Adepts new 39.00 dual deploy altimeter [R.I.P. now Post 78]

[Lentamental]

My local Radioshack didn't have any screw switches, or anything I could imagine being very G-Resistant, so I was thinking of just bypassing the on/off switch entirely. I've heard about people running the power out in two wires running out of the body tube. Then they just twist the strands together when they want to turn it on and tape it to the side of the body tube. Sure, its not perfect. Either that or shove the wires back through the whole they came from.

Of course shoving the wires back in the tube would make it almost impossible to disarm the thing if one of the charges were to fail. so I may keep them on the outside.

 

[gagreen]

https://www.aeroconsystems.com/electronics/switches.htm

twisting bare wires to turn on avionics makes an avionics journeyman cringe... lol The k&s ebays come with a switch similar to the top one on this page if not the exact one and it works like a dream.

 

[cwbullet]

I have looked at those. How do you all mount the barrel type screw switches.

 

[blackjack2564]

I've heard about people running the power out in two wires running out of the body tube. Then they just twist the strands together when they want to turn it on and tape it to the side of the body tube. .

Been doing that since I began many years ago. Just about all the fliers I know use this method. Just one less thing to fail. I have seen many, many switch failures over the years, most right at the pad & the worst time.

Just tape to side for most flights & tuck inside for mach + flights. There is a bit of an art to it, but easily learned.

 

[ClayD]

Just tape to side for most flights & tuck inside for mach + flights. There is a bit of an art to it, but easily learned.

I.e. leave a way to fish them out! if you have to pull the rocket off the pad.

 

[JDcluster]

Same here! I hate soldering; any switch can & will fail when you least expect it.



JD

Been doing that since I began many years ago. Just about all the fliers I know use this method. Just one less thing to fail. I have seen many, many switch failures over the years, most right at the pad & the worst time.

Just tape to side for most flights & tuck inside for mach + flights. There is a bit of an art to it, but easily learned.

 

[DAllen]

Been doing that since I began many years ago. Just about all the fliers I know use this method. Just one less thing to fail. I have seen many, many switch failures over the years, most right at the pad & the worst time.

Just tape to side for most flights & tuck inside for mach + flights. There is a bit of an art to it, but easily learned.

This is what I like to do...Two holes, comes out of one and tucks into the other. I call it a "modified twist and tuck." Allows for removing and untwisting the wires at the pad should that be needed. Nothing wrong with what Jim does at all - been there done that myself. Just like this way better just cause it looks neater. I'm weird like that. :cyclops:

 

[JDcluster]

This is how I ran the wires for the Adept22:

The wires that turn on the power run to the outside of the rocket to be twisted together and taped to the side of the rocket.


JD

 

[edwinshap1]

i ran the twist wires through the bulkhead so i can twist them there. it's the best of both worlds. i can always open it safely, and they're sealed away and there's no big switches on the side of my rocket.

also it's 38mm so there isn't much room for a switch anyway.

 

[stantonjtroy]

My wife got hers Friday. Mounted it in the Av Bay that night. Wiring this baby was a breeze. Her first altimiter mounting and she had no trouble at all. Just drew air from the Bay to test it with a couple of flashbulbs. Worked great! She plans on flying it next Friday for her L2 Cert at RGX. I'll be doing mine with an Adept ALTS2-50K. We're both using rotary switches from Aerocon: https://aeroconsystems.com/cart/products/Through_Mount_Slotted_Switch-111-4.html These things are awsome. Positive preasure on and off. Stand up to G loads great. We'll post flight results after the launch.

 

[bill2654]

My 1st DD yesterday with the new Adept22 went perfect. This was my 1st altimeter experience and I was amazed how easy it was. The conditions were less than ideal with winds gusting to 20+mph but the Adept22 kept my recovery walk to a minimum. Those who used motor deployment had to walk up to 1/2 mile while my rocket landed less than 100yds away. Like I said this was my 1st experience with any altimeter but it couldn't have been better. This is a great altimeter thats easy to use and the price cant be beat! I have 2 other altimeters (different manufactures) that I haven't used yet but I'm going to sell them and get a couple more Adept22's.

 

[jpummil]

You definitely had a nice flight in perilous conditions Bill! Get all the layers of dust outa things yet?
I bought both a Raven and an Adept 22...I just need to get off of my duff and get them rigged for use

 

[qquake2k]

My 1st DD yesterday with the new Adept22 went perfect. This was my 1st altimeter experience and I was amazed how easy it was. The conditions were less than ideal with winds gusting to 20+mph but the Adept22 kept my recovery walk to a minimum. Those who used motor deployment had to walk up to 1/2 mile while my rocket landed less than 100yds away. Like I said this was my 1st experience with any altimeter but it couldn't have been better. This is a great altimeter thats easy to use and the price cant be beat! I have 2 other altimeters (different manufactures) that I haven't used yet but I'm going to sell them and get a couple more Adept22's.

Any photos or video of your flight? I have an Adept22 also, but haven't set it up yet. I probably won't fly my first dual deploy until next November.

 

[bill2654]

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=20821 This thread shows the built rocket. I uploaded a couple videos on my youtube channel (crapsack1000)

 

[bill2654]

Yeah Jeff, my white cap that I was wearing was BROWN with all the dust that was blowing. Hope you have better flights at next months launch. Here is the keychain cam view of the flight.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK1Pdk5pLMo

 

[gdiscenza]

I got my Adept22 in the mail yesterday. I have a Torellian Invader to mount it in (thanks Scott from K&S) and it'll be my first Dual Deploy HPR.
Photos to follow.

G.D.

 

[jFlds]

Ordered, shipped within 36 hours and on the way.

Based on everyone's input this seemed to be a good logical choice for my secondary to compliment my Missileworks assortment. In conjunction they should provide a good static of one another to compare as my history with the RRC-2 has been fairly spot on in recording of data and performance after many flights.

I plan on using it next weekend and should have some good feedback of my own to add to the mix as well.

 

[blackjack2564]

This was the thread that started it all, I was one of the very first, if not the first to fly one of these. I bought 14 of them before it was over.

Good bye little Adept 22...R.I.P.

As a tribute I can say it was one of my most positive experiences with an Altimeter.
Out of curiosity what was yours as a Adept 22 owner?
And how many do you have & why.

Price
Ease of use
Back-up
Just like them
Good cheap first time altimeter

I first bought mine purely as cheap back-up, but after seeing how well it performed, went on to purchase many more for stand alone use. Especially in small diameter rockets.

I for one would really like to see them become available again [or something to replace it, how about you?]

 

[qquake2k]

This was the thread that started it all, I was one of the very first, if not the first to fly one of these. I bought 14 of them before it was over.

Good bye little Adept 22...R.I.P.

As a tribute I can say it was one of my most positive experiences with an Altimeter.
Out of curiosity what was yours as a Adept 22 owner?
And how many do you have & why.

Price
Ease of use
Back-up
Just like them
Good cheap first time altimeter

I first bought mine purely as cheap back-up, but after seeing how well it performed, went on to purchase many more for stand alone use. Especially in small diameter rockets.

I for one would really like to see them become available again [or something to replace it, how about you?]

What did I miss? Are they discontinuing the Adept22?

 

[qquake2k]

What did I miss? Are they discontinuing the Adept22?

Okay, I just saw on their website that they are indeed discontinuing both the Adept22 and the DDC22. That's just nuts! Why would they do away with something that's been so wildly successful for all these years???

 

[cwbullet]

Actually, it is my most used altimeter. My work horse of a deployment controller. I am glad I have a couple left.

Lets hope it's replacement is even better.

 

[patelldp]

I used the ADEPT 22 for my L3 back up. Loved its simplicity, except that it may have been too simple. The common positive bothers me, especially when trying to wire up a twist wire switch.

I currently own three.

 

[blackjack2564]

Okay, I just saw on their website that they are indeed discontinuing both the Adept22 and the DDC22. That's just nuts! Why would they do away with something that's been so wildly successful for all these years???

Tommy called me Saturday and we had a nice conversation which of course ended up talking about the 22:
They were introduced in Feb of 2011.....right before [days] I started this thread. So almost 2yrs.

He retired many years ago & started the altimeter business[around 1989] as a fun hobby, which he enjoyed immensely. After introducing the "22'', it is so wildly popular his hobby became "work''.
We haven't seen him at our launch in 8-9 months & the last one[launch] he did not have altimeters to sell, he was so far backlogged. He began working 7 days a week just to keep up! He even suspended taking orders a few times on the website just so he could go back to the business of having some fun during retirement. Only to return later to another huge back log of orders. The final straw came a week or so ago,when getting an order for 250 from one client & 180 from another. He always calibrated all functions of his units himself to ensure the high quality. Taking 13-15 minutes per unit, means 28-35 per day working solid. These last 2 orders will take 3-3.5 weeks to finish.

He just has had enough for a while...no hidden agenda....just wants some time to enjoy life and have fun. Apparently if he could find someone that fits his work ethic criteria, he would consider continuing on with this ever popular project. But as it stands for now, Adept is NOT closing it's doors , just discontinuing the 22 so he can have some free time, which that does not allow.

I had to laugh .... kinda funny when something becomes so popular, it demands its own demise. I know I would kill to have a magic bullet or golden egg....but for some it's not about the money, it's about the quality of life. Tommy Billings is one of those rare individuals.
He has several rocket electronics projects that have been put on hold for 2 years due to the ''22's" popularity & wants to get back to developing them. So we'll have to wait & see what else he's got in the pipe, but all that's a ways down the road.

 

[cwbullet]

I wish I had the time and I was close enough to help.

 

[dixontj93060]

Great for him (Tommy). I would have probably done something different like sell the product line to capture its terminal value, but hey... 10K sold, COGS likely <50%, grossing $200K--probably decent in this niche market.

 

[JDcluster]

I'm surprised he didn't at least try to bring down the prices of older units like the venerable ALTS2-50k or the ALTS 25.
They have been around allot longer than the 22.


JD

 

[troj]

I'm surprised he didn't at least try to bring down the prices of older units like the venerable ALTS2-50k or the ALTS 25.

You apparently missed the point of the message that was conveyed to CJ -- Tommy has way more business than he wants, and it's not fun right now. Lowering the price of an existing unit would likely drive up sales value, and that's not what he wants.

-Kevin

 

[qquake2k]

Okay, I totally understand now. It's not nuts at all. It's just like years ago when I turned writing pens on my woodlathe. Many of my friends told me I should sell them. But I never did, because I knew it would turn into a job and take all the fun out of it. Good on ya, Tommy, go launch some rockets!

 

[powderskierman]

I would be interested. I have run a few businesses and understand hard work. Have him PM me if and when he might be interested.

Cheers

Jim

Tommy called me Saturday and we had a nice conversation which of course ended up talking about the 22:
They were introduced in Feb of 2011.....right before [days] I started this thread. So almost 2yrs.

He retired many years ago & started the altimeter business[around 1989] as a fun hobby, which he enjoyed immensely. After introducing the "22'', it is so wildly popular his hobby became "work''.
We haven't seen him at our launch in 8-9 months & the last one[launch] he did not have altimeters to sell, he was so far backlogged. He began working 7 days a week just to keep up! He even suspended taking orders a few times on the website just so he could go back to the business of having some fun during retirement. Only to return later to another huge back log of orders. The final straw came a week or so ago,when getting an order for 250 from one client & 180 from another. He always calibrated all functions of his units himself to ensure the high quality. Taking 13-15 minutes per unit, means 28-35 per day working solid. These last 2 orders will take 3-3.5 weeks to finish.

He just has had enough for a while...no hidden agenda....just wants some time to enjoy life and have fun. Apparently if he could find someone that fits his work ethic criteria, he would consider continuing on with this ever popular project. But as it stands for now, Adept is NOT closing it's doors , just discontinuing the 22 so he can have some free time, which that does not allow.

I had to laugh .... kinda funny when something becomes so popular, it demands its own demise. I know I would kill to have a magic bullet or golden egg....but for some it's not about the money, it's about the quality of life. Tommy Billings is one of those rare individuals.
He has several rocket electronics projects that have been put on hold for 2 years due to the ''22's" popularity & wants to get back to developing them. So we'll have to wait & see what else he's got in the pipe, but all that's a ways down the road.

 

[kenstarr]

Good for him! This makes me happy actually! I have to respect that he is his own master doesn't let us rocketheads drive him around. I had 2 adepts and one deploy controller. Love them.
ken