I have dug up this letter from Bruce Weinke where he discusses his program and some of the testing that's been done. You're right, doc, he doesn't state any chamber tests having been done. I'll see if I can e-mail him -- I think he's still kickin'. Yount is gone, right?
Enjoy.
Folks,
This is FYI -- thanks.
Cheers.
Bruce And Tim
RGBM Validation And Testing Update
The past few weeks following release of the NAUI RGBM ranged trimix, helitrox, (soon EANx) Tables have been hectic, so accept our apologies for not getting this out sooner. Some important facts about RGBM validation and testing are listed for your information:
1) -- counterterror and countermeasures (LANL) exercises have used the RGBM (full up iterative deep stop version) for a number of years, logging some 327 dives on mixed gases (trimix, heliox, nitrox) without incidence of DCI -- 35% were deco dives, and 25% were repets (no deco) with at least 2 hr SIs, on forward profiles.
2) -- NAUI Technical Diving has been diving the deep stop version for the past 2 yrs, some estimatd 200 dives, on on mixed gases down to 250 fsw, without a single DCI hit. Five intensive days of 2 mixed gas dives by 20 divers using the RGBM were completed in France last spring.
3) -- modified RGBM recreational algorithms (Haldane imbedded with bubble reduction factors limiting reverse profile, repetitive, and multiday diving), as coded into SUUNTO, ABYSS, Cochrane decometers lower an already low DCI incidence rate of approximately 1/10,000 or less. More RGBM decompression meters, including mixed gases, are in the works (know of 3)
4) -- a cadre of divers and instructors here in mountainous New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado have been diving the modified (Haldane imbedded again) RGBM at altitude, an estimated 350 dives, without mishap. Again, not surprising since the altitude RGBM is slightly more conservative than the usual Cross correction used routinely up to about 8,000 ft elevation, and with estimated DCI incidence less than 1/10,000.
5) -- within decometer implementations of the RGBM, not a single DCI hit has been reported in the multidiving category, beyond 1000 dives or more, up to now.
6) -- extreme chamber tests for mixed gas RGBM are in the present works, and less stressful exposures will be addressed shortly -- extreme here means 300 fsw and beyond.
7) -- probabilistic decompression analysis of some selected RGBM profiles, calibrated against similar calculations of the same profiles by Duke, help validate the RGBM on a computational basis , suggesting that the RGBM has no more theoretical risk than other bubble or dissolved gas models (ala Weathersby, Vann, and Gerth methodology at USN/Duke) This will be reported in a very technical paper/journal.
8) -- all divers and instructors using RGBM decometers, tables, NET software have been advised to report all their profiles to DAN Project Dive Exploration (Vann and Gerth and many others at Duke).
9) -- ABYSS is a NET sotware package that offers the modified RGBM (folded over the Buhlmann ZHL) and soon the full up, deep stop version for any gas mixture, and has a fairly large contingent of tech divers already using the RGBM and has not received any reports of DCI.
10) -- outside of proprietary (commercial) and RGBM Tables, mixed gas tables are a smorgasboard of no longer applicable Haldane dynamics and discretionary stop insertions, as witnessed by the collective comments of a very vocal and extremely competent, experienced technical diving community.
This process of testing and validation is ongoing, and we appreciate, make that, ask for your help in reporting your RGBM dives to DAN Project Dive Exploration and certainly to us with any "duress". Thi sreceives immediate attention.
Permit Tim and me a few comments about the RGBM and its roots, since real pioneers very often go without proper recognition those of us that follow reap the benefits of their insight and perspectives, and our benefits of hindsight and modern diving developments. The RGBM builds upon the work of Brian Hills and David Yount, skillful work performed on phase mechanics, bubbles, and ultimately, first translations
of their findings to the diving arena and particularly, diver staging. They didn't have all the answers (who does), but they underlined basics. Both applied computer studies and simulations to diving profiles, though much has not been recognized (til recently). True warriors, they labored in difficult times, and under enemy fire, so to speak. Hats off to you, Brian and David (and all your co-workers).
Further for your information, Tim And I will be releasing all existing RGBM Tables (ranged trimix and helitrox) and a suite of others (EAN24 to EAN36, constant PO2 heliox, and other ranged trimix and heliox) to the Net, as with the Technical Diver Series, and under NAUI Technical Diving auspices. The format is "groupless" with 2 allowable repets per day, plus some other simple protocols.
Thanks for your interest.
Bruce Wienke and Tim O'Leary
Los Alamos National Laboratory And American Diving And Marine Salvage
NAUI Worldwide Technical Training Operations
3/24/00
