While having somebody talking in your ear throughout a dive might be annoying, if you're a new student, an underwater researcher, into search-and-rescue, or just really crazy about the guy driving the boat, you might be interested in Aquacom's SSB-2010 transceiver. A 3 watt, multichannel single sideband underwater telephone, the SSB-2010 can be configured to operate with virtually any style full face mask or mouth mask.

Divers can use the transceivers to talk to one another underwater. Alternatively, with the addition of a CDK-6 Surface Accessory Kit, the SSB-2010 is easily converted into a portable surface station.

If you're unhappy with underwater hand signals, and you'd like to learn how to communicate more effectively with your dive buddy while underwater, you might be interested in Sea Signs. Based on American Sign Language (ASL) and approved by most major SCUBA certifying agencies, Sea Signs has a vocabulary chosen especially for divers. Through classwork, video presentations, PDFs, and flash cards, divers can learn more than 100 signs for dive-related words like vomit, nudibranch, tired, and shark. (Incidentally, according to Sea Signs, the commonly-used hand gesture for shark is actually an obscene word in ASL! Oops.) For a taste of what Sea Signs is all about, check out their Sign of the Week.

[Thanks, Blue Sam!]

If you plan to be in the Seattle area late next month, you might want to stop by Underwater Sports' 28th Annual Divers Fair sale. Scheduled for the weekend of July 28-30, customers can save up to 50% on every imaginable kind of dive gear from companies like Atomic, Apollo, Atlan, Cetacea, DeepSee, DiveRite, DUI, Harvey's, High Tide, Ikelite, JBL, Light & Motion, Mares, McNett, Northern Diver, Oceanic, OMS, O'Neill, PADI, Pelican, ScubaPro, SeaLife, Sea & Sea, SeaSoft, Stahlsac, Trident, USIA, Underwater Kinetics, Viking, XS Scuba, and Zeagle.

According to Calvin Tang, who attended last year's event, "this is honestly, hands down, the best time and place to gear up - especially if you've recently got into scuba." In fact, this year's sale features over 100,000 items, including thousands of regulators, thousands of suits, thousands of computers, and hundreds of tanks. Calvin claims the best part of the event is that all the reps show up to answer questions and to demonstrate their equipment.

Sadly for me, the Fair couldn't be much farther away and still be in the same country. This is too bad, especially since I dropped my reg off to be serviced this week. Upon seeing my vintage Dacor unit, the repairman's eyes popped out of his head and he reminded me that Dacor's replacement parts are hard to come by. Depending on the news he gives me, it may be time to buy a new reg. I could certainly use one at 50% off. Maybe Calvin can buy me one and ship it to me.

The 26^th Annual London International Dive Show is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2, in London 's ExCel Exhibition Center. There will be over 260 exhibitors in attendance. Moreover, the Show will feature talks ranging from discussions of Baltic Wrecks to the Future of Diving. Among the many speakers at the Show will be the Chatterton/Kohler duo; John Boyle; Monty Halls; and Jean-Michel Cousteau. Ticket prices run 7.50GBP per day and gain you entrance to the exhibition halls and the guest speakers. That's a great deal.

[Thanks, Drew!]

Unless you're a dolphin, a Scientologist, or have some kind of underwater communication device, there is no easy way to communicate with your dive buddy underwater. Consequently, we resort to the next best thing, which usually involves gesturing in some fashion that makes perfect sense to you, but that suggests to your buddy that you're narc'ed.

In an effort to minimize misunderstanding and to ensure smooth communication no matter what language you speak, the member organizations of the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) - which includes IDEA, PADI, PDIC, SDI, SSI, and the YMCA - have recently approved a standardized set of underwater hand signals. Conveniently, they have produced a clear (PDF) outlining the most important hand signals to know. Initially, I was annoyed that I knew all the signals. For some reason, I wanted to discover some new, innovative signal that would revolutionize the way I dive. Alas, it did not happen. Upon further reflection, however, I was pleased that I knew all the signals, because it proved once again that I am a genius that I am more capable of writing for Divester than any of you that I am at least semi-competent.

But don't ask my wife.

[Via Dive News Wire]

Swedish company PING manufactures the MKII Mobile dive-phone (PDF), the only commercially available wireless dive phone to utilize Frequency Modulation (FM) instead of the more common Single Side Band (SSB). Originally intended for INTERSPIRO's full face masks (PDF) - generally used by haz-mat officials - PING makes adapters to integrate this underwater communications device into other masks, as well.

The housing for the MKII Mobile Dive-Phone is made of anodized aluminum and polymer composites. The unit has excellent speech quality, is push-to-talk operated, and features a water resistant microphone and a bone-conduction earphone. It also comes standard with rechargeable NiMH batteries and a charger. An optional surface unit with headset for a dive tender (PDF) is also available. The fully functional MKII runs 7500 Swedish Kroner (which is under $1000.)

[Via X-Ray Mag]

If you're in the Boston area this weekend, don't forget to check out the Boston Sea Rovers' 52nd Annual Clinic, hosted by one of the premiere dive organizations in the world. Packed with diverse and interesting daytime seminars - ranging from The Macro World of St. Vincent to Murder on the High Seas to Why Divers Die - and an evening film festival hosted by Philippe Cousteau and showcasing Wes Skiles, Stan Waterman, Howard and Michelle Hall, and others, the weekend event sounds like it'll be as informative as it is fun.

The Sea Rovers also offer a variety of workshops, so you can get your learning on; a number of exhibitors, so you can get your spending on; and some activities for kids, so you can get your relaxation on. Tickets run $25 per day, or $40 for a two-day pass. (Fees for workshops - like those offered by Berkley White, James Wiseman, and Eric Cheng - are extra.) Gosh, I wish Boston were closer to me, so I could go!

The Scub-Alert is an underwater horn that uses tiny pulses of air - delivered via your inflator hose - to rapidly vibrate a steel disk. When that disk vibrates, it generates a loud "quacking" sound. In this way, the Scub-Alert allows you to signal your dive buddy simply by pressing a button. Or call some ducks. Considering the range of the horn on the surface is 0.25 to 0.5 mile, you'd be wise to note the warning: "Horn is very loud above water. Keep away from ears at all times." You can have your own ear-piercing horn for around $55.

The same company also manufactures the Inflat-Alert, which combines the power inflator and the Scub-Alert into a single unit. Using this combination device eliminates the need for an extra length of hose that the Scub-Alert adds to your L/P inflator configuration. 

Related: 

Buzz Your Buddy With A ScuBuzz 

Underwater Noisemakers

I visited OceanFest last spring. I had a really good time, and I saw lots of cool dive equipment and products. This year's show is scheduled for April 21-23, in Ft. Lauderdale. Featuring over 200 dive and "adventure sports" related exhibits under giant tents right on the beach, a daily pass costs $9, and gains you access to a number event and of seminars. (Personally, I'm itching to listen to Marty Snyderman's underwater photography tips, and I'd like to hear some information about Saving the Reefs of Southeast Florida.) According to Dive Newswire, with only two months until the doors open, OceanFest 2006 is anticipating an early booth sell out and is poised to break previous attendance records. I'm looking forward to going. Anybody want to meet me?

[Via Dive-Spots]

If you're looking for an underwater noisemaker, maybe you want check out the SCUBuzz, an underwater signaling device worn like a wristwatch. Sold as a pair, the SCUBuzz is a two-way ultrasonic radio transmitter/receiver that connects two people - even if one is on the surface. To buzz your buddy, press the button and it signals the person (with vibrations and lights) wearing the mate to your pair. I'm not sure I'm crazy about the vibrating and the lights - I'd probably have a heart attack when I got SCUBuzzed the first time! - but I do like the idea of not wondering whether the rapping I hear is my buddy, someone else's buddy, or the gills of the fast-approaching shark. A pair of SCUBuzzes retails for $300.

Related:

Underwater Noisemakers

Whistles for Scuba Diving 

[Via X-Ray Mag]

[Thanks, Drew!]

Evidently, Vicky Roberts had a similar issue with her scuba gear. She believes that as people upgrade their equipment, they wind up with surplus equipment that is still quite usable. According to the Cheshire Online, Vicky's research found that bidding and auctions tend be a turn-off, so she set up Scuba Kit Market for people to buy and sell their gear. The website doesn't use auctions, bidding, or charge a commission (unless you sell an item). Rather, the price you see is the price you pay and includes delivery and VAT. (Yes, the site is based in the UK.) There isn't a ton of gear on the website yet, but I think this sounds like a cool way to buy (selected) gear, although, frankly, I'd be wary about purchasing certain used gear, online. A little cautious investigation might reveal some good deals, however.

Manufacturing recalls happen all the time, some you can ignore, some you can't . I always like to take a look at Scuba equipment recalls, mainly because scuba diving equipment is Life Support equipment and when you think of it that way, you don't want to screw around life support equipment. Some of these are old, some more recent but this list is mainly for you who have never stopped to think that anything other than cars, tires, or coffee makers could have a recall.

The HALCYON BCD Stainless Steel Power Inflator is one that I own and stopped using after it kept auto-inflating at depth. At time of the recall, they didn't have enough in stock, so I replaced it with an old plastic one and forgot about it, until today. Maybe I'll dig it out of the scuba shed and send it back.

Water Talkies are battery-less, wireless mouthpieces for talking underwater. Placing a Water Talkie over your mouth allows you to talk underwater and to be heard from up to 15 feet away. Tie them to the hang bar, and you can shout, "Look out! Shark!" and point and laugh at your friend when he gets scared. At least until he hits the inflate button on your BC and sends you shooting to the surface. A pair runs $12.