I've had it with wireless air integration

[scubadada]

I'm a bit of a pack rat and almost never throw anything away that is working, or even fixable. I still have my very first SPG, a black-face Scubapro I bought in 1974. It still works fine, and is as accurate as any of my newer SPGs. This 40 year old SPG does not measure air pressure high enough for the equipment I usually use these days, but I did use it last year with an aluminum 50 cf tank, an old Mark V, no BC, a 1mm suit, line cutters, and 6 1lb lead bullet weights on a weight belt that has turned a lovely shade of green. Just playing around inside Barnegat Inlet, watching all the Butterfly fishes and counting seahorses. 14 on the remains of one sunken rowboat. Great fun to watch them hunt like tiny feline predators, flat to the substrate, moving into the strong current, separately focusing eyes twirling in their heads.

I can't understand people who complain about being cold in such warm water. 1mm of neoprene over a lycra skin is enough for me when local waters reach the mid 70s. When I was a kid I dived in this reasonably warm NJ water with just a bathing suit. Takes a few minutes and you get used to it. The old Scubapro SPG performed like the thoroughbred it is. Its biggest drawback are the countless scratches that make it a little tricky to read. When I compare its readings to current high end stuff it's right on the money. It will be a cold day in hell before I rely on a breathing gas pressure reading device that's powered by a battery.

I still occasionally dive my MK5/R109 purchased in 1972. I still have the SPG too, sounds like the one you have, reads to 3500 psi, I'd also be afraid to use it on a HP steel.

 

[kelemvor]

I love the idea that of having one less cable, but the thing works about as often as it doesn't. I've had this transmitter for a little over a year and had to send it in three times already. So frustrating! Anyone have a different experience?

Mine occasionally loses signal during a dive. Never for more than a second or two. I wouldn't even notice except the computer beeps to warn me. It's a little annoying but I've never had to thumb or skip a dive due to the hoseless.

The log doesn't indicate that signal was lost when I download and analyze things later.

Mine's a uwatec Galileo Luna. Liquidvision claims to have solved transmission problems like this on their lynx.

What computer are you using?

For open water diving, I use the hoseless integration and an air2 octo. Having only two hoses on my first stage is really nice. Or.. that should be past tense I guess. Now I'm diving sidemount with regular gauges.

 

[AlexL]

In fact, I have noticed a greater failure rate in SPG's.

just got back from a 3 day dive trip: out of twelve people, one complete TX failure, and two that would routinely drop link to the point of being unusable. all running said brand of wireless AI.

Wife didn't want an extra hose for the SPG, until her TX completely died on the last dive day with zero warning. luckily the LDS trip rep had a spare TX on hand that we re-paired with. not something most people carry in a save a dive kit.

ordered an SPG for her the next day.

[edit] to clarify, all three instances were repaired / replaced under warranty service with no questions asked. still an annoying surprise to be all geared up, and have the AI conk out during final pre-splash checks.

 

[tridacna]

all running said brand of wireless AI.

"Said brand" is?

 

[kelemvor]

Wife didn't want an extra hose for the SPG, until her TX completely died on the last dive day with zero warning. luckily the LDS trip rep had a spare TX on hand that we re-paired with. not something most people carry in a save a dive kit.

I keep a mk2/r295 with some other brand octo and a standard analog console in my SAD kit. Saved several other people's dives with it, but I haven't used it myself yet.

Assuming your first has two HP ports, you could put both the transmitter and SPG on the first. Then just tuck the spg away somewhere that it might not be extremely convenient but it's out of the way. Best of both worlds.

 

[AlexL]

"Said brand" is?

ah, sorry, thought i left the rest of beaver's quote and links in there; they were SP/galileo.

Assuming your first has two HP ports, you could put both the transmitter and SPG on the first.

bingo! that is how i'm running currently and have been very pleased. the SPG seems to make the gear setup and check process flow smoother as well, even when everything is working correctly with the wireless AI.

 

[dytis-sm]

I have also had connectivity issues from time to time with my Suunto D6i but over a period of time I got into the habit of keeping my computer close to the transmitter when I turn on the tank valve and issues are less frequent. Then no matter how far I walk, it seems to return to normal when I am back in proximity. From time to time I also lose connectivity for brief seconds underwater but it seems to return to normal operation as well. From the comments on the board it appears to be a usual issue particularly when the battery is low. I suppose it is to be expected with anything wireless. I always like to carry a regular SPG to always confirm my tank pressure... The air integration is nice but have to also be prepared to dive without it.

George

 

[SolarStorm]

There are 4 of use, 2 with Oceanic Atom 2's and 2 with Atom 3's. We have had only 1 problem, but that was due the user not he hardware. My wife wore her compase on the same wrist and when she flexed her wrist, she was pressing the buttons. Couldnt figure it out at depth so called the dive.

One of the benefits of us all having wireless is that I have my computer setup to not only read my guages but also my wifes or daughters and vice versa, depending on who is my buddy. I believe Oceanic may have disabled this feature, but I like it.

I do change the batteries each trip, but that is all part of the pre departure gear check.

Personally I hate the extra hose. So for a recreational dive, as Tony the Tiger says, there great! If i got more into some technical diving, I would probably have a wired backup. but for an NDL dive, if the gauge fails, it simply time to go up.

 

[rreconnu]

I hope I don't get flamed for asking a stupid question but here goes...Why is everyone so concerned about a backup to their wireless, air integrated computer? Worst case scenario is it dies during your dive. It's no different than any other electronic, air integrated computer. Assuming you are diving within recreational dive limits and aren't pushing your air supply below a safe level, why would you really care? Just end your dive and return to the surface. Surely you aren't so reliant on an ascent meter or a safety stop timer that you can't safely make it to the surface? I realize cutting your dive short is a PITA, but for the few times you may have an issue (not 1 in 10 years + of diving wireless, air integrated for me), it doesn't seem there is enough of a reason to carry a SPG and defeat the benefits of the hoseless computer. Just curious what the concern is.

 

[doctormike]

Assuming you are diving within recreational dive limits and aren't pushing your air supply below a safe level, why would you really care? Just end your dive and return to the surface.

We like diving. We don't want to do that.

Surely you aren't so reliant on an ascent meter or a safety stop timer that you can't safely make it to the surface?

The OP was about wireless AI link failures, not about computer failures in general.

And don't call me Shirley.

I realize cutting your dive short is a PITA, but for the few times you may have an issue (not 1 in 10 years + of diving wireless, air integrated for me),

Your experience is not the same as many of the posters here, who have had failures of their computers. So the fact that you never had it happen to you doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, or even that it is rare.

it doesn't seem there is enough of a reason to carry a SPG and defeat the benefits of the hoseless computer. Just curious what the concern is.

IMHO, the benefit of the hoseless AI computer is the convenience of having your tank pressure on your wrist, not the ability to dispense with the brass and glass SPG. Carrying an SPG is such a minimal addition to a dive rig (properly routed down your left side and clipped to your left hip), that I wouldn't really count it as a negative.