Discuss: gas analyzer before second Shearwater?

[CuzzA]

You mean in Michigan? I thought I read somewhere that Michigan was early with adoption of the diver down flag.

Alaska. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States. Alaska has the longest by far of the entire US. Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline. I think it gets a bit confusing because you could argue semantics and how to measure it, apparently not all sources agree. Like according to the worldatlas.com, Louisiana is longer than California. I guess sinking marsh is land?

US States With the Most Coastline

Rank US State Coastline Length
1 Alaska 33,904 mi (54,563 km)
2 Florida 8,436 mi (13,576 km)
3 Louisiana 7,721 mi (12,426 km)
4 Maine 3,478 mi (5,597 km)
5 California 3,427 mi (5,515 km)
6 North Carolina 3,375 mi (5,432 km)
7 Texas 3,359 mi (5,406 km)
8 Virginia 3,315 mi (5,335 km)
9 Michigan 3,224 mi (5,189 km)
10 Maryland 3,190 mi (5,130 km)
11 Washington 3,026 mi (4,870 km)
12 South Carolina 2,876 mi (4,628 km)
13 New York 2,625 mi (4,225 km)
14 Georgia 2,344 mi (3,772 km)
15 New Jersey 1,792 mi (2,884 km)
16 Massachusetts 1,519 mi (2,445 km)
17 Oregon 1,410 mi (2,270 km)
18 Hawaii 1,052 mi (1,693 km)
19 Wisconsin 820 mi (1,320 km)
20 Connecticut 618 mi (995 km)
21 Alabama 607 mi (977 km)
22 Rhode Island 384 mi (618 km)
23 Delaware 381 mi (613 km)
24 Mississippi 359 mi (578 km)
25 Ohio 312 mi (502 km)
26 Minnesota 189 mi (304 km)
27 Pennsylvania 140 mi (230 km)
28 New Hampshire 131 mi (211 km)
29 Illinois 63 mi (101 km)
30 Indiana 45 mi (72 km)

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[wgw04024]

Damn Maine really holds it's own in this category!

 

[rhwestfall]

Over her on the East end of the Great Lakes, you get PP fills from your LDS. You drop off the tank(s), and at some time after, they fill it. Couple days after that, you come pick up the tank, and you analyze it with the shop analyzer
(after reference calibration), and record it in the book next to the data from the fill. You then are handed tape and a Sharpie to re-label your tank (Mix, MOD, Date). After that, it is either dive it, or store it in your garage. I'd doubt it will change...

For me, it was re-purposing my Cochran as a lost deco gas computer, and using a SW as my primary (though we did in fact go over tables, planners, and cutting/writing plans in AN/
DP). Then the wife wanted my Cochran as she could read it well. That allowed me to get a second SW (I now own a Petrel1 and a Pedrix-AI). I also own two O2 meters (bot DivNav products - I was part of his crowdfund campaigns), and a CO meter (when I got a compressor) that I have added to my equipment over the years. If I ever finish Tri-Mix, I might get a meter, but only if I am actually doing diving needing it.

It is a progression....

YMMV

 

[Jack Hammer]

Another real world reason to have an analyzer:

I've used my trans fill whip countless times over the years to top off another divers tank from my double 130s so they could make another dive or to steal gas from my buddies so we are more equally matched. We've also done this with O2 and 50% bottles when some one has found themselves low on pressure for whatever reason. Transfill, analyze, dive

 

[KenGordon]

After that, it is either dive it, or store it in your garage. I'd doubt it will change...

I have gas hanging about in my garage for a long time. For example I always have a 12 (100ft3) of O2 in case I need to top up a rebreather cylinder. My various bailouts don’t get used very often. My twinset might have had 32 in it, been used for training at some shallow site and then topped off, or not, maybe I can’t remember... maybe a student had a 15 of 32, then helpfully had it refilled with air. Who knows.

So I like to test gas before using it.

 

[EireDiver606]

Not everybody has to pony up $10k all at once if they are patient, creative, and good at networking.

True, its all about who you know. Its not creativity though, just being cheeky when asking for a cheaper price.

Look where you are. I have to say that the amount of BS I hear about diving overseas doesn’t inspire me to go there.

Funny you say that. Maybe some of you US divers should become more cultured by traveling abroad and finally realise that BS happens everywhere at anytime. I would argue that more BS happens in USA than anywhere else lol

 

[Caveeagle]

True, its all about who you know. Its not creativity though, just being cheeky when asking for a cheaper price.

When I say creative, I mean thinking through options and making educated decisions.

For example, you can easily spend well over $1,000 on a new can light, when VERY few new tech divers will have any real need for it in the first year or two of advanced diving.

You can also spend over $1,000 on a brand new plate/wing/harness, when it’s relatively easy to find used plate/harness for a few bucks.

Of course a new Shearwater for $1,000 is pretty great!

But a used one for $500, Or Even a nitek3 or Q for $100-200 will get you in the water.

 

[J-Vo]

What three more regs? I’ve already got a set for my doubles and a deco reg. I’m pretty much fully equipped already. All I need is a heated vest, another AL40, and a primary light (forgot to mention that in a previous post). I’ve been very careful with my purchases and bought what would work for tech.

Your not the average entry level tech student.

 

[RayfromTX]

It takes a lot of gear. You can save on each item but it still takes a lot. Courses are expensive. Doing the dives to get the required experience to progress takes money. I was estimating on the low end because I'm cheap.

I had a friend that could dive old cast off gear that was held together with paracord and ebay was his friend. He dove 40 year old regs and I'm not sure I ever saw him dive anything at all that was new. He still had costs involved for travel, courses, gas and assorted bits to keep it all together. Then there is the cost of his time which was substantial in finding acquiring and repairing all that old stuff.

This isn't a poor man's game but a poor man can play if he is handy, brilliant and tenacious. I could have taken his time and brilliance and turned it into way more that what he saved just by putting him to work. McGivering was his hobby as much as scuba was. Many here know to whom I refer. I miss him. He would have added much to this thread.

 

[nickbutcher]

I believe that EVERY diver should own or have access to an oxygen analyser but a trimix analyser is a luxury for anyone that buys mix.

I own one as I pump my own gas and also scavenge whatever mix I can get hold of but, even then, I can usually guess within a few % what I'm going to end-up with. As long as I'm within about 10% (more is obviously better) that's good enough for me and I could ballpark that with a squeaky-voice test.

I'd sooner have a second computer than a mix analyser any day but I'd choose to have an O2 analyser before my first dive computer as long as I had a timer and depth gauge.