I learned to Tech Dive on the Internet

[Cave Diver]

Ok, not really. Well maybe a little... :lookaround:

I am curious how much of us have supplemented formal training with things picked up from discussion boards. Jim's thread got me thinking that it's been a while since I took cave training. Some other discussions in the past about line arrows, cookies, etc. have shown me that accepted practices have evolved from what I was originally taught.

Same goes for deco. Ross has made updates to V-planner, Ratio Deco has become more "mainstream" (note I said more, not totally), Gradient Factors seem to have a buzz to them now (which I'm still mostly clueless on).

How much of this stuff do you pick up and learn from posts online and at what point do you start to think "It's time to take another class."

On a similar note, how do you feel the current crop of tech divers balances out with having the latest, greatest info vs. the older tried and true and worked for the last xx years.

 

[rjack321]

I suspect I haven't been around long enough to get very out of date on the actual diving biz/physiology/deco models etc. Ratio deco, buhlmann, GFs, all that jazz was in my GUE Tech1 course. I probably am out of date on the latest trimix computers and things like that - at least those using proprietary-ish algorithms and not running something I understand on the dry side like Vplanner(live).

Most of my internet courses have been on compressor issues. Some on lights and battery issues. One nice one from Rtodd on stages just before I went to MX for Cave2.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Most of my internet courses have been on compressor issues.

Same here, I have gleaned some damn good info on boosters, compressors and the like. I have seen a lot more useless and incorrect advice regarding diving techniques & skills over the years than good. At least when I see one piece of bad advice it overshadows 10 pieces of good advice.

Mentors, in real life are the best facilitators, not mentors sitting behind a keyboard.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I won't take any advice on the net unless its from someone I actually know like Rob Neto or Bugman. I still bug my cave instructor from time to time on things. But like Jim said I am sure there is good info out there.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I can read about stuff ... books or Internet doesn't make much difference ... but until I get in the water and actually do something with it, it doesn't mean a whole lot to me.

My cognitive skills tend to run toward the "hands-on" side of things ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[AndyNZ]

I've picked up a few things here and there - yes there is a certain amount of mis-information, but really for anyone who has done a decent tech course you'd think they'd be able sift the wheat from the chaff and make up their own minds about the value of ideas and suggestions.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

My interwebs comment was supposed to be taken tongue-in-cheek...

That being said, conversation online has spurred my interests in different aspects and provided a background to ask mentors intelligent questions on how and why. Anything online should be taken with a grain of salt, regardless of whether or not it is proven later on or not. Till you understand it, its BS.

 

[cmalinowski]

Just because someone tells you something in person (even in a class) doesn't make it correct, or even safe. Just because something is on the internet doesn't make it incorrect or unsafe.

Usually, there is something on one of the forums that piques my interest enough to research it more. Sometimes that research is even on the internet. Sometimes it's discussing it with people over the internet. It is what it is.

Now, would I have gone out and done a technical (deep) or cave dive without training even after reading all that I could on the 'net? Nope. Will I possibly tweak some things after seeing them discussed and hashed about on the 'net? Maybe. There are hundreds of people who could read something and bash it down hard if it is really bunk. So the fact exists that more people are exposed to the chatter and comment on it on the 'net than are exposed to something said in your class with your instructor.

Chris

 

[TSandM]

I've learned a ton about decompression theory on the internet. From Steve Lewis's essays on TDS to Erik Baker's papers and on, there's a LOT of good information available. Although today, you can buy Mark Powell's book and get a large part of it all neatly packaged up for you . . .

I think I have learned quite a bit from reading various near miss and incident reports. I went through all the IRAP threads on the Cave Diver forum when I joined there, and I suspect cemented a few lessons that way.

I have definitely gotten some small tips on technique from various folks on line, including the single biggest clue to overcoming my midwater disorientation problem.

I don't think the Internet takes the place of good instructors or good mentors (and I've been lucky enough to have both) but it can definitely augment one's database.

 

[nadwidny]

I am curious how much of us have supplemented formal training with things picked up from discussion boards.

Except for cave and rebreather, pretty much everything my buddies and I do is stuff we have picked up over the years from discussion boards. Since our last OW technical courses were back in the mid to late 90's how we dive now bears little resemblance to what we were taught in formal training.