Suunto Free Dive mode/Gauge Mode differences

[Bison Ravi]

Hi, I'm a little confused about these two modes, does any one know what are the differences? I already asked a suunto dealer and they couldn't help me.

I bought a d6i for my girlfriend, and was about to buy a D9tx for me. I just realized that while the D6i has a free dive mode, the D9TX only has a gauge mode.

The d9tx manual states that: "If you dive with the GAUGE mode, it is not possible to change between the modes before the no fly time has counted down." But it also says: "If set to the GAUGE mode, the dive computer can be used as a bottom timer or as a free diving instrument."

The D6i manual says that if you are in the water for more than 10 minutes in FREE mode, it switches to Gauge mode, and then the same thing happens:
the computer gets locked in gauge mode until the no fly time has counted down.


The way I read it, as long as you don't really dive (only freedive, less than 10 mins) the D6i can be switched to Dive mode or Nitrox, but the D9tx will be locked even if you do only one short freedive with the computer in Gauge mode. Am I right?

Thanks!

 

[ajduplessis]

Yes, this is correct. I am not sure why the function is different between the 2, free diving is never a good idea after scuba dives anyway. The idea here is to add a safety measure not allowing the user to change between the modes/diving activities as it could lead to DCS.

 

[Bison Ravi]

Thanks, makes sense!