Gas Pressure Indication Redundancy

[Thalassamania]

Thal. You would seriously continue a dive without the ability to measure the volume of your gas?

Yup. Why is everyone terrified over something that use to be SOP?

What might happen if your buddy had some type of failure that required she share your gas? Would you have enough?

Probably. I mean not if I were in a cave or a wreck, but in a benign ocean, sure.

A lot of people adhere to the rule of thirds. Without an spg how would one know for sure if the turn pressure was reached. I've seen much discussion re not sharing a computer. I can't imagine sharing an spg.

A lot of people pretend to make it more exciting. Rule of thirds for a shallow resort dive is way over the top and rule of thirds for a real challenging dive is likely insufficient, so let's drop the rule of thirds.

I'd guess that I've made almost as many dives without either of us having an SPG as I have using one (well, two). If I run out of air, we share air and go up. If my buddy has a failure and I still have air, we share mine. If we run out of mine we do a free ascent. Whats the big deal?

 

[diverdoug1]

Thalassamania, I bet you have your Unit Diving Supervisor spinning in his grave!
You know a functioning SPG is required by AAUS and NOAA as part of the minimum standards for the NDP. don't feel bad though, I have back-slid as well, I no longer have SPG's tested annually. So I am also guilty of thumbing my nose at always complying with them in all my diving.

 

[Thalassamania]

Work and play are different arenas with different requirements and rules.

Plus the load is entirely different. At work you have the work load, and that can often suck up all the available task load and all of your attention, I don't mess with that.

 

[supergaijin]

I guess the big deal (for many people) is that being able to do a OOA swimming ascent from 'x' meters doesn't justify not having the ability to read your gas. Your reserve is not just your reserve.

J Valves were replaced with SPGs for a reason- it wasn't just to sell more equipment..... the wireless transmitter that works sometimes however.....

 

[lynch]

Oh that's bad. I think you should check your equipment before diving.

 

[diverdoug1]

---------- Post added ----------

Work and play are different arenas with different requirements and rules.

Plus the load is entirely different. At work you have the work load, and that can often suck up all the available task load and all of your attention, I don't mess with that.

The task loading is why I like my wrist mounted wireless AI computer when I am shooting photos. When the wireless link is working, I just need a quick downward glance to check gas reserves. I feel my personal task loading is as high with my U/W photography as it was with my working / scientific dives. I wonder if a "chirp" type frequency modulation for the AI transmitters would make them less suceptible to RF interference. This would maybe raise the price point on the units too much.​