Any info on Desert Star Sport Tracker?

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WOODMAN

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Location
Minneapolis area, Minnesota
# of dives
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I just had the opportunity to try out an older model of the Desert Star Sport tracker personal sonar navigation device, and was highly impressed with it. Do any of you have any experience with this system? They also make a smaller (and cheaper) sonar tracker called the Scout, but this seems to be too limited in range. The Sport system is far more powerfull, from what I can tell. I find very little information on this, however. I am seriously considering this unit, but would like some feedback from others. Also, is there anyplace to get it other than direct from the manufacturer? Thanks for your help, as always. Woody
 
Does it really have a use in non-commercial diving?
 
I had the scout and found it useless!!
 
I had the scout and found it useless!!

I am not talking about the Scout model. I agree that it's limited range would severely restrict it's usefulness. I was referring to the Sport model, which has dramatically greater range, and this is the one that I was able to test personally. I acknowledge that no device like this is a substitute for basic navigational skills and awareness of ones surroundings, but it adds an additional layer of certainty when one is trying to get back to the boat. There have been too many times when the boat has swung on its mooring, and coupled with limited visibility has caused me to swim right past the darn thing, being unable to see it or the mooring line. It doesn't take much to miss your target, especially if the underwater terrain does not have any dramatic or notable features to help guide you. A compass will only take you so far, and the ability of the Sport tracker to instantly target the boat, even at considerable range, was uncanny. Anybody else have any experience with the Sport model? Woody
 
I am not talking about the Scout model. I agree that it's limited range would severely restrict it's usefulness. I was referring to the Sport model, which has dramatically greater range, and this is the one that I was able to test personally. I acknowledge that no device like this is a substitute for basic navigational skills and awareness of ones surroundings, but it adds an additional layer of certainty when one is trying to get back to the boat. There have been too many times when the boat has swung on its mooring, and coupled with limited visibility has caused me to swim right past the darn thing, being unable to see it or the mooring line. It doesn't take much to miss your target, especially if the underwater terrain does not have any dramatic or notable features to help guide you. A compass will only take you so far, and the ability of the Sport tracker to instantly target the boat, even at considerable range, was uncanny. Anybody else have any experience with the Sport model? Woody


Do they still offer the sport? Who?
Thnx
 
Desert Star Systems (the manufacturer) still offers both of these systems, along with a lot of other highly technical products which are aimed at other markets. They say they have them in stock and ready to ship, and their web site is desertstar.com. I have only been able to find one retailer who carries this stuff, and that is Leisurepro. They used to carry both systems (Sport and Scout), but now I only find the Scout in their catalog. Not sure why they dropped the Sport-- too expensive/low demand? Whatever. Joe at our old friend Scubatoys is currently looking into stocking these systems, and this is pending. Woody
 
Answering some of your questions:

I find very little information on this, however. I am seriously considering this unit, but would like some feedback from others. Also, is there anyplace to get it other than direct from the manufacturer?

In this forum there is only 1-2 reviews of the Sport. I have had 1 return on the Scout and he upgraded to the Sport and hasn't had any complaints yet. I have a few customers that have owned it since we've sold it, about 12 years ago. There has been a few other companies that tried making similar devices, but never had any luck...usually flooding issues. We do not do any paid advertising so unless your local dive shop bought a few then you have to purchase direct. We're small, six employees, so it's not a huge warehouse facility.

I was referring to the Sport model, which has dramatically greater range, and this is the one that I was able to test personally. I acknowledge that no device like this is a substitute for basic navigational skills and awareness of ones surroundings, but... Anybody else have any experience with the Sport model? Woody

Most of the responses I get from customers who bought the Sport (or Scout) are nothing but praises. I got this email on Monday from a recent customer: "I think you have a great product. This past weekend I got a lot of interest from divers on the boat that saw me using it. I demonstrated it's use to at least 4 different divers. My dive buddy was also very impressed when we came back to the swim step of the dive boat 7 out of seven times over the two day dive trip. At one point we had a lively discussion in 35' of water as to where the boat was anchored. He was really surprised when we followed my direction and came directly back to the boat. We would of had a long surface swim, in current, had we gone the direction he wanted to follow. I'm looking forward to using it more and getting more comfortable with it's use together with my compass. It's really a bit odd how well I could make it work with no prior experience."

Desert Star Systems (the manufacturer) still offers both of these systems, along with a lot of other highly technical products which are aimed at other markets. They say they have them in stock and ready to ship, and their web site is desertstar.com. I have only been able to find one retailer who carries this stuff, and that is Leisurepro. They used to carry both systems (Sport and Scout), but now I only find the Scout in their catalog. Not sure why they dropped the Sport-- too expensive/low demand? Whatever. Joe at our old friend Scubatoys is currently looking into stocking these systems, and this is pending. Woody

LPro carries only the Scout because of pricing and demand. We are actually "out-of-stock" until next week on the Sport. The Sport was our 1st product and hasn't really changed since the original design...some modifications but nothing major!


Hope that helps...
 
I had the scout and found it useless!!

Care to explain?

Someone else said the same thing...
hi i have had a scout for about 3 years. thought it useless at first but when i figured out what it was telling me[18 mnths] i use it all the time. gets me back to the vicinity of the boat every time. probably would have prefered the Sport version but it was to dear [exchange rate]. apparantly very accurate according to a bloke that had one
 
Does it really have a use in non-commercial diving?

I would say about 99% of our customers are "sport" divers. Since I have been here, the only commercial applications I've seen are: 160 sets sold to the US NAVY, 9 sets to Miami PD, and about 10 transmitters every few months to US NAVY in Hawaii. Other then that, the sales are from "everyday people"
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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