Use's a dive computer

[scuber steve]

I personally have not bought a dive computer yet. I am wondering how many diver's on the board own and use their dive computers.

 

[Kim]

I own a Suunto Vyper. Although I'll check my tables for any given dive so that I'm aware of my NDL for the greatest depth and have a basic plan, I let the computer fill in the details during the dive. This is mainly because tables are using a square profile which doesn't normally match the type of dives that we do - which are much more multilevel. We'll typically do the deepest part of the dive at the beginning - have a look at whatever we went to see for the preplanned time available - and then go steadily shallower looking at things along the way. The computer recalculates the NDL on the fly and gives you the increasing NDL as a readout. This extends the total bottom time available from a straight forward table plan. If the computer would suddenly fail we'd call the dive and make a normal ascent. If we were still some way from the boat we'd go to 5 meters and swim back U/W. This procedure is our normal agreed plan (I normally dive with either my wife - or one other diver).
The Vyper also has the ability to upload the dives to the computer - so I end up with nice printouts from the dives - complete with profile graphs/tissue compartment loads etc - which form the basis of my logbook.

 

[fdog]

I use a computer for recreational, multi-level dives. You almost can't do several dives per day over several days without one (at least with a reasonable expectation of permisable bottom times).

For intentional decompression dives, I use VPlanner and cut the tables. Although there are several mixed-gas computers available, they are not quite as reliable as I would like and are quite expensive.

All the best, James

 

[ShakaZulu]

Uwatec bottom timer and the wheel, no computor.

 

[voop]

I've got a computer. It serves as timer, logger and multi-level planner on the average recreational non-deco dives. It's a good tool for that task, I think. I do still have a bottom timer and depth gague and a roughly cut dive-plan with me on these dives, though, and I tend to stick within the limits of both of them.

On planned deco-dives, the computer just makes do as a fancy backup depth gague and bottom timer, with the dive-plan being cut in advance (tables or sw, depending on dive...).

Computers aren't evil, IMO. They're a tool like anything else, and can be used and abused as anything else.

 

[terenceg]

it depends, if u plan to calculate with the wheel and plan...u can forget the comp. but human error is more often than comp error. these days, comp are getting cheaper. why not invest in one to safe a couple of headache calculating and such.

i use suunto stinger. is never off my wrist...work or dive.

 

[grazie42]

A suunto vytec, so you can switch mixes...
On deeper dives I use software and use the comp as a gauge/timer (although occasionally I´ll keep it in nitrox mode)

 

[headhunter]

I"m having trouble justifying the cost.

Eventually, I plan to learn to do deco dives and dive with mixed gases like trimix. I have read that most people who get into deco and dive mixed gases prefer to cut tables and use a computer in guage mode. So, it just seems like a waste of money.

Computers that calculate for 3+ gasses cost in excess of $1,000. I can think of other things to spend the money on.

A $150 OMS/UWATEC bottom timer seems to provide more value. It would be nice to log the dive on a dive computer and sync that with my PC later, but it's not worth another $1,000 to me.

I'll be interested to see what the results of this poll will be.

Christian

 

[paolov]

doing deco, you need a bottom timer and do your tables and stops. I feel safer doing my tables and stops than relying on a computer. but i would feel alot of comfort using a GOOD QUALITY TIMER- quality underwater watch

)

 

[Allison Finch]

Being an old time cave diver, I believe in redundancy. I always carry two computers. One is a Suunto Favor. It, unfortunately, does not do deco. My main computer is a Suunto Mosquito which is the size of a wrist watch. It does deco, nitrox, freedive and more.

Why two computers? On one PNG trip my sister had her computer fall off her wrist unnoticed. When you're making up to 5 dives a day on a boat, you really should have a computer. Also, nothing in this world is foolproof. I'd hate to lose all the data that tracks my profile for multiple days/dives.

I'm lucky to live near the DAN headquarters. I often pick up their loaner computers for others I travel with for primary and backup computers. They loan them to get info for their research database.

I don't know if "out of towners" will find it easy to get these loaners. It would be worth a call if you are traveling for a dive trip.