He actually ended up being able to pull it back down, deflate it, and reinflate it, so he did it several times in a row.
It sounds like it could have used a little more air to stand out.
If I am with a group that has a DM who will be sending up a DSMB, I am certainly not going to send one up, too. What would be the point?
I have one with me, though, for any occasion in which I may be ascending separately. I would prefer to send it up before I reached the surface so that boats have fair warning, so I will have a spool as well. I still find it hard to believe that carrying at least a SMB that can be inflated on the surface is not required gear for Cozumel. Inflating such a device in now a required skill for PADI OW classes, so I would think any diver should be able to do it, not just the ones certified under the new standards.