Underwater Comm Systems

[Boater Dan]

PSD's:

We were just awarded a grant to procure AGA full face masks and underwater communication systems. I wanted to check and see who is utilizing the OTS systems and get some information:

Are you using the wireless system? Any issues? How well does it function? Would you procure it again? Would you do anything different? How long have you used the units?

Are you utilizing the full surface unit or the surface kit for the portable unit? Are the surface to diver communications clear? What distances? What depths?

Anything I should be asking, but do not know to ask?

I thank you in advance for the input.

Dan

 

[Delta_P]

PSD's:

We were just awarded a grant to procure AGA full face masks and underwater communication systems. I wanted to check and see who is utilizing the OTS systems and get some information:

Are you using the wireless system?

Yes. We use it mainly for training divers during biological surveys. Biologist wears the AGA, trainee wears the receiver strapped to their mask. Speeds up training significantly.

We've also used them to transmit data accurately to the surface. So far everything we've done has been in water less than 60' deep and the boat within 50 metres of the divers.

Any issues? How well does it function?

None. It works very well for what we need it for. Occassionally we've had a problem with "signal shadowing" when using the surface unit, but that is quickly solved with a change in body position as long as the diver is aware there is a problem.

Would you procure it again? Would you do anything different? How long have you used the units?

Yes. No. 4 or 5 years. I'd have to check my files to get the exact date we purchased the units.


Hmm. Just noticed you're asking this of PSDs. That changes things somewhat. The model for PSDs in this part of the world now is a single tethered diver using an AGA or SuperLite with hard-wired comms so the tender can monitor breathing at all times. The Push To Talk units we use are not acceptable for this application, but we don't like to listen to our buddy's heavy breathing anyway. Likewise we are never in contaminated waters, so we don't need the overpressure feature the PSDs use on the AGAs.

Anything I should be asking, but do not know to ask?

If you are looking at a PSD application check the PSD forum on this board - there's a wealth of knowledge in there.

 

[BigJetDriver]

PSD's:

We were just awarded a grant to procure AGA full face masks and underwater communication systems. I wanted to check and see who is utilizing the OTS systems and get some information:

Are you using the wireless system? Any issues? How well does it function? Would you procure it again? Would you do anything different? How long have you used the units?

Are you utilizing the full surface unit or the surface kit for the portable unit? Are the surface to diver communications clear? What distances? What depths?

Anything I should be asking, but do not know to ask?

I thank you in advance for the input.

Dan

Dan,

Delta P's comments are pretty much right on the mark. Although I use a military through water unit for my personal use, I really like the OTS hard-wire unit for PSD work. Call John Hott at OTS, and he can give you the straight skinny on the comm units. He can shoot you a price on the AGA's, and you can get another bid on those from Tracy Robinette at Divematics.

Cheers!

Rob

 

[BridgeDiver29]

Hi all,

We too have just ordered AGA ffms with OTS comms. We got the non-positive pressure AGAs and the SSB-2010 through-water comm units. Our team is not a true "public safety" team, but we are a state government agency (DOT). We inspect underwater components of highway bridges.

My recommendation is to try them out if you get a chance. We got a chance to try the systems out and the experience really sold us. The comms will be really helpfull in reporting any defects and comments about the inspection to the surface as well as the safety aspect of being able to communicate with the surface and other divers. Also the ffms are really the best way to get good communications. And they add safety since it is not going to fall off of an unconscious diver. Our water is pretty cold too and the warmth will be nice!

We are also looking at incorporating a gas switch block into the system to allow getting to an alternate air supply without removing the ffm. Does anyone have any experience, suggestions, or recommendations? Thanks!

 

[bridgediver]

hey Dan

We have 2 OTS wireless rigs and neither of them work very well.
We're moving towards the hardwire comms. Its a good thing in PSD to be able to hear how the diver is breathing. With the hardwire the comms is more "private" which is also a plus as the diver is more inclined to say how he is really feeling etc.

There's other benefits to the hardwire but I'll let the more experienced chime in - as I said we haven't got them yet, only trialled and reasearched them

 

[TheAvatar]

We use hardwire coms. Its clearer and more reliable than through water and our divers are always tethered anyways. Clarity and constant on gives a better feel of how the divers are doing. Surface can allow multiple divers to talk to each other or keep the backup and primary separate. We played with a through water comm system but it did not like shore based operations.

 

[BigJetDriver]

We are also looking at incorporating a gas switch block into the system to allow getting to an alternate air supply without removing the ffm. Does anyone have any experience, suggestions, or recommendations? Thanks!

Call Patrick Duffy at Oxycheq. He markets the M&J switch-block. It is really sweet.

Rob Davie

 

[BridgeDiver29]

hey Dan

We have 2 OTS wireless rigs and neither of them work very well.
We're moving towards the hardwire comms. Its a good thing in PSD to be able to hear how the diver is breathing. With the hardwire the comms is more "private" which is also a plus as the diver is more inclined to say how he is really feeling etc.

There's other benefits to the hardwire but I'll let the more experienced chime in - as I said we haven't got them yet, only trialled and reasearched them

bridgediver,

What about your OTS wireless rigs don't work well? How old are they? Which models do you have?
I am curious since we just ordered 4 of their -2010's. I do see the benefits to 4-wire hardwire, but as of yet, most of our operations are not required to be tetherd, so the wireless gives more freedom.

 

[pipedope]

At my old job we found the wireless units were unusable in tunnels and pipes. Most or our diving was in pipes so we went back to hardwire comms.

 

[bridgediver]

bridgediver,

What about your OTS wireless rigs don't work well? How old are they? Which models do you have?
I am curious since we just ordered 4 of their -2010's. I do see the benefits to 4-wire hardwire, but as of yet, most of our operations are not required to be tetherd, so the wireless gives more freedom.

Its the same type. We've had them for about 5 years(?) and haven't used them much due to the comms being either unclear or intermittant. We had a tech check them out to be sure that they were functioning properly and they still had these problems when we got them back.
All of our dives are tethered so going hardwire is really a no brianer - it should be far more reliable for our use. We found that the PTT is probably unecessary task loading for PSD.
For what you're doing it may be fine