Drifted for 8 hours - Pensacola Pass, Florida

[Snoweman]

You don't have to get an MMSI for a marine radio. The radio function will work but the "emergency" digitally linked GPS button wont work without it.

The GPS function is kind of important when finding a dot in the ocean.

 

[rjack321]

The GPS function is kind of important when finding a dot in the ocean.

Not necessarily. In this case the diver could see the boat but they couldn't see him. He could lead them to him by radio and direction. "I could see the boat but they couldnt see me" is actually not uncommon

The USCG has radio direction finding equipment so all he would have to do is broadcast.

 

[Snoweman]

Not necessarily. In this case the diver could see the boat but they couldn't see him. He could lead them to him by radio and direction. "I could see the boat but they couldnt see me" is actually not uncommon

The USCG has radio direction finding equipment so all he would have to do is broadcast.

He lost site of the boat within five minutes. That should be enough time, if the responder is quick enough to forgo the other methods of signaling and remember whether he where he was in relation to the position of the boat.

But! I'm not sure boats have triangulation methods to determine position of other radios. I thought the whole point of the Nautilus radio or a PLB was to provide GPS coordinates to the other marine radios.

 

[rjack321]

But! I'm not sure boats have triangulation methods to determine position of other radios. I thought the whole point of the Nautilus radio or a PLB was to provide GPS coordinates to the other marine radios.

The Nautilus is an AIS - it broadcasts a signal to other AIS equipped ships with location, course, speed, identity. Its required on most larger commercial vessels for collision avoidance. Some diveboats have them. Most recreational vessels do not.

PLB activates the national response center and the only ones getting the coordinates are the USCG (at first). They usually announce via radio for other vessels in the area of XYZ to be on the lookout. All PLBs have a homing signal but most dive boats dont have receivers.

A DSC equipped radio, like the original nautilus, would "call" all other radios with the coordinates

 

[Dan]

A DSC equipped radio, like the original nautilus, would "call" all other radios with the coordinates

So does the new Nautilus. It would send out DSC & AIS for you once you hit the red button.

 

[CT-Rich]

I would think by dive 35 you would understand the safety stop is OPTIONAL. As long as your computer says you are clear, you can skip the safety stop in an situation where getting to the surface is a priority, like this instance. With 3’ waves 3 minutes in a surface current may have doubled his distance from the boat, making a visual sighting much harder.

The Nautilus Lifeline w/o the two way radio feature is what I have. Once they realize you are missing this should be enough for a safe pick up. Aircraft should not have any trouble spotting you (line of sight transmission of 14 miles).

 

[Scuba-74]

I would think by dive 35 you would understand the safety stop is OPTIONAL. As long as your computer says you are clear, you can skip the safety stop in an situation where getting to the surface is a priority, like this instance. With 3’ waves 3 minutes in a surface current may have doubled his distance from the boat, making a visual sighting much harder.

The article doesn't say how deep was the dive, but if he spent ten minutes at the bottom at a depth of 50-60 or more, his computer would fuss on the way up to slow down and/or do a safety stop. But even then, he should have ignored it. Unless he went really really deep and approached NDL. In which case spending ten minutes on the bottom was just plain stupid.

 

[rjack321]

So does the new Nautilus. It would send out DSC & AIS for you once you hit the red button.

The new nautilus has no radio function, it just triggers the DSC alert in other radios. To be honest I don't know what that "call" would look like on my Standard Horizon DSC radio. Everyone has DSC in the USA (its been a requirement for a long time) but nobody actually makes digital calls - every VHF call I have sent or received for the past 12 yrs has been analog, including calls to the USCG vessel traffic, and a rescue helicopter that was looking for a PLB in my area.

Net, how that alert is triggered without actually making a radio call is a bit of a mystery to me. I do have one experience where the USCG called my home phone number because an old boat of mine triggered the DSC alert. I had not deleted the MMSI from the radio because Standard Horizon limits how many MMSIs you can program (2) without a factory reset. I guess someone pushed the button but then failed to answer hails back. I suspect the response without being able to answer via VHF radio is more like a weak PLB than anything else. They get the DSC alert, they call the contact numbers to try and figure out if its real or a false alarm. Lastly a vessel is deployed to the coordinates.

 

[BikerBecca]

Parts of this story make absolutely no sense to me.

While gearing up, Ozburn’s elbow hit the inflator hose, letting air into his buoyancy compensator, a control device worn to maintain neutral buoyancy. Not thinking anything of it, he descended into the water but quickly realized the excess air was keeping him from going any farther.

What? Big deal. Moreover, his BCD should have been fully inflated before entering the water. That makes no sense to me.

Ozburn vented the buoyancy compensator and descended into the murky waters once more. Due to his equipment malfunction and the lack of underwater visibility, Ozburn couldn't find his diving buddy.

What equipment malfunction. His BCD filling with air is not a malfunction, it's a feature.

Am I missing something or is it bad reporting?

 

[1isNone]

Did you have MMSI for it?

No, don't use the features for that function on boat radio or handhelds. I wear a PLB on my life jacket.