Diver Locater: Lets make one

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Lazlo

Googling

underwater diver tracking

produces some interesting results.

Maybe this one?

Thanks for that, have emailed them to find out how much the system costs.

Cheers,

FF

[TerryH]

Ok how about a simpler approach.

It's very difficult (and expensive) to track divers through the wet stuff, yet
a lot of problems happen after the dive is finished. So how about a
cheap transponder attached to the DSMB?

If we can send a blob up with a heavy cylinder attached, I'm sure we can
have a small box with a beep.

It hits the surface and straight away the skipper knows where you are.
Or instead of a radio beep, how about a radar "beep".

Something that shows an intermitent blip on radar.

Fog, mist, night, tide, lazy skipper!!!!!
Seperation with skipper looking for 6 bouys (12 divers) when there should
be 7.

Just a thought.

TerryH

[Alan]

Originally Posted by TerryH

Ok how about a simpler approach.

It's very difficult (and expensive) to track divers through the wet stuff, yet
a lot of problems happen after the dive is finished. So how about a
cheap transponder attached to the DSMB?

If we can send a blob up with a heavy cylinder attached, I'm sure we can
have a small box with a beep.

It hits the surface and straight away the skipper knows where you are.
Or instead of a radio beep, how about a radar "beep".

Something that shows an intermitent blip on radar.

Fog, mist, night, tide, lazy skipper!!!!!
Seperation with skipper looking for 6 bouys (12 divers) when there should
be 7.

Just a thought.

TerryH

tis a good idea, to try and keep it cheap need to use what equipment is readily available, so something which can alert the skipper based on standard tools like radar would be excellent.

[nigelH]

Underwater it has to be acoustics.

The senders/receivers aren't that expensive but normally can't take the pressure. You need one sender and three receivers to get a two dimensional direction fix. If the frequency is high enough (works in water) you could PWM it to encode an ID and simple data. We don't need audio as few of us are in FFMs.

I'm interested. I have the test gear. I have the design experience. I just don't have much free time.

Alternatively what about a box with an underwater loudspeaker on it and some selectable speech phrases? A boat operating out of Brighton (Girl Grey) has a loudspeaker and it is most unnerving to hear him telling drift divers to "Turn north to get back on the reef". But it works.

I think we need a tech thread where people promise to play nice if we are going to discuss this.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by nigelH

Underwater it has to be acoustics.

The senders/receivers aren't that expensive but normally can't take the pressure. You need one sender and three receivers to get a two dimensional direction fix. If the frequency is high enough (works in water) you could PWM it to encode an ID and simple data. We don't need audio as few of us are in FFMs.

I'm interested. I have the test gear. I have the design experience. I just don't have much free time.

Alternatively what about a box with an underwater loudspeaker on it and some selectable speech phrases? A boat operating out of Brighton (Girl Grey) has a loudspeaker and it is most unnerving to hear him telling drift divers to "Turn north to get back on the reef". But it works.

I think we need a tech thread where people promise to play nice if we are going to discuss this.

I can help with getting finance together for the project and on the physics side. I lack the experience on the build side of things but pretty hot on accoustics.

Seen enough posts about missing divers to want to spend alot of time on this. Not trying to change the world but make it a little safer!

[Alan]

Originally Posted by nigelH

Underwater it has to be acoustics.
I think we need a tech thread where people promise to play nice if we are going to discuss this.

Will speak to admins and get one setup!

[triplefin]

Did anybody get anywhere on this - its quite an interesting thread after the hilarity at the beginning

[Woz]

Eat 500g prunes and people can just follow the brown slick....

[Alan]

Originally Posted by triplefin

Did anybody get anywhere on this - its quite an interesting thread after the hilarity at the beginning

I am following up with this later this year as a venture with YD. I think it's a great idea.

Alan

[Janos]

Originally Posted by FishFinger

I am following up with this later this year as a venture with YD. I think it's a great idea.

"A great idea"? Following Woz's poo trail is a bonkers idea if you ask me.

Have a look at the last time he went diving after eating prunes.

Photos here

Janos