LIfe Threatening Dive Experience - Fiji

[BoltSnap]

XS Scuba High Pressure Port Adapter

What computers are you using and why this many?

 

[Dive Cochran]

Not exactly, 1st-stage 'left' HP port, uses XS scuba HP port-splitter (lower HP port gets Highland SPG/boltsnap on cool 'slim' lime-green HP braded 24" hose.......upper HP port gets wireless transmitter). Wireless wrist unit and dive watch worn on left wrist. Running Cochran Gemini AI wireless computers presently, planning to upgrade to Shearwarer wireless AI Perdix(s) soon.

1st-stage 'right' HP port gets 'hosed' AI computer (Atomic Cobalt/Oceanic Pro Plus) also clipped off on 24" cool 'slim' lime-green HP hose.

3rd computer (Cochran EMC 20H) non AI, worn on either right wrist or just clipped off to BC D-ring.

How old is your Gemini and EMC-20H?
Thank you

Have a great weekend
Safe Diving
John

Sales Manager Worldwide
Richardson, TX
www.DiveCochran.com
www.Cochranmilitary.com

 

[scubafanatic]

What computers are you using and why this many?

Hi, please see prior posts for which computers I use. NASA used 3 main computers on the Space Shuttle, with 3 computers it's easier to detect which computer is malfunctioning, best 2 out of 3 rule.

I like AI computers, so (1) wireless AI wrist computer for easy/instant access,

(1) 'hosed' AI computer as backup as more reliable than a wireless connection,

3rd non-AI wrist computer as extra backup, if a computer fails I can continue to dive with 2 computers that still 'remember' the prior dives for deco calcs/surface intervals/
plus easy to separate from dive gear and wear while topside to monitor surface intervals/off gassing/ etc.

 

[scubafanatic]

How old is your Gemini and EMC-20H?
Thank you

Have a great weekend
Safe Diving
John

Sales Manager Worldwide
Richardson, TX
www.DiveCochran.com
www.Cochranmilitary.com

I have (6) Geminis / (1) EMC-20H. Got introduced to Cochrans by Kamala (owner/founder of Singledivers.com). I've had them a LONG time, all purchased sometime in the 2002-2006 range as best I can remember. They've been reliable (did have one Gemini fail years ago and need repairs--bad sensor of some sort). I like the ability to adjust the level of 'conservatism', and the battery life, but the interface is very old-school. I'm thinking of buying a couple of Shearwater Perdix AI units, my main concern with Perdix is real-world battery lifespans as the flashy displays, while sexy, likely use a lot more power than the Cochrans, so I'm still thinking about it.

 

[scubafanatic]

@scubafanatic your report shocked me as well. I would love to know any locations prone to this behavior so I can avoid them - could you post or PM?

OP thank you for posting and I'm sorry about your atrocious experience. Great job getting out it safely.

The most blatant 'swim the divers into a current over a dead patch of reef' incident was Liquid Blue (Cozumel), but it happened over 10 years ago, way before the change in ownership as well. The 'ditch the divers at the start of the night dive of a bottomless wall dive' was Turks & Caicos Explorer, but that was 10+ yrs ago as well, so the individuals involved are ancient history by now. The moral of the story is it can happen to anyone at any time, so just be aware.

 

[KevinNM]

my main concern with Perdix is real-world battery lifespans as the flashy displays, while sexy, likely use a lot more power than the Cochrans, so I'm still thinking about it.

The AA batteries last quite a while. I keep a couple of spare lithium AAs on hand, but they are good for many dives each. And you can use recharables if you want, though I never have.

 

[Nianne]

Please let me know how you like after you have tried it in the ocean. One critical issue to evaluate is how easy/difficult it is to use the oral inflator for the BC with the device installed.

I have one, it poses no problem to use the oral inflator on the BC.
It's a good stuff. Light, doesn't make sounds if you don't want to (not like the shaker) and since not everone has one, people following you know that it's you that's making noise and not another diver

 

[jseyfert3]

Hi, please see prior posts for which computers I use. NASA used 3 main computers on the Space Shuttle, with 3 computers it's easier to detect which computer is malfunctioning, best 2 out of 3 rule.

I like AI computers, so (1) wireless AI wrist computer for easy/instant access,

(1) 'hosed' AI computer as backup as more reliable than a wireless connection,

3rd non-AI wrist computer as extra backup, if a computer fails I can continue to dive with 2 computers that still 'remember' the prior dives for deco calcs/surface intervals/
plus easy to separate from dive gear and wear while topside to monitor surface intervals/off gassing/ etc.

The Space Shuttle had 5, not 3 computers. 4 were the primary flight computers, 1 was the backup flight system (BFS). Each main computer could vote other computers out, and which computer voted which computer out was displayed in a matrix in the cockpit. If all the computers voted each other out, the pilot could switch over to the BFS, or in the case of two computers agreeing with each other, resulting in a split, the pilot could chose to switch to the BFS as well as it wouldn't be known which pair was right. The BFS had code that was different than on the other 4 computers, updated seldom (as updates lead to untested errors), and the code was extensively tested before being changed. Plus hardware checking that could rule out issues before it became a computer voting issue. Way more complicated than simply "best 2 out of 3."

You can see the 5x5 voting matrix in this picture of Endeavor's cockpit, just over the pilot's side windshield (it's an unlit grid):

Or go here and enjoy zooming in on this 2.7 Gigapixel version, where you can read every control in amazing detail: Space Shuttle Discovery Flight Deck

On a related note, if two computers (of three) fail at once, you will be lead down the wrong path...

 

[Lorenzoid]

I vote for leaving totally off-topic posts if they are truly fascinating.

 

[archer1960]

The Space Shuttle had 5, not 3 computers. 4 were the primary flight computers, 1 was the backup flight system (BFS). Each main computer could vote other computers out, and which computer voted which computer out was displayed in a matrix in the cockpit. If all the computers voted each other out, the pilot could switch over to the BFS, or in the case of two computers agreeing with each other, resulting in a split, the pilot could chose to switch to the BFS as well as it wouldn't be known which pair was right. The BFS had code that was different than on the other 4 computers, updated seldom (as updates lead to untested errors), and the code was extensively tested before being changed. Plus hardware checking that could rule out issues before it became a computer voting issue. Way more complicated than simply "best 2 out of 3."

You can see the 5x5 voting matrix in this picture of Endeavor's cockpit, just over the pilot's side windshield (it's an unlit grid):

...

Or go here and enjoy zooming in on this 2.7 Gigapixel version, where you can read every control in amazing detail: Space Shuttle Discovery Flight Deck

On a related note, if two computers (of three) fail at once, you will be lead down the wrong path...

To bring this (sort of) on a SCUBA-related topic, I noticed that they have a PPO2 meter in there!