Signal Device, no knife environment.

[partridge]

Yes, I am very aware of this. I just think that I have to evaluate every piece of advise on this board and decide if it is applicable to me and to my type of diving.

On the short time I have been on this board, I have more than doubled my diving knowledge. Some here are awesome while others are not, but I have learned from both.

 

[fmw625]

I agree with Doc. If you have to use something that bangs, find something metallic or hard plastic that is the right size drill a hole in it, put a key ring on it and hang it on your BCD. Shouldn't be very expensve.

 

[sgtmnstr]

Take a look at the Mini-hammerhead, basically an air horn that fits on you LP hose works great underwater and beats the heck out of a whistle for surface emergencies. They are about $50-60 on line. It is also one less thing to secure to a d-ring because it is "in line" Rich

 

[DIvemaster234]

I have made my own and they seem effective enough.
1 inch PVC pipe and a few flat metal washers.

 

[Mako Mark]

I feel that most of the time noise makers are a pain in the ear when over used, however a discreet tapping once in a while can serve its purpose.

I dont like the elastic band with a bead type tank bangers, they are too loud and fall off when you do forward roll entries of the top deck of the boat.

One thing with the carabinas (apart from the suicide clip issue) is that unless they are stainless which cost a fortune, the difference in metals between the spring and the alloy creates a galvanic action that destroys them rapidly in salt water.

a double ended brass or stainless dogclip (boltclip) is what I have ended up using. Simple, effective and multi-useful.

p.s.

 

[Mako Mark]

I feel that most of the time noise makers are a pain in the ear when over used, however a discreet tapping once in a while can serve its purpose.

I dont like the elastic band with a bead type tank bangers, they are too loud and fall off when you do forward roll entries of the top deck of the boat.

One thing with the carabinas (apart from the suicide clip issue) is that unless they are stainless which cost a fortune, the difference in metals between the spring and the alloy creates a galvanic action that destroys them rapidly in salt water.

a double ended brass or stainless dogclip (boltclip) is what I have ended up using. Simple, effective and multi-useful.

p.s. for

 

[Albion]

Take a look at the Mini-hammerhead, basically an air horn that fits on you LP hose works great underwater and beats the heck out of a whistle for surface emergencies. They are about $50-60 on line. It is also one less thing to secure to a d-ring because it is "in line" Rich

urgh
I have one of the "above water only" horns on my LP hose, this is much louder than the U/W type and imho as i only need this above water I want to make as much noise as possible. And it did save my Ass once when I came up from dive, the chase boat from island was waiting but they couldnt start engine, we were drifitng over the reef in shallow water with the boat nearly on top of us, i managed to make enough noise to get someone else out from the island to get us and the boat, so i am glad i bought it.

Shakers - no no no, I bought my G/f one as we were fed up with the ball on elastic tank bangers either breaking or not getting put on. She had it clipped to her b/c where it could hide in her pocket without unclipping. Only problem was every time she moved to a different angle to take photo or whatever the thing made a noise, ching ching ching ching.

Solution - Pointy sticks. About 8 inches long, 1/4" diameter stainless steel rod.
1) I can tap my tank with it to get attention of other divers
2) As a sometime dive master i can point out hard to see fish without having to stick my mits near them
3) Acts as a monopod for my video. Find a nice non living part of reef, plant one end of the stick there whilst grasping the other end and camera handle together. I can now get a nice stable video for macro, without grabbing hold of reef etc.
4) Any inamimate reef life can be prompted into action spanish dancers etc.
(the last one is a joke, please dont do that at home, saw it done once and the poor thing got speared by an urchin)

 

[Groundhog246]

Wow. I hate to think the kind of environments you guys dive in to even consider this a hazard.

I have one on my chest D-ring and all it hits is a couple too friendly fish.

On a chest D ring it could easily hook to another diver who brushed by. Perhaps someone who has run out of air and is reaching for your octo (or panicked and grabbing your primary). You are now hooked to another diver, who may or may not be rational and you've got to get it unhooked again. Likely? Who knows. Why take the risk when a bolt snap eliminates it.

 

[armyscuba]

Get a Hammerhead..I don't care if nobody likes it..because it's annoying..Too Bad..it's a Safety Device it's meant to be annoying..I agree it should not be over used. Come up out of the water during a night dive with an emergency situation and see what over types of noises will get You noticed. Including lights on the water, more quickly than a Hammerhead. It's inline to Your LP hose and can be detached quickly. Caribeeners work well on the tank, and many other equipment needs..good to have as well.

Too funny everyone's point on catching them on things..seems like You all dive alot of chain link fence? Wreck Penetration..Yeah..well..You should not be in a wreck if You have that type of trouble with Your equipment or more important,,,,Your Buoyancy. I saw one post that stated another diver might catch onto it..."That's a Joke Right"?

 

[Groundhog246]

I saw one post that stated another diver might catch onto it..."That's a Joke Right"?

Nope, wish it was. While THAT scenario I haven't seen, I USED to use one for my backup dive light and ended up with the line for my flag/float snagged in it. Had a heck of a time getting unraveled and unclipped. Part of the problem was that little 'hook' on the end where the gate hooks in. The line would snag in there. Ended up taking my glove (5 mm in about 52F water) off so I could feel what was what. Then it took ages for my fingers to warm up. I gotta admit that on this issue the DIR/tech folks have it right.

On the noisemaker front. IF it's used as a "safety device", then carry any noisemaker you like. Unfortunately, for some, it becomes like the horn on a car (also a required safety device), used for some to say hi to friends as they drive by or a "doorbell" as they sit in the driveway and don't want to get out and walk to the door.