Storing the bearings in the logs on the computer

[peek49230]

So I had a thought. Would it be worth it to store the bearing data from those computeres that have a compass along with the other dive data (depth, temp, gas usage, etc...) in the log so that you can somewhat recreate the dive in your head when looking at the data via dive logs? Example: You drop down and heading on a course of 180 degrees. Might be a totally stupid idea or maybe it would just take up so much space in the logs that it would be useful.

 

[gmerick]

What "bearing" do you suggest be stored? My wrist mounted computer is most often on crossed arms facing the ocean floor, or facing due left with my arms resting on my tanks. The only time the compass is pointing where I'm heading is when I'm actively referring to it. Same situation would apply to lanyard or console computers.

 

[Badger7]

Interesting thought. I really don't think the issue would be log size, a text file with bearing ever second would still be only a k of data. I think it would be more an issue of relative bearing, especially when wearing your computer wrist mounted. Every time you clip off light, or reach for your inflator, or grab something out of your pocket, it would probably register as a change in direction. Maybe some smoothing could help, but even so my computer is typically askew from my actual travel direction unless I have it directly in front of my face doing navigation.

 

[peek49230]

You folks bring up great points. Like I said, likely a really bad idea.

 

[Badger7]

You folks bring up great points. Like I said, likely a really bad idea.

Like I said, interesting thought. If you had the data with a relatively fast polling frequency, and you typically dive a relatively consistent form, you could use a degree offset to correct for wrist angle off body angle, and do some smoothing, throwing away orientation values that aren't within x degrees for over y seconds, smoothing to a polygon that substitutes time for distance, making a somewhat inaccurate assumption of travel speed. You might get something reasonable for a meandering dive with relatively consistent speed, like taking a slow steady dive around the perimeter of a wreck with a swim through a cargo hold and then another loop back around the deck, something like that. If the dive is more of a stop and start operation, taking the time to take some pictures or similar, I don't see you getting anything very usable from a chart of compass orientation at fixed intervals.

 

[inquis]

Saving the compass marks (time/bearing) would be useful. The continuous stream, not so much.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Saving the compass marks (time/bearing) would be useful. The continuous stream, not so much.

Agreed. It would really just be a steady recording of the direction my wrist was pointing. Not useful. But being able to take an intentional bearing and then choose to save that on the dive log with time and bearing, that could be a useful feature in certain situations.