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For Sale Custom Comspec Receiver Compatible Beacons

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I have 2 last beacons before I run out and need to assemble some more. If anyone wants them, lemme know. Timeline for more will be around 2 weeks.
 
Brainstormz123 said:
Ive just assembled a bunch more beacons, reach out if you want some! (Many people who have bought them have told me that $40 is too cheap, so take advantage of it while they are still this price)
Click to expand...
Are you back and able to bang out the (2) 3d printed enclosures I need please?

Thanks!
 
C-S stuff is great for smaller rockets. For larger one's like 3 inches diameter and up, I never lost a rocket with a GPS tracker. Had a GPS photomap tracking program on a laptop out in the field and man oh man, seeing that the rocket landed next to a barn and not in a lake was priceless. I did non-directional tracking stuff with smaller rockets but got a ham radio license and built my own Yagi antennas with attenuaters. Was way cheaper than commercial stuff for "beep-beep" tracking.
I witnessed guys who lost very large, high-powered projects with non-directional beacons onboard as they simply went out of range and couldn't get into the
ground footprint of the tracker. Was a beech for them as they lost a lot of hardware.
C-S stuff was rather pricey at the time and used "oddball" 200Mhz frequencies". It's the reason I went into Ham radio and got a General ticket/license. Not any harder than an L2 written test! I was able to build some non-directional "beeping" trackers with Yagi receive antennas, attenuators and such. Plus I was able to use the Ham radio bands that has better propagation/range than the 900Mhz stuff.
I did/do use 900Mhz stuff in smaller rockets and launched one up where I didn't have the deployment electronics connected up right. The image on the laptop I used for tracking told me where to go for the lawn dart. Last position lat/long was when the rocket was 50 to 75' feet in the air coming down. Fin can was the only thing sticking out of the ground and yes, the electronics were trashed but I at least got my motor casing back! I miss those days! Kurt
 
I did a quick test of one of the ones I received. I put one side by side on the kitchen table with a ComSpec transmitter and went a half mile away in my car. Both worked great. I’ll do something more extensive at our next launch. I just wasn’t willing to look dorky walking through my neighborhood with a directional antenna (although everyone in the neighborhood already know I’m a bit of a rocket nerd).
 
Jmhepworth said:
I did a quick test of one of the ones I received. I put one side by side on the kitchen table with a ComSpec transmitter and went a half mile away in my car. Both worked great. I’ll do something more extensive at our next launch. I just wasn’t willing to look dorky walking through my neighborhood with a directional antenna (although everyone in the neighborhood already know I’m a bit of a rocket nerd).
Click to expand...
Yes, other people at the elementary school seemed to wonder what I was doing 'to' my 4-year old granddaughter Evie with that scary lookin YAGI antenna and the funny blue box around my neck :)
 
Has anyone been able to try out some beacons at a launch and seen how they performed? Would love to hear some feedback.

In addition, I do have a few more beacons if anyone else wishes to purchase some more.
 
I'm going out this weekend, will be trying one out.

I was checking out the printed housings today and found that the battery housing hangs up on the edge of the printed housing.close up of corner.jpg

Fortunately, I caught this before the launch, since I don't usually take my Dremel with me, but here at home it just took a touch to clear the small edge off, and all is well.
modified and original housing.jpg

I'm planning to tape these to the shock cord, just like I did the original Com-spec buttons, but it would be easier if the covers snapped on to the housing.

I will be giving a full critique when I get back next week.
 
Brainstormz123 said:
Has anyone been able to try out some beacons at a launch and seen how they performed? Would love to hear some feedback.

In addition, I do have a few more beacons if anyone else wishes to purchase some more.
Click to expand...
Anthony --

As reported above, I flew mine to 4100 ft and it landed on a power line about 1200 ft away.

Never lost contact via my Walston Receiver.

I'll be flying again 'soon'

If not this weekend at Seymour TX then Feb 3 at Hutto, TX ( weather permitting ).

-- kjh

p.s. I want to order a pair next month if they're still available.
 
Wayco said:
I'm going out this weekend, will be trying one out.

I was checking out the printed housings today and found that the battery housing hangs up on the edge of the printed housing.View attachment 626103

Fortunately, I caught this before the launch, since I don't usually take my Dremel with me, but here at home it just took a touch to clear the small edge off, and all is well.
View attachment 626104

I'm planning to tape these to the shock cord, just like I did the original Com-spec buttons, but it would be easier if the covers snapped on to the housing.

I will be giving a full critique when I get back next week.
Click to expand...
My bad on that, I knew I had a couple “too tight” cases mixed in, but I tried all the ones I sent out using boards I had. From now on, ill send all the boards in the cases so I know they will fit (was away from my printer in holiday time).

Those cases were designed to be ziptied together and to the shock cord, but I too find it annoying and ill make another that “snaps together”. Will send files when I design that.
 
We had a launch scheduled this weekend and we were planning on testing several trackers. Unfortunately the weather has decided not to cooperate and we had to cancel the launch.

But in all our testing the trackers have performed well.

Hopefully February will be better.


Tony
 
kjhambrick said:
I'll be flying again 'soon'

If not this weekend at Seymour TX then Feb 3 at Hutto, TX ( weather permitting ).
Click to expand...
Konrad, Seymour is the unfortunate launch @manixFan mentions as having been cancelled this weekend.

Hope to see you in Hutto next week, crossing fingers it isn't cancelled too. Will pick your brain for practical knowledge about using these beacons.
 
Thanks for the heads up Tony and Stephen.

I saw Harry's message at Tripoli North Texas [email protected] this morning ...

There MAY still be a WTSV makeup launch at Eggemeyer Fiield in Hull TX ( San Angelo )

Bill Kitch ( @kitchw8436 ) will be posting an update sometime today ...

They have a vast recovery area out there and the cotton should be gone by now so the only hazards I know about are the runways and access roads.

Bill said this month would be MPR only due to the iffy weather and because they postponed a week -- the same day as the TNT / Seymour Launch so Bill didn't expect a big turnout ..

The forcast for WTSV in Hull is about the same as TNT at Seymour ( thick early morning overcast, possible drizzle and 12+ MPH winds all day ) so maybe I'll save the 3.5 hour ride each way for a nicer Saturday ...

OTOH, I can be 'impulsive' so I'll be watching the messages at West Texas Space Vaqueres [email protected] today and maybe make the trip anyway ....

bad_idea said:
<<snip>>
Hope to see you in Hutto next week, crossing fingers it isn't cancelled too. Will pick your brain for practical knowledge about using these beacons.
Click to expand...

Stephen --

I will be happy to show you how I attach the transmitter and secure the antenna to my drogue shock cords inside a little bubble wrap and sheathed with a 'gob' of duck tape :)

It is REALLY inelegant but it's the way either Sue McMurray or Pius Morizumi showed me at Black Rock back in the 1990's :)

I've got a VERY OLD I357 ( Batch: AUG 20 1996 ) ready to fly in Spock's Johnson to about 4250 ft at Hutto ( if it lights ).

That should exercise Anthony's ( EDIT: Dooh ! I misspelled "Alexander's" 03:30 or so in the morning )but it was transmitter just a little bit :) :)

And I've got a similar vintage K1100 that I was thinking would be a fun ride to about 8650 ft for Nocturnal Missions at Seymour or San Angelo ....

Do stop by the truck -- I'll leave the rocket open until you can see my super-duper, oh-so-embarrasing transmitter attachment method :) :) :)

And if you want, you can even wear the headphones and lug the Walston receiver and the YAGI -- go fetch my rocket please, Stephen :) :) :) :)

Thanks again all'Y'all !

-- kjh
 
Last edited:
tfish said:
Way way back machine....

'Sue McMurray or Pius Morizumi showed me at Black Rock back in the 1990's :)'

https://www.privatedata.com/byb/rocketry/rocket_electronics/walston.html
Tony
Click to expand...
I remember reading that article way back when and then convinced several guys in our club to buy a RocketHunter (Com-Spec) system as a group purchase, which we still use. Plus one of our members has a very nice Marshall receiver.

That article basically taught me how to use the system to find rockets. And to always carry water when I leave to find a rocket.

Great trip down memory lane @kjhambrick and @tfish! And thanks @Brainstormz123 – your beacons have breathed new life into those receivers.


Tony
 
manixFan said:
I remember reading that article way back when and then convinced several guys in our club to buy a RocketHunter (Com-Spec) system as a group purchase, which we still use. Plus one of our members has a very nice Marshall receiver.

That article basically taught me how to use the system to find rockets. And to always carry water when I leave to find a rocket.

Great trip down memory lane @kjhambrick and @tfish! And thanks @Brainstormz123 – your beacons have breathed new life into those receivers.


Tony
Click to expand...
yep..

Rocket Hunters were also 100mW and were the best ..back in the day..

Its amazing how much better your hearing gets when you close your eyes..I used to be....(i'll find out if I can still do it) hear the tones hidden in the background of the static. Another thing that helps is getting a tad higher up..even standing on top of a camper shell will help!

I'm fortunate in Black Rock is my 'home field'..I've 'occasionally' had some rockets drift a tad far out...

finding the rocket is part of the adventure!

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/balls-story.110173/
..right?....

Tony
 
tfish said:
yep..

Rocket Hunters were also 100mW and were the best ..back in the day..

Its amazing how much better your hearing gets when you close your eyes..I used to be....(i'll find out if I can still do it) hear the tones hidden in the background of the static. Another thing that helps is getting a tad higher up..even standing on top of a camper shell will help!

I'm fortunate in Black Rock is my 'home field'..I've 'occasionally' had some rockets drift a tad far out...

finding the rocket is part of the adventure!

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/balls-story.110173/
..right?....

Tony
Click to expand...
That photo of the motorcycle is fantastic. Great write up, bummer you never recovered the rocket.


Tony
 
What have people been using for receivers now that you can't get the Com Spec ones? I have a few of these beacons, as well as a L.L. Electronics beacon, and I've always needed to borrow a receiver. I have a UV-K5 radio that I'm planning on loading modified firmware onto, but I doubt it will perform as well as the Com Spec receivers I've been able to use.
 
Ahhhh forget it. Get a Ham radio license and legally use Ham Band beacons. Both Walston and Com Spec used some proprietary transmission protocols that ONLY worked with THEIR receivers PERIOD. When I got my Ham General license I borrowed some Walston and Com Spec trackers and had a Ham "Handi-Talkie" (H/T) I could tune to the frequency of "their" trackers. Only heard a hint of a signal when I put the tracker antenna over my receiver antenna.

I repeat, "DO NOT! DO NOT! DO NOT!" Buy a Walston or Com Spec transmitter/ tracker UNLESS you own/buy a corresponding RECEIVER for the RESPECTIVE product!! PERIOD!! I had the resources and was able to borrow trackers to test from fliers "years ago" and proved standard FM receivers wouldn't work with said products. DON'T BUY ONE USED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CORRESPONDING RECEIVER!! I can't stress this enough.

The unlicensed 900Mhz GPS tracker stuff from the various makers work just fine for the usual HPR. In fact I use a multi element Yagi antenna on 900Mhz to increase the ground footprint of the downed rocket. In fact if the GPS receiver is facing "up" one can get a final position as they get closer to the rocket.

If one is going to be launching up a project that is likely to land "miles and miles" away, get a Ham radio license and do APRS GPS tracking. But..... One needs to make sure the tracking transmitter doesn't mess up or "jigger" one's deployment electronics!! Been there, done that. I and others have had their two to three onboard deployment altimeters lock up and deliver lawn darts when the higher powered tracker messed with the deployment electronics!!!

If one deals with trackers designed by rocket folks, they won't have any problems. I and others had troubles when launching Ham designed, higher powered trackers. At altitude a lower powered tracker has great range. It's only after the rocket is down where higher power would give a larger ground footprint.
High power is not needed if one has the bearing locked to the tracker with an NDB (non-directional beacon) which is a "beep-beep" tracker. Definitely not needed with a GPS tracker when one has the last known position with the rocket 50 to 100 feet in the air.

I used a handheld Garmin GPS I could lock a bearing into when doing NDB Yagi/attenuator tracking. Once I'd get a final fix on a rocket coming down, I'd push a button on the Garmin to lock the bearing as I held it to the side of the Yagi antenna. It would allow me to walk a line straight to the downed rocket. WORKED great! I've never lost a rocket with NDB or GPS tracking period! Only way I'd lose a rocket is if it landed in high tension electrical wires. There were none of those around at our launch site.

I've seen guys who tracked their lawn dart rocket to the hole in the ground. They shock mounted their NDB beacon so well it kept transmitting and they found the hole! Transmitter was still beeping so the flier could at least dig the rocket out of the hole!

I highly recommend with NDB tracking to have a hand held Garmin GPS one can lock a bearing to so one can accurately walk the "line". Of course when one gets closer, can turn up the attenuator and fine tune the bearing to the rocket. In an open field it's easy but if a rocket lands in standing corn and "disappears" a noisemaker on the main chute deployment harness can really "home in" with one's ears to find the rocket!

Kurt (aka KC9LDH)
 
ksaves2 said:
Ahhhh forget it. Get a Ham radio license and legally use Ham Band beacons. Both Walston and Com Spec used some proprietary transmission protocols that ONLY worked with THEIR receivers PERIOD. When I got my Ham General license I borrowed some Walston and Com Spec trackers and had a Ham "Handi-Talkie" (H/T) I could tune to the frequency of "their" trackers. Only heard a hint of a signal when I put the tracker antenna over my receiver antenna.

I repeat, "DO NOT! DO NOT! DO NOT!" Buy a Walston or Com Spec transmitter/ tracker UNLESS you own/buy a corresponding RECEIVER for the RESPECTIVE product!! PERIOD!! I had the resources and was able to borrow trackers to test from fliers "years ago" and proved standard FM receivers wouldn't work with said products. DON'T BUY ONE USED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CORRESPONDING RECEIVER!! I can't stress this enough.

The unlicensed 900Mhz GPS tracker stuff from the various makers work just fine for the usual HPR. In fact I use a multi element Yagi antenna on 900Mhz to increase the ground footprint of the downed rocket. In fact if the GPS receiver is facing "up" one can get a final position as they get closer to the rocket.

If one is going to be launching up a project that is likely to land "miles and miles" away, get a Ham radio license and do APRS GPS tracking. But..... One needs to make sure the tracking transmitter doesn't mess up or "jigger" one's deployment electronics!! Been there, done that. I and others have had their two to three onboard deployment altimeters lock up and deliver lawn darts when the higher powered tracker messed with the deployment electronics!!!

If one deals with trackers designed by rocket folks, they won't have any problems. I and others had troubles when launching Ham designed, higher powered trackers. At altitude a lower powered tracker has great range. It's only after the rocket is down where higher power would give a larger ground footprint.
High power is not needed if one has the bearing locked to the tracker with an NDB (non-directional beacon) which is a "beep-beep" tracker. Definitely not needed with a GPS tracker when one has the last known position with the rocket 50 to 100 feet in the air.

I used a handheld Garmin GPS I could lock a bearing into when doing NDB Yagi/attenuator tracking. Once I'd get a final fix on a rocket coming down, I'd push a button on the Garmin to lock the bearing as I held it to the side of the Yagi antenna. It would allow me to walk a line straight to the downed rocket. WORKED great! I've never lost a rocket with NDB or GPS tracking period! Only way I'd lose a rocket is if it landed in high tension electrical wires. There were none of those around at our launch site.

I've seen guys who tracked their lawn dart rocket to the hole in the ground. They shock mounted their NDB beacon so well it kept transmitting and they found the hole! Transmitter was still beeping so the flier could at least dig the rocket out of the hole!

I highly recommend with NDB tracking to have a hand held Garmin GPS one can lock a bearing to so one can accurately walk the "line". Of course when one gets closer, can turn up the attenuator and fine tune the bearing to the rocket. In an open field it's easy but if a rocket lands in standing corn and "disappears" a noisemaker on the main chute deployment harness can really "home in" with one's ears to find the rocket!

Kurt (aka KC9LDH)
Click to expand...
I have a couple things to note about the problems you experienced that are all solved by these beacons.
1. These beacons can transmit a callsign to be fully ham legal
2. Comspec and similar beacons use continuous wave beeps, which arent usable with standard radio equipment. FSK type beacons are the ones that work with your receiver. My beacons are able to transmit fsk and continuous wave, to make them compatible with every receiver
3. These beacons are reprogrammable by me or the end user to do literally whatever you want with then
 
ksaves2 said:
Ahhhh forget it. Get a Ham radio license and legally use Ham Band beacons. Both Walston and Com Spec used some proprietary transmission protocols that ONLY worked with THEIR receivers PERIOD. When I got my Ham General license I borrowed some Walston and Com Spec trackers and had a Ham "Handi-Talkie" (H/T) I could tune to the frequency of "their" trackers. Only heard a hint of a signal when I put the tracker antenna over my receiver antenna.

I repeat, "DO NOT! DO NOT! DO NOT!" Buy a Walston or Com Spec transmitter/ tracker UNLESS you own/buy a corresponding RECEIVER for the RESPECTIVE product!! PERIOD!! I had the resources and was able to borrow trackers to test from fliers "years ago" and proved standard FM receivers wouldn't work with said products. DON'T BUY ONE USED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CORRESPONDING RECEIVER!! I can't stress this enough.

The unlicensed 900Mhz GPS tracker stuff from the various makers work just fine for the usual HPR. In fact I use a multi element Yagi antenna on 900Mhz to increase the ground footprint of the downed rocket. In fact if the GPS receiver is facing "up" one can get a final position as they get closer to the rocket.

If one is going to be launching up a project that is likely to land "miles and miles" away, get a Ham radio license and do APRS GPS tracking. But..... One needs to make sure the tracking transmitter doesn't mess up or "jigger" one's deployment electronics!! Been there, done that. I and others have had their two to three onboard deployment altimeters lock up and deliver lawn darts when the higher powered tracker messed with the deployment electronics!!!

If one deals with trackers designed by rocket folks, they won't have any problems. I and others had troubles when launching Ham designed, higher powered trackers. At altitude a lower powered tracker has great range. It's only after the rocket is down where higher power would give a larger ground footprint.
High power is not needed if one has the bearing locked to the tracker with an NDB (non-directional beacon) which is a "beep-beep" tracker. Definitely not needed with a GPS tracker when one has the last known position with the rocket 50 to 100 feet in the air.

I used a handheld Garmin GPS I could lock a bearing into when doing NDB Yagi/attenuator tracking. Once I'd get a final fix on a rocket coming down, I'd push a button on the Garmin to lock the bearing as I held it to the side of the Yagi antenna. It would allow me to walk a line straight to the downed rocket. WORKED great! I've never lost a rocket with NDB or GPS tracking period! Only way I'd lose a rocket is if it landed in high tension electrical wires. There were none of those around at our launch site.

I've seen guys who tracked their lawn dart rocket to the hole in the ground. They shock mounted their NDB beacon so well it kept transmitting and they found the hole! Transmitter was still beeping so the flier could at least dig the rocket out of the hole!

I highly recommend with NDB tracking to have a hand held Garmin GPS one can lock a bearing to so one can accurately walk the "line". Of course when one gets closer, can turn up the attenuator and fine tune the bearing to the rocket. In an open field it's easy but if a rocket lands in standing corn and "disappears" a noisemaker on the main chute deployment harness can really "home in" with one's ears to find the rocket!

Kurt (aka KC9LDH)
Click to expand...
So far we have used both a Marshall and Com Spec receiver with these beacons with no issues, programmed to beep out using Continuous Wave (CW).

We have also been able to use these same trackers with regular Ham radios with a Yagi, also with no issues. As @Brainstormz123 says, when programmed to beep out using FSK and with the flyers call sign, they work just fine for a regular HAM user on either the 220 or 440 band. Even the output power is programable so they can be 'toned down' to match the expected needed range.

I think what you are missing is these are not Walston or Com Spec specific beacons, but they are compatible with those receivers. However, because of their extremely easy programmability, they are also compatible with regular HAM radios, including automatic broadcasting of your callsign.


Tony
 
Assembled another batch, any takers? Still $40 each and $5 shipping anywhere in the US.

In addition, I have some 440mhz band ones if anyone is interested in those. Same setup as these, programmable and all, just in the 420-460mhz ish range.
 
Alexander --

Just yesterday, I traded my wife a month on the couch in the doghouse for a handful of Blue Ravens :)

I would like to order two more transmitters next month for sure if they're still available.

One Q ... @manixFan posted several combinations of FSK -plus- CW programming in post #41

Is if possible for you to set up the frequency and also at the same time, set up the transmitter for #4: No FSK and CW 4 beeps @ 1.5 sec intervals:
View attachment cw-4-beeps-at-1.5-sec.wav

Thanks !

-- kjh
 

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