Vytec DS post Extended range

[David Tombs]

Hi I am going to do my BSAC Extended range soon. How usefull is the Vytec DS for planning/using on Accelerated Deco dives? I know what the blurb says,but am interested on what people have found.Currently use Vyper with dive timer back up(with pre planning just in case comp packs up). Thanks for your opinions.

[David Pye]

Well, I've never figured out how to do it, but that doesn't mean much

The most annoying thing as I understand it is that the Vytec will give you TTS assuming you stay on your backgas, and when you get to the stop, and switch, it will then show you your new (shortened) TTS.

I personally find that a PITA - my VR3 for example will show the TTS assuming you DO switch to the gases you've programmed in, and will then lengthen if you don't switch.

Maybe some people prefer the first behaviour - I certainly dont though...

[tom]

The main thing I dislike about my DS is that it wants you to complete your deco at 3m, while I often want to be deeper. The deep stops are basically just Pyle stops, and seem to come in at about the same depth as a VR3.

It's pretty useless for actually *planning* a dive though, unless you're prepared to sit through endless simulated dives. Because the Suunto algorithm likes to get you shallow quickly, it also doesn't play well with proper planning software/tables.

To be honest if I was buying again, I'd probably go for either a VR2/3 or an Apeks Quantum. None of them are perfect unfortunately.

[Ian@1904]

The Vytec planning tool is not great. I tend to plan a dive using the back gas only, then accelerate the deco with whatever I have to hand say 70% nitrox. So my total inwater dive time is less than I have planned for.

If in doubt have a chat with your instructor about this bit. You may wish to invest in Proplanner or similar.

[Gav]

Originally Posted by tom

The main thing I dislike about my DS is that it wants you to complete your deco at 3m, while I often want to be deeper. .

I find that mine gives a max depth, i.e. 6m and a ceiling of 3m. As long as I'm within that range for deco it makes no difference.

The Vytec DS also reminds you when you are within the correct depth to switch to another gas, i.e. 50% when you reach 21m. I imagine this is why it then shortens the deco when you tell it that you have switched.

[gobfish1]

Gas Switching Computer Vr3 or Vytec DS required

Does 1 metre make such a difference?

[Okeanos]

I used the Vytec for ages, even on shallow trimix dives down to 65m. Dives involving deco should always be planned anyway, follow the plan. If the dives mucks up use the Vytec.

Then when you get a VR3 use it as a bottom timer or a computer on shallow dives.

[Mark Chase]

I used a Vitec for a while and thought it was OKish because it allowed me to use two deco gas on the dive. However dive planning is not really available with it and you need a plan as it only gives you a Time to surface (TTS) on the gas your on so you have no idea what your actual TTS is until you switch to the last deco gas.

This single feature makes it fairly useless IMHO.

Id go for a S?H VR3 V2.1CXI or later preferably V3 onward but I dived 2 X VR3 2.1CXI for three years and they worked just fine.

ATB


Mark

[gobfish1]

Time to surface (TTS. ant hard to work out after a few plays with it ,

plus you can do a sim dive to get the numbers ,

if you deco on o2 you will fine it halfs the deco at 6m

ps
set your 02 deco at .97 that way you can get on the o2 at 6.3m
other wize you have to wait till you can get past the 6m ceiling

if you ant a duck ege you can make the Vitec work for you , to what ever depth you like ,

ps
get
Z plan v plan or one of the planners to do your gas needs on

[Scuby]

Originally Posted by Gav

I find that mine gives a max depth, i.e. 6m and a ceiling of 3m. As long as I'm within that range for deco it makes no difference.

Oooooh if you're doing more than a few mins of deco, it can make a HUGE difference.

Diving the Zenobia in Cyprus a couple of weeks back showed me just how bad the problem is with the Suunto computers - though the newer DS ones may be better(?)

So, in Cyprus, we were diving air just because that's all we could easily get, and doing 35m ish dives. Didn't do any consecutive days, but had a day diving, a day off, a day diving, etc. Both diving and doing deco on the Suunto. On one dive, the second of the day, we left the bottom (20m) after 30mins, showing just over 20mins to the surface. Knowing how the Suunto behaves, we did most of the deco at 4-5m, and did the final 15mins at just 3m (apparently in the "ideal zone" for the Suunto). To complete this 20mins of deco took just under an hour!

I'm now actively working on making myself some tables, because the Suunto clearly just isn't effective with deco of more than ~20mins, just makes up numbers which bear no relation to what it will actually get you to do.

David