CSI trackers and metal nosecone tips

Hey guys,
I'm going to buy a CSI tracker and am planning on housing it in the nose of a rocket. If that rocket's nosecone has a metal tip, does that affect the tracker in any way? I've asked around but most people seemed unsure so I decided to ask you guys

P.s. The nosecone is a rocketry warehouse 38mm 5:1 vk filament wound thin wall and this is the tracker https://cart.amwprox.com/index.php?...mart_product_id=380&virtuemart_category_id=19

Thanks, Littlemisterbig

I've never had problems...... in years of flying. With that same unit.

Little to no effect. I have flown many flights with this configuration and have found them successfully every time. In fact, I have never found an issue with the CSI unit. They are by far the best transmitter I have used.

nada and zip.

Wayco said:

Great tracker that I have used many times, but I tape mine to the drogue shock cord with electrical tape. There is a significant signal increase when you get drogue deployment, and that tells me that the event occurred. Having it outside the rocket will give you a stronger signal for recovery.

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This is what I do as well. Taping to the Drogue cord also keeps the tracker with what is usually the higher cost of the rocket in the case of some failure that would have nose cone become separated from rest of rocket.

I dont have a drogue cord - im doing cable cutter, this is for a minimum diameter.

The signal radiation pattern of a dipole or whip antenna is parallel to the length of the antenna element, there's pretty much no signal from the ends. Since the metal tip of the nose cone is at the end of the antenna, it shouldn't have any significant effect.

littlemisterbig said:

I dont have a drogue cord - im doing cable cutter, this is for a minimum diameter.

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You should still have a shock cord that attaches the fincan to your N/C. Regardless of what you call it, the apogee event will make something open up, right? Getting your tracker beacon out in open air will improve signal strength.

cerving said:

The signal radiation pattern of a dipole or whip antenna is parallel to the length of the antenna element, there's pretty much no signal from the ends. Since the metal tip of the nose cone is at the end of the antenna, it shouldn't have any significant effect.

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Could you please elaborate on this?

littlemisterbig said:

Could you please elaborate on this?

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipole_antenna#Radiation_pattern_and_gain

Wayco said:

You should still have a shock cord that attaches the fincan to your N/C. Regardless of what you call it, the apogee event will make something open up, right? Getting your tracker beacon out in open air will improve signal strength.

Click to expand...

Yeah,
Like Wayco said. Just get the tracker secured to the shockcord somewhere along the length, perhaps out of the way of the wrapped chute. A lot of duct tape I hear works. Kurt.

I could do that, although my budget is pretty tight and i dont want to risk any of my investments unnecessarily.

littlemisterbig said:

I could do that, although my budget is pretty tight and i dont want to risk any of my investments unnecessarily.

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Just be sure ya tape it on real securely. I and I bet many others have seen many a rocket with a tracker land close, they hear the tracker on the receiver, they pick up the rocket and bring it back. Flyer eventually looks for the tracker on the rocket and finds it gone. Grabs the receiver, goes hunting for tracker and finds it no problem. They're pretty tough and as long as the wire antenna doesn't snap off, you can find it easily.

I've had an aural piezo beeper fall off a rocket that was a small N cell unit. I really duct taped the battery in. I walked to where I thought the apogee was overhead and sure enough, I heard and found the thing lying in the grass. Kurt

One of my friends sticks his same tracker in one of those clear plastic tubes that CTI 29mm casings come in. I might do that and then tape that to the shock cord.