Catalogue

Now we will have a closer look at the controls and display. Suunto Zoop has 3 control buttons on the user interface console.

This Suunto computer has 2 bar graphs that are shared between functions and show information according to mode you are in certain situation. These Bar Graphs have similar meaning as in Suunto Cobra and Vyper dive computers.

Left side bar graph is shared between Mode Indication, Consumed Bottom Time (similar meaning to Nitrogen Tissue Loading Bar Graphs in Aeris and Oceanic dive computers) and Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) displays:

1. Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph – it is graphic representation of No-Decompression Time that you have. As you stay longer and go deeper – your body absorbs nitrogen more and this bar graph adds new segment each time your No-Decompression time decreases. It has 3 coloured zones – white, yellow, and red. As these colours tell you – white zone – you are in No-Decompression zone, yellow zone – it is time for you to start ascending (still No-Decompression), and red zone – Decompression dive;
2. Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph – represents oxygen toxicity level when diving with Nitrox;
3. Mode Indication – shows us certain segments when we are in corresponding mode of operation

Right side bar graph is shared between Ascent Rate, Battery Status, and Logbook Page Indexing:

1. Ascent Rate Bar Graph – it is your ascent speedometer, if you ascent faster than allowed – speedometer will give you all set of segments with message SLOW and audio alarm;
2. Battery Status Bar Graph – all 4 segments mean that battery is OK, and less number of them means that battery needs your attention or replacement;
3. Logbook Page Indexing – when you view your log pages this indicator shows you corresponding page numbers of the logbook by displaying certain segments one after another from top segment to bottom segment

Setting up Suunto Zoop for operations is made really easy and intuitive – as it’s made streamlined – there are not many functions to set up and they are all accessible from Plan mode (for planning our next dive) and Set mode – menu based mode where all parameters are actually can be set.

During the set up following functions are available for customization:

• Altitude Program setting: A0(0 – 300 meters)/A1(300 – 1500 meters)/A2(1500 – 3000 meters);
• Personal Conservative Factor setting: P0/P1/P2 – to make this dive computer progressively more conservative;
• Dive Time alarm – ON/OFF or adjust at the range of 1 – 999 minutes;
• Max Depth alarm – ON/OFF or adjustable at range of 3 – 100 meters (factory preset for 40 meters);
• FO2 – 21% - 50%;
• PO2 – 1.2 – 1.6 bar;
• Time Mode settings: time, date;
• units;
• Dive Mode: Air or Nitrox

To access Dive Planner – just press PLAN button during Surface mode. When we did that – dive computer calculates and your No-Decompression limits at range 9 – 45 meters in 3 meters increments in accordance with nitrogen and oxygen absorption from previous dives, if you have any.

Just before diving we activate desirable Dive mode and Suunto Zoop does pre-checks. At this time we need to check the correct settings as well, like Altitude and Personal Conservative Factor settings, correct values for FO2 and PO2, etc.

Suunto ZOOP: Diving With Air & Nitrox

Copy this Suunto ZOOP NO-DECO Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!

To make a Bookmark of your dive profile – just press PLAN button. This Suunto dive computer saves data in its memory and later we may view it and download to PC.

If you ascend faster than allowable maximum – dive computer will give you message SLOW, beeps, and all segments on Ascent Rate Bar Graph.

At certain conditions Suunto Zoop may give you Safety Stop prompt.
This Suunto dive computer displays 2 types of Safety Stops (like other Suunto dive computers): Recommended and Mandatory. If we miss Recommended Safety Stop – there will no be penalty time applied, but Mandatory Safety Stop must be completed.

Mandatory Safety Stop prompted if you are continuously ascending faster than allowable maximum. If you miss Mandatory Safety Stop by any reason – you will get shorter No-Decompression time for the next dive.

For diving with Nitrox we have to set exact values for FO2 and PO2. After we did that – activate Nitrox dive mode, Suunto Zoop will show you values entered and maximum operational depth, according to FO2 and PO2 you set before. Make sure – everything is correct and we are ready to dive with Nitrox then!

In Nitrox mode, dive computer displays similar information to Air dive, but with few differences, related to diving with Nitrox only:

• Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph is replaced by Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph on the main display and OLF shows us oxygen toxicity level ( CBT Bar Graph is shown on the alternative display);
• FO2 value;
• High PO2 alarm (if conditions exist);
• High OLF alarm (if conditions exist)

To see alternative display with more information - just press TIME button and you will get following:

• current time;
• Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph instead of Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph

If you exceed your No-Decompression Limits (NDLs) – Suunto Zoop will activate Decompression mode. During decompression you will be prompted to complete one or few decompression stops at the certain range of depths.

All Suunto dive computers have Continuous Decompression feature that allows us to perform decompression within the certain range of depths. It starts from the ‘floor’ (deepest depth where deco stop time won’t increase) to the ‘ceiling’ (shallowest depth) and decompression is done between them.

During Decompression mode we will have following data displayed (display layout is very similar to other models of Suunto dive computers):

• guiding arrows (for your correct ceiling depth and ceiling zone);
• Ascent Time in minutes (total time to surface, including time to reach the correct ceiling, time to stop at the ceiling, Mandatory Safety Stop (if any), time to surface after ceiling);
• Ceiling depth and ceiling zone;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• max depth reached during a dive;
• temperature;
• applicable icons and notations

If you missed correct decompression ceiling and ascended above it, dive computer would give you an audio alarm with corresponding icons, your current depth and ceiling depth, and Error notation. It means that you have only 3 minutes to correct you position and return to ceiling depth displayed or a bit below.

If you continue to violate decompression – Suunto Zoop will go into permanent Error Mode and will work as a depth gauge and timer only. If you get that - you should avoid diving for at least 48 hours if you don’t want to meet Decompression Chamber, which costs around USD$ 300 per hour!

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As we finished our diving test, we have found out that Suunto Zoop is very easy to use underwater and it has all the tools to manage decompression stops perfectly!

It is time to review our Logbook, check out History, and if we got PC data cable and Suunto Dive Manager (SDM) installed on our PC – download dive profile to computer.

You will find all of those functions in Memory mode. Below I gave short descriptions each of them:

1. Dive Profile Memory and Logbook – very detailed history of approximately 50 diving hours with sampling rate of 30 seconds and contains 4 pages of diving data;
2. History is a summary of all your dives. It stores information of 999 dives and 999 diving hours and shows the maximum depth reached, total number of dives, and total dive hours;
3. PC downloading – optional feature that allows us to download data to PC and then organize it, view and print logs and diving profiles

Suunto ZOOP: What Divers Say

As we saw from our test dives and users’ reviews – Suunto Zoop is user friendly and streamlined dive equipment. Very easy to set up and has all necessary features to make our dives safe and enjoyable! Large display area and its intuitive layout showed clear digits, and it worked great with SPG in console. Not very conservative and precise measurements.

Suunto Zoop	Dive-Computer-Wizard Rating

Suunto Zoop is for those guys who just entered world of scubadiving; also it may be used as a backup dive computer, or by those divers who don’t want and don’t need to spend money for additional features like integrated compasses, wireless air-integration, and multigas options.