how to communicate?

[TaMe]

I have not yet got my OW certificate, and not even been dinving. threw out my entire reaserch into scuba diving i have had a question that i have been meaning to ask someone. when you are under water, how do you talk to your diving peers or instuctor? is it all threw hand signals? if so are they dificult to learn? or do you have to wear a walkie-talkie system? if you do have to wear/use walkie-talkies are thay nessersary to purchas your self? if so are they expensive?
sorry about the stupidity of the question but it has been bugging me for a long time

 

[Ber Rabbit]

It's not a stupid question. There are hand signals you use, some are pretty standard and others are regional and there are others that will be specific to the dive you are doing. They are easy to learn and if you have a regular dive buddy you will develop your own underwater communication system over time.

Your instructor will explain the hand signals you will use as well as what activity you will be doing; when they give you the signal you do the assigned activity.

Welcome to the world of diving!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[minnesota01r6]

Don't forget the slate - it's a piece of plastic that you can write on with a pencil to communicate. There's also wet-notes, which are waterproof pieces of paper in a booklet for single-use writing. A slate can be erased and reused.

There are some very expensive communication devices you can use to talk underwater and even communicate with the surface. You will need to buy a full face mask and then the underwater communications equipment, or buy them as a package.

Links to check out what I am talking about:
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=DivewRites
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=QRBSL1
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/masks/fullface.asp

However, the main hand signal communications will be covered in your class. They are an "OK" sign meant to ask "are you ok?" and the response is an OK sign. Also, an open hand palm side down rotated back and forth means "something's wrong" which is usually followed up by pointing to what is wrong (mask is flooding, ears won't equalize, etc.) There's usually a check between you and your buddy every 5 minutes asking how much air you have left. This is accomplished by pointing to yourself, then holding up a finger for every 100 psi you have in your tank, then pointing to your buddy, so that they will tell you how much they have. Finally, there is the good old "I am out of air" (called OOA for short) where you make a signal across your neck like "cut it" and then ask to buddy breathe by pretending to pass a regulator back and forth from your mouth to your buddy. This will all be a lot more clear with your instructor demonstrating the signals.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

They aren't as universal as some make it sound, but there is a good pictogram here

 

[The_blue]

http://www.ukdivers.net/comms/signals.htm

Nice full set

 

[Divingnthedark]

You will learn a lot of basic hand signals during training and on dive trips some you learn will be quite amusing and will not be taught in class Like the signal for come hither A@@@@@@ and Big F@@@n' shark
I recently started using a Mini Quest that I am delighted with! One side is your basic white plastic slate/pencil and the other is an underwater etcha sketch. It's a lot of fun to play with and you can pass it back and forth and ask more subtle questions like "Hey are we in Cuba Yet? Slow down". It's even more fun to hand it to someone who has a tenuous grasp of the english language... just don't laugh under water or you may flood your mask!!!!

 

[Walter]

Contrary to popular belief, you can talk underwater.

 

[HowardE]

Contrary to popular belief, you can talk underwater.

I believe it. But I'm not popular.

 

[trigfunctions]

My girlfriend and I made up a great signal for WOW. It's the OK sign, but you open and close your last three fingers a few times. That way when she points out a giant turtle to me, I can signal not only that I see it, but WOW!

 

[Paco]

We use the hand shaped like the letter C to mean "Cool." A large C made with both arms means "Really Cool."