The August 2001 Issue of Alert Diver (DAN publication) is already out.
One of the articles in it prompted this post to inquire whether any of
you (1) own a portable unit, (2) have a particular brand to recommend,
and (3) any information to share or advise on my situation/need.

The Rule Number 1 for diving EAN (Nitrox) is to ALWAYS analyze the O2
yourself.

Most of my EAN diving are done on liveaboards and one or more analyzers
are always available on board so that there has never been a need for
me to own one for liveaboard diving.

The exception is my EAN diving in Cozumel.  Most of the dive boats are
not equipped with an O2 analyzer.  Each filled nitrox tank come with
a sticker giving date and O2 percent.  To adhere to Rule Number 1,
for one without his own analyzer, one would generally have to verify
the content at the dive shop or at one of the two providers of fill
on the island.  I have done both, but it's very inconvenient, so I am
considering the purchase of an inexpensive (read cheap) and reliable
one (if such is not an oxymoron) instead of breaking the Rule and
rely on the reliability of the fill on the island.

I am a Clueless Newbie on the cost/reliability of these analyzers, so
I am all ears on any comments.

I particular, I would be interested to know what nitrox divers on this
list do when they dive nitrox in Cozumel.

-- Bob.