SeaLogRatio
How to transfer dive logs from a Ratio iDive Free to an iPhone
The Ratio iDive Free transfers over serial cable only. iOS does not expose that kind of connection to apps, so the dives come across once through a Mac or PC, then live on your phone forever.
Get the dives off the Ratio iDive Free
- Connect the Ratio iDive Free to a Mac or PC
Use the serial cable made for the Ratio iDive Free, not a generic charging cable: the data pins differ. An iPhone or iPad cannot open this kind of connection at all, so this step has to happen on a computer.
- Download the dives with desktop software
Read the computer with Ratio DC Manager or Subsurface. Subsurface is free, open source, runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, and supports this model.
- Export the dives as UDDF
Export the whole logbook to a UDDF file. UDDF is the open dive-log exchange format and keeps the full depth profile, not just the summary numbers.
- Get the file onto your phone
AirDrop it, drop it in iCloud Drive, or email it to yourself. Anything that lands the file in the iOS Files app works.
- Import it into SeaLog
In SeaLog, tap the plus button, then Import dives, then UDDF file, and pick it. Every dive arrives with its profile, and duplicates are skipped.
A dive log app for the iDive Free
Once the dives are in, SeaLog treats them like its own: a scrubbable depth profile, the site pinned on a map, water temperature, gas and tank, buddies, and the photos from your camera roll matched to the minutes you were underwater. Tag the animals you saw and they go into your species life list. It works offline on the boat and syncs when you are back, and your whole logbook exports to UDDF, CSV or PDF whenever you ask, so nothing is locked in here either.
Ratio iDive Free: common questions
Can I connect the Ratio iDive Free to my iPhone directly?
No, and no app can change that. The Ratio iDive Free transfers over serial cable only, a connection iOS does not expose to apps. Anyone promising a direct wireless download from this model is describing a different computer. The one-time cable route above gets every dive across.
Which cable and drivers do I need on a Mac?
Use the Ratio interface cable made for this model, not a generic charging cable: the data pins differ. Most of these cables are USB-to-serial and need the driver for their chipset on macOS, usually Silicon Labs CP210x or FTDI. Install the driver, reboot, and the port appears to the desktop software.
Do I have to do this every time I dive?
Only if you want the new dives in digitally. Many divers do the cable run once to rescue their history, then log new dives directly in SeaLog on the boat, which takes about as long as filling in a paper page.