Nitrox Class Without Tables or Math...OK?

[Dragon2115]

When you get to the dive site and you find that your computer is dead but there is an air RDP available. If you know your math then the day is not over. You can calculate what the EAD is and then use the air RDP to continue planning the dive. I see it as backup.

 

[H2Andy]

When you get to the dive site and you find that your computer is dead but there is an air RDP available. If you know your math then the day is not over. You can calculate what the EAD is and then use the air RDP to continue planning the dive. I see it as backup.

no.

the question was, how not knowing the math makes me an unsafe (not an inneficient)
Nitrox diver.

granted, not knowing the math is inneficient. but it is not unsafe.

it is reasonable to believe that if the above situation happens to a diver once,
they'll realize this and step up to using the tables and math.

but until then, they will have no need for that, and will be diving safely.

 

[Dragon2115]

So it's safe to continue planning the dive if your computer is dead and you don't know how to calculate EAD?

 

[H2Andy]

So it's safe to continue planning the dive if your computer is
dead and you don't know how to calculate EAD?

of course not. you're SOL.

hence my statement that not knowing how to use the tables and math is inneficient
(there goes your day of diving, unless you have a spare computer or
someone lends you one).

but diving without knowledge of the tables and math is not unsafe. you can
dive Nitrox safely by understanding a few key definitions and using your computer
accordingly.

 

[Dragon2115]

Then by extention you also have to support the elimination of teaching the RDP in the OW class as long as the student has a computer.

 

[Swan1172]

you can have a basic understanding of whats going on by understanding a few
definitions and figuring out how to obtain MOD with the computer and then
track NDL, MOD, and O2 levels with same computer.

show me where i need to know the math to understand Nitrox diving.

Define understand - "The skill of having and applying well-organized bodies of knowledge."
(http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/sciglos.html)

I think you can dive Nitrox without learning the math and relying entirely on the computer, but you really won't understand what you are doing. You only know how to respond to a stimulus (i.e. the computer), so at best, you are being classically conditioned just like Pavlov's dogs.

 

[Soggy]

...right round, baby right round....

 

[H2Andy]

Then by extention you also have to support the elimination of teaching the RDP in the OW class as long as the student has a computer.

of course not.

reading the tables is a basic skill that needs to be taught. the students then
can continue to use them or shift to a computer.

Nitrox is an optional class, and students have the choice of taking classes
that offer table instruction or classes that offer computer instruction.

i am simply saying that chosing the computer instruction option is not unsafe.

 

[H2Andy]

I think you can dive Nitrox without learning the math and relying entirely on the computer, but you really won't understand what you are doing. You only know how to respond to a stimulus (i.e. the computer), so at best, you are being classically conditioned just like Pavlov's dogs.

so you guys keep saying, yet you don't show a single bit of evidence.

i know what a MOD is. i know how to figure it out using my computer.

i now know the max depth for my dive.

i then check the NDL for that depth using my computer.

I now know the max time at that depth.

i am ready to go diving using my computer. my dive plan is simple,
but safe: dive to 70 feet for no more than 40 minutes.

on my second dive, i will check my O2 clock on my computer
and make sure i'm still ok (99% of the frigging time i'll be ok)

what have i missed because i don't understand the math?

bottom line is, you can be an active diver using a coimputer,
and you can be a passive diver blidnly following the math and tables.

your tool doesn't make you active or passive. it's what yuou do with it.

 

[TCDiver1]

on my second dive, i will check my O2 clock on my computer
and make sure i'm still ok (99% of the frigging time i'll be ok)

More like 99.99% by my calculations.