38mm altimeter bays

[GL-P]

I got a 38mm minimum diameter bird which has an RRC2, an M.A.D., and will have a small RF locator. Is there any pics out there with similarily stuffed electronics bays on such a small rocket?

This is my bird without the electronics bay.

 

[GL-P]

I realized how big the image was but I was too late when I hit stop. Sorry

 

[gothique_97]

I don't have pics, but I have a set up very similar to yours; a RRC2X in a 1.5" payload section. The RRC2X does not have the battery holder on the circuit board. I have the battery holder taped onto the mounting plate.

I did find that there is NO room to spare. I had to make the mounting plate narrower where it goes into the coupler section of the payload bay, and even then, it won't go down there all the way for some reason [it should go down about an inch further; I can only figure that the screw eye or the terminal connections on the phono jack switch are eating up some room.

And according to the calculations for the static vent hole, my vent hole [for a payload section 1.5" in diameter and 8 inches long] had to be 1/80th of an inch. Another calculation I found yielded a hole less than 1/50th of an inch. So I drilled a hole 1/8 of an inch [its only functioning as an altimeter in this rocket anyway, so nothing critical will go wrong, other than an inaccurate peak altitude reading].

 

[GL-P]

Thanks. The antenna on the locator will be about 15 inches so that is all the room I have. I figure I can fit everything in but it will be tight! My concern is getting the one end of the electronic bay removable but still use a small u-bolt and mounting switches. I figure I will have to mount a switch on the front of the bay which means I have to have more screws for holding the front of the bay to the front end of the rocket. I've just been directed by a friend to a local place that has small stainless steel u-bolts. ( the ones I had before fit but were 1/4 inch steel rod!) I never thought of the hole size but I figure mine will be bigger because my bay will be over a foot long. I need my RRC2 to do deployment though. I have the M.A.D for backup but what if the RRC2 goes early? (I see bad things happening!) My experience should be interesting!