How to Communicate Air Level

[Rick Murchison]

Why on earth would I want to? (signal 1900 psi, that is)

Uh, because your buddy asks???
Because you're wanting to turn the dive at 1800?
Because you want to?
There is no why... just how to do it.
Rick

 

[Charlie99]

As for complex systems, we train here to always show the gauge. Simple, effective.

As long as your buddy doesn't have an air integrated computer that is difficult to read. I've had to give the "huh?" sign a couple times when buddies showed me a gauge where I couldn't figure out which number was the pressure. Ahhhh, so that 1100 isn't the current time.

 

[Rick Murchison]

How about us bar types?

The number is 1900. Meters to go to the boat; your buddy wants to know how far. How do you signal it? It's a loooong swim.
Or, just answer the question (poll) for the number "19."
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

Yet again metric wins out for being simple

Uh, just how is signalling "1" "9" harder than signalling "1" "3" "0" , exactly???
Inquiring minds want to know...
Rick

 

[Teamcasa]

The number is 1900. Meters to go to the boat; your buddy wants to know how far. How do you signal it? It's a loooong swim.
Rick

How do signal, "Hey, let's fire up the DPV's and go that-a-way!"

Dave

 

[String]

As long as your buddy doesn't have an air integrated computer that is difficult to read. I've had to give the "huh?" sign a couple times when buddies showed me a gauge where I couldn't figure out which number was the pressure. Ahhhh, so that 1100 isn't the current time.

Luckily i dont know of anyone with an AI computer to cause that sort of problem.

My gauge in bar did cause amusement in florida though with people mistaking 150 bar for 150 psi.

 

[TSandM]

I about caused the instructor heart failure during our wreck workshop class -- We were doing a very prolonged and inefficient lights-out exit, and he went to check everybody's pressure to make sure we were okay, and discovered my gauge was in bar . . . He nearly had heart failure when he saw I was down to 100, until he realized the difference.

Peter showed his "gauge" (Cobra AI computer) to his instructor during an air-share when he was taking Essentials, and the instructor's comment was, "So it's 3 AM in Bangkok -- But what's your PRESSURE???"

 

[DOkie]

This is going to sound stupid, but I just keep it really simple. If my husband looks at me and holds up 1 finger, then 2 fingers and then makes the " 0 " " 0 " sign with his hand, I know he has 1200 left. Usually it's followed by me responding 1 finger, 3 or four fingers, and then the double 0 0 sign. For some reason he always follows with the middle finger... We discussed this at the very beginning and it works well for us because it's simple whether your at 50 feet or 150.

 

[fisherdvm]

As I am more safety conscious, I think the best way is to read the spg. It reminds both of us how close we REALLY need to be to each other for safe OOA events.

My nephew gave misleading information to a DM, that lead to his running low on air (I was not his buddy)... It is still the diver's responsibility, not the DM, for his own safety.

It seems like each dive I went on, the DM has a different method of conveying this. One simply said, if you have more than 1000 psi, then say ok. I think this is best, if there is no turn around that we have to do.

On others, they say to let them know if you are down to 1500, then turn around.

Others, use the rule of third, one finger, one third, two fingers, two third, etc. Not accurate, but convey what he needed.

I prefer more accurate information - can't be more accurate than the SPG.