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14

Limits of diving computers 

The computer takes into consideration the most updated safety guide lines, nevertheless, it is always necessary to know 
that such studies are theoretical and elaborated to reduce, not to avoid, the risk of Decompression Sickness (DCS).

At the moment, the Hyperbaric Medicine doesn’t allow to eliminate totally the risk of DD.

Care and Maintenance 

• Keep the computer clean and dry. DO NOT expose the computer to chemical agents, alcohol included.

To clean the computer, use exclusively fresh water, removing all salt sediments. Leave the computer dry naturally, without 
using cold or warm air jets.  

• Do not expose the computer to the sun directly or to heat sources higher than 50°C. Store the computer in a fresh 
(5°C-25°C) and dry place.

• Do not attempt to open, modify or repair the computer by yourself. You must always address to a RATIO dealer. 

• Do not put the computer inside a hyperbaric chamber.

The computer is designed for a reading precision of  +/- 2% 
(the precision level required by the EC laws is +/- 3.5%. )

Summary of Contents for iX3M Easy

Page 1: ...1 GPS edition Pro edition iX3M User Manual iX3M Easy iX3M Deep iX3M Tech iX3M Reb Warning This manual is valid only for iX3M updated to OS 4 0 44 or above ver 4 02 ...

Page 2: ... installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determin...

Page 3: ...send a message writing iX3M to the following address update ratio computers com This service is highly recommended and it is completely free of charge For further support have a look at the tutorial videos soon available on www ratio computers com For assistance by mail write to support ratio computers com ...

Page 4: ...ining organization The dive computer is an auxiliary instrument to the dive it is compulsory having always an appropriate diving chart in order to carry out the decompression phase in case the device is malfunctioning for any reason To completely understand the terminology used in this manual and the functions of the dive computer a proper diving training is required ...

Page 5: ...5 Think Green If possible do not print this manual Use your tablet or your PC to consult it ...

Page 6: ...creen 26 The RATIO iX3M Menu 27 MAIN MENU 28 DIVE SET 1 29 DIVE SET 1 for RATIO iX3M Easy and iX3M Deep 30 DIVE SET 1 for RATIO iX3M Tech iX3M Reb 32 DIVE SET 2 33 Deco Stop for RATIO iX3M Tech iX3M Reb 34 CCR Settings for RATIO iX3M Tech iX3M Reb 35 MIX Table 36 Diving with more than 1 mix 37 Diluent Table for RATIO iX3M Tech iX3M Reb 38 SENSE BOARD Sensor Board 39 ALARM Dive Alarms 40 NDL Non De...

Page 7: ...follow the instructions in the picture on the left 50 SWITCH OFF Manual switching off 51 Compass The RATIO iX3M during the dive 53 Dive Screen 53 Main Data 56 Current dive s profile 56 Tissues saturation when diving 57 Decompression Chart 58 Compass when diving 59 Applications when diving 60 Mix change during the dive 61 Settings change during the dive 62 Mix change during the dive 63 Change Conse...

Page 8: ...and technical dives The RATIO iX3M computer includes decompressive algorithms supporting according to the different models Air Nitrox iX3M Easy Normoxic Trimix dives iX3M DEEP Trimix and CCR iX3M TECH and iX3M REB and its processor calculates in real time your dive s specific deco profile all this ensure calculation flexibility and your personal safety Check periodically the presence of possible u...

Page 9: ...ating to the diving itself Even a careful reading of this manual and the use of this device don t prevent possible dangers Anyone who doesn t know or doesn t accept consciously these risks must not dive with iX3M computer Diving has some intrinsic risks which cannot never be completely eliminated No computer or diving chart can guarantee that the risk of Decompression Sickness DCS or Oxygen toxici...

Page 10: ...ch Never share a unique computer for two divers while diving every diver must have his her device at his her wrist which can give information to him her only Never dive with a computer which has not taken into consideration the previous dives a diver made the computer calculation CANNOT use unknown data or take into consideration dives which it has not done ...

Page 11: ...d clearly Check always that settings are the ones desired Don t let the computer be manipulated by someone else before diving In this case check that settings are the ones you desire Consider that our body experience changes everyday The computer cannot take into consideration all these changes If you don t feel at your best physical conditions or if you feel physical problems don t dive Avoid all...

Page 12: ...his could be longer than the one visualised according to some parameters calculated by the computer during the whole dive Trying to ascend at the correct speed and respect the visualised depth of the stops helps to respect this time Respect always the No FLY Time never take a plane if the No FLY Time icon is still visible on the screen Remember to plan the last dive of the series taking into consi...

Page 13: ...ving received the due training Passing the PPO2 set and advised maximum limit imposes an ascent at minor depths and in case the CNS Central Nervous System has values very close to the maximum limit a reduction to O2 exposure is recommended Use the diving computer only after having read the User s Manual in all its parts making sure to have understood its functioning In case of doubts or questions ...

Page 14: ...OT expose the computer to chemical agents alcohol included To clean the computer use exclusively fresh water removing all salt sediments Leave the computer dry naturally without using cold or warm air jets Do not expose the computer to the sun directly or to heat sources higher than 50 C Store the computer in a fresh 5 C 25 C and dry place Do not attempt to open modify or repair the computer by yo...

Page 15: ...re The RATIO iX3M computer is designed to be waterproof in sea water but at the end of every dive it must be well rinsed in fresh water and it must not be dried exposing it at the direct sun light or at heat sources Make sure that there is no humidity signs inside the screen ATTENTION Do not try to open the computer for any reason Any problem turn to a RATIO authorised center or to RATIO directly ...

Page 16: ...asy and intuitive access to all settings Weight 260gr Sensor s precision warranty 130 mt 426 ft Maximum Depth 300 mt 984 ft Absolute Pressure Measure precision min max p 0 5bar 20 mbar 20 mbar p 0 10bar 40 mbar 20 mbar p 0 14bar 100 mbar 20 mbar Maximum altitude 5000 mt 16404 ft Sensor s maximum error in measuring the temperature 2 6 C Recharge the iX3M using a PS1 category EN 62368 not included S...

Page 17: ...Weather forecast Altimeter Barometer temperature Weather forecast Altimeter Barometer temperature Weather forecast Altimeter Barometer temperature Weather forecast Bluetooth iX3M Gps edition Yes iX3M Pro edition No iX3M Gps edition Yes iX3M Pro edition No iX3M Gps edition Yes iX3M Pro edition No iX3M Gps edition Yes Satellite Global positioning iX3M Gps edition Yes iX3M Pro edition No iX3M Gps edi...

Page 18: ...device first use The recharge is to be carried out by connecting the device to your PC by its USB cable or connecting it at any USB port To recharge the RATIO iX3M we recommend to use a wall USB plug like the one of your mobile tablet If you decide to use a PC USB plug deprecated make sure that the PC doesn t interrupt the electricity flow once in stand by Even if the RATIO iX3M has a new generati...

Page 19: ...ualised on the screen s left upper corner If the device is in charge and no button is pressed for more than 10 minutes the back light is reduced to the minimum to allow a faster recharge cycle If the recharge cycle is not completed the battery indicator might not be precise until the next complete recharge cycle is carried out After having installed one APP or having updated the operative system w...

Page 20: ...ery residual voltage When diving in cold or freezing waters the battery voltage may decrease more rapidly than normal So we recommend to recharge the battery before diving in extreme conditions ATTENTION when diving in cold or freezing waters 3 C recharge the device at 100 or make sure that there is at least 50 of battery power ATTENTION Diving in cold or freezing waters 3 C requires a specific tr...

Page 21: ... fields relating to the program DAN DSL Diving Safety Laboratory inside the Divelogger export them in the format DAN DL7 and send them by e mail to dsl daneurope org Give your diving profiles to the Research The profile of a dive made with a self breathing device contains extremely important information such as the time spent in the depth the ascent speed how many dives enter in decompression how ...

Page 22: ...n The RATIO iX3M switches off automatically after 10 minutes of tatal inactivity After diving the RATIO iX3M activates the Sleep mode modality after 10 minutes of inactivity it switches the screen off and deactivates all processes which are not useful for the post diving de saturation calculation ...

Page 23: ...ry almost dead recharge as soon as possible ATTENTION It is suggested to not dive if the computer shows 30 of battery Do not dive if the computer shows 20 battery Time on the top right side While diving the RATIO iX3M shows the current time Once outside the water the computer shows the second time zone you have set on top right side if different from the main one The RATIO iX3M can run up to 2 dif...

Page 24: ...pressure during the previous 18 hours The altitude changes involve an atmospheric pressure change An altitude change 50 mt may cause inaccuracies in the weather forecast After an altitude change of 50 mt the weather forecast will be reliable again after 3 5 hours at the new altitude Attention after diving the humidity in the sensor s area may compromise the weather forecast Temperature on the righ...

Page 25: ...t also be of 80m For more precise altitude measurements use the RATIO iX3M s GPS application Main time in the middle Expressed in hh mm in 24 hrs format Current Lunar phase on the right Expressed in figures it indicates the days passed from the last new moon The visible moon is indicated by an icon The lunar phases are the same all over the world Fourth line Date on the left expressed in day month...

Page 26: ...CR SET DIL TABLE ALARM PLANNER LOGBOOK SYSTEM SET MENU DISPLAY GENERAL SET PC MODE DEFAULT The RATIO iX3M Menu COMPASS SENSOR BOARD INFO SWITCH OFF APP MENU CHRONO MIX ANALYZER PITCH ROLL MOON PHASE MAGMETER GPS LUXMETER GAS BLEND COMPASS DIVE MODE b A C C D ...

Page 27: ... the menu The selected entry is indicated in red According to your RATIO iX3M model some entries might not be visualized Do you know what You can change the RATIO iX3M s menu colour titles and data from the menu DISPLAY A MAIN MENU DIVE SET 1 DIVE SET 2 DECO STOP CCR SET MIX TABLE DIL TABLE ALARM PLANNER LOGBOOK b A C D Exit ENTER UP DOWN ...

Page 28: ...t the FREE mode as main mode if at least 12 hours have passed from your last SCUBA or GAUGE dive The RATIO iX3M sets automatically the SCUBA mode if trying to force the dive with the main mode set on FREE Did you know If you want to use a different mode without changing the MODE parameter you can enter the desired mode pressing the D button in the watch screen and make a dive deeper than 2 m This ...

Page 29: ...y way Generally speaking it is recommended to increase the conservatism if you feel an excessive tiredness after your last dive A hyperbaric doctor can advice you on how to set the conservatism according to your clinic status Bühlmann Lv4 and Lv5 are usually suggested for tech dives a proper training is required Bühlmann ZHL 16 B gradients GFL GFH 0 93 93 1 90 90 2 80 80 3 75 75 4 30 90 5 20 89 mi...

Page 30: ...ical knowledge is needed DO NOT CHANGE THE GRADIENT FACTOR WITHOUT HAVING RECEIVED A SUITABLE TRAINING The RATIO iX3M is not responsible for damages to people or objects due to a wrong setting of such parametres For suggested protection levels refer to the previous page of this manual Do you know what If you have any doubts on your device s setting you can set the company s parametres from the men...

Page 31: ...r damages to people or objects due to a wrong setting of such parametres For suggested protection levels refer to the previous pages of this manual Do you know what If you have any doubts on your device s setting you can set the company s parametres from the menu DEFAULT Do you know what Generally speaking the increasing of the R0 involves your computer s conservatism increase Do you know what Wit...

Page 32: ...d out from 5 9 metres The Safety Stop is recommended only for dives deeper than 9 metres The timer is re set if the depth of 9 metres is passed again Do you know what If in the dives with deco a deco stop is set between 10 and 1 mt the Safety Stop is automatically omitted DEEP STOP It selects if use the Deep Stops and which algorithm is to be used to calculate the DEEP STOPS OFF No Deep Stop STD S...

Page 33: ... below 48mt the stops will be spaced out of 5 mt between them the stops included between 48 mt and 15 mt will be spaced out of 3 mt while the stops between 15 mt and the surface will be spaced out of 3 mt Do you know what To force the last stop to a preset depth eg 6mt you can set STEP1 6mt and DEPTH1 6mt Do you know what You can keep pressed the buttons C or D to change the iX3M data more rapidly...

Page 34: ...HtoSETPOINTMIDatDEPTH2andfromSETPOINTMIDto SETPOINTLOWatDEPTH1 MAN The Set Point have to be managed manually during the dive See Change the set point during a dive on this manual During the dive you can switch from AUTO to MAN During the dive you can NOT switch from MAN to AUTO See Change the set point during a dive on this manual Attention EnabletheRebreathermode CCR onlyfordiveswithrebreather Th...

Page 35: ...eived the specific training do not change the MIX settings and do not dive with EAN or Trimix Set mixes are considered in the decompression calculations Do not set mixes that are different from the mixes that you will use in your dive O2 It Indicates the Oxygen contained inside the mix HE It Indicates the Helium contained inside the mix ATTENTION The mix cannot be higher than 100 e g if He is 0 pr...

Page 36: ...rrectly before diving Do you know what You can keep pressed the buttons C or D to change the iX3M data more rapidly Diving with more than 1 mix ATTENTION Mix 1 is always the starting one The iX3M will automatically suggest a mix as soon as a best deco mix is available considering the MOD of the set mixes regardless the label of the mix Mix 2 Mix 3 etc The iX3M suggest the best mix during the ascen...

Page 37: ...maximum depth for the mix you have created The MOD is automatically calculated anytime that the O2 or HE are modificated Attention Enable the Rebreather mode CCR only for dives with rebreather The CCR mode is not suitable for dives in open circuit Attention Diving with Rebreather requires a specific training Diving with Rebreather without a suitable training or without the due caution can cause in...

Page 38: ... RATIO Sensor Board dedicated manual how to plug how to calibrate how to use etc is available on http www ratio computers com support manuals section For iX3M Reb only O2 SENSOR SENSORBOARD O2 S1 0 00 O2 S2 0 00 O2 S3 0 00 CO2 S1 0 f02 calib save 02 b A C D Exit NEXT VALUE ON OFF ON OFF off OFF OFF OFF OFF 100 save co2 ...

Page 39: ...e others to the one produced by the vibration ASC Speed It activates deactivates the alarm in case of too fast ascent MOD It activates deactivates the alarm in case of passing the MOD of the mix you are currently breathing DecoViol It activates deactivates the alarm of violation of a compulsory decompression stop if a DEEP STOP or a SAFETY stop is violated the alarm is not activated since they are...

Page 40: ...nge the iX3M data more rapidly Evaluate it starts the simulation wait until the word processing disappears If the dive is within the safety parametres NDL Remaining non decompression time after the time you have set CNS of accumulated CNS OTU of accumulated OTU MIX QTY Mix value expressed in litres which is presumably needed for the dive ATTENTION The gas used quantity is purely approximate and re...

Page 41: ... It indicates the mix used to calculate the decompression to be set in menu MIX Press D to pass to the next screen to visualize CNS e OTU ATTENTION the planner uses 18 mt min as descent speed and 9 mt min as ascent speed for the decompression calculations The iX3M will highlight in red a deco stop if the planned PpO2 is above maximum threshold ATTENTION The function Planner doesn t carry out the p...

Page 42: ...e in the logbook The special records are identified by a number following this legenda 1 A tissue reset has been performed before the dive 2 An user settings reset has been performed before the dive 3 A tissue reset and a user setting reset has been performed before the dive 128 The deco violation control has been disabled 129 The deco violation control is diabled a tissue reset has been performed...

Page 43: ...the menu The selected entry is indicated in red colour According to your RATIO iX3M model some entries might not be visualized Do you know what You can change the RATIO iX3M menu headlines and data colours from the menu DISPLAY B system set menu display general set pc mode TRANSMITTER default compass info switch off b A C D Exit ENTER UP DOWN ...

Page 44: ...ODE The RATIO iX3M allows you to change the colour of the screen data DATA Dive data colour LABEL Dive parametres labels colour LOW the colour for the low priority or low risk warnings MED the colour for the medium priority or medium risk warnings HIGH the colour for the hight priority or high risk warnings TITLE the Menu headlines colour ITEM the different menu s parametres colour SEL the colour ...

Page 45: ...ational air force and set the measured value of the weather station closest to your location PC Mode connecttheiX3MtoaPC Mac To connect the iX3M to the PC install the DiveLogger available free of charge in the web site www ratio computers com support 1 Open the Divelogger on a PC or MAC and select the iX3M model 2 Activate the PC mode on the iX3M 3 Connect the USB cable to the iX3M and to the PC o...

Page 46: ...pressive calculation EXECUTE It carries out the reset of the entries set as YES WARNING DANGER DO NOT reset the tissue saturation TISSUES YES if the device will be always used by the same person This may cause the risk of injuries even lethal It is possible to reset the tissue sauturation only if the iX3Ml device will be used by a person who does not have carried out dives during the previous 48 h...

Page 47: ...t warns the user that a Tissue Reset has been performed on the device The device have to be used only by a person who does not have carried out dives during the previous 48 hours You can ignore the message if you have NOT carried out any dive during the previous 48 hours The alarm will be displayed until the next dive TISSUE RESET ...

Page 48: ...re than one transmitter at the time multi transmitter The iX3MTech and the iX3M Reb can handle up to 10 transmitters The iX3M Deep can handle up to 3 transmitters The iX3M Easy can handle up to 2 transmitters The RATIO CCTransmitter dedicated manual how to pair how to use etc is available on http www ratio computers com support manuals section TRANSMITTER TX ID chan mix b A C D EXIT NEXT ENTRY SRC...

Page 49: ... can deepen your knowledge about the compass Direction and Declination on https en wikipedia org wiki Magnetic_declination CALIBRATE Calibrate the compass see pictures below compass set declination 0 0 direction east calibrate start A Exit b C D next entry _ compass set declination 0 0 direction east calibrate ROTATE compass set declination 0 0 direction east calibrate tilt ROTATE tilt Turn slowly...

Page 50: ...anual switching off The RATIO iX3M switches off automatically after a certain inactivity period However you can also switch the device off manually If the device is in charge the command will be executed only once the charge is finished If the device is still carrying out the tissue desaturation after a dive the command switch off deactivates all systems which are not essential Nevertheless the de...

Page 51: ... with route indications Direction in route 5 in comparison with the one set with D It indicates the direction to follow to find the route you have set Reciprocal direction 5 in comparison with the set reciprocal route DIR Current set route REC Reciprocal of the set route Do you know what The RATIO iX3M s 3D compass is compensated by 2 accelerometres The iX3M can compensate your arm s grade automat...

Page 52: ...o dive in GAUGE or FREE mode select the desired mode with button D before starting your dive Do you know what With the iX3M you can set the default mode that the device must activate automatically before starting to dive by selecting either Dive with tank default or Diving with Rebreather for iX3M TECH and iX3M REB only or GAUGE or FREE from the menu DIVE SET oc set mode mix gfl gfh oc 21 0 act 93...

Page 53: ...n Limit NDL time in minutes in which it is possible to remain at the current depth without passing the safety parametres without needing mandatory decompressive stops In general we always recommend to remain within the safety parametres If in Decompression TTS Left Time to surface Total ascent time STOP Centre Next mandatory stop depth TIME Right Minutes relating to the next safety stop TRANSMITTE...

Page 54: ...he required depth In case the Deep Stop is carried out in NDL dives the NDL time will remain visible on the screen s right part with black background If the Deep Stop is carried out in dives with mandatory decompression stops not recommended the Deep Stop information on white background are visualized at the place of STOP and TIME data The Deep Stop is not mandatory and in case it is omitted even ...

Page 55: ...larm level if the ascent speed is 8 mt min Medium alarm level if the ascent speed is 9 mt min High alarm level if the ascent speed is 10 mt min Pressing the button D you will visualize TEMP Current water temperature AVG Average dive s depth MAX Maximum reached depth GF R0 PS Set conservatism Gradients Critical Bubble Radius or livels OTU accumulated OTU CNS accumulated CNS D D D FOLLOWING DATA FOL...

Page 56: ...the 16 tissues which are taken into consideration by the two decompressive algorithms BUL or VPM The yellow lines represent the nitrogen levels The green lines represent the helium levels if present The blue line represents the environment pressure in the surface at the dive s beginning The different tissues saturation represented by the yellow green lines represents the inertial partial pressure ...

Page 57: ...n be used among the ones expected for the current dive status The Decompressive Stops are updated in Real Time For every mandatory Decompressive Stop the iX3M shows The possible Safety Stop and Deep Stop since they are not mandatory are not shown in the Decompressive Chart even if they will be suggested to the diver during his her dive D FOLLOWING DATA Stop Depth Stop Time Suggested Mix ...

Page 58: ...on centre Graphic compass with route indication Direction in route 5 from the one set with D Direction to follow to find the route initially set right or left Direction in reciprocal 5 from the reciprocal of the set route DIR Route currently set REC Reciprocal of the route that has been set Do you know what The iX3M electronic 3D compass is compensated with 2 accelerometres The iX3M can compensate...

Page 59: ...is located Thanks to this peculiarity the iX3M needs only 5 seconds to connects itself to the satellite after the previous connection Do you know what GNSS means Global Navigation Satellite System and indicates all satellite systems available at the moment GPS GLONASS QZSS SBAS BEIDOU Do you know what In the iX3M the GPS acronym has been used for communication and intuitivity reasons however the s...

Page 60: ...e flashes To confirm the mix change select YES in red and press C To refuse the mix change select NO in red with B and press C or D Do you know what It s possible to refuse the mix change simply ignoring the change notice given by the iX3M To reach this menu from the main screen press in sequence To confirm the mix change press in sequence from the dive screen when the word MIX flashes To refuse t...

Page 61: ...time to save the modifications and go back to the Dive mode To know how to modify the parametres MIX and GFL GFH R0 PS make reference to the section DIVE SET of this manual Attention in the following pages we will explain how to modify the MIX and the algorithm settings during the dive However remember always that To modify the Gradients and the Critical Bubble Radius a suitable training is necess...

Page 62: ...Press button A at any time to save the selection and go back to dive ATTENTION it is possible to force the mix change also beyond the MOD of the mix itself To force a Mix an adequate theorethical base is needed Do NOT force the mix if not necessary In the example a forced mix chnage from 21 0 to 50 0 ATTENTION The use of more mixes requires a suitable training DO NOT use mixes without having recei...

Page 63: ...atism is particularly useful to handle possible emergencies during the dive If for any reason you have not enough gas for the ascent it is possible to decrease the algorithm conservatism to reduce TSS as much as possible Note the decreasing of TSS inthe first and in the last screen on the example In the example a Gradient change from 20 70 to 93 93 ATTENTION To modify the GF or the R0 an adequate ...

Page 64: ... to set the desired SETPOINT LOW MID or HIGH the value of the SETPOINT will be shown Press button A at any time to save the selection and go back to the dive If the SETPOINT MODE was set to AUTO it will be switched to MAN manual once you manually switch a SET POINT during the dive Attention EnabletheRebreathermode CCR onlyfordiveswithrebreather TheCCRmodeisnotsuitablefordivesinopencircuit Attentio...

Page 65: ...ically when entering water See DIVE SET 1 on this manual Do your know what The iX3M calculates in background the tissue saturation and desaturation also in GAUGE mode using a fake Mix 10 60 with a high inert contents This value is registered in the logbook If after a dive in GAUGE you want to to carry out a dive in OC using the iX3M decompressive calculations the iX3M will consider the new dive as...

Page 66: ... of no decompression dives Minimum 24 hours pre flight surface interval after decompression dives The above is for sports diving and should not apply to commercial diving Because of the complex nature of DCS there can never be a fixed flying after diving rule that can guarantee prevention of bends completely WARNING These indications may vary due to new studies and research Please check the if the...

Page 67: ... to a Pc or to a Mac in order to download the dive data and to update the device To connect the iX3M to your PC or Mac follow step by step the tutorial available here http www ratio computers com support Need more help Write an email to support ratio computers com ...

Page 68: ...e here http www ratio computers com support Attention During the update a new OS version will replace the old OS version After an update always Check that your dive settings are the one you need for your next dive mixes algorithm settings etc Consider that you will need to calibrate the compass see page COMPASS of this manual Consider that after an update the iX3M will be Reset to Default both set...

Page 69: ... send a message writing iX3M to the following address update ratio computers com This service is highly recommended and it is completely free of charge For further support have a look at the tutorial videos soon available on www ratio computers com For assistance by mail write to support ratio computers com ...

Page 70: ...70 2018 The reproduction even partial without stated approval is severely prohibited RATIO Computers ...

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