Found FlightSketch Mini Wanted - For Cub Scout Event

[Little Charlie]

This is an email I sent to Flightsketch - If anyone can help a cub scout pack out I would be very grateful - I'll update if I get a response - Thank you

Russ posted on RocketryForum some info about the flightsketch mini a few months back. I am running our local Cub Scout Pack 55 Basking Ridge, NJ Rocket Event this year. It is scheduled to go off sometime in late September.

I am wondering if there is anyway to purchase a mini for this event. I see they are out of stock and I know everyone is waiting for them. My hope is that you might have one somewhere that you might be able to sell me. A new one, a used one, a refurbished one?

We want to have an altitude contest this year since we are moving to a bigger field.

I've read so many good reviews about your product I really don't want to buy someone else's.

Thank you - I appreciate any help you can give.

Blue Skies,

Charles Pasmore

 

[SolarYellow]

I'm sure they'll be shipping shortly, as my MicroPeak and interface dongle arrived today.

 

[mh9162013]

I'm sure they'll be shipping shortly, as my MicroPeak and interface dongle arrived today.

The dongle hasn't had stocking issues.

 

[SolarYellow]

My point was I bought the competitive product because of the general situation of FS having disappeared from radar and not responding to anybody who reaches out to them through any means. So the way things work, that means FS will begin shipping product soon.

 

[H_Rocket]

If you can't find one, I encourage you to look at the Jolly Logic Altimeter. If you can find an older "One" or "Two" they are painfully easy to use.

 

[mh9162013]

So the way things work, that means FS will begin shipping product soon.

I don't follow. You're saying because an alternative product is shipping, FS Minis should be shipping soon?

 

[SolarYellow]

If you can't find one, I encourage you to look at the Jolly Logic Altimeter. If you can find an older "One" or "Two" they are painfully easy to use.

They are also bigger and heavier than makes any sense in the little rockets I'm flying.

I don't follow. You're saying because an alternative product is shipping, FS Minis should be shipping soon?

I'm saying because I bought the alternative product, FS Minis should be shipping soon.

It's an apparently overly subtle attempt at humor.

 

[mh9162013]

I'm saying because I bought the alternative product, FS Minis should be shipping soon.

It's an apparently overly subtle attempt at humor.

Ha!

Sorry, I can be a little slow sometimes...

 

[Little Charlie]

lol... please buy as many of the alternative products that you can afford.... It's like I can fish all day without a bite. Grab a sandwich and I miss a hit....

The FS Mini with the app for the price... how do you beat it?

I've spent all day looking at small altimeters ( I should be working.... ) but I'm fixated on finding the FS Mini. I've been looking at every web page I can to try and locate one. I keep looking at the Perfectflight Firefly but you need a reader if you don't want to be bothered counting a blinking led in the midday sun.

 

[BEC]

The FS Mini with the app for the price... how do you beat it?

If they were actually available, you couldn't. Sadly, that's not the case. And no, I'm not offering up one of mine (sorry, a little).

I've spent all day looking at small altimeters ( I should be working.... ) but I'm fixated on finding the FS Mini. I've been looking at every web page I can to try and locate one. I keep looking at the Perfectflight Firefly but you need a reader if you don't want to be bothered counting a blinking led in the midday sun.

Yes, reading the FireFly's LED In the sun isn't all that much fun — but it can be done. And FireFlys are available. FS Minis, which I MUCH prefer to use, aren't, and last time I checked, the missing component was months away.

The FireFly field data display on the other hand, is rare and is only made in very small batches (last time I got an answer to a query, I was told they make 10 at a time). But you can do an altitude contest with the FireFly (or the MicroPeak — Apogee shows them in stock, they may be elsewhere also) by counting flashes after the flight. It is possible.

 

[SolarYellow]

I got my MicroPeak here. Checked all the dealers, and they all had marked it up. So I went to the source.

https://shop.gag.com/altimeters/micropeak.html
The thing that's kind of annoying about the FS situation for the few weeks I've been paying attention is the total radio silence. They don't respond to posts here, they don't respond to inquiries through their web site. A would-be buyer has no way of knowing they didn't all die of covid. And it seems to have been that way for many months, going by the posts that are around. An occasional public, "We're still here, we're still just waiting on parts," either on forums or the web site would go a long way to encourage people to stay interested, I reckon.

 

[Joe Rocket 97]

There is a parts availability issue with FS just like just about every other altimeter or GPS manufacturer

 

[mh9162013]

An occasional public, "We're still here, we're still just waiting on parts," either on forums or the web site would go a long way to encourage people to stay interested, I reckon.

They actually did make a post just like that somewhat recently on this form.

If I recall correctly, basically the guy said he couldn't make any b/c he's missing a part or two due to the supply chain issues. And he's designed a new version of the FS Mini that doesn't use the hard-to-get part, but it'll require him to test and tweak it as if it's a new product. But he doesn't want to do that if his missing parts arrive in just a few months. So he's taking a "wait and see" approach right now.

I have a Jolly Logic AltimeterTwo which works in my BT-20 rockets (just barely). I'll settle for that until the FS Mini finally ships again. Although when it does, I'm wondering if the maker will significantly increase the price of the product. I hope he doesn't, but wouldn't blame him one bit if he does.

I am curious, though. Right now, what would the going price be for a used FS Mini? $100? $200?

 

[BEC]

I hope he doesn't, but wouldn't blame him one bit if he does.

I am curious, though. Right now, what would the going price be for a used FS Mini? $100? $200?

I expect he will have to. They were sold for $40 (and sold out quickly) when the first couple of production batches were released. That is still a screaming deal for what it does.

Here is Russ' most recent post (from mid-June).

 

[Little Charlie]

I just want to say thank you for all of the great information... Even if it is not what I want to hear... lol