Missile Works RTx?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
What I noticed when I used a 1S lipo for the base and LCD screen, the LCD screen was barely visible even on maximum contrast. With the 2s lipo, this is not an issue. It does not fit in the handheld case, but I will just strap it to the back.

The 2s-300mah nano tech lipo battery fits inside base unit fine.
 
I got the 2s 1500 mah battery that Jim suggested in post #242. Let me clarify that I could see the LCD screen, but had to hold it at an angle so that it was dark enough to be readable. I definitely like the 2s better for screen readability. Not sure if there have been changes in the LCD screen or not, but I think I have one of the first ones that were made.
 
Using a 1S LiPo I could not read the LCD except at an extreme angle in normal light with the contrast turned all the way up, I ordered a 2S and it is very readable with the contrast set midway. The 1S just does not have the voltage to drive the LCD from what Jim indicated in an email.
 
I got the 2s 1500 mah battery that Jim suggested in post #242. Let me clarify that I could see the LCD screen, but had to hold it at an angle so that it was dark enough to be readable. I definitely like the 2s better for screen readability. Not sure if there have been changes in the LCD screen or not, but I think I have one of the first ones that were made.

I'm just checking but you all know the LCD screen has a little wheel on the bottom side to adjust the intensity of the display? I run with the 1S listed in my post #240 and have no readability issues (when the screen is adjusted appropriately). Not saying you didn't check - just throwing it out there.
 
We have 3 LCD panels and had to adjust the contrast for all of the panels as indicated above.
 
Me too. I did adjust the contrast wheel. I thought I had damaged the LCD as it was in storage while I moved. I checked it with a 9v and it was fine. Not a big deal, just was not expecting it.
 
Set my personal best today with the RTx.....

tracked my rocket, lost last Sunday, in the trees, from 17.5 miles distance with Nav memory setting.

Finding it was easy, getting it down from 80-90 feet was another matter.....6hrs later.
 
From post #277.......

"from 17.5 miles distance with Nav MEMORY SETTING."

Can't find it day of flight, or battery in rocket dies. Go back days, weeks later, just don't fly again until you find lost rocket. If you fly again it will write over previous flight data.
 
Can some of you guys post some pics of your av-bay setups. Im installing my new GPS in the NC/Av-bay of my Punisher. I'm looking for ideas for a side by side install. I have the wire whip antenna. My main question is does the antenna have to extend outside of the av-bay? I know it would probably extend the range if it were completely straight and hanging outside the av-bay, but I want to keep the av-bay closed. My av-bay has a single all thread rod running through the middle of the bay. Will it mess with the reception/range like the Eggfinder? If there are pics already posted somewhere else please direct me to em?
 
Can some of you guys post some pics of your av-bay setups. Im installing my new GPS in the NC/Av-bay of my Punisher. I'm looking for ideas for a side by side install. I have the wire whip antenna. My main question is does the antenna have to extend outside of the av-bay? I know it would probably extend the range if it were completely straight and hanging outside the av-bay, but I want to keep the av-bay closed. My av-bay has a single all thread rod running through the middle of the bay. Will it mess with the reception/range like the Eggfinder? If there are pics already posted somewhere else please direct me to em?

Just like an EggFinder Bill. Try to avoid the antenna paralleling metallic all-thread. If you have to do that, it behooves one to do a ground range test and see if the range is acceptable. You can use an interconnect to a bulkhead mount and have a whip antenna facing aft so the antenna is out in the air at apogee.
Only concern there would be if the antenna gets bent up from the harness on descent. Or, have the antenna facing up into the main chute bay forward and use a plastic or cardboard stent so the antenna doesn't get smushed. If you screw in an RP-SMA or SMA antenna to forward bulkhead mount, you might just want to have a stent to protect it from the flash of the ejection charge(s). I have a wire antenna projecting forward through the bulkhead, protected by a duct tape wrapped cardboard tube that the AT wired "firstfire" igniters come in. Works well with a 70cm Beeline GPS. Avoid metallic paint with 70cm trackers. I don't know how
much attenuation occurs using metallic paint and the 900Mhz trackers.

Take a look and Jim Hendricksen's HV Arcas project, a recent thread for a picture of a very nice tracker bay. You'll see what I mean.
Kurt
 
Why then is there this picture https://www.missileworks.com/products/ on the MW website? Looking at this picture, one would assume its OK to have all-thread rods running parallel to the TX. This is why I ordered my Tx with the wire antenna. I didn't want to have to make any special modifications for the antenna. I didn't want to have to mount my antenna on a bulkplate, outside the av-bay and worry about it getting busted off during descent. I have read the manuals and saw nothing mentioning antenna location except something about a patch antenna in relation to the launch rail. Any beta testers have an answer?
 
There is at least one other product on the market that uses a soft wire antenna and does not require a license. Most prefer to mount them in a nose cone, but as far as I've read, there's not really been much of a problem with them in traditional av bays. I'm sure that there's probably some effect, but it's so configuration dependent that even the experts disagree to what degree it occurs.

YMMV
 
Soft wire antennas don't do a very good job of maintaining their shape under boost, so you generally only see them used for RDF trackers that are mounted inside a body tube and ejected out with the shock cord. They also tend to be at lower frequencies/longer wavelengths, where the distortion of the antenna isn't as much of a problem as it would be for a shorter antenna.
 
Bill2654 - See posts 200 and 202 for some of the information from Jim. This may answer some of your questions.
 
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?132380-Sparrow-HV-Arcus-2-stage&p=1613566#post1613566 shows what I mean. This is a nose bay mounted tracker. Do a mock up of your planned installation and a range check over level ground.
If you don't get a decent range to your satisfaction, should try something else. You can get bulkhead mount: https://www.ebay.com/itm/cable-RP-S...698334?hash=item3f68b6029e:g:g5MAAMXQVs1Rlemd and search for the length that's what you need. You would have to consider getting your transmitter converted to the RP-SMA connector on your transmitter module.
Test your wire antenna in your ebay (heck just tape it in place with masking tape for a simple test), see what you get with range and then test the Missileworks GPS out in the open. If the range is quite a bit farther out in the open and your project is going to possibly be travelling a fair distance, you'll want to do what you have to do to optimize your range. Best of luck. Kurt
 
Sorry Tim don't have time to spend on the computer but thanks for the link. Thanks for the call Jim, you were a biggest help.
Airfest and 10,000ft here we come.
 
Any word on when those of us who missed the pre-orders will be able to get an RTx? I keep checking the Missile Works web store to see if the "Out of Stock" notification has gone away.... Jim? Can't wait to give you my money:)
 
Same here. Daily morning email routine has a one click window upon opening my computer hoping to see "Now available"
 
Kendall, Tom -

Thanks for your interest. This week we're fulfilling the last of the pre-orders that have been accepted as "expanded-beta" fulfillments. So far, the last technical issue appears resolved as all the firsthand and secondhand data we're receiving is spot-on and epoch data recording to flash memory has been flawless. You folks who like Google Earth overlays will be pleased as will those flying for TRA record attempts via GPS.

In full disclosure we're working thru 2 minor issues (one is non-repeatable as I've retested here) and the other were still working thru the "what's different" collection. I do want a couple more weeks of user experience under our belt before we go all-up retail with the system, and so far all reports from beta users are very encouraging.

I'll post here as well when we're finally ready as well for prime-time retail.
 
I was one of the pre-orders and I finally got around to playing with mine today and wow, it's super easy to use. I took my Tx in my Punisher nosecone, and walked about a hundred yards away and put it down then went and got my RTx and followed the arrows right to it. And if you have any questions, email Jim and your going to get a real answer/phone call from him or CJ. Now that's the best customer service barr none! Cant wait to do some more "playing" with it tomorrow.
 
Kendall, Tom -

Thanks for your interest. This week we're fulfilling the last of the pre-orders that have been accepted as "expanded-beta" fulfillments. So far, the last technical issue appears resolved as all the firsthand and secondhand data we're receiving is spot-on and epoch data recording to flash memory has been flawless. You folks who like Google Earth overlays will be pleased as will those flying for TRA record attempts via GPS.

In full disclosure we're working thru 2 minor issues (one is non-repeatable as I've retested here) and the other were still working thru the "what's different" collection. I do want a couple more weeks of user experience under our belt before we go all-up retail with the system, and so far all reports from beta users are very encouraging.

I'll post here as well when we're finally ready as well for prime-time retail.

Jim,
Thanks for the update. Really looking forward to flying higher with the RTx on board!
 
Be patient folks. If there is a quirk that needs to be addressed, a lot easier for Mr. Amos to deal with the fewer units out in the field than a large population. Once released for general use, I'll bet you'll be far happier it has been refined. The drool factor
at walking right up to ones rocket is rightly enticing as anyone can tell you who's flown GPS trackers in years past. Problem then was the horrendous price premium of > $1000.00. Once my rocket goes out of sight, I don't bother looking up anymore.
I look head down at the map screen and watch where it's going. When it gets close to main deployment altitude, I look right in the direction where the event is going to occur. No more stupid "guesstimating" based on ground wind direction which can be very much erroneous. Many a flight the rocket is in some other place due to the vagaries of upper air windflows. If I see it fine, if not, look back at the map (or data screen) to see the rate of descent has slowed to the expected final descent rate. Next step is to go straight out, recover the rocket and get back to fly your next one. It's a great comfortable way to fly the out of sight screamers. Only have to worry about
CATO's and deployment failures. Even with a deployment failure, one stands a chance to get to where the remains are for shovel recovery. With a glass rocket in farm ground, one can just dig it out, replace the electronics and it's
good to go again. (As I found out one time)

One little tidbit: I've never been out to Black Rock but folks tell me to set your main deployment up relatively high because the playa sucks up Rf like a sponge. It's best to get some fixes up at altitude so you have better propagation and can establish a drift pattern before loss of signal. Kurt
 
One little tidbit: I've never been out to Black Rock but folks tell me to set your main deployment up relatively high because the playa sucks up Rf like a sponge. It's best to get some fixes up at altitude so you have better propagation and can establish a drift pattern before loss of signal. Kurt

I would love to hear their rationale for ground RF absorption being related to RF attenuation to the point of loss of signal. That statement makes so little sense I'm not even sure where to start the argument against it.
 
Back
Top