How old is a Calypso J regulator?

[Sam Miller III]

John,

I appreciate your responses of "I think, I belive etc" but you are certainly mistaken

What is listed above is directly from my collection of catalogs --- It is a listing of all the Calypso regulators -- 1965 to it's demise in 1980.

FYI -- A page from my dive CV;
" I have a complete bound set of "Skin Diver" magazine (1951 to it's demise) including almost every diving equipment catalog published in the US and all Underwater Film Festival programs. This is the only set of its kind in existence any where in the world."

 

[Nemrod]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think the Calypso J was available until about 1970. Up until that time, the Calypso regulators were diphragm first stages, based upon the original Calypso. Then with the advent of the Calypso J, USD changed to a piston first stage. Before the piston first stage on the Calypso, there could not have been a Calypso J.

SeaRat

You are definitely mistaken regardless of what the Navy had or bought or used in that era, I bought my Calypso J in 1966, I bought it at a hardware and feed and seed store in Bonita, La. in the fall of 1966. It has a piston first stage and the small exhaust valve which by and about I think in 1970 was doubled in size. I still have the regulator and use it on occasion, the inhalation cycle is smooth and easy, the exhaust cycle, is somewhat restrictive due to the small exhaust mushroom valve.

N

 

[Double Diver]

The first single hose reg I ever wanted was a Calypso J it was 1969, I was in 9th grade in So. FL. We all had boats and dove a lot. It was sort of like Lord of the Flies, only on and underwater, but I digress. Anyhow I was still using my Fathers Mistral converted from a DX and all the others had single hose regs with contour back packs. I was feeling the peer pressure to move up to a single hose and it had to be a Calypso J. Well it didn't happen until this year when I got lucky on Ebay. I got a very minty CJ with the small SPG and neck strap for $20. It is an early one that has 1 HP only and is marked Patent Pending and is per tire knob, so I guess its from 1966. I have been through it and it is like new inside and out. It was a hard breather but I have tweaked it and it is very nice. I would like to put a new silicone 2 stg diaphragm in it if any one knows which one it uses.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I bought mine in the Fall of 1966 I am pretty sure.

N

I got mine in 69 or early 70. Was the older version... I remember the 69 catalog after looking at it.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Mine came with the swivel LP connector but I thought it was an add-on. It also came with an SPG (still works) and a Calypso depth gauge (it still works too!). I rather like the the SPG because it is so small and it is one of the later ones that has a right-angle connector so you don't have to bend the hose so you can read it. My Calypso J still looks and works great with just the usual servicing. I'm pretty sure it still has all original seals, seats, and diaphram. Unfortunately I cannot find my J-Valve pull-rod.

The pull rod was a piece of bent wire... very easy to bend a replacement.

 

[Sam Miller III]

You are definitely mistaken regardless of what the Navy had or bought or used in that era, I bought my Calypso J in 1966, I bought it at a hardware and feed and seed store in Bonita, La. in the fall of 1966. It has a piston first stage and the small exhaust valve which by and about I think in 1970 was doubled in size. I still have the regulator and use it on occasion, the inhalation cycle is smooth and easy, the exhaust cycle, is somewhat restrictive due to the small exhaust mushroom valve.
N

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Nemrod & Luis

Why don't you move to California- where it all began - and we can set around in my den and reserch all these questions that are posted?

I would be delighted to have you as neighbors!

SDM

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Well, I appreciate the information about the Calypso J. I could only relate to my own experience, and I don't have a complete collection like Dr. Sam. But this is why I put that down, so that I could learn as well as give whatever knowledge I have to you. Sometimes, that knowledge needs to be updated, and I appreciate your doing this for me. The Calypso, in both first stage renditions, was a unique regulator which I very much liked, and have two of them now to use whenever I want. Again, thanks to Dr. Sam Miller and Nemrod.

SeaRat

 

[Nemrod]

Well, I appreciate the information about the Calypso J. I could only relate to my own experience, and I don't have a complete collection like Dr. Sam. But this is why I put that down, so that I could learn as well as give whatever knowledge I have to you. Sometimes, that knowledge needs to be updated, and I appreciate your doing this for me. The Calypso, in both first stage renditions, was a unique regulator which I very much liked, and have two of them now to use whenever I want. Again, thanks to Dr. Sam Miller and Nemrod.

SeaRat

John, you are a wealth of information, cannot be right all the time, lol, , in fact, I am wrong more than right, unlike you :cool2:.

Nem

 

[Nemrod]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nemrod & Luis

Why don't you move to California- where it all began - and we can set around in my den and reserch all these questions that are posted?

I would be delighted to have you as neighbors!

SDM

And here I am trying to convince my wife that she could survive a year on a sailboat when we quit working and you want me to move to California .

Nem

 

[Sam Miller III]

I live high on a hill over looking the Pacific Ocean...It would be difficult to get a sail boat up here but you could look down on it from my den..

sdm