Junior Level One thing...

[rabidsheeep]

Mkay... Im throwing this out as the most random far out there "hey i have money to spend, why not" idea I think i can. Most of the reason behind me thinking of it is cause mom bought me a PE performer, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to use something bigger than a G on it. (That and to start to cluster more 29mm motors together without exceeding impulse limits)

Moving on, the only real thing that makes me cautious about it is my complete lack of knowledge...

From reading everyone elses cert threads, it seems like the H123 is the motor that most people use. If im not mistaken this is a reload for the AT 38/240 casing (correct?) Ive also heard of Pro38 casings, but the reloads (for the one grain case, if im not completely confused by now) seem more limited than the Aerotech reloads.

Giving I wouldn't be able to actually asemble the motor, I wont be too scared about the complexity of higher power reloads, but I still would like to have an *idea* of what is happening. Is there any huge difference between hobby reloads and the higher power ones? Ive read the .pdf instructions on the AT site and didn't notice anything (im sure whoever assembles the motor at the launch would explain things)

Moving on, for construction of the rocket so far ive been using the slowest setting devcon apoxe I can find. From what I hear, for extra reinforcements on the fincan ill use west systems (I havent actually installed the mount in yet, waiting to order the apoxe)

The last thing is that the performer is a dual deploy kit, and i know i cant use the dual deploy for the launch, but for curiosities sake is it alright to just have an altimiter on board for altitude measurements? Also, to hold the nosecone to the payload i guess use screws?

Basically, is there anything that i completely missed about it? I'd probably launch it at Metra.

thanks

--sheeepy

 

[cjl]

Yes the H123 fits in the 38/240 (it's what I'll be using). As for the difference, the only ones I can see on their site (other than size) is grain shape and the fact that the larger motors use more than one grain (in most cases). As for the altimiter - I don't see anything preventing it, it should probably be OK, as long as you don't have any e-matches (such as for alt based recovery or airstarts).

 

[lalligood]

I'll take a stab at your questions...

1) There are a number of acceptable reloads for a Level 1 certification. Yes, the H123W is an AT 38/240 reload. IMHO, Pro38 is the way to go for a certification attempt. The H153 (which BTW is a 2-grain motor) is almost as easy as prepping a single-use motor. Hop on over to the Pro38 website & download the .PDF instructions for assembling the motor. Odds are that you can arrange for someone to loan you a 2-grain casing & the DAT tool to adjust the delay. There are considerably fewer parts with the Pro38 motors & it takes a fraction of the time to prep one. (Clean up is MUCH easier too!) You'll pay a little more for that reload (compared to the H123W) but you will gain peace of mind in knowing that the motor will perform like you want it to. However, if $$$ is an issue (& it probably is to most junior flyers), consider adapting down to the AT 29/180 casing & reload. The H128W reload is ~$13...about 2/3 the cost of a H123W (which kinda makes sense since it has ~1/3 less propellant!) Again, you can probably borrow a casing...but the 29mm system is about half the cost of the 38mm system!

2) If you have used the AT 29/40-120 casing then assembling a larger AT reload is pretty much the same. The delay element & ejection charge assembly are only slightly different with the HPR reloads.

3) Use the right tools for the right job when assembling your rocket. There have been plenty of discussions on what epoxies to use 7 the differences between most if not all epoxies. Read, ask questions, try them for yourself. Also consider other glues or adhesives. If the kit you are building is made of paper tubes & wood fins, consider aliphatic resin (yellow wood glue) like Titebond. It's a fraction the cost of epoxy, doesn't have any odor, is harmless if it gets on your skin, and can be cleaned up with water (there are probably other advantages but I've gone blank right now). Most of my HPR fleet was constructed primarily with Titebond. When all else fails, check with the manufacturer of the kit & see what they recommend too. BTW, PML kits *must* be assembled with epoxy because of their components...

4) Hold on to the dual deploy components of your kit. You CAN still use the altimeter to (only) measure how high the rocket went. There is a lot to be learned with motor ejection too! Dual deploy in due time...hang in there!

5) And of course, having the assistance of an experienced adult HPR flyer cannot be overlooked nor underestimated! Learn from them, ask questions, and have fun

HTH,

 

[richalex2010]

If you could devise a way to use a mechanical dual deployment system, it would probably work, and it should be allowed. I am also doing the Jr. L1 cert (with my dad, but he isn't doing the Jr one!) and hoping to get it next year since I just turned 13. Good luck!