Just finished up my Demonic AV-bay. 2 altimeters
1 GPS
3 LiPo batteries.
View attachment 302857View attachment 302859
Looks nice but listen, make sure you take that ebay, button it up with that tracker operating and be sure you get a range check that is to your satisfaction. If you can hoist it up in the air a bit to simulate a descending rocket at say 20 feet or higher up and have a clear range to get a foot print test, you will save yourself a very sickening feeling when you don't get anything back after your expected apogee. You could have some very serious regrets if your flight is completely sight unseen except since this is a major launch, someone else might stumble into your downed rocket if you don't receive any packets on descent. I've had that experience twice when I was beginning with
APRS trackers. It's not a nice feeling. Especially when you lose a rocket with all that hardware in it. I'd hate to see that happen to you.
If the X-bee is powerful enough, it could over come the paralleling metal that is in your ebay. That's a radio mortal sin. Look at Vern's manual for the Telemetry Pro tracker otherwise known as "Kate" in this pdf:
https://www.multitronix.com/uploads/3...ual_rev3.1.pdf
The EggFinder User Guide on page 7:
https://www.eggtimerrocketry.com/atta...ide_B4d(1).pdf
Whatever you do, test it first. If it doesn't give you the range you need, you'll either have to fly a lower powered motor or modify your antenna to a bulkhead mount.
Others may post and say they fly it this way but if they aren't pushing the hardware to the limits they may have nominal results. If you want to squeeze every bit of range you can out of the system, you should shoot for
an optimal setup.
Oh, one other thing. Put bare contained ematches on all the channels. Fire up all the electronics and set the rocket up. Let is sit for 30 to 60 minutes with the tracker transmitting. If your altimeters don't recycle, shut down or blow the matches, you'll be in a great position for flight success (as long as you receive the positions). The Raven is resistant to Rf and I think the StratologgerCF is pretty decent too. Had a friend who did a 2 watt dog tracker that locked down two Adept 22's leading to a ballistic flight.
If someone has flown that same installation as you and tells you they had success, you're in a good position the electronics will fly together nicely. Been there and done that too with an Rf tracker and an ancient P6K altimeter. Pretty nasty
deployment on ascent on a subsonic flight in a 4" cardboard rocket. Zippered down to the forward centering ring. Also had a recovery deployment on the pad another time. The P6K stopped beeping and took me a second to realize Oh!
Expletive deleted!
Just had time to step away and have the apogee blow. Tried to make it to the upper bay and get the key in but main blew before I got there. That was embarrassing! Good Luck and hope your flight is successful. You'll absolutely be ecstatic walking right up to the rocket with no muss or fuss.
Kurt Savegnago
It'll be up to a 1000 "hits" in 24 hours... I guar-ran-tee! 
