How religious are you keeping your dive log?

[Kidder]

I've gotten pretty bad with the book. My oceanic VT3 has awesome software with it that downloads the dives. After that logging the details is easy and just takes a couple of minutes. It remembers your normal setups and dive sites. It also shows via a graph your depths through out your dive.

[shanenurse]

I too use the VT3 (love it), but I still keep the hand written log, as I know someday will up grade the computer, I like toys, so it happens every 2-3 years, and I feel I will then loose the computer downloaded part. Guess I could back it all up to disc... hmmm

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by shanenurse

I too use the VT3 (love it), but I still keep the hand written log, as I know someday will up grade the computer, I like toys, so it happens every 2-3 years, and I feel I will then loose the computer downloaded part. Guess I could back it all up to disc... hmmm

If you stick to the same brand, your previous logs will be imported into the new software, no doubt.

If you change brands, you can go to an alternate software product like DivingLog which can import logs from nearly every computer made.

[jpep]

I keep a paper log, that I always try to get stamped/signed. I also started maintaining a log on my PC using the software from my Citizen Hyper Aqualand Dive watch in the last 2 years, that allows me to insert photos. Not sure what I will do once I get a dive computer, but I'll always keep the paper log, just in case of a hard drive crash. Wish I had kept a paper log 10 years ago, when I got back into diving after an 18 year hiatus, since I'd be able to go back and remember the old dives!

[Kidder]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

If you stick to the same brand, your previous logs will be imported into the new software, no doubt.

If you change brands, you can go to an alternate software product like DivingLog which can import logs from nearly every computer made.

That looks like a pretty good computer log. DO you think it works with a VT3? I imagine that they would have to keep up with the new models of computers though. You just can't beat having your log on your computer if you ask me. The only thing I think about is if a resort asks to see my dive log before doing a complicated dive.

[brandon]

I keep my dive log in an Excel spreadsheet. When I go on vacation, I print off the last page of dives, and print an extra page or two to take with me.

When I come home, I put the info I wrote down back into Excel.

I usually go 3-4 dives between updating my log, then I bring my dive computer home and transfer the data from it.

-B.

[lucidblue]

I download everything from my computer into the Aeris software. As soon as I get a new computer, I'm going to download a different software package that is supposed to be much better. What I'm horrible at is adding my notes from the dive. I really just need to start doing it immediately when I get home, before life drags me away from it.

I want to keep my paper log up-to-date and signed. Hopefully this new software will allow me to print pages the size of my log book and in a nice format.

[CrzyJay456]

seems like alot of people are going to digital logs now a days. i have to look in to it.
a quick question if i may...
on the computers, when you download dives, does it take them off the computer, or do you end up downloading old dives every time as well as new ones?

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by CrzyJay456

seems like alot of people are going to digital logs now a days. i have to look in to it.
a quick question if i may...
on the computers, when you download dives, does it take them off the computer, or do you end up downloading old dives every time as well as new ones?

Depends entirely on the software, I suppose, but most software is going to be smart enough to ignore dives it has already downloaded. For my Uwatec it leaves the dives on the computer (which holds ~100 dives before it starts overwriting the oldest dives) and downloads only the new ones. They're all date stamped and/or serialized somehow within the computer, so it can tell which ones are new easily. Same way your email program knows which emails are new on your mail server.

[Defman]

Download computer, print and put in a folder. I've never had a written logbook.