Suggestions for Freedive Mode after update Q4 - 2.38.42
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Hello everyone,
I’ve been using the watch with the new update quite intensively and have come up with some suggestions regarding the freedive mode. Please feel free to comment or add more suggestions, and let’s hope that all this will eventually reach Suunto.
1. Customization of the Freedive Sport Mode
As is the case with most of the sport modes, I believe customization should be available for freedive mode as well. The D5 has had this feature for quite some time.2. If Customization Is Too Difficult, At Least Ensure Functionality
The surface screen after a dive (which has been present for a long time in the simpler D4) should include:
a. Surface timer
b. Previous dive depth
c. Previous dive time
d. Heart rate
I don’t understand how it’s possible for a new model from Suunto, equipped with a powerful computer system, to lack a surface time feature that calculates based on the previous dive’s depth and time.GPS Route - For Those Who Struggle With It
Last but not least, I want to address the recording of the GPS route. I struggled to understand how the GPS and gyroscope work together to record my dive route. There were many dives where only the time on the beach was recorded, and once I was in the water, everything was blank.
To record properly, it seems necessary to keep the watch frequently out of the water for about 3-5 minutes while moving . This means that every 30-40 minutes, I need to take my hand out of the water to allow the GPS to establish my position and direction. If there is no movement, the watch can find the GPS signal but cannot piece together the information accurately. The way this works is that it connects GPS positions with gyroscopic movement, so movement is essential for understanding the direction of the route.Thank you for considering these suggestions!
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@PsaRasmus-G to your third point, the “GPS route”: GPS does not work underwater, ever. It’s physically impossible to read GPS information underwater. Not just for Suunto, but for everyone. For the route underwater, Suunto uses the accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and pressure sensor to estimate a taken route. The GPS is a reference point off of the entry and exit points at best. They also state on their website that they use real dive data to train a machine learning algorithm to create such a path/relative 3D coordinates to later plot such a graph. The data, if read from the app’s data dump, is also in the form of single 3D coordinates. Assumingly, this is how the watch (and certainly also the app) stores the dive route data. Out of experience from my logged dives, the data seems fairly accurate but as with all machine learning algorithms, this can vary vastly, depending on a lot of factors.
The way I understand it is, that this is a dive feature and not meant to be used on land.
* ResearchGate - Underwater optical communications - a brief overview and recent developments illustrates the absorption of microwaves compared to visible light very well.
GPS bases on microwaves (GSSC @ ESA / European Space Agency - GPS Signal Plan) which are absorbed by water.
Hope this answers the question regarding the “GPS route” (more accurately, the “dive route”) of yours.
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@PsaRasmus-G said in Suggestions for Freedive Mode after update Q4 - 2.38.42:
GPS Route - For Those Who Struggle With It
Last but not least, I want to address the recording of the GPS route. I struggled to understand how the GPS and gyroscope work together to record my dive route. There were many dives where only the time on the beach was recorded, and once I was in the water, everything was blank.
To record properly, it seems necessary to keep the watch frequently out of the water for about 3-5 minutes while moving . This means that every 30-40 minutes, I need to take my hand out of the water to allow the GPS to establish my position and direction. If there is no movement, the watch can find the GPS signal but cannot piece together the information accurately. The way this works is that it connects GPS positions with gyroscopic movement, so movement is essential for understanding the direction of the route.Although my comment refers to Vertical, but the idea is similar and I recognize the same problem. What’s worse, it affects disciplines such as open water swimming and snorkeling, that is, activities practically on the surface of the water. Until last summer, everything was ok, and I join the suggestion to take a look at this problem.
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You’re absolutely right—having customization options for the freedive mode would significantly enhance usability, just like the D5 offers. It’s great to see that Suunto is continually evolving its products, and this feature would be a valuable addition. Your points about the surface screen data are well taken. Including a surface timer, previous dive depth, time, and heart rate is essential for divers to monitor their performance effectively. It is very annoying that we have now to change between screens… It’s surprising that these features are missing in the newer model, and I hope Suunto considers integrating them soon. I was struggling to understand the GPS routing, your experience looks very useful, i will try it with the first chance.
Let’s hope they reach Suunto and lead to further improvements in future updates. -
@Flops my friend we talk about different stuff…
I refer to freediving path being on the surface.
Swimming from spot to spot. A 2d path on the map. And you refer to underwater 3d path.
Being Underwater obviously you cannot take your hand out of the water, right? Please read again my post.
