Future Altimeter Question

[cerving]

OK, taking this one to the People... for a possible future altimeter. Thanks for participating!

Cris Erving, Eggtimer Rocketry

 

[Charles_McG]

I haven’t answered the poll, but am thinking out loud.

On one hand, a big issue I have with my Quantum is that I want airstart and main, not airstart and drogue. So 3 channels would be better than two.

On the other hand, the Proton (and Quantum, I think) armed page says to close it. As do the instructions. So I do, and listen for the beep to confirm the completion of arming.

The instructions say that reconnecting (or refreshing the page the instructions say to close) opens a status page with a validation code to disarm. I suppose that’s a wireless confirmation of status- but I haven’t used it that way.

 

[cwbullet]

I would to see something smaller.

 

[mikewrt]

Is it possible the third output could be user programmable to be either an output or a beeper?

 

[mikewrt]

I would to see something smaller.

+1

 

[rharshberger]

Originally I cast my vote as 3 with no buzzer...but after thinking about it the buzzer IMO is a safety feature for others.

 

[KevinT]

Put my vote in for 2 outputs and a buzzer. The buzzer is nice for reference to show things are working.

 

[heada]

3 outputs. Airstart, drogue and main. I've been doing more multi-stage and if I want standard DD for the sustainer I need either 2 devices or 3+ outputs in the main device.

 

[4regt4]

OK, taking this one to the People... for a possible future altimeter. Thanks for participating!

Cris Erving, Eggtimer Rocketry

All I want is an altimeter. Preferably one with logging, but if it's cheap enough, that's not a deal breaker. I don't need a zillion outputs.

Hans.

 

[Bruce]

I would like to see Eggtimer offer a recording altimeter with Bluetooth data transfer similar to the FlightSketch Mini that is no longer available.

 

[Brian Ditmer]

Albeit more expensive, but option for prebuilt? Some folks just aren't very good at the soldering

 

[Crazyrocket]

I know this is not part of the question, but adding some switch contacts (either soldered or terminal) would be great. Makes wiring up my sled a little bit easier.

 

[Antares JS]

I am considering doing my first high-power two stage soon so more than two channels is what I am looking at right now.

Though I will say, no buzzer for a status indicator would take some getting used to. I'd probably be really nervous flying it for the first time, wireless status or no.

 

[boatgeek]

I like the buzzer. But 3 outputs are awfully nice for simple staging and cluster projects that don’t need all of the outputs of a Proton. On the third hand, no buzzer means it’s easy to forget that you didn’t turn it off after flight.

Kind of a dumb question: how would 2 outputs plus buzzer be different from a Quantum?

 

[cerving]

I would like to see Eggtimer offer a recording altimeter with Bluetooth data transfer similar to the FlightSketch Mini that is no longer available.

We do... it's the Eggtimer ION, $20. It's WIFI instead of Bluetooth, it uses a little 350 mAH 1S Lipo. The advantage of WIFI over Bluetooth is that it does not require an app... it just uses your browser, with virtually any device. The disadvantage is that it requires more power, but the ION and battery will fit into any rocket 24mm or larger, and it has a post-flight beep-out too.

 

[cerving]

I like the buzzer. But 3 outputs are awfully nice for simple staging and cluster projects that don’t need all of the outputs of a Proton. On the third hand, no buzzer means it’s easy to forget that you didn’t turn it off after flight.

Kind of a dumb question: how would 2 outputs plus buzzer be different from a Quantum?

It's for a "future device"...

 

[MClark]

Make the beeper louder and lower pitched.
We are getting old and deaf.
If a power consumption issue just beep loudly for the first minute.
M

 

[prfesser]

Albeit more expensive, but option for prebuilt? Some folks just aren't very good at the soldering

A suggestion from someone who is getting better and better every day at soldering badly...

Could set up deals with one or more kit builders such that I could order and pay for a "built" unit. You send the kit and the build fee to the builder, he assembles and sends the finished unit to me.

A simpler approach would be to provide a table on your web page with contact info, pricing, and other relevant info from those willing to build the hardware.

Best,
Terry

 

[WoShuGui]

Not ready to give up the buzzer. Nice to recover a rocket and not needing to fiddle with a phone or receiver to get apogee. The buzzer is also a layer of safety. Without a buzzer one could more easily be walking around with an armed rocket and not know it.

 

[Mike Helm]

As affordable as these are; why not just run two? One for recovery and one for staging and other tasks.

 

[waltr]

Not ready to give up the buzzer. Nice to recover a rocket and not needing to fiddle with a phone or receiver to get apogee. The buzzer is also a layer of safety. Without a buzzer one could more easily be walking around with an armed rocket and not know it.

I'm for have the beeper. Last flight of my IRIS, with Quantum on board, landed in dense brush. Was able to get into the area then could hear the altitude beeping out. Walked until it was loudest and didn't see the rocket until I look up.

The beeper is handy for locating. Also for knowing it is properly Armed and ready to go.

I wouldn't mind a third output on the Quantum (for 2nd stage + DD) but the Proton can do that or a Quantum and a Quark if I really needed it.

 

[Charles_McG]

As affordable as these are; why not just run two? One for recovery and one for staging and other tasks.

Tight space in scale projects. At least that’s my excuse.

 

[MikeT]

Make the beeper louder and lower pitched.
We are getting old and deaf.
If a power consumption issue just beep loudly for the first minute.
M

No joke mines getting worse by the day.

Mike

 

[Andrew Brown]

I'm a big fan of the piezo buzzer when at the field. The less I look at a cell phone, the better.

However.... I'd like a feature that allows you to mute. Have it configured through the browser so I can assemble and test these at work without my co-workers knowing that I'm not working.

 

[KevinT]

Cris, if its a tie do we get both options?

 

[cerving]

Maybe... this is all hypothetical, of course. So far there's no clear consensus one way or the other; the question is based on limited I/O resources on the "future device".

 

[_kestrel_]

Crazy idea - can you use the third output to drive a buzzer? Accomplish both with one altimeter?

 

[kalsow]

<fantasy> It could be both? Assemble it one way, install the buzzer. Assemble it the other way, install the driver FET/whatever. Throw the extra part away. </fantasy>

The buyer/assembler gets to decide.

 

[Titan II]

Without a buzzer one could more easily be walking around with an armed rocket and not know it.

The logical thing to do is to consider any rocket on the rail as armed.

 

[rharshberger]

The logical thing to do is to consider any rocket on the rail as armed.

My concern is the RSO checks, and yes at our last launch someone brought me an Armed altimeter...and I couldn't hear it beeping until the individual handed me the rocket, that causes a bit of heartburn as it was pretty busy, and the individual did not have the tools to immediately disarm the unit, I was not a happy RSO. At the same launch a well known flyers lost rocket was recovered, but with no good (immediate) way to contact the flyer I had to disarm said rocket, it was obvious that all charges had fired (a flashlight and cellphone camera provide safe views of the charge wells, and my knowledge of various methods of construction gave me a real good guess at which screw was the one that disarmed the Altimeter, but it was the buzzer that let me know things had been safed...without the ability to connect to a wifi/bluetooth altimeter I could not have determined that.