ROC 2013-03-09 Personal Launch Report

[gdjsky01]

Seems so far to be a trend...

If there is no high power launch, then high pressure builds in and it's a nice weekend....
If there is a high power launch scheduled, then a cold front comes through with a bit of rain the day before, and the winds behind the cold front a day later... the day of the launch. :sigh::sigh:

It's been that way for the MDARS launch two months running, and now ROC two months running.
Thank goodness for SCRA or I'd get no launching in!

Well not quite...

Anyway onwards... So the first order of business was to pass off the TRF Community Rocket to Gerald Meux. Mission accomplished. I handed off the rocket and it's on it's way to Nevada where it will be launched next weekend at Springfest. Then he says it'll be on its way to Arizona.

Next mission was to pick up a plethora of Estes Pro motors from Discount Rocketry that I had purchased with all the Gift Certificates my wife bought me for our wedding anniversary. Mission aborted. They could not make the launch. But they are shipping them to me for no charge! :handshake: Great customer service! Recommended.

Last mission: Ground test the Formula 98 from Rocketry Warehouse to see if I can add enough BP to a CTI 38mm or CTI 54mm reload to get the launch out for eventual cable cutter deployment. Mission accomplished.

 

[gdjsky01]

The Dagger 38 has been loaded with a CTI 540ns I470 for two months now. Each time of course I decide not to launch because of the wind. Well figuring the gas money spent not launching, I thought, "I can BUY the whole rocket, casing, and altimeter, for the price of not launching three times... " So #$# it! :lol::lol::lol::eyeroll:

The battery in the Adept-22 was checked... 9.59v... good enough. The delay was drilled two months ago to 7 or 8 seconds... cable cutter's been ready forever... lets do this...

Oh another trend... bad photography days... been having a few... oh well... sorry for the crappy photos...

3 2 1...

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(In Maxwell Smart's voice....)
Missed it by that much

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crap tacular shot

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It was a fantastic flight. Deployment perfect... cable cutter worked fabulously... luvin' those Archetype Cutters

Then the chase began... chasing it across the playa as the chute dragged it. Sometime it was out running me... Man I am too old to be jogging on a rut infested playa... :lol:

I caught up to it and other than scratchs... its fine. Adept 22 was beeping out 1971'

 

[gdjsky01]

Many of you in the Southwest might recognize that trailer... your money goes in... but does not come out... :no::lol: (What's Up Hobbies)

Today I was a good boy... in fact I ALMOST made it out of the launch without buying anything... almost...
Then I saw those CTI 140-H145 Pinks... I just HAD to have two. That and a pack of Twiggy's and POOF! $60 disappeared... :smile::wink: I say I was a good boy because I got out of the trailer without a 54mm load in my hands... Oh I fondled several! :surprised::surprised::jaw: But I have three to burn... thats enough. Right?

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Pretty

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[Madison Alum]

I must say that your "crappy" pictures are as good as my best ones. Looks like a fun day, nice and sunny. We're scheduled to be launching next month at Muncie. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

 

[gdjsky01]

I did a stint as LCO to stop the range from shutting down... man I don't mind the begging, but launch some rockets.
After the stint, the battery I had loaded in the Adept ALTIM1 before the LCO stint had not died so I figured what the heck... it was beeping "Fly me.... Fly me..."

It had a F39-9 drilled to a -6.... looks the part...

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Like I said, I was having a bad camera day...

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Flight was great. I used a small'ish 18 inch (45cm) chute to keep the drift down. Worked pretty well except I counted 10 seconds... and I KNOW I drilled it. :surprised::confused2::confused2: Anyway no issues and the ALTIM1 beeped out 792'

 

[gdjsky01]

Another rocket that had a motor shoved up its MMT two months ago was my E-limination E. A rocket built out of spare parts specifically to burn up E12's. Very little emotional attachment.

This time we used the very same ALTIM1 from Adept, wrapped loosely in a paper towel and inserted into the clear payload section (it has vent holes). And off we went.

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It was a good flight however the -4 second delay was a tad short. It would have gone higher. But still I got it back in one piece and the ALTIM1 was beeping out 1091'. Sweet.

 

[gdjsky01]

Last but not least here is the ground test of the Formula 98. I had 2 grams in the cut off top of a 5ml plastic pipette. The top of that 'bulb' had a hole that the Q2G2 was hot glued into. The BP was filled from the other end and wadding stuffed in it to keep the BP in contact with the Q2G2... then a lead wire was twisted on to the Q2G2 leads and run through a CTI 54mm 3 grain casing and out the back of the rocket. The casing was stuffed with rags.

A 72 inch (2m) chute was burrito rolled in nomex just like it would be with a cable cutter and packed in (very nice loose fit). Then the harness and shrouds. As you can see from the pictures, everything came out. There are a 'few' flight differences.

1) There would be some pressure loss through the nozzle.
2) I pack the chute in last rather than here where I had a brain fart and put it in first. When using a cable cutter you need the chute to stay close to the electronics so as to not pull on the squib in the cable cutter.
3) The chute would be cinched tight. Here you can see without cinching it down, the shrouds get pulled out of the nomex.

But still I am ok with it. Two grams means adding .7 grams to my first flight choice of a 38mm 765ns CTI J330 (a Baby J). And no BP has to be added to the 1288ns K360s (a K by 8ns) or the 1266ns J760 (12ns under a full J).

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Comments welcome

 

[gdjsky01]

That wraps it up. Not the best day in the world out on the dry lake bed... but not the worst for sure.

More pictures are here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffgortatowsky/sets/72157632966085334/

As always comments welcome.