Accident Prevention - Waterproof Radio

[sipadan]

I was wondering if my question is in the right forum, couldn't quiet figure out where to place it best.

I do dive some remote places in the Asia-Pacific, usually with a skipper friend of mine on a small sailing boat. I have these "splash" proof walkie talkies (https://www.cobra.com/products/walkie-talkies-two-way-radios) and I would like to bring one on my dive, so that I can radio my friend on the boat as soon I have surfaced. I'm looking for a "pressure proof" casing I can use to safely store it and clip it on my BCD. I was looking into using old camera or torchlight housings and modify it, but there might be some more elegant solutions

I'm aware of products like Nautiluslifeline, but I do not require the function that come with it. All I need is a casing that is waterproof, the size of a small walkie talkie, and can withstand the pressure of a recreational deep dive. Any suggestions is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Searcaigh]

You could try this



I use mine to hold my Personal Location Beacon

 

[BRT]

If you take the radio out of the case on the surface it will likely work the first time. I wouldn't bet on it after that.

 

[KeithG]

or maybe something like this... Sealife Reefmaster SL201 35mm Underwater Camera | eBay

 

[KevinNM]

If you take the radio out of the case on the surface it will likely work the first time. I wouldn't bet on it after that.

It probably will if you use a floating marine VHF radio.
Like this https://www.cobra.com/products/handheld/mr-hh350-flt

 

[Ghetto Diver]

Otterbox use to offer a dry box storage case. DIY'ers used them for battery packs on their canister lights. I have a small VHF waterproof to 3' that I had thought of using this way...never got around to it though.

 

[fjpatrum]

Honestly, I'd follow the DIY crowd and make a schedule 40 PVC canister for it. Seal one end permanently and make the other end a screw off cap with some o-rings/gaskets and you're good to at least a couple hundred feet of depth. People do this with "non-dive" rated lights and other equipment all the time.

 

[sipadan]

Thank you everyone for the tips. I probably go with a DIY PVC pipe and seal so I can fit in other emergency items, as well as a ham and mustard sandwich and a can of beer. I'm always hungry after diving

 

[oya]

Curious why, if you're looking at around the same price-range anyway, the GPS function is something in which you're actively disinterested. Seems to me it's the perfect compliment to a waterproof radio.

Lost diver: "Hi, it's me, I'm on the surface and fine."
Friend on the boat: "Awesome. Where are you?"
Lost diver: "In the ocean. HAHAHAHAAHA. No, seriously, I have no idea because I have no GPS. I see you on the boat, I'm west of you, but you're getting smaller really fast."

 

[Peter69_56]

Thank you everyone for the tips. I probably go with a DIY PVC pipe and seal so I can fit in other emergency items, as well as a ham and mustard sandwich and a can of beer. I'm always hungry after diving

Make sure you use sewerage pipe and not storm water pipe (as it has a thinner wall thickness). I watched a guy diving at about 20 metres using 2 storm water flotation devices for his big heavy camera. All of a sudden boom and both flotation chambers collapsed and he had a very heavy camera.

You need heavy walled pipe (hence sewerage pipe). Also the pipe will get compression marks in it from the compression/decompression from each dive, if thin walled it causes the plastic to fail (much like bending plastic fast one way then the other and you see it heat and deform).