Looking for TURN-KEY High Power Rocketry Launch Controller

Our club struggled with an unreliable system for 3-5 years. Older club members struggled with setup and running cables. I fronted our club the funds and bought the system. It was paid for with a raffle over 2 years. The wireless system avoids running cables and the system is 100 percent reliable. Our club only wishes they did is sooner.

GRIFFIN said:

It's more than just that he has pride in his product. The response was defending the comment that there are no systems available.

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I never said there were no systems available. The qualifier here is "commercial", which some may have a different definition than others. It doesn't necessarily mean a "huge factory". But, a launch controller is an electronic system with potentially dangerous consequences, and wireless compatibility/security requirements. A company building such a system would have to design to industry standards, licensing, and approvals. If not, they risk lawsuits and loss of assets. Basement gadget makers fly under the radar. Buyers have different expectations. Generally, the small hacker companies offer a price advantage and make up for lack of depth and risk of longevity vs an established company by providing an open system. I'm sure Brad is doing his best to offer a decent product, but don't be surprised if it doesn't pass the "commercial" sniff test for some people.

Ok, so you are looking for something made in China produced by Motorola. I got it now.

Most things in this hobby (including altimeters) are made by "basement builders"

I guess I'm completely lost with your requirements. Maybe there is a market out there for you to start this commercial company. Good luck with the search.

cwbullet said:

Our club struggled with an unreliable system for 3-5 years. Older club members struggled with setup and running cables. I fronted our club the funds and bought the system. It was paid for with a raffle over 2 years. The wireless system avoids running cables and the system is 100 percent reliable. Our club only wishes they did is sooner.

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Tripoli Mid-Ohio had their first launch with the Wilson F/X wireless system yesterday and what a joy! Worth EVERY penny we paid for it. We were in the same position as Chuck's club and purchased our Wilson wired system a while back. As Joe Grubb previously stated, we only had a couple of issues that were our own fault. We are considering having an extension cord raffle in the near future......

jsdemar said:

I never said there were no systems available. The qualifier here is "commercial", which some may have a different definition than others. It doesn't necessarily mean a "huge factory". But, a launch controller is an electronic system with potentially dangerous consequences, and wireless compatibility/security requirements. A company building such a system would have to design to industry standards, licensing, and approvals. If not, they risk lawsuits and loss of assets. Basement gadget makers fly under the radar. Buyers have different expectations. Generally, the small hacker companies offer a price advantage and make up for lack of depth and risk of longevity vs an established company by providing an open system. I'm sure Brad is doing his best to offer a decent product, but don't be surprised if it doesn't pass the "commercial" sniff test for some people.

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It seemed pretty clear to me that the OP's definition of "commercially available" was something that was already built and available for purchase. When he excluded plans, schematics, etc. that seemed to be what he was saying. Your definition may be different.

I consider Wilson F/X launch systems to be commercially available. Along with Aerotech motors, OneBadHawk recovery harnesses, Eggtimer products, Loc Precision kits, and Wildman rocket kits. Along with hundreds of other large and small scale producers who provide us with well made and reliable products for our hobby dollars. If I can send money to a person or company and receive a product then it's commercial in my mind. I guess you are right in that buyers have different expectations. I don't care so much as to the technical understanding of the term commercial as much as i do the performance and availability of the product I am purchasing. I can attest to the superior performance and the trouble free operation of the Wilson F/X launch system. Even if they do load the software at the dining room table sometimes.

GRIFFIN said:

Ok, so you are looking for something made in China produced by Motorola. I got it now.

Most things in this hobby (including altimeters) are made by "basement builders"

I guess I'm completely lost with your requirements. Maybe there is a market out there for you to start this commercial company. Good luck with the search.

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That's not what I'm saying at all. It's not helpful to exaggerate. I'm not berating the product, just pointing out that there are different levels of expectation based on the source of a product. Read only what I've typed and don't make stuff up. The quantity of sales or the size of the company aren't the factors I'm talking about.

I'm curious what industry standards, licensing, and approvals might apply ; thereby ensuring safety, security, and compatibility?

Admittedly what I don't know can and does fill large volumes; but I'm not particularly aware of a trade group that covers this space. The next nearest thing I can think of ( with my admittedly small imagination ) is remote fireworks stuff?

There are design standards and best practices that mass market products are expected to comply with. In the US UL standards is an example. However its not a legal requirement to be in compliance with UL to sell a product in the US. Most launch systems are not in compliance with UL standards for battery powered equipment. No biggie unless someday NAR or TRA insurance carriers require it. Then the cost of poker will go up significantly for the hobby.

Hello Vance2Loud,
There's not much I can do about shipping costs to Australia, but you ought to talk with Blake Nicolet. He imported a large Wilson F/X launch system to operate the launch at the last Thunda-Down-Under launch. Its my understanding that he does lots of rocketry importing from this side of the pond to your side of the pond.

As to the cost of a system? As the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for." Other than JSD, I'm not hearing anybody saying anything bad about Wilson F/X products, product support, or value for your dollar (USA or Australian currency).

You can contact me directly if you have questions or ask your questions here on this forum. Wilson F/X has NOTHING TO HIDE.

[email protected] will get you right into my email box.

My team and I are working on less expensive options, but as we say here in the States, "there's no such thing as a free lunch." Somebody always pays.

Brad, the "Rocket Rev.," Wilson

No such thing as a free launch. I like it

Hello Old_Dude and everybody else,
Way back on the 9th of September 2012, Old_Dude asked a very important question that seems to have been lost as of late. He said that he was on a fact finding mission for his rocket club. His original post in this thread was titled: “Looking for TURN-KEY High Power Rocketry Launch Controller.”
He very specifically asked for a system to purchase, not a system to build. He was NOT looking for "schematics, plans, etc., please." His club was looking for “a turn-key/ready to go solution for High Power launches.”
I guess that at this point, I’d like to hear what his current thoughts are on the answers he’s gotten to his original post.
The vast majority of responders on this thread are highly enthusiastic about their club’s Wilson F/X launch systems, but not everybody thinks Wilson F/X is the way to go. I’ve got no problems with either position.
And before we get any further, I still don’t know who Old_Dude is or what club he was with. But I am very interested to hear his overall thoughts on the thread that he started not quite four years ago.
I will gladly admit to being just a bit more than curious to hear Old_Dude’s reply.
Brad, the “Rocket Rev.,” Wilson

dhbarr said:

No such thing as a free launch. I like it

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I can't believe I missed that myself! I'll try to use that from now one. "There's no such thing as a Free launch."

Thanks,

Brad

The F/X Wireless absolutely rocks!!!

Thank you for inquiring, Rocket Rev.

The club I was doing the research for (Sacramento Area Rocketry Group) has had a series of field losses and is currently without one. They were only able to conduct launch operations twice in the last few years. I consider that club to be a forlorn hope at this point but through no fault of their of own. Perhaps if the drought breaks and fire danger diminishes things will improve. The club has been using a Vaughn Brothers 3 bank/4 pad control box. Given the club's emphasis on outreach to Cub and Boy Scout rocketry groups, funding for a Wilson F/X system simply hasn't been there.

From my research I've learned to spot the Wilson F/X components in use. Most recently I spotted a Wilson F/x wireless unit in use for the "away cell" at LUNAR (Livermore Unit of the NAR) launches at Snow Ranch. The previous wired set up (unknown maker) had been having a lot of wiring/connectivity issues but I've observed no problems with the Wilson wireless system.

I cannot speak for the other California club in my neck of the woods (Tripoli Central California) as I've never seen their LCO control board and haven't seen any of the gray Wilson boxes out at the launch pads...meaning only that I've never seen them.

Hope this helps.

Hello Old_Dude,

Thanks for the up-date. I am so sorry that you all lost your launch site. That happened twice to the club I helped start back in 1995, Tripoli Quad Cities #39 (sometimes called QCRS). We lost one site because some idiot decided to drive his car out into the middle of the sod farm to set up his Estes pad in the middle of the week: without permission of the landowner, without permission of our club, and apparently without any brains.

The next site we found was wonderful, another sod farm. We lost this one after 10 years of flying because the land to the east of that sod farm was sold to a different farmer and he point blank refused to let anybody on his land to pick up rockets. He even refused a visa gift card for over $500. Nobody would be allowed on his land, period. There was nothing we could do. Even the other farmers couldn't convince him and they tried. They liked the $500 plus gift cards we'd given them EVERY YEAR we flew there. Sometimes there's nothing that can be done.

As far as I know, there are only two clubs in California using Wilson F/X technology and that's ROC and Aeropac.

And I hope you can ignore the guy who keeps saying the a Wilson F/X system costs $100 per pad. It doesn't. If I'm understanding you correctly, you are using a Vaughn Brothers system of three banks of four pads each. That's 12 banks in three separate four-pad pad-boxes right? I'd sell you a Wilson F/X system of three banks of four pads each for $1000 which would be $83.33 per pad. But unlike the Vaughn Brothers system, Wilson F/X is very easily expandable up to a 64 pad system by just buying more banks of pads. That's flexibility that no other system on the market has available.

Well if your club ever gets out of the limbo state you are currently in, let me know and I can get you an update on things. Just remember, the larger the Wilson F/X system that you buy, the less it costs per pad. Its all a matter of an economy of scale. A full 32-pad system in four banks of 8 pads each along with a 64 pad controller (capable of controlling up to 8 banks of 8 pads each) would cost just $2000 at a price of only $62.50 per pad. And that's a whole heck of a long way from $100 per pad.

Keep Wilson F/X in mind for your club's future.

Brad, the "Rocket Rev.," Wilson

Thanks for the response, Rev.

Remembering that you said AEROPAC has a Wilson F/X set up...it may well have been in use at the last LUNAR launch. Mr. Fruity Chutes (Gene E.) was using it to launch his big bird. He flies with AEROPAC as do a number of the top LUNAR rocketeers.

Yes, you're correct as the to the 12 pad arrangement SARG uses. Most recently it was set up with two racks for low-power and one rack for mid-power. For a high power flight, one of the LP or MP pads is disconnected to feed the HP pad. It's not an ideal arrangement.

I'll pass your information on to the club and they can discuss how to proceed. If the senior members each kicked in some money ($50-$100), it's certainly affordable. The club could easily get by with a 16 pad system arranged in 4 banks.

Thanks again, Brad.

o1d_dude said:

Thanks for the response, Rev.

Remembering that you said AEROPAC has a Wilson F/X set up...it may well have been in use at the last LUNAR launch. Mr. Fruity Chutes (Gene E.) was using it to launch his big bird. He flies with AEROPAC as do a number of the top LUNAR rocketeers.

Yes, you're correct as the to the 12 pad arrangement SARG uses. Most recently it was set up with two racks for low-power and one rack for mid-power. For a high power flight, one of the LP or MP pads is disconnected to feed the HP pad. It's not an ideal arrangement.

I'll pass your information on to the club and they can discuss how to proceed. If the senior members each kicked in some money ($50-$100), it's certainly affordable. The club could easily get by with a 16 pad system arranged in 4 banks.

Thanks again, Brad.

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I agree, if the club finds a field again we could all kick in a $100 each and fund a new controller... we funded the trailer the same way.... SARG has a good membership core with good funding... just location is tough, just need a field.