My first question: Above what altitude would the use of a tracker be highly recommeded?
I am also building a blackhawk 24 so a radio tracker might be best.
Question 2: Are there any existing radio trackers that can be used without a ham liscence? From what I have seen radio recievers are much more expensive than the trackers themselves.
Question 3: What is the usual cost to get a started with a radio tracker and reciever? Any recommedations for a GPS or a radio tracker/reciever?
The only mistake I made was wiating till I lost 600.00 worth of gear....then I bought one. Would have been far ahead to have got one & still had my gear!
Here is what I have been using for 6yrs. Not lost one since!
https://www.com-spec.com/rocket/index.html
250.00 gets the receiver. It has 100 channels. 450.00 unit has 400.
The transmitter [about the size of 9v battery] will fit in everything but a 29mm tube. remove it from the case it WILL fit. Use it in my Blackhawk 29.
You can sand the bottom edge if it by knocking off the square edge to angular & it will easily it the 24mm Blackhawk. It almost fits stock. That's how I fly it in my 24mm BH These transmitters are 100.00 Antenna is 11 inches.
I believe the Walston is 17in. long
If you want one that fits ANYTHING and has only a 6in antenna look at these. I have also used it and highly recommend. The do run 155.00 though.When ordering you specify a channel for the Consumer Specialist receiver. It's about as big around as a pencil.
https://www.radiotracking.com/xlf.html
So you total cost is around 350-400 bucks.
To answer the how high before I use one is trickier:
Where are you flying?
Is it wide open or trees and high grass?
I flew my 24mm BH on a F red it was gone so fast no one saw it. The little PICO altimeter read 1456 ft. It landed on our sod farm only 300ft from the pads. The grass was 5-6inches, without the tracker & not knowing which direction it went I may have never found It.
Flown large rockets [4-6in diam] that laded behind tree lines or over hills that would have been incredibly time consuming to find without one.
Put it this way...... I would rather stick it in my rocket and not need it, than not have it in and lose sight of the flight.
Very cheap insurance in the long run, especially when using electronics.
I have found rockets as far as 7.5 miles away that no one had a clue where it went.[ Main popped at 14,000]
Here is CS tracker out of the case taped on to the Blackhawk shockcord. Put in with antenna facing NC, folded and stuck inside the NC. the small 3/4in object taped below it is the 2.8gram Pico read only altimeter.