every year at DEMA, large dive trade show in US, I look and look and ask around. Tried Dive Alert - doesn't work underwater. Talked with all sorts of manufacturers including maker of Dive Alert. Of course they are not terribly interested in developing for a sport they never heard of, but they do listen and scratch their heads. Dive boats here in California have uw call to return to boat, but I am sure the device is not hand held. Maybe I'll talk to Oceanic at next show. They are local to me, and I know the owner, Bob Hollis, on a somewhat personal level. Maybe HDS - Historical Dive Society mite have some ideas - great group of old farts.

We have come a long way in general. 1980 we used a gong - beat the poor thing to death by end of the week (also played whole event, 5 days, with one puck! which Aussies stole when they won). 1992 saw the hand held water ref system once. I don't remember what was used in France; I was not refing 1994. In 1996 we blew a whistle into a microphone in one pool; gong in other. 1998 Woody developed a pretty good uw system we (US) still use today (was also used in 2002 Canada), but water ref waved thru out all those years including 04 and 06.

Rob's computer timing/scoring system presented in 04 was BIG step forward; 06 computer system had some draw backs, but still big improvement. SA has a computer system I worked with in 2003 SH, but it crashed a lot including once when toddler pulled plug out of the wall!

As I said uw rugby has nice system but not if refs swim; their refs use scuba and only have about 8m to cover and them seldom if ever get into play or away from sides uw. and I will say it causes some confusion to players and deck ref as no one has an idea of what call or stoppage is, so scuba clad water refs have to surface and signal. But uw rugby is quite different from uw hockey, so comparison is not useable.

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Carol Rose