forum.heinrichsweikamp.com

Hi,
I've just started using my OSTC Plus and I'm running it in parallel with my old Suunto Vytec until I'm comfortable. I'm running it with GF 40/70 as deep stops are largely frowned upon these days but I want to be quite conservative.

Did my first deco dive to 37m and noticed the OSTC's NDL went to 0 while the Vytec still had 14 minutes of no deco time. I headed for surface when the Vytec got to zero. Both computers got me out of the water at about the same time, the OSTC was a minute quicker, which is what I wanted. But I'm curious why the NDL on the OSTC ended so early? Is the OSTC tracking fast tissues which are not important as they clear while ascending?

Also I've noticed after 4 dives I've got a few scratches on the OSTC screen. Are there covers available for the OSTC plus?

Ron.

Hi Ron,

Your OSTC Plus very likely already has a protective sheet installed.

NDL: The OSTC uses all 16 compartments for the NDL calculations. It's always hard to compare the OSTC's GF Bühlman Algorithm with the RGBM Voodoo from other manufacturers. When comparing to other GF-algorithms (Like Shearwater) you'll notice they they are almost identical to each other.

40/70 is very conservative. Not a big surprise that the OSTC went into deco much faster then the Suunto.

Regards,
Matthias

Matthias,
Thank you for the prompt reply.

Protective sheet - I think you may be correct. What seemed to be a scratch appears to have gone?

NDL - Voodoo has worked for me for the last 15+ years. It just surprised me how quickly the NDL went down. My "normal" dive plan is swim around until I have a few minutes of deco then come up. The deco doesn't normally go down as much on the way up. Guess I'll need a new plan.


3) Conservatism - Yes I was planning to start off quite conservative, I'm old & fat, although not as fat as I was. Yet the OSTC got me out of the water quicker than the Vytec with no conservatism. I did some modelling on Suunto DM and Subsurface to see what worked out about the same. I may try 50/70 to get shallower even quicker.

Thanks,

Ron.

NDL and conservatism are directly linked, I believe you know that?
Try 40/80 instead of 50/70. That will give you more NDL.