Dive planning software to give NDL?

[stuartv]

I have Multi-Deco and PastoDeco and I don't see where either will do what I want.

Is there any software that will let me enter a dive profile (and choose my algorithm and GF) and tell me what the NDL time is for the last leg?

M-D and PD require me to enter every leg and then spits out a plan with any needed deco stops. So, to find out what I want, I have to keep adjusting the time of the last leg longer and longer (assuming the initial plan does not generate any deco stops) until the generated plan finally shows a deco stop. Then back it up one minute to know what the NDL time is for the depth entered for the last leg.

---------- Post added August 25th, 2015 at 10:08 AM ----------

For example:

I enter a dive profile that says I go to 100' and stay for 10 minutes, then ascend to 90' and stay for 10', then ascend to 80'. I want the software to tell me how long I can stay at 80' before I will incur a deco obligation.

I can figure it out now by entering a time at 80', check the plan, make the time longer, check the plan, over and over again. But, that is a PITA.

---------- Post added August 25th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ----------

Actually, what would be even cooler is if I could enter a limit for Max Deco Time I am willing to have (where that limit could be 0 or some number of minutes) and then have it calculate the length of the last leg to be the max possible while honoring my Max Deco Time setting.

 

[tursiops]

No such thing exists. You barely can get software that allows you to choose an algorithm.
I assume by "last leg" you mean the last segment of a multi-level profile?

What you want to do can easily be done with the old PADI Wheel, by the way, but that commits you to the DSAT algorithm and to a rather restrictive multi-level protocol.

 

[rhwestfall]

DivePal

 

[tursiops]

DivePal

Well, not exactly. You can do it, but it is just a really nice user interface for trial-and-error iteration, and you don't get to choose your algorithm except by choosing your computer....and even then I'm not sure it actually implements all the different algorithms, just the user-interfaces.

 

[rhwestfall]

agreed, but about the only thing that's even remotely close.

 

[stuartv]

If it doesn't let me choose ZH-L16C and set the GF I want, and it also makes me do trial-and-error, then it meets my desires even less than Multi-Deco does.

 

[nimoh]

I think the issue you are running into is that most divers that set their algorithm and gradient factors just don't care about NDL and are only interested in how much deco will be involved. As such, there really isn't a market for it IMHO.

 

[tursiops]

If it doesn't let me choose ZH-L16C and set the GF I want, and it also makes me do trial-and-error, then it meets my desires even less than Multi-Deco does.

DivePal may be what you want: it is Buhlmann with GF. And the trial and error is no more than moving a slider around and watching for a deco alert. It actually couldn't be much simpler for what you want.

 

[DiveNav]

If it doesn't let me choose ZH-L16C and set the GF I want, and it also makes me do trial-and-error, then it meets my desires even less than Multi-Deco does.

divePAL is based on our implementation of the ZH-L16C. See link
divePAL Tech allows you to change GF.
Additionally, divePAL Tech includes Selective Gradients (a feature that allows you to design your own algorithm - see release notes here )

 

[tbone1004]

I think the issue you are running into is that most divers that set their algorithm and gradient factors just don't care about NDL and are only interested in how much deco will be involved. As such, there really isn't a market for it IMHO.

That, this is why I recommend that all divers at least take a basic decompression course *no need for accelerated*, planning around NDL's is such a pain the butt. If your recommended 3 minute safety stop becomes a mandatory 5 minute decompression stop, who cares?