY of a card for a course I have already paid for.

Seems like a great opportunity for identity theft when your phone comes up missing...

 

[oreocookie]

Maybe they have to overcharge for replacements (e or plastic) to cover the times when they get their wires crossed and send out spares. I got 2 DM cards and 3 OWSI cards. Whoops.

 

[missrachelle]

When I first certified as an OWD I was sucked in thought it was needed. Now I've several certifications under my belt I just make sure I bring my cards if I'm not diving with my regular shop.. I want my $47 back!!!!

 

[-hh]

Someone in an earlier post got it right, get your cards together and use your phone to photograph the back of each card. Fill the screen shoot and save, done. I have done this with each c card, my driver license and various other cards I need to carry, flawless.
I would NEVER pay anyone such an outrageous fee for a digital COPY of a card for a course I have already paid for.

I did something fairly similar to this with my latest DIY Logbook:


1. put the cards onto my flatbed scanner and scanned them
2. flipped them over, did the reverse sides too
3. took all these images and arranged them to fit onto a 4"x6" print
(IIRC, reduced their size a little; kept the DPI high for readability)
3. used my inkjet to print it (in color) on glossy photo paper

4. let the print dry overnight ... its an inkjet, remember

5. trimmed down the print so that it nicely matches my logbook size
6. used clear 2" packing tape to secure it on my logbook and make it 'waterproof'


The result is that the cover of my logbook now is a copy of my cards


-hh

 

[budson54]

I made the mistake of buying an ecard prior to joining this forum. I lost my phone two weeks after getting the ecard. I contacted customer services and they told me I was out of luck. For 50 bucks it's just one download. I think the suggestion to scan you cards is the way to go until they have a more reasonable program.

 

[agilis]

Make sure you have your Zombie Diving card on your I phone. Solo Diver card also, so you can look at it and reassure yourself that you are a solo diver. Who else would you show it to?

Actually, certification beyond the minimal needed for the type of diving you do is a terrible idea. Certifications are fundamentally dishonest because there is no way of determining who certified the first certifier. You can be sure whoever it was did not have the c card his students are selling. It was probably some jerk.

I Phones are a bad idea also. Avoid communication technology to the extent your career permits. When face to face communicatin is not possible, resort to voice. Never, never use texting.

Learn as much as you can about scuba, about the equipment, the physics involved, and get a lot of practice; first without compressed air, gradually introducing compressed air equipment. Pay a skilled diver to teach you, but self-taught is ultimately best. Read everything you can. Don't use the internet for anything skills connected. You should devote several months to the process. Anyone who tells you they can teach you to scuba dive well in a few weeks is not being honest. Anyone who tells you they can teach you properly in a few days is a dangerous fraud.

 

[tdtaylor]

I haven't read every post, but I think I'm real happy right now that I am SSI- the app works great. Good luck to you PADI folks to get this worked out. Cost them little or nothing, but not the person with the certification.

Terry