Air integration for tech dives

[Lorenzoid]

A couple of people have used the word shill (or the synonym "fan girl") in this thread. Not me though.

The problem with any expert's testimonial as it relates to this discussion is that I have no ability to ask details. I have no ability to ask for clarifications on why the expert thinks something. About how they came to their conclusions. And going to Shearwater's website, it's not like they are posting rebuttals to the testimonials.

I referred to the article as "borderline shilling," and @Manatee Diver said something to the effect of Natalie Gibb NOT being a shill in his opinion. It's not shilling, since the article is very upfront. Your characterization of it as a "testimonial" is probably more accurate. In any event, why not take @Manatee Diver 's suggestion to contact Natalie with questions. If you phrase it nicely and not like a cross-examination, she likely would be glad to discuss it.

 

[tursiops]

I've never had a spool leak during what would have been a big dive for me. I've had them leak at the beginning of recreational dives and caught them on bubble checks.

Like I said, if he thinks transmitters are safer, I am not in possession of the relevant facts so, who am I to argue? I suspect he has also factored in other trade offs such as something protruding can get caught on line and whatever risk such a thing would have on a pitching and rocking boat. I would personally never put those things on a stage / deco bottle for that reason alone and the fact that they would give me almost no utility on those kinds of tanks only seals the deal.

I think I've got it now. You don't like transmitters on your deco/stage bottles so you refuse to put them on your backgas. Make sense to me.

 

[RTodd]

Transmitters on stage and deco bottles are dumb. It is a team resource that needs to be easily passed around.

I don’t get AI for BM doubles either. You rarely check it anyway and it is easy to do. I put my son on AI when he started diving at 10 because he had trouble clipping and unclipping the gauge. He ditched AI within 3 years as pointless once he gained the muscle memory to easily check a gauge. I also experimented with AI on a right post but just never saw the utility.

For single tank OW I am ambivalent but do think AI marginally increases your chance of losing a dive. Not really a big deal if you want AI for OW.

For side mount I don’t use it but also ambivalent and would consider it for tourist stuff which is all I really do now. CCR O2 and dil makes the most sense to me for AI as there are already other electronic issues more pressing that could come up.

The biggest issue with AI is reliability and what do you give up. The new ones are very reliable and with the qualifier of changing batteries regularly are probably less likely to fail than getting a spool leak. But, carrying a spare HP spool and changing it is easy. There is always one in my wet notes. Carrying a spare transmitter battery is far less practical. So for expedition level planning AI fails on cost benefit.

 

[broncobowsher]

I answered with my thoughts. It adds reliability. SPGs fail, spools fail, hp hoses fail. I have literal piles of broken spgs. While transmitters can and certainly will fail. Thus far, current generation transmitters have proven much more reliable in my own experience.

The people that install them on a hose, with a spool, in addition to another gauge, on a hose, with a spool. I don't really understand. It is adding more common failures and I would just run a gauge personally.
To remove a known failure point and replace with something that is less prone to failure makes sense to me and seems to work well.

I was resistant for a long time, I came around and tried it. At this point, I actually prefer it. YMMV.

In the case of my rebreather, it is doe to packaging. You just can't fit a transmitter directly to a 1st stage. But I don't see the issues with spools that an SPG has. They are not side loaded, spun in circles. They just sit where they sit and not loaded. Also picks the transmitters up off my butt and puts them close to the NERD. Never seen a dropped signal.

 

[Marie13]

I referred to the article as "borderline shilling," and @Manatee Diver said something to the effect of Natalie Gibb NOT being a shill in his opinion. It's not shilling, since the article is very upfront. Your characterization of it as a "testimonial" is probably more accurate. In any event, why not take @Manatee Diver 's suggestion to contact Natalie with questions. If you phrase it nicely and not like a cross-examination, she likely would be glad to discuss it.

Nat even allows transmitters for (gasp) students. UTJ’s SM gear list is at this link:

https://www.underthejungle.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/SIDEMOUNT-COURSE-EQUIPMENT-LIST.pdf

 

[Adobo]

I think I've got it now. You don't like transmitters on your deco/stage bottles so you refuse to put them on your backgas. Make sense to me.

Truthfully, I am on this exercise out of curiosity. If my mindset was truly as some of you claim, I wouldn't have bothered.

In this thread, I have seen one person claim that their AI supports 14 transmitters. Since I never have more than 2 tanks on my back, I assume the other 12 would be for stage / deco bottles and maybe your argon bottle? (Chuckling at the idea of having an AI transmitter on an argon reg. But who knows.)

For me, I find minimal utility for air integration on backgas. It took a few dives early on to get used to unclipping my spg but at this point, it is second nature. I could see someone arguing that once you have two+ bottles clipped on, it becomes more difficult to get the spg out for backgas. Then again, if that is an issue, clipping and unclipping bottles is an issue also. Which means, maybe I should be working on this skill prior to going on big dives?

For deco / stage bottles, I have been on boats were these things move around when the boat is in transit. No way I would put a protruding transmitter on a stage / deco reg. Especially so since for these kinds of tanks, I don't know what utility they give me.

 

[Adobo]

I referred to the article as "borderline shilling," and @Manatee Diver said something to the effect of Natalie Gibb NOT being a shill in his opinion. It's not shilling, since the article is very upfront. Your characterization of it as a "testimonial" is probably more accurate.

My point was, I never used that terminology.

In any event, why not take @Manatee Diver 's suggestion to contact Natalie with questions. If you phrase it nicely and not like a cross-examination, she likely would be glad to discuss it.

What for? I have all the charming and non-judgemental people here in scubaboard to talk to.

 

[rjack321]

The article is on Shearwater's blog, but Natalie Gibb is the author.

Those are often paid posts.

 

[Manatee Diver]

The biggest issue with AI is reliability and what do you give up. The new ones are very reliable and with the qualifier of changing batteries regularly are probably less likely to fail than getting a spool leak. But, carrying a spare HP spool and changing it is easy. There is always one in my wet notes. Carrying a spare transmitter battery is far less practical. So for expedition level planning AI fails on cost benefit.

You should get plenty of notice when a transmitter battery will run out, as unless you leave it on overnight the computer will warn you when it reach 2.75V with a yellow warning, which should be enough time to end most dives as you still have hours of time left. And then a red warning when it reaches 2.5V. I also treat my transmitter battery the same way I watch IP, at least once a year I check both.

My point was, I never used that terminology.

We inferred from your actions, as actions speak louder than words, you dismissed her opinion out right which means you have zero respect for her integrity.

 

[Adobo]

We inferred from your actions, as actions speak louder than words, you dismissed her opinion out right which means you have zero respect for her integrity.

Oh, for god's sake...

I don't know who the woman is. I don't know what she has done to be different / better than the thousands of diving pioneers than have come and gone in the 17 years of diving. Or the ones who came before then. I have no reason to think well or ill of her. And I certainly have no opinion on her "integrity". She has a testimonial on a manufacturer's website. Great. I want to hear from other people. People who I can ask, why do you think what you think? Lots of you great people on scubaboard. And a few people who aren't so great.

If she is on scubaboard, she is welcome to comment on this thread. Just as everyone else is. But I have no specific compelling need to reach out to her about this. I am sure there are more interesting things she could be doing with her time.