Micro Rocketry Association (MRA) : www.microrocketry.com

Hello. As some of you may know, one of my side interests is building websites. It's just one of my other creative outlets that allows me to use my imagination and have some fun. In most cases, I could care less what the subject of the website is. In this case, I finally do.

Starting in college, I began building websites. I've come a long way, but still have much to learn. I've recently begun my newest website project; the Micro Rocketry Association (MRA). Although there is not much on the site yet, I've decided that it's built enough to let everyone in on it. I know there are several places that the folks of micro rocketry gather online. I mean no offence to any. I only wanted to create something myself to house my hobby.

It is my goal to start from scratch an entire association pertaining to micro sized rocketry. The website is a start - someplace to collect my thoughts. I've got so much I'm going to include, and just need to get around to it.

That being said, I welcome each and every one of you to my new site : www.microrocketry.com! I am looking for any and all volunteers to get this all up and running. So if you want to get a low number on the member list, become a moderator in the forums, start a local chapter of the MRA yourself, or any other form of participation, please get in touch with me!

Here is a list of SOME of the features that will be included :
Downloads, including complete rocket plans, fin templates, etc.
Weblinks, linking you to any and all useful rocket info on the web.
Photo Gallery, where you can upload and display your photos.
Video Gallery, where you can upload and display videos.
Shocase, featuring exceptional builds and the people who build them.
Events, local and national events for specifically micro rockets.
Store, with MRA memorabilia and other fun stuff to purchase.
Membership Cards, for official membership registration.
Competitions, build competitions, events, etc.
Museum, featuring historic and unique rocket material (not micro specific)
And the list goes on and on and on, because there is SO much I will be including!!!

I will be personally hosting the first official MRA event this coming January in the Phoenix, Arizona area. The tentative dates are set for January 28-29, and I'm calling it,,, MICROMANIA! 2012... It will be located someplace nice and warm, with hotel nearby where micro enthusiasts can gather and hang out. We'll have a room in the hotel for whatever we see fit, and a variety of activities both days, with parties at night around the hotel and pool! It will be a MICRO BLAST! Of course, there will be a nearby location where will will launch a LOT of micro rockets...

Like I said, this is a new endeavor, both micros and my website. I don't know where it will lead, but I am excited and wish you all to join me. I can guarantee you, my website as well as the Micro Rocketry Association will be around for a long time, and become a major player on the model rocketry scene.

Thank you all for your time in reading this. I look forward to seeing you on the site!

www.microrocketry.com

I just registered!

I once planned to start a rocket club for 1/8A enthusiasts called Micro Dynamic Rocketry Association (MDRA), but then I thought better of it.

I just registered; neat idea! I have been going through my stash of early Quest MMX offerings, I may be able to help in the history/museum area if you would like to have one.

I signed up.
I'm just thinking about ordering my first kits and launch set up, or building my launcher from scratch, so this will help me to get up to speed, I hope.

So glad to see the immediate positive feedback and enthusiasm! Thanks!

Registered

Registered! Cool..:handshake:

Registered. I've got a couple of Fliskit Crayons and a Tog in the works. Unfortunately, good painting weather has gone by the wayside for a while, so the Tog will not progress very far.
John

This is so great! Just remember, this site is for all micro enthusiasts. I may be the administrator, but I plan to put this all together and create it with you all, and for you!

WizardOfAZ said:

Hello. As some of you may know, one of my side interests is building websites. It's just one of my other creative outlets that allows me to use my imagination and have some fun. In most cases, I could care less what the subject of the website is. In this case, I finally do.

Starting in college, I began building websites. I've come a long way, but still have much to learn. I've recently begun my newest website project; the Micro Rocketry Association (MRA). Although there is not much on the site yet, I've decided that it's built enough to let everyone in on it. I know there are several places that the folks of micro rocketry gather online. I mean no offence to any. I only wanted to create something myself to house my hobby.

It is my goal to start from scratch an entire association pertaining to micro sized rocketry. The website is a start - someplace to collect my thoughts. I've got so much I'm going to include, and just need to get around to it.

That being said, I welcome each and every one of you to my new site : www.microrocketry.com! I am looking for any and all volunteers to get this all up and running. So if you want to get a low number on the member list, become a moderator in the forums, start a local chapter of the MRA yourself, or any other form of participation, please get in touch with me!

Here is a list of SOME of the features that will be included :
Downloads, including complete rocket plans, fin templates, etc.
Weblinks, linking you to any and all useful rocket info on the web.
Photo Gallery, where you can upload and display your photos.
Video Gallery, where you can upload and display videos.
Shocase, featuring exceptional builds and the people who build them.
Events, local and national events for specifically micro rockets.
Store, with MRA memorabilia and other fun stuff to purchase.
Membership Cards, for official membership registration.
Competitions, build competitions, events, etc.
Museum, featuring historic and unique rocket material (not micro specific)
And the list goes on and on and on, because there is SO much I will be including!!!

I will be personally hosting the first official MRA event this coming January in the Phoenix, Arizona area. The tentative dates are set for January 28-29, and I'm calling it,,, MICROMANIA! 2012... It will be located someplace nice and warm, with hotel nearby where micro enthusiasts can gather and hang out. We'll have a room in the hotel for whatever we see fit, and a variety of activities both days, with parties at night around the hotel and pool! It will be a MICRO BLAST! Of course, there will be a nearby location where will will launch a LOT of micro rockets...

Like I said, this is a new endeavor, both micros and my website. I don't know where it will lead, but I am excited and wish you all to join me. I can guarantee you, my website as well as the Micro Rocketry Association will be around for a long time, and become a major player on the model rocketry scene.

Thank you all for your time in reading this. I look forward to seeing you on the site!

www.microrocketry.com

Click to expand...

While I do like the idea your proposing: I'm just a little skeptical about what and where your going with this "Association" thing. Most of us are already members of the NAR, Tripoli or both. and just about All the "Features" listed are already well documented in both the NAR and MicroMaxRockets yahoo group. All NAR National contest events and National Records are covered in the NAR 1/8A motor class Except egglofting whitch we have not as yet found a suitably breakable "Egg" for 1/8A power class.
I do like the MicroMania Idea but I for one don't travel more the 100 miles to fly rockets of any size and have heard the same from many of the eastcoast Micro flyers as well. I truely believe it will be very difficult to get folks to spend the same money they do at a NARAM for a week or so flying micros anywhere let alone in Arizona evem in January...Perhaps with time this well change but in todays ecomomy do you really think MicroMania has a snowballs chance in Arizona??? Perhaps in a couple more years after the elections we'll have a good bit better chance on getting folks to attend.
Another Micro fan in N. Carolina tried to get a bunch of us to a Micro launch a couple years ago. I don't recall if it ever came off I could not attend anyway. I've tried to get several Local clubs to host combined 1/8A sanctioned meets which also meet with a good bit of resistance. Hard enough to get one or two 1/8A events in one or two Club Sanctioned contests during the Contest flying year.
While I'm more then willing to share every bit of Micro info, plans, equipment etc with all I'm not sure how much time to spend re-creating that which has already been published and presented on yet another site. We'll see how it goes.

Well that's an expected response since obviously your defending your yahoo group. Like I said, I don't mean to step on the toes of anyone. If anyone doesn't think the MRA is for them, they should probably not join. As for the rest of us, we will make that decision ourselves...

I will say over and over again, my goal is not to reinvent the wheel. My main goal here is to produce my website as a creative outlet for myself, and share my progressions and site with my micro friends. I'm not here to compete for any reason, nor will I. If you go on my website and don't like it, then please leave. Disruptive members will be removed immediately and IP addresses blocked. It is my desire to keep this site positive and moving forward together. Only people who share my vision should participate. I am unhappy this post had to come so soon, but expected it would at some point. I assure everyone this is a peaceful endeavor, and you can hold me to my word. That being said, I don't see a reason to touch on this topic again. It takes too much effort and time to be negative, and I can't speak for anyone else, but I myself don't have time for it...

I'm here to fly rockets!

Fair enough. I was just concerned when I sensed what I consider to be immediate opposition. There is no reason for that. I get that there might be the same info elsewhere, but there's more places then McDonnald's to get a burger if you know what I mean. I'm only just looking to have fun combining my interest in rockets with my interest in web building. There is no plan to take over the world or anything like that. ;D

I've looked over the site. It is indeed presented as an "Association" and not as a "Special Interest Group".

Since it cannot offer the same benefits as the NAR already offers (Millions of dollars in insurance, recognized by other national Governmental agencies such as NFPA, NASA, BATFE, DOT, etc.) I do not understand why it exists as an Association.

It sounds like the "Micro-Starlords". :y:

And let's add some icing on the cake: Boeing has blocked the site as a known Phishing site.
https://www.microrocketry.com/index.php

quote:
Virus detected and blocked
Boeing blocks Web sites which contain inappropriate content, those that contain malicious code, and those that provide services that may be unsafe to the Boeing network and or its resources.
Virus filtering is implemented any time a website has been compromised. When the site is no longer infected, the block will be removed and access to the site will be restored.

URL: https://www.microrocketry.com/index.php Categories: Phishing Virus Name: Proxy: wp-slb-04

unquote.

shreadvector said:

I've looked over the site. It is indeed presented as an "Association" and not as a "Special Interest Group".

Since it cannot offer the same benefits as the NAR already offers (Millions of dollars in insurance, recognized by other national Governmental agencies such as NFPA, NASA, BATFE, DOT, etc.) I do not understand why it exists as an Association.

It sounds like the "Micro-Starlords". :y:

Click to expand...

Association: a group of individuals who voluntarily enter into an agreement to accomplish a purpose.

In this case the advancement of micro rocketry.

JPVegh said:

Association: a group of individuals who voluntarily enter into an agreement to accomplish a purpose.

In this case the advancement of micro rocketry.

Click to expand...

here is an equally logical response:

(Never launch Micros when it's "Windy") :wink:

shreadvector said:

(Never launch Micros when it's "Windy") :wink:

Click to expand...

Not if you "Cherish" them.

Hilarious! I love that people are concerned about my site. Yes, it is indeed a plan to take over the world with micro rockets... My company has also blocked the site. Most companies that see no reason to allow it, block it. There is nothing that should concern you. It's not a dangerous site. But please, if you feel worried, just do not join or visit the site. That fear should keep out the riffraff and weirdos, which I am fine with. It blows my mind how when people are concerned, instead of just avoiding the site for their own reasons, they find it necessary to totally discredit the site and ruin it for everyone else. Wow. Anyway, I am totally indifferent to those who have a problem. As for the "Association", it's only a name. I'm a NAR member too, and don't plan to replace them. I understand skeptics will always be critical, and there is nothing wrong with that. I cannot prove to anyone that myself, my site or my motives are honest. But I don't feel I owe anyone an explanation. Those of you who are staying up at night worrying will simply miss out. For the rest of you, we'll see you on the site! Maybe I'll post an "about me" in the forums to ease the worry. Sheesh...

JPVegh said:

Association: a group of individuals who voluntarily enter into an agreement to accomplish a purpose.

In this case the advancement of micro rocketry.

Click to expand...

Love it! JP, you can consider yourself credited with the MRA mission statement, which I will update soon on the site!

MRA Mission Statement : To promote the enjoyment and advancement of micro rocketry through a safe, family friendly community, both online and on the range...

Hello everyone!

I've chosen to add this information about myself since there is apparently some concern over me and my site. I understand in this day and age how people get worried and can feel like the internet is unsafe or dangerous. I cannot prove my integrity, but hope that you find the following information reassuring. I, my site and my intentions are all legitimate.

Here ya go:

My name is Josh Campbell. I was born and raised in the town of Lindstrom, Minnesota. I am the youngest of four. My father was a union carpenter, my mother a stay at home mom. We were a lower to mid middle class family who enjoyed boating on the area lakes, fishing, snowmobiling, family camping, 4H, Boyscouts, and many other basic American activities.

At a young age, I expressed a large interest in aviation. I was obsessed with toy planes. Living under both a military flight path as well as commercial one, I saw my share of planes. A man who lived on the lake near us owned a Cessna on floats. For my fifth birthday, my parents asked what I wanted, and I said, "All I want is a ride in Mr. Delaney's float plane!" My parents placed a call, and on my fifth birthday, I lifted off from North Center lake, an event that was etched in my young mind forever. After that, there was nothing for me in life but airplanes...

I was very involved as a kid. My mother's theory was that if I was too busy doing constructive activities, I wouldn't have much time to get in trouble. She was mostly right. I was in so many activities, ranging from 4H to Jr. Swimteam. I was always in the local newspaper, participated in the MS Readathon where I met numerous famous people including being in a TV commercial with Kirby Puckett. Little did I know that years later near the end of his life, I would sit on a lawn chair and watch fireworks with him on Deer Lake in Wisconsin. I cannot even remember the things I was involved with there were so many.

Getting older, I was heavily involved with my school swim team. I played some tennis, ran some cross country, and a few other activities. I had been taking piano lessons from the age of four, and music was a large part of my life. I went on to play jazz and improv as the lead saxophonist in a school jazz band we called Stage Band. The most prominent part of my life without a doubt has been Boyscouts of America. I and my close brother went through it every step of the way, together with the greatest leader of all times, my dad. We conquered Philmont Scout Ranch in June of 1997, the greatest time of my young life. My brother and I both became Eagle Scouts. Growing up in a Swedish community, there was a time when the King and Queen of Sweden visited. Being the head of the world boyscouting organization, King Carl Gustav requested that boyscouts be present on his arrival. My brother and I were chosen to meet the King at a special ceremony out at a cemetery near Ki Chi Saga park. Boyscouting was without a doubt the greatest part of my childhood and crafting of who I would grow to become as an adult.

I left for college, and attended St. Cloud State University in the town of St. Cloud, MN, just a couple hours from home. SCSU was the closest and cheapest aviation school, and I had one goal in life - to fly. After four challenging years at SCSU, I left juts a few credits short of my Bachelor's degree, a decision I will always regret, I went to Mesa, Arizona where I finished my flight training and obtained a type rating on the CL65. A type rating is specific training on one aircraft, in my case, the Canadair Regional Jet series 700.

After that, I was in the twilight zone, as I call it. Roaming around with no job, no home, nowhere to go and nothing to do. It was then that I met my wife Jillian. Why or how she was interested in me at that point is beyond my understanding. All I had to show for myself was an old rusty Geo Tracker, and a bunch of useless flight hours in small aircraft. In the Summer of 2006 I applied and was hired at a regional airline to fly the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 200 series. I went through initial training like a hot knife through butter, because I had already trained and was qualified on the CRJ. I began my airline pilot career flying out of the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport flying with Northwest paint on regional jets. Now of course we fly with Delta paint, but to me, flying is flying...

My wife is a school administrator, having somewhere around Masters +50 credits or so. After 13 years as a special education teacher, she continued her education and moved towards administration.

After our first daughter was born in Minnesota, we decided to make a move. The only goal was life adventure, and we didn't really care where we ended up, just get out of town. Maybe we'd be back in five years or maybe never. In three months time we picked up our life as we knew it in Minnesota and moved to Arizona. I was still going to be based and flying out of Minneapolis, but would commute using my airline benefits from Phoenix to Minnesota.

We were fortunate to be renters during the recession, and have very little to loose. Moving to Arizona, we found ourselves in perfect position to purchase our first house and continue our family. It wasn't long before our second daughter came along. We now live very happily in the outskirts of Phoenix in the city of Surprise. Our girls are growing fast and the most important part of our lives.

Here's where rocketry comes in! I'm sitting on my patio in Arizona. I don't know anyone. Many of my old hobbies are impossible or difficult in Arizona. I knew my main goal was to be a family man both for my wife and daughters. I was brainstorming one day about a hobby that would feed my science interests, cater to my creative side, be mostly affordable, could include my family, and wouldn't demand time away when I needed to plug in as a father. Suddenly it hit me! ROCKETRY! I began to research rockets and became very interested. I felt like a middleschooler again, and couldn't stop dreaming about rockets! Everything began to look like a rocket part.

I started with a Big Bertha and worked my way up to a LOC Precision Forte, before what I call the "Micro Ah Ha Moment"! I began to realize I could do micro rocketry for very little cost. I knew I could glue a fin on, leave to parent, and whether I came back in five minutes or five days wouldn't matter. It was the perfect hobby!

I dabbled with websites in college, but have no formal training, or informal for that matter. Everything you see is what I have learned to do from around two dozen sites over the years. There is really so much more I can and plan to do. I just haven't had time yet. The site was started in late October, and I have been out of town flying for most of November. Fortunately I only fly Tue-Thu for the month of December, which will give me LOTS of time to get working on the site!

Now, what exactly is the MRA? Well who knows! I literally thought one day, "I'm going to start a micro site!" I bought the domain and loaded up some software. I knew I would need a name, so I started thinking. I created the logo and registered it. That's about it. It's just a name and logo because I needed something on the top of my website! Where will it lead? I don't know. It is not my intention in any way to make this in to anything like the NRA or Tripoli. I understand that some people are afraid because I used the word "association". Just relax. It's not rocketry reform. It's just an online club with ambitions to expand into the real world. Where or how that happens is unknown and irrelevant.

The future? Here's the deal. I am the kind of person who believes it is important to continue learning and expanding myself until the day I die. This website, the MRA, and my interest in rocketry is nothing more then that. I envision a day where I have learned so much about web building and have created a massive micro site with thousands of happy users! But if I close it down tomorrow, it doesn't really matter. My only goal here, is to have fun. I combined my creative interest in web building with my interest in rocketry, slapped it on a website, invited anyone and everyone, and there's nothing more to say about it. I am so excited to make new friends, have fun with rockets and generally speaking just enjoy life.

So like I said somewhere else; If you're really worried about my site, just don't show up, I don't care. I think myself and this site and whole idea are an opportunity for each and every one of you, but it's up to you to decide that for yourself. I wish you all the best, and hope to see you on the site, or better yet, at the launch pad!

Thank you for your time in reading this!

~ Josh Campbell

Josh-- it's a great idea that you have for your site. I opened this thread expecting to see the same people with little-man syndrome attacking what you are doing, and I wasn't dissapointed. I'm sure you expected no less yourself.

This endeavor is more then just rockets. It's also about web building. It's also about friendship, and growing together. Since I get so much enjoyment out of web building, I am willing to donate space on my server and development time for anyone who would like their own page(s). I'm literally saying, give me the material and I will give you your own website within mine! There are few parameters I wish to stick with. Your material must be model rocket related, family friendly, and meet my personal approval. That's really not too much to ask. If you're wondering what I mean, I've begun my own sub-site as an example for you! Just go take a look at www.microrocketry.com/jcms and you'll see what I mean.

Want your own site? Excellent! Just email me with your basic idea and some photos or something and I'll get to work on it! Keep in mind, this is a hobby for me, so please be patient with my progress. I have a job, two young children and a wife who all come first.

Email your info to : [email protected]

I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Here is my green Fliskit Crayon. Hope to fly it sometime soon, but I'm not sure when I will have the time. Viewing of additional items in picture is free of charge.
John

Just want to say a big thanks to everyone who has joined in on our website! It's great to have so many people involved in any amount. There's still much more to be done of course, and it all takes time (when I'm not flying $30 million dollar jets or parenting my 1 & 2.5 year olds!) :tongue:

I'm so excited about how far we've already come just since inception in October, and excited to see how far we will go this year!

Thank again everyone!

See you on the site!
www.microrocketry.com

WizardOfAZ said:

I'm so excited about how far we've already come just since inception in October, and excited to see how far we will go this year!

Click to expand...

Any chance the MRA site will return soon? Just curious as I'm cleaning up my bookmarks...

The quick answer is probably not. It wasn't really taking off as quickly as I'd hoped, and I was not putting in the time I should have been. I could have kept the site up, but wasn't going to maintain it, so I figured I might as well let this site and the Yahoo group prevail. I guess there's not much more to it then that. Also, I was on a micro mission mostly for cost, and suddenly found myself with a larger rocket budget then ever before. So now I'm working on L1 and up for a while. Sorry. I know some people were happy to have the micro site. It wasn't around long, but it's shut down now...

Josh

Nice try at a group, anyway. Thanks!