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exprditer789

exprditer789

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My dad and i are looking for a tracker.What ones do you like? Please list pros and cons and price if you want. Pictures please.This will be for high power.
 
exprditer789 said:
My dad and i are looking for a tracker.What ones do you like? Please list pros and cons and price if you want. Pictures please.This will be for high power.
Click to expand...

I like the BigRedBee trackers. Not only are they less expensive, but ham radios are very handy to have around a launch site.

Those of us in the local club who have ham licenses have taken to using our radios for more than tracking.

-Kevin
 
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I use and love the Garmin Astro unit. It doesn't fit in smaller rockets, but in larger rockets in which it does fit, you can't beat the convenience.
 
The BigRedBee unit is wonderful. Worth every penny. Without it, I'd be missing 2 fairly expensive rockets from last year's flying season. Gotta have an amateur radio license though (not hard to get, but you've gotta study a bit and take a test).
 
I have tried a dog collar, I have the beeline and my favorite so far is the telemetrum Granted you need a laptop and a ham license but I really the gps tracking and radio link.
 
jaz said:
I have tried a dog collar, I have the beeline and my favorite so far is the telemetrum Granted you need a laptop and a ham license but I really the gps tracking and radio link.
Click to expand...

For me, the laptop requirement is a killer. I want my tracking to be portable.

With my BigRedBee GPS, I need exactly two things -- my Yagi and my radio. The radio I have decodes the packets from the GPS, and tells me distance and bearing to the transmitter. "ET Phone Home" :)

In addition, if for some reason the packets cannot be decoded, I can use standard tracking techniques with the Yagi to find the rocket.

-Kevin
 
troj said:
... With my BigRedBee GPS, I need exactly two things -- my Yagi and my radio. The radio I have decodes the packets from the GPS, and tells me distance and bearing to the transmitter.
Click to expand...

What radio do you use?

Greg
 
WillMarchant said:
Kenwood TH-D72 :horse: Sorry, couldn't resist. :eek:

The Yaesu and the Kenwood are the handhelds I'm aware of with built in APRS and GPS. They make using a BeelineGPS very easy, as Kevin outlined.
Click to expand...

IYHO, which one is better?

Greg
 
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WillMarchant said:
I'm not sure one is better than the other as they have different features. I think the big differences are that the Yaesu unit can use a bluetooth handset and the Kenwood unit can show your rocket's position on an external moving map display. Is that it, Kevin?

I did find this article https://www.worldwidedx.com/handita...d72-2m-440-aprs-handitalkie-4.html#post250156 that lists more differences.
Click to expand...

That was more than I knew, to be honest. :)

I'll add to it that the comparison link is to the -8DR, not the -8GR. The difference? The D model has 6 meter, but no built-in GPS. The G model has GPS built in, but no 6 meter.

The moving map feature, for rocketry, is a "gee whiz" feature to me -- if I know distance and bearing, that's all I need. If I want to superimpose it on a map, I can connect my radio to my handheld GPS. But, thus far, that hasn't been a need.

-Kevin
 
WillMarchant said:
I didn't think you could do that with the Yaesu radios, Kevin.
Click to expand...

Indeed I can.

I can also hook my GPS to my radio, and have the coordinates from the GPS sent out via APRS packets.

The key is having a GPS with a serial port, which mine has.

-Kevin
 
dixontj93060 said:
I have a Ham license, but has anyone looked at the BRB 900MHz GPS combo?
Click to expand...

Yes, I am an early adopter of this system. I bought one right when Greg announced it, and he has been very helpful with all my questions. I have the simple setup - basic transmitter and handheld receiver. I haven't flown it yet, but did some ground testing. So far so good. I did lose signal when my son carried the transmitter into some thicker woods. I haven't fully tested the range on the ground, yet.

Observations:

1. Very simple to use. Turn on transmitter and receiver and see the lat/long coordinates. Punch coordinates in a GPS or Google Earth and go. No radio finding skills needed.

2. No ham needed. I barely have time to build a rocket, let alone study and take a test. Yeah, yeah, I know all the standard answers to this remark. Maybe someday, but not right now.

3. No crazy electronics needed - tictacs, yogi bear antennas, BNC to VGA adapters, etc (Just kidding :wink:). I am a mechanical engineer, so I am not really hip to this electronic stuff.

4. No special receiver needed. I bought a Garmin GPS to track the rocket, which I am likely to use more often in other applications (fishing, hiking) than a ham radio.

5. Transmitter and battery are all one unit, kinda heavy, and more expensive to replace in a crash or if hanging in a tall tree.
 
bigredbee said:
Heavier and more expensive than what?

-- Greg
Click to expand...

Sorry for the omission. I was comparing to your BRB TX. $199 vs. $59. I haven't weighed them, but I suspect the BRB 900 is heavier than the TX. I know, probably an apples to oranges comparsion.

I do like the all-in-one 900 that fits in a 38mm tube. Very easy for me. This is a good value for a GPS solution. Lovin' it so far.
 
dixontj93060 said:
I have a Ham license, but has anyone looked at the BRB 900MHz GPS combo?
Click to expand...

I have had one of these units for a month or so now.
I picked up the combo with the LCD receiver.
As of now I have not been able to flight test it, ground tests only.
For GPS tracking I think it is a "KISS" unit.
I love the LCD display receiver.
Not having to deal with a laptop/trying to see a laptop screen in bright sunlight on launch day is going to be a plus.
I am looking forward to flight testing this unit.
Lots of snow on the ground and cold here in IL. right now!!
Also Greg Clark of BRB is great to work with if you have any issues.
 
lmt56 said:
IFor GPS tracking I think it is a "KISS" unit.
I love the LCD display receiver.
Not having to deal with a laptop/trying to see a laptop screen in bright sunlight on launch day is going to be a plus.
Click to expand...

That's why with the 70cm version, I prefer the Yaesu and Kenwood radios for receiving the GPS packets.

Also Greg Clark of BRB is great to work with if you have any issues.
Click to expand...

Understatement of the year! Greg has never been anything less than fantastic, in my experience.

-Kevin
 
+1 for the BRB900 unit.

You get the coordinates in on your laptop, and then you plug them into a handheld (in my case, an iphone using a hiking app) and go walk to your rocket.

I'm running u-center, a free package which allows me to superimpose the position of the rocket in real time on a terrain map (I got the map with a Google Earth screenshot of our launch area). Lose sight of your minimum diameter screamer on the way up? No biggie, just look at the laptop and it will tell you where it is and how high it is.

Your total cost is $300 (I got the upgraded transmitter and an extra battery though, so mine was about $370).

I believe that this is the cheapest tracking system out there- as you don't have to buy a radio if you already have a laptop and a phone with GPS or a handheld GPS.
 
troj said:
In addition, if for some reason the packets cannot be decoded, I can use standard tracking techniques with the Yagi to find the rocket.
Click to expand...

FYI, in case you didn't know, this is also possible with the TeleMetrum, as we intersperse audible beeps with the data packets during recovery to support traditional RDF techniques.
 
bdale said:
FYI, in case you didn't know, this is also possible with the TeleMetrum, as we intersperse audible beeps with the data packets during recovery to support traditional RDF techniques.
Click to expand...

Ah, cool!

A very good plan, I think -- if packets for some reason cannot be decoded, or GPS loses a lock, the beeps can still be used.

A bit more work, but it's always good to have a failsafe!

-Kevin
 
bdale said:
FYI, in case you didn't know, this is also possible with the TeleMetrum, as we intersperse audible beeps with the data packets during recovery to support traditional RDF techniques.
Click to expand...

And, I keep hoping that, someday, the TeleMetrum will also include the occasional APRS location packet, as well (at least on the going down part of the flight), making it the hands-down winner of the Homer Gizmo Memorial Does It All For Everyone award! :jaw:

:D
 

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