Nautilus LifeLine News & Updates

Upgrade Your LifeLine

Generation one of the Nautilus LifeLines were designed for a service life of five years, and after ten years we have doubled the original design life. There is nothing easy about submerging radio GPS units in saltwater - from the cold waters of Antarctica to the tropics - year after year. Diver safety is our number one priority, and with this in mind, it is time to withdraw technical support and encourage everyone to upgrade to our generation two unit. We will be accepting generation one units - in any condition - as a trade in for our brand new generation two unit, at a total cost of $125 US (plus shipping).

The latest Nautilus LifeLine is incredibly easy to use and less than half the size of the original radio, ensuring you can dive safely, wherever you are. Discover more about the latest Nautilus LifeLine here.

Want to upgrade your LifeLine? Contact us to trade in your generation one unit.

Stay tuned as a generation three unit with a built in radio is under design...

Happy Holidays from Nautilus LifeLine - Promo



Let’s make sure you are safe where ever your diving adventures take you.

From now until Dec. 31, 2018 use the discount code HOLIDAY to receive $50.00 off your Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS.


CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE NAUTILUS LIFELINE ONLINE SHOP


* Limit 2 per customer, regular terms & conditions apply.



Nautilus LifeLine in Dive Training Magazine Sep/Oct 2018

From “Simple Dive” to Search and Rescue

We are glad to be included in the feature article of Dive Training magazine’s September/October 2018 issue.

The double feature article written by Karen Straus covers numerous aspects of diving safety, and includes words of wisdom from experienced dive professionals.

Read the full September / October 2018 issue at DiveTraining Magazine’s website.

Dive safe. Always dive with a Nautilus LifeLine.

Dive Training magazine september october 2018 cover



Nautilus GPS Update v3.2.5

Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS – Firmware Update v3.2.5 & Upgrades

We are excited to share some significant updates for the Nautilus LifeLine Marine Rescue GPS.

Our new Position Advisory feature is perfect for divers or other marine enthusiasts. You can now send your position to boats in the area without triggering emergency status. This is a great option for communication on the water. To activate the position advisory sequence, follow these steps:



  1. Press and hold the yellow Nautilus GPS Test Button for 8s. After 3s of holding the Test Button, YELLOW indicator will begin flashing for the next 5s. After 8s, YELLOW indicator will briefly become solid again and then resume flashing. The Test Button can now be released.

  2. YELLOW indicator flashes quickly when GPS location determined.

  3. Nautilus GPS will now continuously transmit a Non-Emergency Position Report. This message will be received by all surrounding ships with AIS receivers. In addition, if you have programmed a ship MMSI (see page 7), the message will be received on the ship’s VHF radio.

  4. Hold Test Button for 5s to deactivate Non-Emergency Position Report sequence. YELLOW indicator will turn solid and BLUE indicator will begin flashing. This sequence will not send an emergency distress message.


Please refer to our updated operations manual for full instructions on these procedures. https://lifeline1.wpenginepowered.com/manual-support/



Upgrade your LifeLine

Our current units, with the upgraded firmware, now also ship with a small screwdriver to assist in battery changes.  If your unit did not ship with a screwdriver there is a firmware upgrade available to you.

The upgrade will cost $35 USD + one-way shipping. We will cover the cost of shipping back to you! The upgrade includes updating to the latest firmware, new antenna retainer, screws, screwdriver, and o-ring maintenance.

To get started with the upgrade process, please complete the form below. We will get in touch as soon as possible and provide instructions for return.


























Nautilus Radio Firmware v1.02 Release Notes

Firmware 1.02 has a number of notable changes over previous versions. Some customers have received units shipped with 0.94 and 0.96, and these should also be updated to the latest version 1.02. Please check with your dive buddies and make sure they have updated to the most recent firmware too.



Important changes in firmware 1.02 since 0.76, the previous major release:



  • Fixed a firmware squelch issue that affected a number of units

  • Complete overhaul of the user interface (UI), making accessing and changing settings significantly easier and more intuitive. Read the Operations Manual updated December 2013, and the section “New Firmware Features – Firmware Newer Than 0.80”, on Page 12 in the English version.

    • Access the new menu by pressing the Orange button at any time, or use the old method of pressing both Green and Orange buttons for 1 second

    • Advance through menu items with a short press on the Green button

    • Select menu items or enter sub-menus with a short press on the Orange button

    • Save a change by pressing and holding either the Green or Orange button for half a second

    • While in any menu, a long press of 1 second on either button will return to the main screen and start transmitting on the selected channel

    • See the full menu structure and detailed instructions about its use in the Operations Manual



  • Continuous Position Report mode from the Red button, previously selected from the desktop software, has been removed. The DSC button now has only one purpose.Single position report messages can still be sent from the Messages sub-menu.

  • DSC Messages can be sent and reviewed from the Messages menu. Press the Orange button once to enter the menu, the Green button three times to get to Messages, and the Orange button to enter the Messages sub-menu.

  • New icons for more intuitive display, described in the Operations Manual

  • New audible “beep” feedback for:

    • several beeps on device start to warn that an MMSI number has not been entered

    • single short beep to signify entering or moving through menu items

    • single long beep to signify setting change confirmation

    • several beeps when holding the Red button when activating distress mode

    • single beep immediately prior to transmitting a DSC message

    • single beep warning 10 seconds before device goes to sleep

    • single beep when receiving a DSC message



  • Added support for listening to WX weather channels

  • Added a Distress Simulation mode, and SOS Flash, accessible from the Procedures sub-menu.



LifeLine Desktop Software v0.3.74 Release Notes

Note: If you are currently running an older version of the LifeLine desktop software, you will be prompted to update to the latest version when you connect your LifeLine to the desktop software. Please check with your dive buddies OR other LifeLine owners and make sure they have updated to the most recent firmware too.




  • Includes the latest firmware 1.02 and software to access new features

  • An updated region definition 0.25 is included with new channels and a region for Hong Kong

  • Addition of a new DSC Messages tab in Apps to retrieve and read DSC messages received and sent by your LifeLine

  • The Group Call App has been changed to Group / Individual Call, and now supports up to three group or individual MMSI numbers that can be accessed by the new Messages menu on your LifeLine

  • Position Report mode has been removed from firmware 0.96 and above, and the updated software will not allow Position Report mode to be selected on LifeLines running new firmware. Position Reports and other DSC messages can be sent from the Messages menu directly on the LifeLine.

  • Three new channels have been added for Germany, changing the previous DLRG channel to the more common frequency as listed here:

    • Germany DLRG – Transmit/Receive: 155.910 MHz – German Lifesaving Association

    • Germany D2 – Transmit/Receive: 155.930 MHz – German Lifesaving Association

    • Germany D3 – Transmit/Receive: 155.890 MHz – German Lifesaving Association



  • Two new channels have been added for Hong Kong:

    • Hong Kong Channel 96 – Transmit/Receive:157.825 MHz

    • Hong Kong Channel 99 – Transmit/Receive:157.975 MHz



  • Seven new channels have been added for Norway & Finland (Scandinavia):

    • Channel F1 – Transmit/Receive: 155.625 MHz

    • Channel F2 – Transmit/Receive: 155.775 MHz

    • Channel F3 – Transmit/Receive: 155.825 MHz

    • Channel L1 – Transmit/Receive: 155.500 MHz

    • Channel L2 – Transmit/Receive: 155.525 MHz

    • Channel L3 – Transmit/Receive: 155.650 MHz

    • Channel NDF1 – Transmit/Receive: 155.100 MHz



  • Improved handling of user files on Mac

  • Read the 0.3.74 desktop software README



LifeLine Desktop Software v0.3.61 Release Notes



Note: If you are currently running an older version of the Lifeline desktop software, you will be prompted to update to the latest version.


The newest version of our software is now available for PC and Mac featuring a new, easy-to-use interface.



  • The General tab has been updated with links to our social media pages, blog, and website.

  • A new "Apps" page groups LifeLine settings and capabilities together:

    • Upload GPS Points -> upload the GPS position of your sites to a Google map

    • Share GPS Points -> Share your GPS locations on social media sites

    • Group Call -> Transmit your position to other LifeLines

    • Buried Treasure -> Mark secret dive sites by sending your LifeLine to the surface

    • Customize Settings -> LifeLine settings: volume, squelch, timeout, chat-off %, MMSI, channel configuration



  • 3 new channels have been made available for the following regions:

    • M1 and M2 (157.850MHz and 161.425MHz) for UK/Great Britain

    • DLRG (155.89 Mhz) for Germany



  • Software Settings and Firmware / Configuration have been moved to a new "Updates" tab

  • Includes the latest LifeLine firmware 0.76.

  • The Firmware update process has been improved

  • Various bug fixes and reliability improvements



Nautilus Radio Firmware v0.76 Release Notes



Firmware 0.76 fixes several issues that some users were experiencing with older firmware versions. If your LifeLine has older firmware you will be prompted to update your firmware when you connect to the Desktop Software. Notable changes include:

The speaker is muted while the LifeLine is plugged in and charging
Changes to address firmware update failure
Changes to address battery issue


Categories
Recent Posts

Generation one of the Nautilus LifeLines were designed for a service life of five years, and after ten years we have doubled the original design life. There is nothing easy about submerging radio GPS units in saltwater - from the cold waters of Antarctica to the tropics - year after year. Diver safety is our number one priority, and with this in mind, it is time to withdraw technical support and encourage everyone to upgrade to our generation two unit. We will be accepting generation one units - in any condition - as a trade in for our brand new generation two unit, at a total cost of $125 US (plus shipping). The latest Nautilus LifeLine is incredibly easy to use and less than half the size of the original radio, ensuring you can dive safely, wherever you are. Discover more about the latest Nautilus LifeLine here. Want to upgrade your LifeLine? Contact us to trade in your generation one unit. Stay tuned as a generation three unit with a built in radio is under design...

Let’s make sure you are safe where ever your diving adventures take you.
From now until Dec. 31, 2018 use the discount code HOLIDAY to receive $50.00 off your Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE NAUTILUS LIFELINE ONLINE SHOP

* Limit 2 per customer, regular terms & conditions apply.

From “Simple Dive” to Search and Rescue

We are glad to be included in the feature article of Dive Training magazine’s September/October 2018 issue.
The double feature article written by Karen Straus covers numerous aspects of diving safety, and includes words of wisdom from experienced dive professionals.
Read the full September / October 2018 issue at DiveTraining Magazine’s website.
Dive safe. Always dive with a Nautilus LifeLine.
Dive Training magazine september october 2018 cover

Testimonials & Stories

In 2019 during a liveaboard scuba diving vacation in the Maldives, there was a situation on a popular diving spot that required the use of my Nautilus Lifeline GPS VHF marine radio so we could be located and retrieved back to our diving boat. The main larger boats are often using smaller boats or skiffs, called Dhoni’s, to take divers to and from the dive sites. I was part of a small group of five divers and we had a wonderful wall drift dive just off a small island. Once on the surface we realized the current had taken us further than planned and we were about to be swept around the island land mass that was adjacent to our dive sight. The challenge was that many boats of different sizes were now between us at the surface and both our Dhoni and our main boat. The member of the crew who led the dive was a new dive instructor, they had us stay close together and just tried to keep a few of the divers calm as they were showing signs of stress and anxiety for the situation. Some divers were starting to call out that they were going to try to surface kick to the island. The situation was starting to get interesting! Using my Nautilus Lifeline GPS VHF radio that I had already calibrated and tested with the main boat early in the week, I was able to calmly call and speak with the captain, describing our location and situation. Five minutes later the Dhoni access boat picked us up and brought us to the main boat. Nerves were calmed and the other divers thanked me for have the foresight to carry such an important piece of safety equipment on my dives. Over dinner we shared our adventure with the other guests. I only dive if I can ensure I’m taking my Nautilus Lifeline along for the ride! Spencer Lawes

To the Nautilus Team, Your Nautilus LifeLine GPS (new version) saved our asses today. We (6 divers) were drifting an hour offshore in big swells and strong current. The boat skipper lost track of our bubbles through no fault of his own. When we didn’t surface after an hour, he sent out a signal alerting all boats in the area. Meanwhile we inflated our sausages, but a couple of passing boats either didn’t see us or didn’t want to. After 45 minutes of drifting, K triggered her LifeLine. Another boat finally saw us and picked us up. Just then two helicopter circled overhead, one from the fire department and one from the coast guard. If the boat hadn’t spotted us we still would have been rescued. I have to admit I didn’t bring my LifeLine this trip, but am thankful K brought hers. I’ll never again go diving without it. Thanks,

It has been the experience of your correspondent, and that of many others in the past, that safety in diving doesn’t sell. Just as car buyers offered the choice between an entertainment system or more airbags will choose the former, divers are just the same. They know bad things will never happen to them so have no inclination to spend on emergency safety gear. One of diving’s great risks is being swept away. As one old hand observed ‘In a current you’re like a leaf in the sea’. And if it’s a bad day and seas are up and the current’s running things rapidly get very hairy. Recently four of us went out on a less than perfect day to dive a wreck about half a mile offshore in 51 metres. Breeze was 15 knots gusting 18 and blowing from the shore, current about one knot heading south. The other three were all breather divers and planning to spend 30-40 minutes on the bottom with a run-time of roughly 1hr 40 min total. I was going to dive open circuit for a lesser bottom time but, looking at the wind, sea state and current, opted to boat for the others. Two had scooters. One, let’s call him Jeff, scootered away from the wreck after a short time on the bottom, and realising he was lost did a blue-water bag-ascent. His irresponsible mates carried on their original plan, disregarding the disappearance of their erstwhile buddy. The wind speed picked up to 25 knots, gusting 30 plus with the sea state deteriorating. Jeff surfaces way down current after a bag deco, his safety sausage blows flat in the breeze and his scooter is only powerful enough to hold station in the current, not to make headway back towards the boat and I’m not keeping a sharp lookout this early in the dive plan. He’s smart enough to know he’s in trouble and cool enough to look for assistance. By now the deteriorating conditions send recreational fishos in their runabouts back to shelter. Two pass by in Jeff’s vicinity but are oblivious to his efforts to attract them. The third almost runs him over before he sees Jeff and stops to take him on board. Meanwhile I know nothing. I see from my chartplotter the other two miscreants have pulled the anchor so I lay out a sea-anchor to stop a drift to New Zealand while these guys do their hour long deco. First one back on board has the temerity to ask ‘Where’s Jeff?’ I think his ears are still ringing from the abuse I heaped on him for not aborting the dive when one of the party disappeared. Then the search was on. Sixty minutes of pounding through heavy seas, working out how far a diver would have drifted in an hour and a half, searching likely drift patterns and half expecting to find a body. I had alerted Marine Rescue earlier, first of all with a heads-up when the divers were down and the weather was going bad and then again when the search started. Our stress ended on getting a VHF call from Rescue to say our missing diver was on the boat-ramp jetty back in Botany Bay. He alighted from his rescuer’s boat just as the Marine search vessel was preparing to leave the same jetty to look for him. All three of these characters, having learned a first-hand lesson of how bad things can get when conditions turn nasty, went out the same day and bought a Nautilus Lifeline submersible GPS/VHF radios, with two others of my regular diving mates following their example. Nothing like a bit of sphincter puckering to bring reality home and to encourage investing in a life saving device. From Dive New Zealand & Dive Pacific A/M 2012 Issue #129.