Are Alarms Needed

[JohnnyC]

I don’t care if you have audible alarms as long as when one goes off you recognize it for what it is, and take whatever corrective action is necessary. If it’s beeping for 15 minutes and you have no clue that A) it’s your alarm, and B) it’s trying to tell you something, I might drown you before whatever stupid thing you did to set it off gets you.

That’s not a condemnation of alarms, it’s a condemnation of people who are so unaware of their surroundings and what’s going on that they’re a swimming liability to themselves and others who are in the water with them.

 

[Ana]

...
If it’s beeping for 15 minutes and you have no clue

You're definitely a patient diver, after 45 seconds I'd be reaching my tolerance threshold.

 

[Steelyeyes]

My first alarm goes off at 600 psi in the tank. Anything after that would be RBT less than 3 minutes. If either of those goes off it's because I'm at the end of a shore dive shooting pictures in water I can stand up in and there is no one to hear it but my wife. I rather like the haptic idea but it's not an option on either of my computers.

 

[Sam Miller III]

In the 1950s a now defunct company Healthways introduced an audio alarm on their single hose regulators.
In 1962 Healthways established a "Professional " line called SCUBA Pro

A short time later in 1963 Healthways went bankrupt and their assets and right to the SCUBA Pro name was purchased by Gustoff De La Valle and Dick Bonin.

;They produced the famous Mark 7 with an audio reserve. A huge heavy regulator that began an audio signal on every inhalation at 300 PSI. It was regarded by most divers as a novelty. except those who had intense pre-occupations such as lobster diving .

In one of the early NAUI " International conferences on UW education" aka IQ probably around 1970 the great UW photographer Bill Mc Donald presented a paper on diver "Pre Occupation resulting in accidents. " And accidents do occur when divers do not monitor depth and air consumption- but an audio signal cannot be ignored

Sam Miller, 111
On a beautiful sunny warm morning in CenCal - where is all began

 

[Bob DBF]

I grew up with the silent world, and like to keep it that way. Anyway with a thick hood, and spending too much time in an engine room, I couldn't hear it if it did alarm anyway. I can understand its usefulness, especially with a new diver, but over time one should develop the bandwidth to understand and control the dive without relying on acoustic alarms. Besides, what happens if it quits.



Bob

 

[AJ]

Besides, what happens if it quits.

I don't use or have a need for (audible) alarms, or whatever alarm on my DC. For me it's part of situational awareness. Relying on alarms on a computer could make a diver less conscious about their surrounding and well being.

I can understand however that some regard alarms as a last warning before things go awry. It's a personal choice everyone has to make. Referring to the title: no I don't think alarms are needed.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I turned the alarm off on my first computer, so many years ago, that I don't recall how many it was . . .20? And upon setup of every new PDC, I've ensured that alarms were set to off/silent.

Nowadays, I challenge myself to always know my remaining PSI, at any point during the dive, assuming someone were to ask me and the same with depth.

 

[Ana]

Nowadays, I challenge myself to always know my remaining PSI, at any point during the dive, assuming someone were to ask me and the same with depth.

I love doing that! Not sure when did I started doing it. Even when I'm pre-occupied getting lobster, stalking fish, or just thinking things, before looking at the data I tell myself, it's been X minutes and I have Y psi left.

Not sure if someone suggested to do it or if I read it somewhere, or if it was a cross over from guessing the time before looking a the watch top side.

I'm not against alarms in general. Alexa is in charge of keeping time if I put anything in the oven, my back up is the smoke detector.... but not underwater, I don't want noise pollution underwater ... the snapping of shrimp is all the sounds I need.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I love doing that! Not sure when did I started doing it. Even when I'm pre-occupied getting lobster, stalking fish, or just thinking things, before looking at the data I tell myself, it's been X minutes and I have Y psi left.

Not sure if someone suggested to do it or if I read it somewhere, or if it was a cross over from guessing the time before looking a the watch top side.

I'm not against alarms in general. Alexa is in charge of keeping time if I put anything in the oven, my back up is the smoke detector.... but not underwater, I don't want noise pollution underwater ... the snapping of shrimp is all the sounds I need.

Exactly!! Could have written your reply myself, except that I don't have Alexa.

I don't take my life into my own hands every time that I put a chicken breast in the oven either. LOL