Standardized Hand Signals for Remaining Air

[tursiops]

My cert is PADI and what they taught was the 1-5 digit was fingers up, 6-9 digits was fingers sideways or down.

"PADI" does not teach hand signals for pressure. An instructor teaches those, so they vary a lot.

 

[Storker]

fist for 50 rubbish

use what you want I don't give a flying F

OK...

 

[Storker]

I'd like to see you with your camera on the sites we dive, where one hand is needed to hold on to avoid the down currents.

Yanno, if I were diving a site where I needed the use of both hands for a significant part of the dive, I'd probably leave my camera topside. However, most sites I dive don't require the use of both hands during most of the dive to survive, so I usually take my camera with me.

Whether I bring a camera or I need the use of one or two hands to survive, I appreciate not having to use both hands for more signs than necessary. YMMV, of course.

 

[nolatom]

We were taught 1 finger per 100 psi. We still use that. No ambiguity. A quick flash is always 5 fingers, the last flash is held for several seconds to allow proper comprehension. You only need to actually see the last signal. Flash Flash Flash 3 fingers is 1800. I can be happy with any system that uses only 1 hand and minimal brain power.

The half tank T system sucks...It is very inadequate. Not granular enough.

On our last dive trip the DM introduced the (new to us) T for half tank (1500 psi) signal. He was very clear that we needed to signal him when we hit half tank. He did not discuss any other means of signaling our air OR any other expectations that we needed to communicate our current air pressure to him. T or nothing...Ok? Your rules, works for us. Let's dive!

After a few dives of him pointing at his pressure gauges, giving me the OK signal and me shrugging and returning the OK signal he got a little pissed. After one dive back on the boat he came up to me and asked to see my pressure gauge. 1600 psi. Stupid system...

They were filling al80s to 3300 or 3400 most days...

Same with me, 5 fingers is 500psi, etc. Flash flash etc, one hand only, blood simple, just discuss with your instabuddy first, obviously. It allows me to hold my gauge in the other hand , face towards buddy. If buddy is close enough, he can read the gauge, but if not, just watch the hand flashes
This is of course PSI, not Bar.

 

[Storker]

This is of course PSI, not Bar.

Same for bar, just one less zero (10, not 100. 50, not 500)

 

[Charles2]

I was taught to use American Sign Language for the numbers 0-9. It is a one-handed operation. Of course, not having a SPG, we never signaled remaining air pressure; however, I'm sure we would have if we knew what it was. Today, my buddies (children and grandchildren) use it to relay tank pressures to each other. When out with others, just discuss before diving and use whatever agreed upon.

 

[lermontov]

I think it depends on if your diving with regular dive buddy or not, If Im diving with regular dive buddy one of us will give a turn signal when required. I trust him to be attentive to his SPG and he trusts me.
however if Im diving with someone new I alway ask them to tell me what their signals are and I adjust my signals to whatever they use. If I'm unsure I show them my SPG or i look at theirs

 

[EFX]

My regular buddy is a cave diver and we both prefer the one-handed signals from the NACD book for hand signaling. Fingers up signals 1-5. Fingers sideways signals 6-9 (see the cute gothic chick video). Where we deviate from the video is how we signal zero and how many numbers we give for psi. Zero is a closed fist held sideways and moved toward the diver. We don't use an 'O' because if you get lazy with the fingers it can be mistaken for an OK. We only give the first two numbers for pressure. To signal 1450 show 1,4. To signal 800 show 8 and the fist for zero. The only ambiguous signal is for pressures in the 2000's and 200's, but the correct pressure can be determined by dive context.

 

[tursiops]

The only ambiguous signal is for pressures in the 2000's and 200's, but the correct pressure can be determined by dive context.

Hopefully you don't need to show 200 very often!

 

[EFX]

Never. But I have signaled 250 (show 2 and then 5) on a few dives. This is always followed by a thumbs up which in open water means I'm going to the surface now skipping any safety stops. (In a cavern or cave thumbs up is terminate the dive and head for the exit making any required deco or safety stops).