Beeline vs Beeline MP

[JordanT]

This is turning into an expensive fall flying season...

Are there any big advantages/disadvantages to a BRB 16mw vs 100mw version, range and price notwithstanding? Are there dimensions on the two of them? Will either fit in a 24mm tube (I think the answer is no to that one)? It's not clear, but I presume that the USB interface has to be purchased separately. Is it easy to solder up an interface, or does the interface do serial translation to USB? I don't need another USB LiPo charger.

 

[CarVac]

If you need something that fits in 24mm tube, the Telemini is your answer. It makes the Raven look big; it fits in 18mm tubes!

Check my Disappearing Act thread soon for a photo of my av-bay as it is now.

edit: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...Minimum-mass-I1299-rocket&p=422469#post422469

 

[troj]

The USB interface is needed to configure the transmitter, as well as charge the battery. You only need one interface, no matter how many transmitters you buy - I own three transmitters (two beacons, one GPS)

It's actually my third GPS - a friend slacked the first one, and I slacked the second. Still using my second USB interface - the first generation didn't work as a charger

 

[JordanT]

So...does anyone know the actual sizes of the beacons?

edit: I should add that battery size is mostly irrelevant, since it will fly nearly all the time with an altimeter and be powered off the same battery.

 

[troj]

So...does anyone know the actual sizes of the beacons?

Standard GPS fits in 38mm tube

Greg posted exact dimensions in another thread

 

[mikec]

So...does anyone know the actual sizes of the beacons?

From https://www.bigredbee.com/faq.htm

"The BeeLine Transmitter (B1) is .88" wide x 1.725" long.

The BeeLine MP Transmitter (B6) is .79" wide x 2.05" long."

I'd check with Greg, this may be out of date.

 

[bigredbee]

Those dimensions are correct!

 

[Greg Young]

16mw is plenty of power for line of site. Some folks have stated that with a 100mw transmitter and antenna colocated in the ebay with other electronics, they could run into issues with their other electronics.
In my case the decision was made as 16mw is an adequate signal, but not one that would swamp the receiver when getting close to the rocket, making it easy to df, and with the lower output te battery will last a long time between charges.
I am very pleased with the unit. It is an realtively inexpensive piece of insurance for a rocket you don't want to lose...

 

[JordanT]

Those dimensions are correct!

How about thickness? 0.79 seems awfully close to fitting into a 24mm thin walled cardboard tube. I can make a dedicated bay behind the NC and get .40 inches if I'm not concerned about silly stuff like a sled.

 

[JimZNJ]

I have both the Beeline (16mW) and the MP (100mW) version. As mounting compartments in several of my nose cones I have used 24mm tubes (BT-50ish) in which to place the transmitter. It fits perfectly.

I haven't flown my MP version yet as I just got it this week. I wanted a second tracker and opted for the 100mW version this time just to give me a better signal to get a heading on after the rocket lands on the the uneven terrain here in the Northeast. Depending on the orientation of the rocket when it lands, the ground can soak up a lot of the signal. I would caution though that if you opt for the 100mW version you should have an attentuator for your receiver. I use an offset attenuator I got from Arrow Antennas along with one of their portable yagis. The attenutator allows me to dial down the signal level as I get closer so that I can get really close and still do very effective direction finding without swamping the receiver.

If you opt for the lower power version, just try to get a bead on the rocket while it is still in the air. If you also have any visual clue of the direction the rocket went, even if you can't get a signal once the rocket is down, you can start walking/driving that direction and eventually pick up a signal to work from.

Today at our club launch I flew the low power version twice. The first launch landed close to the pad so really wasn't needed. The second landed far across the farm we fly on in thick brush. Along with the benefit of the attenuator on my receiver, I was able to track the rocket to within 10 feet when I finally spotted it. No way I would have found it otherwise. So even for the more casual flights, if it will fit in the rocket, I never fly without my Big Red Bee!