Eggtimer products, go or no go?

[Ccolvin968]

I just got my L1 cert and I would like to start adding electronics to my rockets.
I found Eggtimer products, and they seem very reasonable with pricing compared to competition.
Is this for a reason, or are they pretty good?
Please keep in mind that this will end first time with any rocketry electronics.
Thanks!

 

[watermelonman]

They are outstanding.

Importantly, you assemble them yourself. How is your soldering?

 

[Bat-mite]

I don't own any, but the pricing is based on the fact that you have to solder everything together. You buy a kit, and you'll need sufficient soldering skills and equipment to assemble.

From what I have seen here, I think the people that use them really like them.

 

[rharshberger]

I like them, but as stated earlier they are a kit and some of the pieces are tiny (even though they are big for surfacemount parts). Soldering skills are a must, the most difficult parts to solder are the multi-pin chips. The kits are complete with solder and a couple of extra pieces of the really easy to lose parts.
Eggtimer products are excellent, and work as advertised, Cris Erving the owner/designer/programmer/customer support is great to work with.

 

[jcamhale]

I like my Eggfinder. It works great as long as you don't point the gps antenna at a piece of allthread (oops). If your soldering skills aren't the best I wouldn't recommend trying to build anything from Eggtimer, it takes a little bit of skill. If you don't want to solder anything and are looking for a good altimeter I would recommend a Perfectflite Stratologger CF, its a great little altimeter for $60.

 

[Ccolvin968]

Good to know about the soldering.
I've replaced the motors on my DJI Phantom. That's about it.
I'll look into the Perfectflite. Thanks!
Are there any decent all around telemetry computers that could fit in a 3" body?

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

For 30 bucks you can get an Adept22 (https://www.adeptrocketry.com). It's larger than the Stratologger (but not large by no means) and not as feature rich, but it's cheap and simple. I used one on my Cert flight.

Missileworks has a few options, the RRC2+ is super simple, small and only 45 dollars. https://www.missileworks.com

I don't know about telemetry, it's all out of my price range.

Mikey D


Download users guides and look through them.

 

[rharshberger]

Good to know about the soldering.
I've replaced the motors on my DJI Phantom. That's about it.
I'll look into the Perfectflite. Thanks!
Are there any decent all around telemetry computers that could fit in a 3" body?

Marsa 54, Raven, and Altus Metrum, are a few of the more capable telemetry and deployment alts, Perfectflite Stratologger, Missleworks RRC3 are excellent recording alts with deployment as is the Eggtimer TRS, the Jolly Logic 3 is an excellent non-deployment recording altimeter.

 

[mikec]

Marsa 54, Raven, and Altus Metrum, are a few of the more capable telemetry and deployment alts...

Neither the MARSA nor the Raven have telemetry. At best they have an output port to which you could attach your own radio solution (as does the Perfectflite.)

 

[fyrwrxz]

Go with a Quark from Cris- you really can't go wrong. This is one of the easiest ones to do and the functionality is superb. I wouldn't worry about jumping into the deep end of telemetry right now until you conquer dual deployment and all the fun that entails. Get comfortable with your gear first and prolly play with some trackers next.

 

[rharshberger]

Neither the MARSA nor the Raven have telemetry. At best they have an output port to which you could attach your own radio solution (as does the Perfectflite.)

My mistake, you are correct. The Missleworks RRC3 also has an output port which can also be used as a third channel.

 

[ksaves2]

The original EggTimer deployment computer is easy to build but..............It has a no frills programming interface. If one doesn't mind that, it's doable. The quark is a one evening kit if............ one has the stuff to build it and can work with the
small SMT parts. It doesn't require much, soldering pen 15 watts, head magnifier, fine tweezers or "pickups" for part placement along with good lighting. Kurt

 

[Coop]

The proprietor is active on the forum. Those that can make such things seem rather fond of them (in part, I suspect, because they get to combine their electronic hobby with their rocketry hobby). I don't have any of their products because i'm not comfortable building something like that.


Later!

--Coop

 

[watermelonman]

I adore the Eggtimer interface! The original has no SMT parts either, while the Quark, Quantum, and Finder do.

Also I am happy to have recently found the TeleMetrum serial interface. I will probably only open the UI for flights now.

 

[cerving]

Eggtimer stuff isn't for everybody, because of our kit philosophy. BUT, if you can solder wires to you motors then you can probably build an Eggtimer Classic... all the parts are through-hole, and the two surface-mount parts on the board come pre-mounted. It does a lot of things that you'll only find on more expensive units or not at all: airstarts, native servo support, programmable sampling rates, etc., and it's virtually indestructible. The next step up would be a Quantum, it has surface mount parts but they're all 1206-size, which is about the biggest SMT parts you'll find. You will need a good lighted magnifier (ring stand or head/visor), a decent soldering iron with a very small tip, and patience. The Quark is $20 and is very small and simple, but the parts are a bit smaller too so I wouldn't make it your first SMT project.

 

[Ccolvin968]

Cerving, thank you for your response.
How user friendly are these electronics?
I have a decent background in flashing firmware to my Android devices.
However, right now, I have a MacBook Pro as my primary computer.
Is this an issue?
It also appears that I can use this as a dual deployment setup, a flight log, and altimeter.
What kind of flight data is tracked besides altitude?
From what I'm reading, this seems like a very versatile instrument for the price.
Thank you again for your time.

 

[ksaves2]

Cerving, thank you for your response.
How user friendly are these electronics?
I have a decent background in flashing firmware to my Android devices.
However, right now, I have a MacBook Pro as my primary computer.
Is this an issue?
It also appears that I can use this as a dual deployment setup, a flight log, and altimeter.
What kind of flight data is tracked besides altitude?
From what I'm reading, this seems like a very versatile instrument for the price.
Thank you again for your time.

I'm not Cris Cerving but go to his site and download the build instructions and user guides. The build photos are very nice. You use a serial terminal program
on your computer to program an EggTimer Nothing special is needed and is outlined there. If you don't mind the fact that you don't have "eye candy" to look at
as far as a user interface, it's a fine device for the cost.

If you are able to burn firmware into an Android device (I like CyanogenMod for a WiFi only Nexus 7 2013) you should not have any trouble with an EggTimer.
Again, the instructions/user guides on on Cris site: https://www.eggtimerrocketry.com/page3.php You can see everything and determine if it's for you.
The EggTimer records a fair amount of data and can't be beat for the pricepoint it is at. If you want simple locking connections for the terminals order them with the device.

Like any programmable deployment device, the more time and longer you practice with it the easier it becomes to use. Kurt

 

[Thorfire]

I used an eggtimer quark as backup in my L2 and a quantum for the primary deployment in my L3. They've been bulletproof reliable for me. Not needing to mount a switch makes building av bays a lot less work. Downloading flight data immediately over Wi-Fi is great too. I've had good luck building them using a cheap eBay hot air solding station, solder paste, and an old used microscope. Once you get the hang of using solder paste and hot air they go really fast. From opening the bag to being ready to test in the vacuum chamber takes me a half hour or less for a quark.

 

[OverTheTop]

Never heard any complaints about Egg products. Great customer service. The soldering instructions are set up for success of the beginner. Priced well because they are kits.

Give it a go! Soldering is nothing to be scared about if you follow the instructions. Somebody else recently assembled one on the forum. Find the link and have a read, as he had a good experience.

 

[Ccolvin968]

Good stuff.
Is the Eggtimer RevD the same thing as the Eggtimer Classic?
I can't seem to find it anywhere on the website.

 

[Ccolvin968]

For the record, I love terminal type interfaces.
I'm looking at the RevD and will probably jump on it next paycheck.
I'd need to get the soldering iron with a fine tip(I borrowed the one for the work on my DJI), the Solder, the lighted stand, plus the kit...
It sounds like I should be planning on spending about $100 if I go the cheap ish route.
I like learning new things, and I'm not one to shy away from a challenge.
Especially if it will save me money in the long run by building my own from a kit.
Thank you everyone for your input and advice!

 

[rharshberger]

For the record, I love terminal type interfaces.
I'm looking at the RevD and will probably jump on it next paycheck.
I'd need to get the soldering iron with a fine tip(I borrowed the one for the work on my DJI), the Solder, the lighted stand, plus the kit...
It sounds like I should be planning on spending about $100 if I go the cheap ish route.
I like learning new things, and I'm not one to shy away from a challenge.
Especially if it will save me money in the long run by building my own from a kit.
Thank you everyone for your input and advice!

Nice thing about Cris's kits are is all you need is the basic tools, labor, and a workspace, Cris includes a special solder, and the parts for the kit.

 

[cerving]

Cerving, thank you for your response.
How user friendly are these electronics?
I have a decent background in flashing firmware to my Android devices.
However, right now, I have a MacBook Pro as my primary computer.
Is this an issue?
It also appears that I can use this as a dual deployment setup, a flight log, and altimeter.
What kind of flight data is tracked besides altitude?
From what I'm reading, this seems like a very versatile instrument for the price.
Thank you again for your time.

The firmware comes pre-programmed, you don't need to do any programming to get them running. Every once in awhile we'll publish software updates, the instructions are for a Windows PC but a lot of people have used Macs too. You'll want to get a serial data cable with your first order, but we use the same cable for everything we sell so you only need one.

The Eggtimer Classic is the original through-hole Eggtimer, the RevD is the current version (the first release was a RevC). It's been renamed to the "Classic" to reduce the confusion (there are now four different Eggtimer altimeters).

 

[watermelonman]

Cerving, thank you for your response.
How user friendly are these electronics?
I have a decent background in flashing firmware to my Android devices.
However, right now, I have a MacBook Pro as my primary computer.
Is this an issue?
It also appears that I can use this as a dual deployment setup, a flight log, and altimeter.
What kind of flight data is tracked besides altitude?
From what I'm reading, this seems like a very versatile instrument for the price.
Thank you again for your time.

If you are used to flashing any devices, especially with some command line tools, you will be doing well with Eggtimer products.

The altimeters only track altitude over time but do a good job of estimating speed and acceleration through that data.

 

[gdjsky01]

The best thing about these products are Cerving
Period.
End of story.
He is an enthusiast and cares about your success. But of course, some assembly is required

 

[Tonimus]

If you don't want to try to build it yourself, there's a guy who does assembly of the kits. His name is Connor and his site is: https://mctronics.webs.com/

He's put several things together for me and has done a fine job. There's a few others around here than can put stuff together as well.

 

[blackwing94]

A month ago I had never soldered before.
I got a couple of practice solder kits from amazon to get my feet wet. This one really helped. https://amzn.com/B001RCMNHS
I also got a headband magnifier https://amzn.com/B0015IN8J6 It's a life saver for surface mount soldering.
Then I built and Eggtimer classic (for practice), Quark, Wifi switch, and Quantum. They all work and the Quark, Wifi, and Quantum are now mounted in my new AV-bay.
I'm getting ready to build the eggfinder TX and LCD receiver next.
For me, this was allot of fun.

I'm a MAC person. I bought the app "Serial" from the app store for $30. You can get by with other communication software, but I like tools that just work and are easy to use. I'm lazy that way.

I'm also taking an DC Circuits class at our community college for fun. I'm (retired) what they call an enrichment student. While the other kids will be bring in cheap little solder kits for their final projects, I'm bringing in a 7 foot fiberglass rocket full of eggtimer products and will test the sensitivity of the smoke detectors in the electronics lab by setting off an e-match with my cell phone. Enrichment student my ass!!! :wink:

 

[MCriscione]

I'll also pile on and say go for it. The products are great and the support from Cris is outstanding. Enough has already been said about all that.

I think you may be slightly overestimating your budget though. Unless you want a soldering station / stand, etc. just a simple, cheap 15W iron is fine. This one has built in lights for under $15 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3SHFXI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 (i don't own it, but the brand is good)
Then just add a helping hands like this one for ~$7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RB38X8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
and a pair of tweezers $10 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZOMV18E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 These are pretty nice (to me), but you can probably find others, cheaper. Just make sure they're heat and electrical resistant.

Eggtimer Classic = $40 + $3 shipping
iron = $15
stand = $7
tweezers = $10
total = $75

With a setup like this (plus a sponge to clean the iron's tip) I've assembled a Eggtimer classic, Quark, Quantum, Eggfinder, and an LCD reciever. The $32 investment in tools is well worth it if you end up purchasing more than one of the Eggtimer products. Plus, I find it enjoyable to sit down and solder one of these guys together. It's worth checking out a few videos on youtube for technique if you haven't done much soldering, especially for the surface mount stuff, but a few simple tricks will go a long way.

For what it's worth, I choose to spend an extra $15 and get a little more than just a pen (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZOMV18E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) which is convenient to me, but doesn't have the lights on the weller, and I needed to buy a separate tip.

(This is turning into a book...)
I'd also suggest trying a small chisel tip if you have the option or want to spend a touch more to find one. I bought a 1.6mm Chisel Tip for the Aoyue and found it worked better for me than a fine point tip for some of the work (SMT mostly)

Heck, if you lived nearby in MA, I'd do it for you for free, or let you use my equip. PM me if you have any questions, maybe I can help.

 

[Ccolvin968]

Unfortunately, I live halfway across the country in Minnesota. I really appreciate the offer though!
I'll be ordering the Eggtimer classic shortly, but I might have to wait to get the tools.
No rush anyway. I need a couple winter projects!
I really appreciate everyone's input and advice.
Can't wait to get this baby put together once I get it!
Next up... trying to figure out how to put an avionics bay in my already built rocket... @_@

 

[cerving]

Next up... trying to figure out how to put an avionics bay in my already built rocket... @_@

That's actually not all that difficult, for most rockets. Get an extra piece of body tube and some coupler (for most rockets that you'd do DD with you'll want a 6" or 8" of coupler), the bulkplates for the couplers (the stepped ones save a lot of tedious alignment work), and some hardware and you're in business. For wiring, my go-to is Doghouse Rocketry... I like their wiring kits with the removable connectors and their charge wells. You'll need some extra shock cord and a drogue chute too, but that's about it. There are a lot of good build threads on various rockets on TRF, study the AV bay details and it should be pretty easy.

Many of the rocket vendors (Wildman and Madcow, in particular) sell DD upgrades for some of their kits. Generally the extra length and mass ahead of the normal CG helps stability somewhat, too.