Cochran EMC-20H

[sobfrogg]

The shop I work with gve me an Cochran EMC-20h to play with.

I am looking for +/- thoughts and input. I am just reading the Manuals and starting to play with it. I will have it in the water on Thursday nights dive.

Thanks in Advance

Scott

[theskull]

Hi Scott,

What timing with your question. On my recent trip with Joel Silverstein, who is a big proponent of the Cochran, I got to dive with 2 buddies who were using the Cochran and discussed it's features at length (we had a LOT of surface interval) while also playing with the software. This was the first time I had dived with anyone who owned a Cochran. I use the DiveRite Nitek HE and most of my buddies dive the HS Explorer or VR3.

Pluses:
*You program the Cochran in advance with your gases and what depth you will be switching, then go dive and the Cochran will make the switches at the appropriate depths without prompt. So you don't have to press a button once during the dive, but you darn well better make the gas switches when you told it you would.
*During the dive the display flashes back and forth between current time/depth and total deco time/ceiling so, again, you don't have to press any buttons while diving.
*The unit also is very small and easy to wear yet has large easy-to-read numbers, and is very simple to operate. My buddy on my first dive had one handed to him to try out on our dive and he used it with no difficulty--what other multi-gas computer could you do that with?
*The deco alogorithm matches up with the Nautilus software, so your planned tables will match your in-water read-outs.
*The conservatism factor has a wide range of settings, and the way my buddies had theirs set they could have surfaced a full 8 minutes sooner than I could have from our 210 foot 18 minute bottom-time dive.
Minuses:
*My buddies could have surfaced a full 8 minutes sooner than me! Of course, you could change the conservatism factor or just stay in the water a little longer if you're a more cautious diver as am I.
*You must invest some time in programming it before the dive, and I believe you need to have a laptop there with you to accomplish this--I could be wrong on this one, but it is the way all the guys using it on my trip did it.
*It is going to make the gas switch at the preset depth, whether that turns out to be convenient (or possible) for you or not. So if you don't switch when it does, you need to be aware of that fact and double your required stops.

If you have any more difficult questions I know Joel would love to respond to them. You could post them on TheDecoStop.com for him and the rest of that resource to respond to, or you could contact Joel at Tech Diving Limited in AZ.

theskull

[nauifins73]

Interesting info. I have a Cochran but haven't had a chance to really dive with it. I have a Uwatec that I am used to. I haven't taken the time to switch or "get used to" the Cochran. I have heard a lot of cons about the Cochran that maybe why I haven't taken the plunge to using it.

Now I have an Atom 2 on order - 3 computers is that enough? :D

[MgicTwnger]

Now I have an Atom 2 on order - 3 computers is that enough? :D
Enough is never enough!

[sobfrogg]

Thanks for the info.
I am very eager to get into the water with the Cochran. This unit was handed to me by one of our distributers to try.
He knows I have not started trimix yet but it is comming. I am just waiting till my new little dive buddie gets more time on some deep dives.
The thing I like about it is even if you are just starting out and diving on air all the basic Cochran needs is a programing change. No need to buy a new one. Tha could have saved me some cash.

As i dive it I will post my results.

Thanks for the reply
Scott

[M&P+4]

Now I have an Atom 2 on order - 3 computers is that enough? :D

too much is just right!

[sobfrogg]

I got tho play with the new computer last night. Granted they were shallow air dives, but a dive is a dive. Any reason to leave work early :)

So far I like it. Once you get used to programing it(the right sequence of finger and coin taps), it is by far one of the easiest computers I have gotten a chance to play with. This is the first wrist mount computer I have used. I LIKE IT, Boy is it easy to read. The red back light is not blinding.
I will get to go deeper w/ some eanx in a couple of weeks. Me and the twins :)

[nauifins73]

Twins? - lots of things come to mind. :)

[DeepDiverBob]

3 computers is that enough? :D

At one point a few months ago, I had an Air Z, Smart Z, VR3 and Nitek HE, and was still looking at options.

He (or she) who dives with the most toys wins!!!!

[sobfrogg]

:) Twin 80's