Newbie question for simple watch

[plongere]

Ok. I'll admit I am a newbie (14 logged dives), but I am learning. Here is my dilema. When diving warm water, I use a dive watch for time of day and deco time. Works pretty good. I have a genesis console computer. Also works fine. Problem when I dive locally in Puget Sound, my watch won't fit over my wetsuit.

What I am looking for is an inexpensive ($50-$75) device, that I can mount to my console hose. It would have BIG numbers (for old farts like me), and easy to access buttons to change modes (if necessary) for those big gloves. It would have the following features:

Backlight for night dives
Time of Day
Current Depth
Count Down timer (3 or 5 selectable) - niceity
Time lock 1 (Used for Time entered water) - niceity
Time lock 2 (used for time exited water) - niceity
Air temperature - niceity
Water temperature - niceity
Log 3 or more dives - niceity
Could also have compass reading at top of dial (i.e SW with up arrow)


BTW I don't know if the word niceity exists, but it seems to work.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dee]

If you want a watch to do all that niceity stuff you're gonna have to spend more than that! If you're happy with the watch you have, why not get a velcro band for it? They are secure and will easily fit over your wetsuit.

Everything else except the count-down timer can be found in a Citizen Hyper-Aqualand dive watch. They run $275-350. It's not backlit but does have a push button light. I have one that gives me:

Date
Time
Current depth and average depth
Time in and out
Dive time
Temperature
Surface interval
Log of last 30 dives
Alarm

The download program will also give you a profile of your dives, all log information, among other things.

Another idea is the Suunto Mosquito which is a dive computer as well as a watch. They are about $400

For $50-75 about all you're gonna get is a water resistant watch that *might* give you depth.

 

[TexasMike]

I think what you are looking for is what is called a bottom timer. These devices are not unlike many of the dive computers that are out there. But unlike the computers, bottom timers do not do any deco calculations during the dive.

There are several models out there, two which come to mind are the OMS and the Uwatec "The Digital" versions.

There are another one or two versions out there but I can't think of their names.


Another approach are the Aqualand line of watches put out by Citizen, but these can get kinda pricey.

Oh, and I guess I should say that all of my suggestions are designed to go on your wrist, rather than the hose mount you requested. But one benefit about putting it on your wrist, as my instructor likes to say, is that you always know where your hands are.

I hope this helped.

 

[large_diver]

I second the vote for the Uwatec bottom timer. You can get them for about $100 from simplyscuba.com or other online sources.

http://www.simplyscuba.com/cgi-binq...ipping_country=United Kingdom Mainland and NI(Economy)

Not sure if it gives you surface interval, average depth or has a log function. You may have to actually buy a computer to get all of the functionality. You can get a Suunto Vyper for about US$275 if you shop around.

Good luck.

 

[JoelW]

A bottom timer won't give you all of the information that you are asking for. During a dive the OMS (or Uwatec, same manufacturer) gives depth, time in water and temp. No backlight. The log function holds the last 9 dives giving max depth, temp, time and not much else. It sounds like you need a bottom timer and a cheap watch, Casio or Timex, that will do the stopwatch function.

You should be able to find one of the hose mount holders for a puck computer. The BT will pop out of its holder and most likely fit into the hose mount holder. If not it would be easy enough to cut off the strap portion of the BT holder and mount it to a hose with tie wraps.

As far as the watch you currently have goes, there are several options for bands. I have one of my watches on a strap called a Wrist Wrap. It is a velcro band that is long enough to go around my drysuit and still work when I put my watch on my bare wrist. Another option is the Waterborne (?) strap. It works on a similar principle and is carried by Cetacea. Either strap runs about $10-$15.

JoelW

 

[Scottri]

I don't know of anything in that price range that can do all of that. I would get a good set of analog gauges and a Casio G-Shock watch. I have had 2 of them and they are bullet proof. Either that or get yourself a wrist mounted computer and call it god but either way it's going to cost far more that $75.00



Scott

 

[plongere]

Thanks to all for your input. I agree I am probably talking about a bottom timer. I checked out the references above and it looks like the Uwatec is about as close as what I was talking about as any. Again, thanks for the comments.

 

[fastfishh]

there aint nothin for 50-75 dollars