CLUELESS- 1st time with rocket electronics

[jeffgeraci]

I've never done ANY electronics on my rockets, and I don't want to read 1,000 pages of "stuff".

What electronics do I need to equip my rocket with (runs on J340 or 500)
All I want to do is ignite a smaller motor when the rocket reaches a specific altitude (all I know is i'll need an altimiter?).

I need to know what components I need, and how the wiring is run through the rocket. Please keeep it as simple as possible! Thanks guys.

 

[blackjack2564]

It doesn't get any simpler than this. I have 5 of them. Very reliable, Adept has been around since the beginning, they invented dual deploy. Only 39.00! The entire manual on 1 page.

https://www.adeptrocketry.com/ADEPT22ds.htm


To ignite another motor you will need a timer or a more expensive altimeter with extra features.

How about telling us exactly what you are trying to do, with what size , weight, diameter rocket, so we have a better idea on what advice to give. You have been very vague so far.

 

[JDcluster]

If you want to air-start or stage motor(s) you will need a flight computer that uses an accelerometer. The Raven 2 or an R-DAS or a MARS unit will do.

JD

 

[DAllen]

I've never done ANY electronics on my rockets, and I don't want to read 1,000 pages of "stuff".

What electronics do I need to equip my rocket with (runs on J340 or 500)
All I want to do is ignite a smaller motor when the rocket reaches a specific altitude (all I know is i'll need an altimiter?).

I need to know what components I need, and how the wiring is run through the rocket. Please keeep it as simple as possible! Thanks guys.

As simple as possible would be a timer - not an altimeter. The timer will light at a specific moment after liftoff. Perfectflight and Adept are just two of the manufacturers that come to mind that make timers.

If you want it to light at a specific altitude you will need to spend some $$$ and get a higher end altimeter.

 

[Adrian A]

Einstein said that you should make things as simple as possible...but not simpler. This goes for airstarts too. jeffgeraci was on the right track looking to perform an airstart at altitude, rather than time, because there's no way for a pure timer to know whether the rocket is pointing the right way when it ignites the motor. Starting an airstart at an altitude doesn't completely eliminate the possibility of firing back toward the flight line either, but it would prevent firing for the vast majority of failures that could cause a bad attitude at ignition (A CATO of the booster motor, for example). A few more of the bad possibilities can be eliminated by setting up the altimeter so that it only fires if it reaches a selected altitude before a selected time.

I know that it's common practice to use a timer for high-powered airstarts, but in my opinion, it is one of the riskiest rocketry practices that is still allowed (and it's prohibited in Canada, by the way). An altitude-based airstart would have prevented the 2 serious burn injuries that happened at LDRS last year (as would have several other more common safety precautions).

A Raven altimeter makes it fairly straightforward to ignite an airstart at an altitude, or at an altitude before a selected time. I'm more than willing to help if you'd like to go down that route. This could be an example for others to follow, as well.

 

[mikec]

E
I know that it's common practice to use a timer for airstarts, but in my opinion, it is one of the riskiest rocketry practices that is still allowed (and it's prohibited in Canada, by the way).

It's not prohibited in Canada that I can tell from the CAR safety code, through there is a recommendation against the practice. https://www.canadianrocketry.org/news.php?topic=15

I agree completely that it can be risky to use a pure timer, especially with breakwires, low thrust-to-weight ratio or questionable stability.

 

[Adrian A]

It's not prohibited in Canada that I can tell from the CAR safety code, through there is a recommendation against the practice. https://www.canadianrocketry.org/news.php?topic=15

I agree completely that it can be risky to use a pure timer, especially with breakwires, low thrust-to-weight ratio or questionable stability.

Thanks for the link. It was described to me as a requirement by a Canadian who should know, but I agree that what's on the link isn't so definitive.

 

[Che]

Electronics in a rocket sounds freaking awesome, but I am completely ignorant on how any of these things actually work. I have a very general understanding of what the electronics are supposed to do, but the details of how the electronics actually work are beyond me. All of the specs and information are really intimidating.

I don't know what I need to know before buying and using an altimeter.

You know what would be awesome? A webinar on the capabilities the Raven altimeter and how to use the the device. It could be a series: uses, installation, programing, in flight, and retrieving recorded data. I would definitely participate in a webinar where I could ask questions in real time. I might even buy the product given enough notice so that I had it on hand during the webinar.

Just sayin'...

Just an idea.

 

[DAllen]

You mean like a Raven Quick Start Guide or a Raven users Manual?

:wink:

 

[Che]

I was thinking more like a live demonstration with a Q&A type of thing with a company rep, but the links definitely help.

 

[Adrian A]

Good idea. Rocketry Planet used to do some live web sessions like that, but with Darrell's passing, I don't know if the RP moderators knows how to do those. I'm game if someone either here or at RP can set one up.

Edit: It looks like there are quite a few webinar services that I could set up myself. Maybe I should plan to do one after I get back from LDRS.

 

[Pantherjon]

I've never done ANY electronics on my rockets, and I don't want to read 1,000 pages of "stuff".

What electronics do I need to equip my rocket with (runs on J340 or 500)
All I want to do is ignite a smaller motor when the rocket reaches a specific altitude (all I know is i'll need an altimiter?).

I need to know what components I need, and how the wiring is run through the rocket. Please keeep it as simple as possible! Thanks guys.

I would recommend going to a local club launch and pick the brains of the guys there flying electronics.:wink:

 

[Handeman]

I would recommend going to a local club launch and pick the brains of the guys there flying electronics.:wink:

Second that! Beside, you get to fly some motor eject at the same time!

 

[Che]

Good idea. Rocketry Planet used to do some live web sessions like that, but with Darrell's passing, I don't know if the RP moderators knows how to do those. I'm game if someone either here or at RP can set one up.

Edit: It looks like there are quite a few webinar services that I could set up myself. Maybe I should plan to do one after I get back from LDRS.

Awesome!

 

[jeffgeraci]

Appologies for being vague: What I want to do is this-

I want to launch a BT-60 rocket from the launch rod mounted inside my Open-Body Missile. The BT-60 runs on an "E-9" and the Open-body runs on a "J500" or "J320" (or 340, something close to that). I want to know what I need to ignite the E-9 after takeoff.

First and foremost, I need to find out if it's even legal to do this- I haven't checked my reg's handbook yet, and i'm not interested in anything that would hurt the sport of rocketry (when in doubt, don't do it!)

At any rate, It's just like a 2-stage rocket, but with 2 single-motor rockets. I think it would be fun to see a rocket shoot out from another rocket in mid-flight. I already have plans for a third rocket to launch out of the second rocket, but that's for another thread.

 

[DAllen]

Appologies for being vague: What I want to do is this-

I want to launch a BT-60 rocket from the launch rod mounted inside my Open-Body Missile. The BT-60 runs on an "E-9" and the Open-body runs on a "J500" or "J320" (or 340, something close to that). I want to know what I need to ignite the E-9 after takeoff.

First and foremost, I need to find out if it's even legal to do this- I haven't checked my reg's handbook yet, and i'm not interested in anything that would hurt the sport of rocketry (when in doubt, don't do it!)

At any rate, It's just like a 2-stage rocket, but with 2 single-motor rockets. I think it would be fun to see a rocket shoot out from another rocket in mid-flight. I already have plans for a third rocket to launch out of the second rocket, but that's for another thread.

You are perfectly fine. There is nothing that I know of that prohibits this setup. So long as you know for sure the entire setup is stable at liftoff and all other stages of flight I'd say go for it. Essentially (in my way of looking at it) all 2 stage rockets are 2 rockets put together.

This sort of thing was done at LDRS28 IIRC:

https://www.bpasa.com/hrnf.htm

-Dave

 

[Larry Curcio]

Good idea. Rocketry Planet used to do some live web sessions like that, but with Darrell's passing, I don't know if the RP moderators knows how to do those. I'm game if someone either here or at RP can set one up.

Edit: It looks like there are quite a few webinar services that I could set up myself. Maybe I should plan to do one after I get back from LDRS.

What about a YouTube video with subsequent discussion?

 

[RimfireJim]

Electronics in a rocket sounds freaking awesome, but I am completely ignorant on how any of these things actually work. I have a very general understanding of what the electronics are supposed to do, but the details of how the electronics actually work are beyond me. All of the specs and information are really intimidating.

You might want to read the altimeter articles in these two Apogee newsletters if you haven't already: https://www.apogeerockets.com/education/downloads/Newsletter240.pdf https://www.apogeerockets.com/education/downloads/Newsletter242.pdf

 

[Larry Curcio]

Good idea. Rocketry Planet used to do some live web sessions like that, but with Darrell's passing, I don't know if the RP moderators knows how to do those. I'm game if someone either here or at RP can set one up.

Edit: It looks like there are quite a few webinar services that I could set up myself. Maybe I should plan to do one after I get back from LDRS.

Like this...
https://www.ustream.tv/get-started