Missile Works RTx?

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Coop

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Saw something on Facebook about Missile Works RTx, which appears to be a telemetry add-on for the RRC altimeter. Has anyone seen one, played with it, have an inkling on what the price point might be? I've picked up a few RRC3's and a RRC2+, and have to say I'm quite pleased with all of them. Quite interested in learning more about the RTx...


Later!

--Coop
 
Its a neat system that Jim Amos of MissleWorks has put together, I too want to get my hands one.
 
It's part of the new GPS package being tested now for the RRC3.
Will be at LDRS flying.
Come see me or the "other Jim" [Amos Missleworks] at the Wildman trailer to see it. We'll have a table set up to hang out at.[bring your own cold beer!]

Way to many features to list all now, but here's a few.

Stand alone in NC.
Blue tooth to altimeter from NC or bay, or plug in, if mounted in bay.
Walk ya right to rocket with LCD unit [for RRC3] or Android phone
Piggy back altimeter data streaming with GPS to ground, via telemetry you ask about.
 
This all sounds fantastic. While I won't be at LDRS (new job, no seniority or vacation--but also no non-emergency transports, so I'm thrilled), I do look forward to learning more about this. I happen to have a project I'm working on in which I may or may not (mostly may) have ripped off a certain Jim's nosecone technique which presents me with an additional av-bay, in which I would like to place a tracker... having one that could, feasibly, attach to one of my preexisting RRC3's to act as a redundant system for the main sounds wonderful!


Later!

--Coop
 
Since I wont be able to attend LDRS but would like too, I will just have to wait for Jim Amos to release them for sale, we (Jim and I) recently emailed a bunch back and forth about the new RTx and I am excited.
 
Who is flying them in the west?

Want to peek at ROCstock this weekend.

Kenny
 
Here's the link to the FB post I made earlier this week.
You can see that hardware and read about some of the functionality:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missile-Works-Corporation/219383158228037

CJ touched on all the salient points... these alpha systems will be taking first flight @ LDRS.
Still lots to do in regard to mDACS enhancement and finalizing the new Bluetooth/Modem board, however it's extremely capable right now in alpha stage.

Check it out @ LDRS.

p.s. to Ken. No left coasters (yet). After first alpha eval flights, Bryce has volunteered to deliver some flight paces.
 
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Jim, all very cool. Any thought to adding accelerometer to the RRC3 even as an expansion?
 
Here's the link to the FB post I made earlier this week.
You can see that hardware and read about some of the functionality:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missile-Works-Corporation/219383158228037

CJ touched on all the salient points... these alpha systems will be taking first flight @ LDRS.
Still lots to do in regard to mDACS enhancement and finalizing the new Bluetooth/Modem board, however it's extremely capable right now in alpha stage.

Check it out @ LDRS.

p.s. to Ken. No left coasters (yet). After first alpha eval flights, Bryce has volunteered to deliver some flight paces.

I will see Bryce at ROCstock we are due to meet on the playa of honor for a Jart Dual / Drag Race

Kenny
 
Here's the link to the FB post I made earlier this week.
You can see that hardware and read about some of the functionality:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missile-Works-Corporation/219383158228037

CJ touched on all the salient points... these alpha systems will be taking first flight @ LDRS.
Still lots to do in regard to mDACS enhancement and finalizing the new Bluetooth/Modem board, however it's extremely capable right now in alpha stage.

Check it out @ LDRS.

p.s. to Ken. No left coasters (yet). After first alpha eval flights, Bryce has volunteered to deliver some flight paces.

I'm looking forward to seeing this at LDRS. I've been pondering a more advanced altimeter, with the RRC3 being my current first choice. This would be a really nice feature to have.

Nate
 
may be a stupid question but what freq. is it?
 
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may be a stupid question but what freq. is it?

The system uses 900 MHz ISM radios. The 250mW XBee modems mount flush to the board.
The system can also cable into the 1W Laird radios for long-haul operations using the new Bluetooth/Modem combo module.


Any chance we will get to see it at Airfest this year?

Absolutely... should be released by then as well.
 
Jim, all very cool. Any thought to adding accelerometer to the RRC3 even as an expansion?

Mark -

Sorry, I overlooked your question, earlier.

The answer is "yes", there are thoughts... I've been considering this for the Aux Pyro expansion board that's still in concept phase. I've identified some transcoding silicon to provide wireless operation for the design, and inertial sensing will also be included (all coming after RTx and Bluetooth are released for the RRC3). One will then be able to couple the RRC3 Aux OCS altitude/velocity permissive with a qualifying inertial event.
 
The answer is "yes", there are thoughts... I've been considering this for the Aux Pyro expansion board that's still in concept phase. I've identified some transcoding silicon to provide wireless operation for the design, and inertial sensing will also be included (all coming after RTx and Bluetooth are released for the RRC3). One will then be able to couple the RRC3 Aux OCS altitude/velocity permissive with a qualifying inertial event.

Oooh....talk dirty to us.
 
I store my different brands of electronics in separate boxes and now I will need a bigger one for the Missile Works products. :clap:
I already have the RRC3 with the LCD screen etc., RRC2+ and PET2+ Event Timer. Looking forward to adding the New products! :cool:
 
I store my different brands of electronics in separate boxes and now I will need a bigger one for the Missile Works products. :clap:
I already have the RRC3 with the LCD screen etc., RRC2+ and PET2+ Event Timer. Looking forward to adding the New products! :cool:


"and one to RULE them all".......... the new GPS..LOL
 
...or is the GPS to find them?

With the LCD to bind them?


Later!

--Coop
 
Once one does GPS tracking, there's no going back to anything else unless space constraints limits the tracking options. It will simply cut down ones recovery time. Where I'm at, launches are at the whim of the fickle weather and job requirements.
If I'm out triapsing around looking for an errant rocket that's lost time that would be better spent launching. I hate going home with ready to fly rockets I just ran out of time to launch. If one has a 4-wheeler recovery is even faster.
The other thing to consider is if one has a flight to extremes that is completely unseen, the nature of the telemetry will indicate that the events occurred as planned and then point the way even if the landing goes unwitnessed. Figure how much money in
the rocket that would be lost if it remained "unfound". A tracking system can "pay for itself" if one takes that into consideration. Kurt
 
I've been following CJ's punisher thread (I'm building my Punisher as well) and noticed your question, Chris.

Awesome build as usual Jim. Have you been able to use the Missleworks GPS yet? Looking forward to that.

You got CJ's first impressions on the RTx system, so I figured I'd post a "post LDRS /High Skies in July" update. I'm extremely close to handing off the alpha hardware units with my potential beta firmware to a few beta-testers. Been tweaking code since LDRS and since last weekend's 2 alpha flights. The firmware is nearly complete and the hardware has been performing extremely well. The uBlox7 chipset has been outstandingly accurate.

Along with additional alpha board tweaks I'm also working w/Landru to create several new 3D parts that will package this thing and provide unique mounting configurations. Another large part of these alpha tests has been antenna configuration testing, and there's still many tandems of antenna types and designs I'm playing with.

The RTx system is configurable into (8) unique operational modes which are 100% DIP switch settable... no PC, no tablet or smart phone, just flip and go.

Naturally, there are additional advanced settings you can configure, but out of the box this system is "buy and fly" and is "plug and play" friendly with the m3 Module family (LCD, USB, and the new modem/Bluetooth module). It's also "plug and play" friendly with the RRC3 which provides complete in flight telematics data with real time events, altitude, flight time, vertical velocity, etc...

The RTx system also provides a complete navigational solution without any PC, smart phone/network, tablet, or handheld GPS. It autonomously guides you to the last reported rocket location even when packet sync is lost, displaying your current speed and bearing over ground coupled with real time updates to rocket bearing and distance... truly trivial and hands free "no fuss" recovery.

Here's some obligatory rocket and sled pics, showing what we've been testing so far.
Stay tuned for more updates as we expand to "beta tests"!

4inch  dual sled.jpg

LDRS flight 1.jpg

LDRS flight 2.jpg

CJ Sled.jpg

Tim Sled.jpg

Base.jpg

Hi Sky 1.jpg

Hi Sky 2.jpg
 
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Thanks for the update Jim. I saw some of these pics on your Facebook page. Very cool.
 
Definitely looking forward to this. My question though is if I already have an RRC3 and programming LCD, does the unit come with everything that I need to get it working, or will there be a few more things I need?
 
Definitely looking forward to this. My question though is if I already have an RRC3 and programming LCD, does the unit come with everything that I need to get it working, or will there be a few more things I need?

Yeah, whut he said! And if it goes on the 98mm printed sled, is there no way to put two RRC3's and the RTx on one sled? I guess I only have one 4" rocket that uses the 98mm printed sled, but it's one of my favorites to fly. Guess I'll have to make an old school plywood sled for it.... Now my L3 rocket can fit 3 of the 98mm printed sleds :cool:

Adrian
 
Once one gets a taste of GPS "fetching" of rockets, they will never look back to any other way. Especially if it's an entirely sight unseen flight. Even if one doesn't have a Multitronix "Kate" to tell them the events, they can tell by the rate of descent by the altitude reading when under drogue and under the main. You "know" even if you didn't see it that the flight was nominal. Real time tracking for those outta sight jobs can point your eyes in the "expected" direction of where the rocket is coming down to get a "visual" when the main deploys. One caution though, send a small enough rocket, high enough with a small main chute (relatively speaking) and you might see "nothing" from a mile away. Got a GPS tracker? Walk or drive right up to it, pick it up and go back to fly another project. No more wasting time looking or worrying about an errant rocket. I've had 5 flights of that type with no idea where the rocket went down except the HSI (Heading Situation Indicator) on my handheld GPS pointed the way. That certainly has paid for my tracking equipment in saved hardware.
If the position update rate of the RRC3 is 1/hz one will get better resolution on the downside. (As opposed to once every 5 seconds with APRS tracking)
A further edge with this type of tracking is in the event of a catastrophic out of sight ballistic flight, one will usually receive some position packets before the rocket hits so they'll know where the likely site is to pickup the pieces. Even..... if they only "heard" the rocket hit and not get a visual. Trying to keep track of a flight like that with an RDF Yagi is darned near impossible. Especially since the transmitter is splattered in the process.

Yeah, I can't wait to see either. Kurt
 
Definitely looking forward to this. My question though is if I already have an RRC3 and programming LCD, does the unit come with everything that I need to get it working, or will there be a few more things I need?

Nothing else is needed other than a cable (which will come with the RTx system) to interconnect the RRC3 and RTx boards, or simply fly the RTx as a stand alone GPS locator in a "cone-bay". The RTx system supports your LCD and USB IO modules directly as well, serving as a real-time informational/locational display on the ground (for flight and retrieval), or as a "tier 2" programming HMI just like it does for the RRC3.
 
Nothing else is needed other than a cable (which will come with the RTx system) to interconnect the RRC3 and RTx boards, or simply fly the RTx as a stand alone GPS locator in a "cone-bay". The RTx system supports your LCD and USB IO modules directly as well, serving as a real-time informational/locational display on the ground (for flight and retrieval), or as a "tier 2" programming HMI just like it does for the RRC3.

Me want!
 
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