Question: Use of dive light at surface in the day - for emergency signaling.

[dmaziuk]

I was using a $100 1,000 lumen light. An active light source flicked back and forth is apparently quite eye-catching.

Any XM-L LED should be able to pump out 1K actual(*) lumen(**), my $20 lights have 3 XM-L2s, so they are quite bright. That still doesn't convince me they'll be more (or less) eye-catching topside in bright Caribbean sunlight than the signal mirror.

Obviously, overcast, rain, no sun, yadda, yadda, yadda.

*) As opposed to Chinese lumens.
**) Whether a particular flashlight does or not is another question.

 

[Still Kicking]

Any XM-L LED should be able to pump out 1K actual(*) lumen(**), my $20 lights have 3 XM-L2s, so they are quite bright. That still doesn't convince me they'll be more (or less) eye-catching topside in bright Caribbean sunlight than the signal mirror.

Obviously, overcast, rain, no sun, yadda, yadda, yadda.

*) As opposed to Chinese lumens.
**) Whether a particular flashlight does or not is another question.

I am just providing real world experience. YMMV of course.

 

[Chris-Wood]

How so? Why? What did you find wrong with using two compasses, a computer compass, and a regular compass? I am curious about your experience.

The computer compass, when calibrated and the declination is set, will have an offset from the analog compass pointing North. You can play with the declination until the computer compass is pointing North in the same direction as the analog compass. (Not good for long distance or working from a map navigation)

I also had a camera with me, and used the compass on my free wrist. The dive computer compass was about 100° out. Switching between the two, stopping for pics, and tide/currents, I ended up 'lost'.

 

[Still Kicking]

I also had a camera with me, and used the compass on my free wrist. The dive computer compass was about 100° out. Switching between the two, stopping for pics, and tide/currents, I ended up 'lost'.

I rely on an analog compass. It's never let me down. No calibration, no battery.