The IQ1204 computer - a TUSA beauty in practice

It so happened that at the time I was testing a new TUSA IQ1204 DC SOLAR LINK computer, my “old” worn-out and reliable one was stolen. To be honest, I don’t know exactly at which moment, because I was fascinated by this new one. I didn’t let it out of my sight, which was easy enough as the IQ 1204 is a watch computer and you can stay with it from waking up in the morning until going to bed again. I took advantage of this fact by putting it on the wrist of my left hand. The black colour of this compact little thing was unobtrusive from a distance, but at a closer confrontation it raised questions. Divers were curious about the inscription SOLAR POWERED.

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The company, introducing this model, clearly states on its website that now you do not need to worry about the battery dying, and probably many of you have had such an event in your own life. You arrive at a diving site, enter a body of water and on first contact with water, even before diving, you read: sorry, the battery died.

This is not possible with the TUSA IQ1204! Because the battery is charged by sunlight and artificial light, which eliminates the need to replace the battery.

Of course, before entering the water it is advisable to read the instruction manual, which is available on manufacturer’s website.

The watch computer, which I was to test during recreational dives in the Atlantic, was waiting for the equipment to be prepared and transported to the rib. Then it was time to jump into the wetsuits and put on the computers. Here came the first and penultimate problem, the TUSA IQ 1204 strap is ideal for bare wrists or for wrists wrapped in wet neoprene. If someone is of a sizeable build or uses a dryer they may have trouble fastening the standard strap, it is too short.

The watch computer may surprise you. Apart from the mentioned “fairy tale” with charging the battery “from space”, during the dive we can use as many as 4 nitrox mixtures with oxygen fraction from 21% to 100% and switch them easily.

Taking into account a nice design, it should be noted that this computer is equipped with a backlit display, which we can set so that the backlight after pressing the button works up to 10 seconds. Such a time is enough to check the diving parameters, and if not, we can press the button again!

A useful note for recreational divers, who will probably be most interested in this model, is that there is an optional deep safety stop on this computer for non-decompression dives deeper than 24 metres.

During several of my dives I tried to use its various functions. It is interesting to note that the Manufacturer has installed audible and visual alarms in the IQ2014, which makes it easier for a preoccupied diver to look at the critical values of the diving parameters and thus can influence the increase of his safety. The diver can be warned about parameters such as exceeding the ascent speed, depth or, for example, the no-decompression time. This is definitely an advantage which should be taken into account when trying to buy this particular computer.

The second and final shortcoming may be the fact that the letters are quite small. The computer is compact and displays a lot of information, which has translated into a small font. People with a visual impairment, especially the elderly, may have trouble moving their hand away from their eyes enough to clearly read the parameters.

But I have read that extreme divers who like the challenge of mountain lakes and ponds can rest assured. The TUSA IQ1204 is equipped with an intelligent altitude mode, which automatically adjusts the parameters to the conditions in which we want to dive at altitude, somewhere in the mountains.

Freedivers will also be pleased, because they have been taken into consideration when designing this computer and it is equipped with a mode allowing to monitor free diving training.

Finally, the look and functionality of the watch computer I had the opportunity to test is designed so that you don’t have to part with it. After a successful dive, we rinse the equipment, take a shower, change clothes and go to the pub, home or to a nutritious dinner, and the TUSA IQ1204 DC SOLAR LINK accompanies us all the time!

PS. I almost forgot, and this is an important thing. Thanks to bluetooth smart technology you can transfer all logged dives to any tablet or smartphone. The condition is to have the Tusa Diving Log application on such a device.