Novice VT3 User - EL 2

[dwatts]

I just returned from a week in Grand Cayman and now I'm trying to transfer the data to my PC. I noticed that when I activated my VT3 the display alternates between "NORM" and "EL 2".

What does EL 2 mean? I read through the manual and did not see an explanation.

Sorry for such a newbie question. I just purchased my VT3 (from my LDS) just in time to take it to GC.

 

[Codie]

EL2 means "Elevation 2", and it basically means you are not at sea level anymore

All Oceanic PDC's use a barometric altimeter sensor to determine height above sea level, and it works on a scale from "Sea" to "EL13", with EL13 being at ±14,000ft. The fact that yours (and mine) is at EL2 means that you are probably at about 2000 to 3000 ft above sea level. This does sometimes fluctuate based on temperature and atmospheric pressure, but keep an eye on it, as it seems some people have had problems with VT3's showing altitude levels when thay are actually at sea-level.

My Atom 2.0 has a reading of EL2, but based on the altitude I am at, I am sure it should be EL4 or 5. I have asked about an EL number to altitude chart in another thread, but nothing yet.

The "NORM" you see, is as you probably guessed "NORMAL", which is the dive mode. The other two are GAUGE and FREE.

Hope that helps.

 

[mrlipis]

I am at 7000 ft and my VT3 reads EL5. I love this feature as my old computer (cobra) needed to be set every time I went somewhere, although going to sea level and forgetting to change it, would leave me with a conservative dive profile but coming home and diving here without changing the AL could cause a problem. Love my VT3.

Bruce