Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] The Abyss Communication Unit

["Andrew Goldstein" <ag@desertstar.com>]

Brent,

Desert Star has built some digital acoustic comms systems.  There are a bunch of companies that make
acoustic modems (linkquest, DSS, benthos, etc.) A couple of points:

Jay et. all are correct in that it is almost impossible to beat the utilliy of voice comms.  Human brains are very good a processing
even very distorted garbled speech.

That being said there are a few cases where non voice comms can be usefull (as long as they dont interfere with the voice comms.)

To continuously telemeter data to the surface is sometimes useful.  Datum like Bat voltage, Air supply, Depth etc.
Of course you can also do this by just including a periodic report on your voice comms as standard operating procedure.

You can also make up a predefined list Messages and then only need to send one or a few bytes of data.  Things like OK, Reached Operating Depth, Being Attached by a Shark, etc.

Having to type out messages on a keypad quickly becomes unworkable, esp. for a diver.  But a sub pilot also has his hands full with other
tasks.  

But again if you do want a device to do these kinda things it would be an acoustic modem.  

-a



-----Original message-----
From: Brent Hartwig brenthartwig@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:50:10 -0700
To: PSUBSorg personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] The Abyss Communication Unit

> 
> Hi Jon and Jay,  I would also prefer to have a simpler basic voice communication SCUBA type system if it is reasonably priced and has as good as or better range then the type of soft TDD unit I was thinking about. I have a hearing impaired Uncle that is very interested in piloting my sub and being a big part of the surface crew as well. So I have a special need in this case. I would also have a SCUBA type or the type David is working on for my primary communication unit. But having the other unit as well could be used as a back up unit.
>  
> In the movie the Abyss towards the end, they sent a diver down really deep to defuse the nuke, and he had to use a special liquid to breath, so he couldn't talk.  So they used a typing device like I'm thinking about.  Is that a real unit, and if so what is that unit called?




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