My AN/DP/Helitrox course

[Marie13]

Finally got my O2 analyzer yesterday, as well as my Thermolution vest and FE X-Core vest. On my way to OH to dive tomorrow and Friday with two tech trained friends at two different quarries for skills work. Fully expect to be put through the ringer, tomorrow at least!

 

[Diver BDT]

Diving up in grand traverse starting on same classes as you

 

[Manatee Diver]

Which analyzer are you using? Did you get the BC connector?

 

[Marie13]

Which analyzer are you using? Did you get the BC connector?

This one. It comes with the BC connector. This is the one the shop has available for analyzing.

O2EII Pro Nitrox Analyzer

 

[uncfnp]

The main reason is for O2 on land without dealing with all the deco stuff for now. So adding DP makes that harder. Tech lite for the dive portion of AN is fine for me.

Once back in the water, I'll likely take a 50% bottle sometimes for handling practice. And after reading the DP book, but NOT doing deco dives. Yeah, that could be a slippery slope. But my dives are above 50' and I'm reasonably mature. Many sites here are shallow. My intent is not a back door to deco dives.

It's unclear what gas or tanks stand-alone AN involves. SDI nitrox is single gas. TDI AN examines optimal mixes and is no required staged deco. But there are no (required) water skills on gas switches. Yet they discuss 50, 80 and 100 deco and multiple gas switches. To me, taking it with an AL40 of 50% makes sense. Like TDI sidemount + optional additional cylinder.

FWIW I took the TDI AN course as a stand alone. I wanted the ability to get O2 for the surface and do “lite deco.” For me it was the perfect choice. My dives were mostly what many might consider intro to tech. Instructor watched my buoyancy and ability to hold a specific level/stop. I carried an O2 bottle slung with single tank configuration. I did have to shoot a smb, do my switch on at least one dive.

The instructor knew the reasons for my choice so we actually did a lot of the book work for deco but none of the dives so no deco card.

 

[Manatee Diver]

This one. It comes with the BC connector. This is the one the shop has available for analyzing.

O2EII Pro Nitrox Analyzer

I kind of wish I got one with an adjustable calibration instead of an automatic one on my Palm O2. But a BC connector is a must, I am horrible at opening the valve just right for testing. I also have a cheap dedicated reg (the $60 one from Piranha) so I can do all my testing without pulling out my regs.

 

[Marie13]

I kind of wish I got one with an adjustable calibration instead of an automatic one on my Palm O2. But a BC connector is a must, I am horrible at opening the valve just right for testing. I also have a cheap dedicated reg (the $60 one from Piranha) so I can do all my testing without pulling out my regs.

Ha! Thought I was the only one with issues getting the valve open just the right amount. ;-)

 

[MichaelMc]

Thanks @uncfnp. The discussion of your AN class was useful. I think I read all the stand-alone AN discussions yesterday and several AN/DP dive plan ones. It sounds as if limited to the TDI syllabus stand-alone AN's dives are a bit of dives without a clear purpose beyond a check that ITT was learned and team oriented dive practices (which is certainly good stuff). Having nothing else new in the listed skills between ITT and the not yet started DP material. That is a bit reenforced by ITT being three dives, AN four dives, yet combined ITT/AN still four dives. Though shop's DP classes talk about 'apply the skills learned in AN' to real/required deco dives. Some definite disconnects in descriptions.

I'll see more when my books arrive. It might be a bit before I actually take it. I'd want some AL40 stage handling practice first. With sidemount, a 40 stage/deco is a third bottle on the sides not just a first, which on a boat is beyond basic sidemount.

Plus I might be able to get a surface O2 fill other ways, as cool as using them in water might be or diving shallow with 50%.

 

[MichaelMc]

An example of a shop's AN description is Under The Jungle's, which lists skills beyond TDI's bare ITT+team:

http://www.underthejungle.com/en/tdi-advanced-nitrox-course/
• Gas switching using team protocols
• Calling for surface assistance using a lift bag
• Dealing with a convulsing diver at depth
• Refinement of buoyancy and propulsion techniques
• Handling a team member who switches to the wrong gas
• Emergency scenario simulations including (but not limited to): catastrophic gas loss, air sharing during a no-mask ascent, regulator free flows, air loss from an SMB, use of a back-up buoyancy control device

Which is basically the exact skills list from their DP class. This AN list makes more sense. As in you could surface directly but you are using multiple gasses, presumably to surface cleaner faster or to stay longer in a shallower part of the dive. The TDI AN description is no required staged decompression.

Anyway.

 

[Marie13]

@MichaelMc

I clearly remember the AN book saying course involves no decompression at all.