Level 2 Build - Madcow Level-2 via Apogee Components

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wighty44 said:
I also chose Apogee's Level-2 rocket for my level 2 cert. and enjoyed building it. With my build I decided to only use internal fin fillets. It worked well and now I use that technique wherever possible, which can be a challenge in some builds. :wink: I also fitted the rocket with a Mobius HD camera & 3D printed shroud.

Here's my cert flight video - Rocket landed ~100' from the pad...:smile:[video=youtube;00rAdSsa37c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=00rAdSsa37c#t=0[/video]

I recently bought a second NC and fitted it with an Eggfinder GPS module and plan to fly it later this month to test the GPS system - Rocket Locator system combination. If all goes well, the next flight will be for the "Mile High" club.
Click to expand...

1st - awesome job on your fins!! No rotation on launch - shows you have very precise fin alignment!! Well done! So I haven't thought of inverse fin fillets. I assume that's to both the mmt and the inside body tube/fin connection?

2nd. Best of luck with the mile high! Once I get a eggfinder "rebuilt" by someone better than I - I believe this is the perfect rocket to do it with. Did you get a second cone from madcow? 4:1 or 5:1? I went with 5:1 just because... ��
 
wighty44 said:
I also chose Apogee's Level-2 rocket for my level 2 cert. and enjoyed building it. With my build I decided to only use internal fin fillets. It worked well and now I use that technique wherever possible, which can be a challenge in some builds. :wink: I also fitted the rocket with a Mobius HD camera & 3D printed shroud.

Here's my cert flight video - Rocket landed ~100' from the pad...:smile:[video=youtube;00rAdSsa37c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=00rAdSsa37c#t=0[/video]

I recently bought a second NC and fitted it with an Eggfinder GPS module and plan to fly it later this month to test the GPS system - Rocket Locator system combination. If all goes well, the next flight will be for the "Mile High" club.
Click to expand...



NIce flight! That was the most perfect no spin ascent I've ever seen. I hope my fin alignment is as good as yours. That's interesting that you went with internal fillets only.
I hope to have my Level2 Rocket ready for a local launch (Dairy Air) here later this month.
If your vertical speed indicator is scaled correctly to mph, I calculate that you fell after your first deployment at 66-80 ft/sec, then after your main you fell at 33 ft/sec. That's a healthy descent rate! Did you use the stock chutes from Apogee Components? What size main chute did they give you?
My kit shipped with a small 18" drogute, and an undersized 36" main chute. I contacted Apogee, who then contacted Madcow who then promptly shipped me the 50" chute that was supposed to be included. My calculations show that even the 50" chute is too small and will yield about 24-25 ft/sec ground impact. I'll be landing on hard dirt.. so I'm working to figure out what to do with the drogue/main setup. At the moment, I've picked up a Top Flight 70" PAR-70 chute.. that will put me at 18 ft/sec if I'm at 11 lbs.


(I posted the same on your YouTube comments.. hope you answer here.)
 
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kcobbva said:
Kevin - sorry I missed this. So I used the drogue that came with the kit. I replaced all the harness gear with Kevlar gear from onebadhawk. Teddy rocks!! I put the drogue on his "third loop" configuration.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kevin.
I'll take a closer look at Teddy's 3 loop harness.
 
Another solution to your parachute woes is to go with a more efficient parachute design, such as a spherachute or a fruity or CATO. Investments, to be sure, but worth it, and you'll find that the more rockets that you have, the more you'll want a variety of chutes to be able to up or down size for the winds of the day or landing surface.

25ish fps on a fiberglass rocket is fast, but not 'too' hot. I have a bunch of darkstar mini/RW formula 38 sized fiberglass rockets that come in at about 30ish. It's alarming at first, but even hitting on hard dirt, they have yet to scratch the paint.
 
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Banzai88 said:
Another solution to your parachute woes is to go with a more efficient parachute design, such as a spherachute or a fruity or CATO. Investments, to be sure, but worth it, and you'll find that the more rockets that you have, the more you'll want a variety of chutes to be able to up or down size for the winds of the day or landing surface.

25ish fps on a fiberglass rocket is fast, but not 'too' hot. I have a bunch of darkstar mini/RW formula 38 sized fiberglass rockets that come in at about 30ish. It's alarming at first, but even hitting on hard dirt, they have yet to scratch the paint.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree here! I planned at least 17-18 fps on my descent in rocksim before I chose my main chute because it was my L2. I wanted it to land softly! I absolutely agree that 25 and above is too hot, and I wouldn't recommend for my level 2 attempt or even afterwards. As for the chutes mentioned; oh I wish my checkbook covered a fruity chute! I'd have a hard time purchasing a CATO because of what it brings to mind! :) Might be awesome...however....
 
Thanks Tom. I was taking a hard look at the Fruity Chute 60" elliptical and the 48" Iris. By Gene's descent rate calculator, both of those perform better than the 70" Top Flight PAR-70 Chute I picked up. I figure I'll try to keep my cost down for now since I'm likely to burn a few holes in the chute before I get better with packing wadding and nomex.
I have half a mind to pick up a chute sized between the too small PAR-50 and the PAR-70, the PAR-58, which would be sized correctly for the majority of the loads I may fly.. under 12 lbs.

The thing that worries me the most about this rocket is that the engine retainer protrudes out the bottom and will most likey hit the ground first. This transfers all the impact to the 54mm motor tube, then into the centering rings and fins etc. I don't have a good feel for how much abuse FG motor tube will tolerate.
 
kcobbva said:
1st - awesome job on your fins!! No rotation on launch - shows you have very precise fin alignment!! Well done! So I haven't thought of inverse fin fillets. I assume that's to both the mmt and the inside body tube/fin connection?
Click to expand...
Thanks... Yes, there are 4 fillets for each fin. I didn't take any pictures of that during the Level 2 build but I did for my Sea Wolf missile: 101615_SeaWolf_Int Fillets.jpg

2nd. Best of luck with the mile high! Once I get a eggfinder "rebuilt" by someone better than I - I believe this is the perfect rocket to do it with. Did you get a second cone from madcow? 4:1 or 5:1? I went with 5:1 just because...
Click to expand...
Again, thanks... No, I bought it from Apogee (a duplicate NC painted slightly different GPS NC.jpg) 4:1 ogive.

I built the Eggfinder TX inside the NC with a removable bulkhead GPS NC Blkhd.JPG
 
kevinkal said:
NIce flight! That was the most perfect no spin ascent I've ever seen. I hope my fin alignment is as good as yours. That's interesting that you went with internal fillets only. I hope to have my Level2 Rocket ready for a local launch (Dairy Air) here later this month.

If your vertical speed indicator is scaled correctly to mph, I calculate that you fell after your first deployment at 66-80 ft/sec, then after your main you fell at 33 ft/sec. That's a healthy descent rate! Did you use the stock chutes from Apogee Components? What size main chute did they give you?

My kit shipped with a small 18" drogute, and an undersized 36" main chute. I contacted Apogee, who then contacted Madcow who then promptly shipped me the 50" chute that was supposed to be included. My calculations show that even the 50" chute is too small and will yield about 24-25 ft/sec ground impact. I'll be landing on hard dirt.. so I'm working to figure out what to do with the drogue/main setup. At the moment, I've picked up a Top Flight 70" PAR-70 chute.. that will put me at 18 ft/sec if I'm at 11 lbs.
Click to expand...
Thanks... I used Fruity Chutes elliptical chutes (18" drogue & 48" Main). They are very sturdy and have a 1.5 Cd. My RockSim model has the drogue descent rate at ~63 FPS, and the main at 23.6FPS. I discussed my descent rate concerns with Tim Van Milligan who noted FG rockets can withstand harder landings. I also considered that my local landing surfaces are grass and soft earth. If I had to land on harder surfaces (like in a desert) I would use a larger chute.

After 2 launches I've only seen minor paint chipping at the aft end of the booster section. So for now I think I can live with a ~24FPS descent rate.

For the next flights I'll smooth the data files to minimize the jittery gauge readouts.
 
What feature is the Alt and speedo? Very cool, the first time I've seen this, great job
 
Passed my Technician Exam tonight. Now I can continue and soon begin testing my beacon etc. High flights are getting closer to a reality. After I took the exam, they said hey you did well - here's the general exam. HUH?! Let's say THAT one didn't go so well. I'd not even glanced at any material on that. No worries, I got what I went for! :)
 
Congrats on the exam. I got my technicians license last month and they threw the general at me too. Needless to say I also failed!
 
timbucktoo said:
Congrats on the exam. I got my technicians license last month and they threw the general at me too. Needless to say I also failed!
Click to expand...

Thanks Tim! Now I kinda wish I'd at least glanced at the general stuff..I hate to fail anything. It's gonna nag at me!
 
YEAH! I sat down with a guy from work who showed me what I really needed to know about soldering. Afterwards, I picked up a WESD51 Soldering Station after talking with kevinkal. I opened the NEW package I bought from Cris; which I had intended to send out to get done; sat down with the new iron and FINALLY did it right!!
[video=youtube;TniQIyJi7Q8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TniQIyJi7Q8[/video]

After that, I touched up on the one I had failed on yet again tonight and WHALA. I know have two working eggfinders! I know this has been simple for many; but honestly I feel a huge accomplishment from this. I want to also thank W7AMI for offering to look at these. I was about to package up and send the failed unit out to him. This board really is Chalk Full of super folks!
 
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Excellent work Kevin! Those kits require skill, no doubt about that. Now you're building my Eggfinder fabrication confidence... hmm.. time for me to order one!
 
kcobbva said:
YEAH! I sat down with a guy from work who showed me what I really needed to know about soldering. Afterwards, I picked up a WESD51 Soldering Station after talking with kevinkal. I opened the NEW package I bought from Cris; which I had intended to send out to get done; sat down with the new iron and FINALLY did it right!!
[video=youtube;TniQIyJi7Q8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TniQIyJi7Q8[/video]

After that, I touched up on the one I had failed on yet again tonight and WHALA. I know have two working eggfinders! I know this has been simple for many; but honestly I feel a huge accomplishment from this. I want to also thank W7AMI for offering to look at these. I was about to package up and send the failed unit out to him. This board really is Chalk Full of super folks!
Click to expand...

+1....

Teddy
 
Another step closer. I drilled holes in the proper places and mounted the BigRedBee and EggFinder as well as the 2S 500mAh Lipo. Total weight of the nosecone is now 20.9oz. Sadly I had yet more issues with the LCD; so I'm slowly going over it and taking it in to work tomorrow. Enough on that! I checked the FCC database and still not......hot damn! I'm IN! KM4TZU (Glad I just thought to check!!) Now I can test my bee!! :) Anyway, just a little more to go and I can begin planning high flights. Back to the beginning of the current adventure...Teddy..Thanks for all the advice. This has been a fun (and frustrating) goal; and I'm almost at the end.
AVBay almost complete.jpgrear sealed.jpg
 
You da man Kevin,,,
An absolute pleasure...
Now you just have to get the whole thing jived out in the air,, lol...

Cris E is always by far your best bet for Egg info..
After all he has a leg up,,,
he designed them,, lol...

Teddy
 
Thanks Teddy!

So my CTI 54mm EX case arrived today. It's a tight fit, but zfolding three folds of kevlar cords, taping and sliding between the airframe and motor case, allows the rocket to fit together. Since two shear pins are installed in not worried about premature separation. Should allow me to fit an L in this bird and wave goodbye on the way up. Then track on the way down ��
 
Another step closer. Charged the bigredbee; downloading the drivers, and configured my callsign. Turned it on and tuned in with the Yaesu. beep beep beep. :) Also turned on the egg finder and tuned to that channel and heard it transmitting. One step closer to launching in the fall.
 

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