Feasibilty question.

I'd like to know if this is a sound design.

For my RW X-Celerator, I want to put my tracker in the nose. My build plan is this:

1. Get an extra coupler bulkhead and sand it to fit up inside the nose cone.
2. Put a length of allthread through the center hole, and tighten it with a lock nut on one side, and a hex nut on the inside.
3. Allow the allthread to extend a half-inch beyond the nose cone shoulder.
4. Epoxy the coupler inside the nose cone with the allthread already in place and coming through.
5. Build the sled with a brass tube epoxied to the sled.
6. Slide the sled into the nose cone with the allthread going through the tube.
7. Slide on the nose cone coupler and clamp it down with an eye nut.
8. Does this description make sense, and if so, is it feasible? am I forgetting anything?

Thanks.

Here's a picture, if this helps.

The only problem I could possibly see is the metal interfering with your signal.

Bat-mite said:

Here's a picture, if this helps.

View attachment 248968

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Do it Coker style...glue a CR into the nosecone shoulder and bolt the coupler to the CR..

I like fiberglass bulkheads, and would use one in this but go 1/4 plywood on the CR it gives it the right thickness for t-nuts to be pressed and epoxied on to it.

If the coupler is a seperate from the nosecone..do not glue the coupler in. Do the coupler avbay thing and have the antenna forward or through the top bulkhead ..it does not eliminate the all-thread securing the avbay lids, but it does space the antenna out from them.

Kenny

Is the antenna issue caused by a steel rod affecting the signal? Would a aluminum rod reduce the effect? How about a threaded fiberglass rod (I haven't tried it yet, and it may have to little strength)?

Just me throwing out food for thought.

blackbrandt said:

The only problem I could possibly see is the metal interfering with your signal.

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I use a very similar setup in a few rockets. I tape my tracker transmitter directly to the threaded rod, never noticed any adverse effect.

chadrog said:

I use a very similar setup in a few rockets. I tape my tracker transmitter directly to the threaded rod, never noticed any adverse effect.

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Yeah, I'm unclear if the metal interference is only under certain conditions, like the antenna is in a straight parallel to the metal rod, or the antenna is touching the rod. My tracker has a wire antenna, and it can be bent clear of the metal. I can't see it being an issue.

I am more concerned about the force of the nose cone ejection on that epoxied coupler.

Coker method is good- he uses a piece of tube mounted to the front side of the bulkhead so as to allow for mounting a board (the board slides inside the slice of tube, you get support and good-er glue area than a straight butt-joint) for your stuff. The mounting parts can look like the stuff we made here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?51148-Latest-from-UpscaleCNC&p=1386825#post1386825

Not super necessary to use CNC for this- stack the two plates together with tape and drill clearance holes all the way through both, then drill out the ring piece for the inserts, use a hole saw or forstner to make the center opening. Because you stack drilled the holes will line up.

Nat Kinsey
UpscaleCNC

Everything is Feasable.

chadrog said:

I use a very similar setup in a few rockets. I tape my tracker transmitter directly to the threaded rod, never noticed any adverse effect.

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+1 with a ComSpec.

TopRamen said:

Everything is Feasable.

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Maybe with some kind of eastern mysticism. But if someone were to ask me if it is feasible for him to jump off the side of a skyscraper and float to the ground by flapping his wings, I would say no.