Scuba Diving GPS
I I have just seen an interesting website suggesting they have come up with a GPS for divers called Navimate
I If this is true then we are about to see major revolution in Diving. Can someone who knows how GPS works shed
some light on the subject. This is the site take a look and see what you think
I know several people who have made and used an "underwater" GPS. Basically you gat a land-operated GPS and encase it in a waterproof box with a plexiglass cover so you can read it. You then carry it with you at depth, releasing it to the surface with a mini SMB or with the slight positive boyancy of your waterproof case. Once it has had time to acquire sattelites and fix its position, you then drag it back down and Hey Presto, you know where you are. Doesn't work in caves, I'm told.
Now, as to WHY you would want to do such a thing, your guess is as good as mine. These are probably the same people busily laying line in the Swan River as I type this tonight; A group of numnuts with too much time on their hands, I expect.
Hello Lorima,
This is not a true underwtare GPS as the Signals from the GPS satellites won't penetrate water.
The idea is that the signal from a GPS locates the boat and then the boats has a tranceiver that sends (I presume) a sonar signal to where the diver is and thats what is received.
Thats leads to a lot of errors along the way. GPS signal is good for several meters error, sonar tranceivers have also several meters errors (due to things like water temp etc).
Would not use this as a totally accurate method of finding people or getting around. Good navigation skills and a compass work well and are far more reliable.
Regards Glen