Atom 2 stuck in Gauge mode

[HIGHwing]

I am in the process of putting together my first set of gear. I am considering the Atom 2.
Not knowing much about these yet I have a question. Will I be able to lend my gear to someone? They will need the atom 2 for a depth and air gauge only, but will I then be able to dive with it right after they use it and set the computer back to my settings? I understand that a computer stays with you to know your surface time, but it seems like you could reset the gauge mode knowing your surface time.
Do you guys recommend the Atom 2?

You can do whatever you choose with your dive gear, but be aware that sharing a computer will mandate using the Gauge mode. If you use the Gauge mode all you're really gettting is depth, air pressure if you have the transmitter attached, and a surface interval timer, and I believe Air Time Remaining. NDLs, Deco calculations, and O2 stuff all go away.

It's important to understand that you just basically invalidated the real advantages to using a computer, i.e calculated limits based on actual conditions.
A computer in Gauge mode is a dive made from tables, it's really that simple.

 

[bulldogcpa]

I've had my Atom 2.0 change from Normal to Gauge mode for no apparent reason, and then lock to gauge mode for the remainder of the dive trip.

My question is how can i prevent it from changing to Gauge in the first place.

 

[David_57]

Not a good idea to dive with a computer that jumps into gauge mode for no apparent reason as it indicates the computer is defective return to manufacturer, but if it is in gauge mode due to a violation better to wait the 24 hours meaning no diving and let it reset.

 

[MarineResearch]

I've had my Atom 2.0 change from Normal to Gauge mode for no apparent reason, and then lock to gauge mode for the remainder of the dive trip.

My question is how can i prevent it from changing to Gauge in the first place.

Know how to use your computer. Ending up in gage mode usually happens when you hold down a button for too long. I have an Atom 2.0 and have never had a problem other than the temperature reads too low and needs to be calibrated.

 

[NvScubaSteve]

I dive the VT-3 and have been in some pretty harsh conditions with it. I have found on several occasions that my mode button had been depressed for the required 2 seconds changing the computer from the normal computer mode into guage mode accidentally. This can happened due to any number of reasons from equipment pressing agaisnt the button or the position the computer is in allwoing the button to be pushed for a couple of seconds without realizing it happened. Every time I have found this has happened it was prior to decending from the suface which provided me the opportuntiy to place the computer into the desired mode prior to decent and kkeping it from locking it into guage mode.

IMHO the issue of finding your computer got into guage mode and became locked in that mode after a dive can be avoided by including a computer/time check as part of your proper decent procedure before leaving the surface. Once the computer begins the dive the mode it was in when it left the surface is the mode it will remain in for the remainder of the dive.

Just my 2 psi for what it is worth.

 

[RAWalker]

To augment what NvScubaSteve wrote he is correct in that a predive check just before decent would be a proper procedure and prevent you from getting locked into gauge mode.
Where he is incorrect is that the computer isn't locked for the remainder or the dive but for the next 24 hours.

 

[DrFatBob]

I sympathise with the OP, when the Atom locks in gauge mode its a PITA.

Main issue I have is that it is easy to do this. To check your pressure of you tank before you put it on to dive, you must press the M button for "2" seconds. To move the watch from NORM mode to GAUG mode, you must hold it for another 2 seconds.

If the watch has wet activation on, then as soon as you enter the GAUG mode, it's locked if your arm is wet, your wet suit is wet, your hand goes to fetch out your camera.

That's the PITA bit: it's easy to flip it over to GAUG mode whilst wet and then there's no turning back.

There's also no "treat that last GAUG dive as a NORM dive and calculate my Nitrogen loading" option in either the DC or the software.

So, for ATOM 3.0, Oceanic should look at ways to make it more difficult to switch between NORM and GAUG modes, especially when wet. So that slight mistakes can not be made.

 

[MarineResearch]

One other thought is that I always dive with two computers, especially when on a long trip. This is basically required when cave diving (a second computer or bottom timer), and I believe a lot of tech divers do that as well. I prefer to have two of the same computer, or at least the same algorithm, but any computer will likely do as a backup as long as it can handle the gas that you are diving.

 

[DrFatBob]

Yeah, agree that tech and cave divers should be doing that. Open water rec divers should not need to have two of everything though. Otherwise you'll be taking the whole recreation side out of it!

Just checked, you don't even have to get the DC wet in order for it to lock. Quite a poor design feature if you ask me.

 

[MarineResearch]

Yeah, agree that tech and cave divers should be doing that. Open water rec divers should not need to have two of everything though. Otherwise you'll be taking the whole recreation side out of it!

Just checked, you don't even have to get the DC wet in order for it to lock. Quite a poor design feature if you ask me.

I started carrying a backup computer as a open water rec diver. My main reason is that a computer problem when traveling can bugger up the rest of the trip. Both my wife and I carry a backup in a pocket that we can use as a primary if something happens to our main computer (e.g., lost, stolen, malfunction, etc.). I won't mention the brand, but my wife had a computer bugger up two days into a week-long trip. I'm pretty sure she did not descend to 260 feet and then ascend back to 30 feet in less than 30 seconds (besides she was next to me pointing at the computer with a WTF look on her face). This computer continued to indicate the need for a deco stop and zero dive time remaining for a brief period, and then switch back to normal mode a few seconds later (almost always early in a dive and in relatively shallow water). Since she had switched to her backup, the continued malfunctions were just an amusing annoyance. FYI, this computer indicated that the battery was OK, but an external battery meter indicated otherwise. I no longer trust the battery indicator and instead rely on my own battery log and external tester.

Regarding the Atom 2.0 gage mode problem, I've experienced it as well. If I held a button down too long and ended up in gage mode, I couldn't seem to get it to stay in norm mode (I would switch to norm and the computer would go back to gage mode a few seconds later). I found that I had to exit the dive mode area and go back to watch mode to make the computer stay in norm mode. I actually bought this computer from a guy that got so frustrated with it that he had the computer completely screwed up. A hard reboot fixed the problem and its been a great computer ever since. In this case, software engineers can't forecast stupid before it occurs. Low batteries and wildly pushing buttons seem to have consequences.