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I just got Pepto Bismol pink SMBs (big and small). 
runsongas
Contributor
my yellow one says emergency, the orange one doesn't
Yes.
Sometimes (tech diving) different colors can signify different things, like low on deco gas, or need help. Also, some colors are more visible in some conditions, like low light, or if there are whitecaps...but size trumps color for visibility. So, for recreational diving, just get a big one, orange or yellow, and you'll be fine.
What color means what is a regional thing; there is no standard.
runsongas
Contributor
That doesn't necessarily mean that yellow is the color for emergency. If it were, writing emergency on it would be redundant.
I also have one that says "Call 4 Gyros" on it for when I'm hungry.
SMB colors are not standardized for every situation. The size is more important for some situations. For shooting from depth just to have an upline? 36 inch is usually fine and then if needed deploy the big one on the surface.
I have seen reports that say the neon green one are easier to spot. Pink has to be pretty noticeable as well. Depending on the lighting.
More important in some situations is that anyone is looking in your direction! That's a good time to combine the SMB with a loud as hell audible signalling device.
My usual SMB stash for calm freshwater is a 36 inch orange. For Great Lakes and ocean - the 36 orange and a 6ft orange.
For tech dives - 36 inch orange, 36 inch yellow, and 6 ft orange. The yellow is going to have a note attached to it if I need to send that one up because the stuff has hit the fan in some way and something or someone is needed down below or is going to be needed fast on the surface. The note tells them what the issue is.
I have seen reports that say the neon green one are easier to spot. Pink has to be pretty noticeable as well. Depending on the lighting.
More important in some situations is that anyone is looking in your direction! That's a good time to combine the SMB with a loud as hell audible signalling device.
My usual SMB stash for calm freshwater is a 36 inch orange. For Great Lakes and ocean - the 36 orange and a 6ft orange.
For tech dives - 36 inch orange, 36 inch yellow, and 6 ft orange. The yellow is going to have a note attached to it if I need to send that one up because the stuff has hit the fan in some way and something or someone is needed down below or is going to be needed fast on the surface. The note tells them what the issue is.
Warning. My tec training is limited: TDI AN/DP at this point in time.
How does that work with the yellow and a note? Rip out a page from the wetnotes and I assume slip it into a small sleave on the DSMB?
Outside North America, yellow means emergency and there is usually a note attached to it describing the emergency and what is required for the diver below. I'd get an orange one for normal use that doesn't mean emergency.
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