Cheap(ish) Altimeters For Mid Power

[rabidsheeep]

Does anyone reccomend a cheapish Atimeter for mid power. Ive seen a few things.

Im gonna wanna switch it around from payload to payload in different rockets, but i guess you can do that with any of them

Ive found a few, wondering how they are.

Also, which are better? The "beeping" ones, LCD screen ones, or ones that upload to a computer (and can ones that upload to a computer hold the info for more than one launch?)

I dont want any deployment, I just wanna get into some electronics here

Heres a few i found:

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Altimeter.asp

... well thats really the only one i stumbled on....

anyone got any suggestions for ones?

thanks

--sheeepy

 

[Karl]

I got reccomended to get a 'MAWD' I believe it's the best on the market at the moment.
Karl

 

[rabidsheeep]

by "events" what do they mean?

--bah, shoulda made this in ground support--

 

[Karl]

Well I think it can ;

Log the altitude the vehicle reached
Ignite composite air-starts / BP's
Ignite composite / BP clusters
Can be used to dual deploy rockets, eg , motor ejection for drogue , MAWD for main at whatever altitude.
On board speed data.
IRRC
Karl

 

[shockwaveriderz]

rabid:It appears Apogee is reselling the Perfectflite units;

https://www.perfectflite.com

I think the perfectflite MAWD would be idea for mid and even low power altimeter useage.....

 

[BlueNinja]

I think the MAWD would be overkill for MPR stuff... maybe the BonNova mini altimiter? about the size of a dime, however $90... I'd buy the Perfect flite Alt15k. if I were using this for MPR. I however have my eye on the Transolve P6K altimiter kit... $60 but your have to solder it yourself and it only reports in 100' increments, still an airstart board can be added on and built stock it can handle DD.

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by rabidsheeep
by "events" what do they mean?

--bah, shoulda made this in ground support--

Just ask. We're listening!

Karl is right on with the defining of "events."

 

[solrules]

Just a note: If you get a barometric based electronic system (MAWD), the only two events you can have is apogee deployment and deployment at X feet. No airstarting or clustering.

For mid power only, that BonNova mini altimeter looks pretty well suited for the job...although I have not seen it in person. If you would ever use it as a crossover to go into high power, go with the MAWD (you can have dual deployment).

 

[bobkrech]

Sheepy

If all you want to do is determine the apogee of you flight, either the Adept A1 Maximum Altitude Altimeter @ $69 https://www.adeptrocketry.com/A1ds.htm or the Perfectflite Alt15K/WD logging altimeter @ $70 https://www.perfectflite.com/cgi-bi...cgi?ACTION=enter&thispage=A15K.html&ORDER_ID=!ORDERID! would be a good choice. Both are rugged, lightweight (14 gm or 1/2 oz.) and accurate. The former was used in the 2003 TARC and the latter was used in the 2004 TARC for altitude determination. For the extra dollar, the Perfectflite unit records your flight profile at 10 Hz for up to 5 minutes. The Perfectflite MAWD https://www.perfectflite.com/cgi-bi...hispage&thispage=MAWD.html&ORDER_ID=140834604 adds dual event capabilities for and additional $30, but it is bigger (fits in a 24 mm airframe) and heavier.

If you need a really small unit (0.4"x1.0") look at the PICO-LO3 https://www.geocities.com/rdh82000/Picoalt/LO3.htm It costs $60, fits insde BT-5 airframes and weights only 1.5 grams without battery. The PICO-AD2 https://www.geocities.com/rdh82000/Picoalt/AD2.htm (0.4"x1.6") @ $100 adds dual event deployment and weights less than 3 grams without battery and also fits a BT-5 airframe.

Bob Krech