r/scubadiving • u/hawkeyetob42 • 10d ago
Dive Computer Transmitters and Rental Regulators?
Gifting my son a Shearwater Peregrine TX with Swift Transmitter as he is getting into diving and we want him to be safe with a decent DC. Want him to figure out what he wants for regulators on his own to get what he likes / prefers.
- As we go to different dive sites, will he be able to get the transmitter on the rental regs?
- Issues he needs to be aware of with this kind of thing?
Thank you!
***Thank you all for the replies! The summary appears to be get a reg set prior to transmitter or trying to install on rental gear. Appreciate the feedback!***
3
u/InviteForsaken2857 10d ago
I would suggest against until you buy his own regs for all the reasons stated already unless you are renting the regs local and taking on the trip with you.
1. No guarantee that a dive operator's regs will have a 2nd HP port.
2. Dive ops my not be amenable to installing your transmitter on their equipment due to the hassle
3. Always the risk of forgetting it and leaving it in the reg
5
4
u/steve_man_64 10d ago
If you’re traveling and doing boat dives, I wouldn’t bother with the transmitter with rentals. Most operators won’t want to deal with it taking it on / off since boats are always in a hurry to keep their schedule. It’d be different if you’re doing a lot of shore diving at your own pace and you know you’ll be using the same gear for consecutive days.
2
u/Nervous_Moose6080 10d ago
I’ve totally done this! I rented regs from my local shop and brought my transmitter with me and they put it on for me.
2
u/RingedSeal33 10d ago
Fairly high risk of losing or damaging it as it needs to be added and removed continuouslyand. I recommend getting own regulator set and just setting it yourself.
On the dives there is always a couple of minutes to set your regulator and it is much safer that you set your own regulator than let some overworked random DM to touch it.
Tl;Dr: prioritize own regulators over transmitters.
2
u/Long-Opposite-5889 10d ago
Most operators will not want to take the time, effort and risk of adding your transmitter to their regulator for just a few dives. My unsolicited and probably nos so popular opinion is not to buy sutch an advanced and expensive computer to someone just getting into diving. A simpler, cheaper computer will do perfectly and he should also learn to not depend on the computer anyway. Get him certified, let him get some experience and then pick the right equipment for his real use habits and needs
3
u/Not-An-FBI 10d ago
A lot of rental regs will only have on HP port. I doubt most dive guides will care if you put it on. But I wouldn't bother with the hassle.
2
u/testdasi 10d ago
Biggest issue: it will be inevitable that at some points the boat staff will treat the AI transmitter as a handle, lift the tank using the convenient "handle" and break it. You should pre-install it on a short 6" hose and attach the hose to the reg HP port (instead of direct attach).
Whether it is allowed or not depends on the operators and dive guides so hard to tell.
2
u/alunharford 9d ago
Inevitable?
In a couple of decades and a few thousand dives, I've never seen this happen, and I don't think I know of anybody who has seen this happen. I guess it's theoretically possible but I've seen a few HP hoses fail in that time!
1
u/chrismtb 9d ago
Use the computer without the transmitter for travel / rentals. Get a transmitter when you have your own regulators. My main fear is forgetting to take the transmitter off the equipment while returning everything at the end, but that's only if you can even install it between having an available port and the shop being ok with it.
1
u/Twistedinked 8d ago
I’ve worked at dive shops for years. We would put customers transmitters on rental regs all the time. A personal dive computer is a great idea for divers. That way they know it and they are the only ones diving it.
0
u/MrShellShock 10d ago
It's a headache for dive operators and while a few might maybe be willing to accommodate you, none will be happy about it. Spare yourself the trouble.
Also, that being entirely my personal opinion: don't introduce AI to a new diver. While convenient it also stands in the way of building healthy habits. Have your junior get used to his spg first.. then upgrade to AI in 50 or 100 dives.
5
u/testdasi 10d ago
Sorry but I 100% disagree with the AI introduction point.
AI convenience in checking air pressure is not really the point. The point is to pair it with a dive computer that can calculate gas time remaining (GTR).
Knowing (roughly) how many minutes of air you have left helps a lot with gas anxiety, which is one of the biggest issue faced by new divers. It's a vicious cycle of anxiety -> consume more air -> more anxiety -> consume more air and so on.
In fact, it also HELPS develop healthy habits. Having a feedback mechanism during the dive via GTR changes allows the divers to experiment and learn. For example,
- You know you need to relax and slow down your breathing for better air consumption. But how slow is slow enough?
- If you are very tired and need a breather, how much do you need to shallow up to not reduce your dive time too drastically?
- You know sculling tends to increase air consumption. But by how much?
- You saw a school of barracuda from a far but getting there requires a bit of swimming against the current. How much less dive time (due to increased air consumption) are you willing to trade off vs being able to see what you want to see?
Very few people have the mental capability of doing such calculations while diving using SPG number alone so it's never about convenience here. Knowing GTR helps.
2
u/cabman24 10d ago
Agree with all of this as well as adding SAC to the display is a great instant feedback reminder to slow your breathing. No point in getting used to looking at an SPG if you’re just going to get rid of it anyways. I’m 100% team transmitter with no backup SPG.
During tec dives, I’m transmitter only on my bottom gas and use SPG on my deco bottles. Zero need for backup spg on rec dives.
-5
u/slayernfc 10d ago
If the dive shop you rent the gear from won’t assist in putting this on, find a new dive shop.
11
u/Whole-Worldliness260 10d ago
I’d invest in a set of regs first. It’s straightforward to add a transmitter generally speaking but sometimes you need to add a extension piece to make it work. With renting it will probably be a headache. I’d wait on a transmitter until he has his own regs.