eRDP

[H2Oooohh]

Just seen this.

What d'ya reckon? Worth it? Or should you just get a computer?

[Dive Bunnie]

Yeah, I heard about these the other day too.

I have yet to see one in action, though. Maybe later this summer I will be able to comment further.

I must admit the one failing of the normal rdp for me, has always been the room for human error… when I did my open water I had to double and triple check things as occasionally it would be easy to read along an adjacent line… especially if the number you needed to reach was at the far right hand side of the table. This certainly seems to remove that issue altogether.

Having said this, I can imagine that students could become dependent upon the electronic version if that were the one they always used, and not use their common sense if a result appears odd. From the guidelines, it looks as thought these will at present only be used as an alternative and everyone will still need to be able to use the basic tables as a back up.

I am wondering whether it will be considered worth the expense, as a computer would still calculate the no deco time based upon your exact depths, allowing for any multilevelling that you do towards the latter part of the dive. The erdp will still work to the more limited staged depths that are available with the wheel and regular rdp.

But… as a handy tool to prevent human error when planning your dives, it could well become the next must have. I look forward to seeing how it fares in the field.

[sabre]

Hmmm, that's an interesting one...

Generally agree with DBs thoughts, my other reservation would be use of these will make it easier for students to sidestep gaining a thorough understanding of the RDPs principles (and think some of them only manage to gain a very hazy clue about it as it is!). Essentially, working through the steps on the old-style RDP, although fiddly, does re-enforce some of the principles behind the thing, which are essential if you are going to use it safely, especially when revising plans on the spot (and potentially underwater) if things go wrong. Eg. it is pretty hard not to notice that no limits time increases as depth decreases (don't laugh, I've come across people not all that clear on that!).
So although it simplifies the process, my feeling is that it could lead to less informed divers, which from a safety point of view may make it not such a great toy - though I suppose the other side of the argument is that there are so many divers out there blindly following dive guides having totally forgotten how to use an RDP (and sometimes not even a watch even if they did!), that if the e version means they have even a glimmer of a dive plan that would be better! (sorry, know that's very cynical but its one of those mornings - will be sure to smite myself, do like this karma function ;D!)

Cheers,
S
xxx

[Dive Bunnie]

Yeah that's kind of my concern too… just the fact that you can see all the figures in front of you encourages you to use common sense to subconsciously double check your results.

I know what I am like as far as calculators go… when I don't need to use m brain, I very rarely do.

Anyway, I guess time will tell.

[Dive Bunnie]

Actually will take it all back!

I have now given it a go and it really is nice n easy. It even gives you a little alert if you need to make a compulsory safety stop. It really is idot proof and saves all the stress of poring over tables trying to work out which line you are meant to be following… the main source of most mistakes in the RDP section I have found.

I just think it would have really won the case if it could calculate multilevel profiles, as that would really have made it well worth investing in. Maybe that will be the e-rdp version 2???

[Dive Bunnie]

And further to everything written above... any budding instructors and divemasters out there, you will need to have your own erdp from now on. Not only that, you will need to learn how to use it, in order to be able to teach it to your students.

[luckyliz]

This is an old thread that I'm going to enliven by saying that there is now an eRDP/ML which at £20 is an absolute bargain, is easy to use and 'me' proof (and I'm a new diver!). I still think everyone should be able to use the RDP tables manually so they can be sure they are not planning something stupid, but it makes an excellent backup to a computer and helps give you a feel for what you're doing rather than just blindly following the computer. (Bold words from a newbie, but hopefully someone more experienced than me will agree!)

[Dive Bunnie]

Hey Liz,

Yes our thoughts had been answered. I think most instructors were surprised to find that multilevel profiles could not be entered into the original erdp. And... now PADI has indeed introduced a later version that can calculate multilevel profiles, which will be sure to be a winner.

I still hold on to my views that it will make it easier for people to make glaring mistakes at the click of a button, but as I've mentioned before, it doesn't take much on the normal tables to drift onto the wrong line, or read the wrong number if you are planning repetetive dives, either of which can give you a very different reading.

But, for those who struggle with the tables, and can't afford a computer, this one should be a winner.