Tech Computer advice.

[Aquatrax]

So if Sheck Exley was teaching you a cave diving course and told you to get a computer but Fire_Diver on the internet told you that he was feeding you a line of crap would you go back to Sheck and say "but Fire_Diver says....." Honestly It is an internet thing, the ability to give free advice as if it was priceless nuggets of gold with no knowledge of the specifics.

Voice of reason

Ok I bit, sorry can I still be a ?

Actually it is an internet thing, the ability to ask questions, receive responses from those who have been there before you and then dismiss the solicited answers because they do not coincide with your feelings toward the matter.

If we require "knowledge of the specifics" to draw an educated conclusion, please give us more specifics We want to help.

 

[SailNaked]

I asked the question about what Computer to buy. that is not what is being discussed.

It is totally appropriate to say that a computer is not usually needed for Adv-N/Deco course. I fully accept that as true.

peoples opinions that there is something wrong with the instructor for requiring it, well people are entitled to that opinion but they are wrong in this case for reasons I have not said. I sort of explained what was up and asked people to move back to the subject.

unless you want to discuss computers used for Tech, and that have the ability to be upgraded to Trimix I am moving on. I fully understand that many of you studs can dive on the Andrea Doria without one, go for it.

 

[ianr33]

unless you want to discuss computers used for Tech, and that have the ability to be upgraded to Trimix I am moving on. I fully understand that many of you studs can dive on the Andrea Doria without one, go for it.

I money is no object and you dont mind the non user replaceable battery get an X-1

If you want to spend several hundred $$$ less get a Shearwater.

Why would you need a computer on a square profile wreck such as the Doria?

 

[ucfdiver]

Why would you use a very well designed decompression computer that calculates decompression based on actual depths, time, and Gradient Factors, as opposed to a dive table which assumes a square profile?

Because that computer is made to spit out the results of an algorithm, and knows nothing about my body, and takes no feedback from previous dives. It gives the same profile for a 20 year old in good shape as it does for a 65 year old smoker with tons of scar tissue.

Here's basically why I sold my computer-

• If you switch dive buddies mid day (which I've done multiple times), it doesn't have any redundancy.
• Multiple algorithms between 3 people diving as a team resulting in different deco schedules for every diver, some divers can be deco'ing on their computer while others are adding inert gasses to their tissues according to their computers.
• I once surfaced 1 minute early and my computer locked me out for 48 hours, talk about annoying!
• It's difficult to calculate tables that match up with your computer so that you can complete deco if a computer fails half way through.
• The computer I had would add to my deco while I was doing deeper stops.
• Once my computer battery went low and the computer more than doubled the deco time, forcing me to use tables anyways (common on nitek duo's)
• I can recut tables as I learn to be more or less aggressive depending on how I feel post dive and gain experience.
• I can cut tables more conservative to reduce or nearly eliminate being punished for residual nitrogen on repetitive dives.
• I had to cut tables to calculate rock bottom and deco gas requirements anyways, so I couldn't just follow a computer anyways.
• I'm a poor college student who could make money off trading a computer for an uwatec

 

[fire_diver]

I asked the question about what Computer to buy. that is not what is being discussed.

It is totally appropriate to say that a computer is not usually needed for Adv-N/Deco course. I fully accept that as true.

peoples opinions that there is something wrong with the instructor for requiring it, well people are entitled to that opinion but they are wrong in this case for reasons I have not said. I sort of explained what was up and asked people to move back to the subject.

unless you want to discuss computers used for Tech, and that have the ability to be upgraded to Trimix I am moving on. I fully understand that many of you studs can dive on the Andrea Doria without one, go for it.

NO. You specifically asked in the original post about a computer that was being required by an instructor for an Adv nitrox/deco course.

You still talk about these unspecified reasons for NEEDING the computer for the class. These statements are so far off the norm than it requires further questioning .

You clearly don't care about the advice, so I am done. Enjoy your class.

 

[HowardE]

Because that computer is made to spit out the results of an algorithm, and knows nothing about my body, and takes no feedback from previous dives. It gives the same profile for a 20 year old in good shape as it does for a 65 year old smoker with tons of scar tissue.

Here's basically why I sold my computer-

• If you switch dive buddies mid day (which I've done multiple times), it doesn't have any redundancy.
• Multiple algorithms between 3 people diving as a team resulting in different deco schedules for every diver, some divers can be deco'ing on their computer while others are adding inert gasses to their tissues according to their computers.
• I once surfaced 1 minute early and my computer locked me out for 48 hours, talk about annoying!
• It's difficult to calculate tables that match up with your computer so that you can complete deco if a computer fails half way through.
• The computer I had would add to my deco while I was doing deeper stops.
• Once my computer battery went low and the computer more than doubled the deco time, forcing me to use tables anyways (common on nitek duo's)
• I can recut tables as I learn to be more or less aggressive depending on how I feel post dive and gain experience.
• I can cut tables more conservative to reduce or nearly eliminate being punished for residual nitrogen on repetitive dives.
• I had to cut tables to calculate rock bottom and deco gas requirements anyways, so I couldn't just follow a computer anyways.
• I'm a poor college student who could make money off trading a computer for an uwatec

You dive tables then (or get a better computer). Enjoy.

 

[wedivebc]

Why would you need a computer on a square profile wreck such as the Doria?

Because apparently he is taking deco procedures from Sheck Exely and Sheck told him he needs it.

SailNaked, if Sheck is your instructor ask him for ID before you hand him any money.

 

[LiteHedded]

sheck did lots of CRAZY stuff I wouldn't do LOL
or maybe i would. depending on my mood...

 

[StreetDoctor]

What an awesome thread. I love it when people ask for advice and then refuse to listen because it's not what they wanted to hear.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

As stated above - it is distinctly odd for an instructor to insist on a 3 gas computer for an advance nitrox/deco procedures class.

The fact that he is insisting is reason enough to question what you are really going to get in terms of instruction in the class. Regardless of agency, the course materials are a bit thin - perhpas to discourage divers from just reading the book and going diving, so the instructor really matters as most of the information will come from the instructor and supplementeal materials he chooses to add. If he is focusing on computer use, the odds are he is de-emphasising something else in the given amount of time available.

Once you learn how to do deco dives with tables and a bottom timee, diving with a computer is a snap. The reverse is not true.

As UCF diver points out:

Getting tables to match a computer profile can be hard unless both use the same alogrythm - for example if both computer and planning software use VPM-B. If not, you end up having to modify the conservatism settings or gradient factors of one or the other to get the curves to more or less match and that requires a fair bit of knowledge about deco.

Different models of computers have different deco schedules on the same dive, and even if well matched on dive one, they tend to diverge on subsequent dives that day.

If you do not dive with the same buddy on very similar profiles on each dive, you need a back up computer or a backup set of tables to ensure a safe ascent WHEN your computer fails.