Feature request: GPS

[admikar]

I would rather they deal with temperature sensor location on Perdix. It takes up to 15 minutes for it to get to environment temperature on entry.
For location, Subsurface on my phone works reasonably fine

 

[Wibble]

Wonder how much power it will suck from the battery. Hope it can be turned off

Will not please skippers taking you to secret dive sites such as archaeological significant sites where they’re withholding the exact location to protect the site from plundering or disturbance.

 

[tursiops]

Will not please skippers taking you to secret dive sites such as archaeological significant sites where they’re withholding the exact location to protect the site from plundering or disturbance.

That horse has left the barn. Your phone, many cameras, and some other watches will record your GPS position.

 

[Belzelbub]

That horse has left the barn. Your phone, many cameras, and some other watches will record your GPS position.

Yep, exactly. I dive mostly from private boats (mine or friend’s). While my Perdix doesn’t actually have GPS, I don’t see the need as I can easily download the dive to my phone using Subsurface Mobile. That gives me the option to snag the GPS coordinates. Since most of the sites are mine, I can also grab them from my chartplotter. This is just easier. I also have a Nautilus lifeline, so I just need to turn it on for a bit to get location.

Based on this functionality, and the way I dive, adding GPS to the Perdix wouldn’t really benefit me much. Shore dives with long swims would be a different story, though.

But today, simply taking a picture with a smart phone will likely save GPS info.

 

[broncobowsher]

Modern GPS takes so little energy. And when diving it can simply be powered off. Anyone making the energy comment need not worry.

I could see a few times where it would be nice to have a marker to where you started. Come up in some fog after a less than stellar navigation session and think you need to head on one direction, but you pass the tip and are heading past the point.

 

[drrich2]

From the Ratio Computers website:
"Compatible with the new
Color-Coded Wireless Transmitter

A state of the art Wireless Air Transmitter that flashes green, yellow or red according to your tank's pressure during the whole dive.

You see your tank pressure from your iX3M,
your buddy or your instructor from your CC Transmitter.

Rechargeable with the same USB cable of the iX3M."

Since we're talking about features we'd like to see in Shearwater's next dive computers, there are a couple of competitor features here worth talking about.

1.) A wireless transmitter that's rechargeable via USB cable rather than dependent on swapping out batteries. This may re-ignite the debate over whether dive computers with swappable batteries (at risk for flooding, but fresh batteries are always a swap away) are preferable to those with rechargeable internal batteries (that stay sealed, but the battery loses capacity over the years and may not be user serviceable).

2.) A wireless transmitter that flashes a color based on remaining tank pressure. You may not care about diving one yourself, but would you like to have it when your kid gets certified and starts diving with you?

P.S.: I like the GPS thing, too. Whether it's unmarked shore dives in Bonaire or the boat was hectic that day and you're not sure you got the right dive name in your log, nice! Or when drift diving, as you may wonder how much ground (and how many official dive sites) you covered.

 

[greeniguana]

I use my Mission One GPS for spearfishing and shark teeth spots.

 

[ATJ]

I would rather they deal with temperature sensor location on Perdix. It takes up to 15 minutes for it to get to environment temperature on entry.

I think that is less about the position of the sensor and more about the Perdix being a big chunk of black. The whole device is going to have to come to the temperature of the water.

For location, Subsurface on my phone works reasonably fine

Not anymore. That feature has been removed.

 

[admikar]

I think that is less about the position of the sensor and more about the Perdix being a big chunk of black. The whole device is going to have to come to the temperature of the water.

Not talking about how hot Perdix is when going under, talking how much time it needs to react to temepreature changes. I dive Perdix and Mares Matrix as backup. When diving local river and entering spring tributary, I can feel temperature change (during summer it's about 7 degrees). Matrix will get to new temperature in maybe a minute. Perdix needs a lot longer. That temp sensor needs to be a lot closer to surface of the device itself or connected to outside world by more conductive hardware.

Not anymore. That feature has been removed.

Didn't know that. Diving only local sites for the past year. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Belzelbub]

Not anymore. That feature has been removed.

Still works for me. I downloaded a dive on the 1st of October. GPS location worked just fine. I also checked an older dive and still had the option to “Use current GPS location.” My app is up to date according to the App Store.