First Dives with Uwatec's Galileo Sol

Let us know if Robert Shaw has anything interesting to report...

Very disappointing. Here is his reply to my email:

"Currently the problems that you are encountering with Jtrak are

well known. The Jtrak software unfortunately is not fully compatible

with the Galileo at this time. Our software engineers are working on a

fix, but I do not have a completion date at this time. We have currently

removed Jtrak from our website, please check back at www.scubapro.com

once in a while for a new Jtrak version that will be more Galileo

friendly. The SmartTrak to Jtrak import issue will also be fixed in

newer versions of Jtrak. The current setup you are running with XP via

bootcamp and or parallels is the only way to currently interface your

Mac with your Galileo sol. "

I have been receiving this same "working on a fix but no date" message about JTrak from Uwatec / Scubapro for over 2 years now. I guess they have abandoned us Mac-using scuba divers. I think that they are making a mistake.

Regards

Peter

Peter,

Have been using Smart Trak in Parallels on my MacBook Pro and I am very pleased with it. It works just fine with my Galileo and my wifes Smart Tec (knock on wood).

Elmer

I have been receiving this same "working on a fix but no date" message about JTrak from Uwatec / Scubapro for over 2 years now. I guess they have abandoned us Mac-using scuba divers. I think that they are making a mistake.

While I certainly agree with your sentiment, and wish they would correct it, the fact remains that SmartTrak still works just fine under Parallels, so you're perfectly capable of fully exploiting your Galileo. They haven't abandoned you, they've just abandoned your preferred method of utilizing your platform of choice.

Not that this is a good excuse.

It's still a GREAT computer, though.

Jtrak was removed from the scubapro site because the manufacturer of the IR device changed versions on Scubapro and that IR would not communicate for MAC and the Galileo. Jtrak can still be found if you don't wish to run a windows version. You can contact them and they will send out a copy, but because of the problem with them new version of the IR device, they have pulled it from the site as to try and avoid customer complaints. The previous model IR device (lipstick USB style) worked just fine with Jtrak, only the most recent model does not. Besides the version #, you can tell the difference externally, but too much to go into here. There are some of the IR models available in Europe that work well, the US is out of luck for the time being, though Windows users are still compatible. This is a case of one company being at the mercy of a change from another partner.

Alex, I would try a different battery. CR2450. The SONY and PANASONIC's seem to be bit better versions than the other's I seen. PM me if you need additional help, I know Scubapro/Uwatec very well. It is very rare for those transmitters to have problems unrelated to the battery.

My heart-rate monitor finally died - or I am superfit at 62 with a heart-rate that can exceed 250 bpm.

My heart-rate monitor finally died - or I am superfit at 62 with a heart-rate that can exceed 250 bpm.

250 bpm is a little racy...

Apparently the battery in the heart-rate monitor is rated at 2500 hours (probably about 2000 hours). That includes all the time that it is damp enough for a contact to made between the two sensors (eg soaking after diving, in a wet dive bag, drying out in your on-board locker, strapped to a sweaty chest, etc)

Are you going to buy a new heart-rate monitor? If so, please let us know how you go about getting one.

Regards

Peter

Are you going to buy a new heart-rate monitor? If so, please let us know how you go about getting one.

I say this without looking or trying, but I strongly suspect the blokes at your local gym can answer the question pretty easily, since Polar heart rate monitors are pretty standard gear there.

My wireless transmitted died en route to the Red Sea for my last trip. I suspect damage in transit. Annoyingly it worked at the Scubapro diving day the week before and was dead from day 1 of a two week trip in Egypt. I was able to pick up other people's transmitters - so I suspect damage. Tried changing it to the other HP port on my MK25T, as a friend who had one that stopped working found it was the high pressure port that was blocked. I was able to borrow a contents gauge, though.

New battery fixed my transmitter, although going flat in 6 months/200 dives is a little quicker than expected. Working fine again now. Gonna carry a spare battery for it from now on.

Alex

New battery fixed my transmitter. Gonna carry a spare battery for it from now on. Alex

BTW, the Galileo Luna will pair with the same transmitter. Spare battery always recommended. Cheap and easy fix.

Wrist unit batteries are harder to find than the transmitter batteries. Keep in mind...

Bit off topic regarding the latest discussion - but an update on my experience.

 

I got my Galileo at the end of November, so I have had it for a little over 6 months. In that time I have done 197 dives with it. On my last trip the battery started to show one bar less than full. Does anyone have any tips on when it might need replacing? As we know from cameras - sometimes when batteries start to go sometimes they last for ages, other times die quickly.

 

My wireless transmitted died en route to the Red Sea for my last trip. I suspect damage in transit. Annoyingly it worked at the Scubapro diving day the week before and was dead from day 1 of a two week trip in Egypt. I was able to pick up other people's transmitters - so I suspect damage. Tried changing it to the other HP port on my MK25T, as a friend who had one that stopped working found it was the high pressure port that was blocked. I was able to borrow a contents gauge, though.

 

We've got the Scottish Scubapro day this weekend - so I'll get it looked at and report what the fault was.

 

Alex

Alex looking at my logs I reckon I got between 26 and 50 dives before I had to change the battery for a total of 326 dives.

Alex looking at my logs I reckon I got between 26 and 50 dives before I had to change the battery for a total of 326 dives.

Meaning you got 26-50 dives out of it, or meaning you got 326 dives?

26-50 dives from the first bar disappearing on the battery indicator. It was spread over two dive trips so I really wasn't lfollowing it too much.

I got 326 dives from the computer before I had to change the battery.

26-50 dives from the first bar disappearing on the battery indicator. It was spread over two dive trips so I really wasn't lfollowing it too much.

I got 326 dives from the computer before I had to change the battery.

Interesting, I have just over 100 dives on mine, and IIRC, the battery meter is still reading as a completely full charge.

You misunderstand me. I had about 276 dives before the first bar disappeared.

From the first bar disappearing to the computer refusing to dive as the battery life was too short was 326.

Thanks, PIG004. That is very useful information.

My Galileo died, but I was able to revive it. Apparently I did not rinse it properly upon leaving Little Cayman and when I was packing today for a Galapagos trip I found it was dead. The 3 buttons were stuck and apparently this turned on the computer thus draining the battery. Soaked it in fresh water to unstick the buttons and changed the battery, now all is well. Even with a dead battery it did not lose its data, was able to download my last dive trip. Only the time and date needed to be reset. I had 172 dives on it and the battery was still fully charged in Little Cayman.

Elmer

You misunderstand me. I had about 276 dives before the first bar disappeared.

From the first bar disappearing to the computer refusing to dive as the battery life was too short was 326.

OH, so nearly 600 dives before computer needed a battery change to function. Got it. Sorry so dense.

OH, so nearly 600 dives before computer needed a battery change to function. Got it. Sorry so dense.

Finally he gets it!

Usually If something weird happens I'll post it here for you guys.

I completed dive 442 and during my accent my tank pressure went down to 40 bar so my reserve alarm went off. No problem with that but when I inflated my SMB the remaining bottom time calculation went to 0 minutes and the alarm went off for that also.

Strange thing the alarms won't turn off.

I got on the boat and the alarms were still blaring. I pushed all the buttons and even put on a new tank which didn't stop it. Weird thing was the computer was responsive to the new 200 bar tank pressure but not to any button commands and it was also no longer in dive mode??

Anyhow I was about to remove the battery when I decided to see if it would enter dive mode. I dunked it in the sea and the alarms quit and it performed fine for my remaining 25 dives.

Gremlins!

Usually If something weird happens I'll post it here for you guys.

 

I completed dive 442 and during my accent my tank pressure went down to 40 bar so my reserve alarm went off. No problem with that but when I inflated my SMB the remaining bottom time calculation went to 0 minutes and the alarm went off for that also.

Strange thing the alarms won't turn off.

I got on the boat and the alarms were still blaring. I pushed all the buttons and even put on a new tank which didn't stop it. Weird thing was the computer was responsive to the new 200 bar tank pressure but not to any button commands and it was also no longer in dive mode??

Anyhow I was about to remove the battery when I decided to see if it would enter dive mode. I dunked it in the sea and the alarms quit and it performed fine for my remaining 25 dives.

 

Gremlins!

Never seen a bug like this one. On multilevel reef dives, I often get into tank reserve and zero RBT, but only in the last shallow part of the dive. I have set my "tank reserve" to 35 bar and "tank reserve warning off" to shallower than 6 meters. Once on the safety stop has stopped beeping every time to date.

Have you uploaded any new firmware lately?

Regards

Peter