Lost and Found?

[Back_at_it]

I feel like we should start a lost and found thread.

I frequently stumble across rockets, boosters, misc. parts and pieces up at Bong Rec. in WI. when I fly and I turn them into the front gate if they don't have a number on them. Bong claims they have a lost and found section but I've never actually gotten anything back.

I've flown three weeks in a row now and I've lost a rocket each week. Today I lost two. I feel like we need a place to reunite a rocket with it's owner.

If anyone happens to be at Bong and Finds an MPC Red Giant or an Estes Helicat. Let me know This isn't how I planned to thin the herd.

 

[Rex R]

I feel like we should start a lost and found thread.

I frequently stumble across rockets, boosters, misc. parts and pieces up at Bong Rec. in WI. when I fly and I turn them into the front gate if they don't have a number on them. Bong claims they have a lost and found section but I've never actually gotten anything back.

I've flown three weeks in a row now and I've lost a rocket each week. Today I lost two. I feel like we need a place to reunite a rocket with it's owner.

If anyone happens to be at Bong and Finds an MPC Red Giant or an Estes Helicat. Let me know This isn't how I planned to thin the herd.

This is a good time of year to get stuff back. For best results a) let club know what you have misplaced. So they what to ask the rangers about. And label your rockets. With luck hunters will turn in wayward stuff.

 

[Back_at_it]

All of my Parachutes and Streamers have my phone number on them. I was told that a club member found one that I lost a couple weeks ago but I've not heard from him yet to return it. Guess I'll just need to go to their next club launch.

 

[teepot]

I have stickers with my name, phone number, my TRA and NAR numbers and the all important word... Reward. I would like the rocket back. But I definitely want my electronics back.

 

[Back_at_it]

I have stickers with my name, phone number, my TRA and NAR numbers and the all important word... Reward. I would like the rocket back. But I definitely want my electronics back.

I was just thinking about offering a reward but most of the time my rockets don't have electronics onboard. I would like my Brighton back as it had my altimeter in it. I think I just need to find a better place to fly than Bong. While I like the fact that the huge brush gives everything a soft landing, It's getting almost impossible to find small rockets up there this time a year. Maybe I just switch to flying larger rockets in the fall and keep the small stuff to spring when the over growth isn't waist high.

I finally broke down and joined a club here http://www.foxvalleyrocketeers.org/ I'm going to attend my first online meeting on Monday night and hopefully make it out to fly with them next week.

If any of you are members. See you soon.

 

[Old School Doug]

I feel like we should start a lost and found thread.

I frequently stumble across rockets, boosters, misc. parts and pieces up at Bong Rec. in WI. when I fly and I turn them into the front gate if they don't have a number on them. Bong claims they have a lost and found section but I've never actually gotten anything back.

I've flown three weeks in a row now and I've lost a rocket each week. Today I lost two. I feel like we need a place to reunite a rocket with it's owner.

If anyone happens to be at Bong and Finds an MPC Red Giant or an Estes Helicat. Let me know This isn't how I planned to thin the herd.

Unplanned thinning of the herd is a common occurrence at Bong. 2 Jolly Logic chute releases and 2 Flight Sketch minis are this years offering to the rocket gnomes. The very real possibility of offering up a third set was thwarted by a 3 day search that resulted in the recovery of the errant bird. That close call finally prompted me to invest in a Marco Polo tracker. I've only had the opportunity to use it a couple of times so far with good results. (with the exception of the very 1st test that ended up in one of the rocket eating ponds).

 

[Banzai88]

The dog tag maker at the front door at Wal Mart will make you a nice stainless steel tag with your name, NAR/TRA #, and phone # for just a few $. It will fit in the recovery harness of all but the smallest rockets.

 

[Back_at_it]

Unplanned thinning of the herd is a common occurrence at Bong. 2 Jolly Logic chute releases and 2 Flight Sketch minis are this years offering to the rocket gnomes. The very real possibility of offering up a third set was thwarted by a 3 day search that resulted in the recovery of the errant bird. That close call finally prompted me to invest in a Marco Polo tracker. I've only had the opportunity to use it a couple of times so far with good results. (with the exception of the very 1st test that ended up in one of the rocket eating ponds).

Which Marco Polo did you buy? Any chance it will fit in a BT50 sized rocket? While I'm building larger and larger rockets all the time, I still have a large collection of the old school stuff that I like to fly. Does the Marco Polo need to have the antenna exposed? Wondering if it will it work inside a sealed cardboard payload section.

I've been watching and waiting on the Flight Sketch SST but I don't know when that will be released. Judging by the face that I can't get a replacement Flight Sketch Mini I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure they will be back once this crap with product shortage around the world is back to normal.

https://flightsketch.com/store/catalog/flightsketch-sst_228/

 

[Old School Doug]

Which Marco Polo did you buy? Any chance it will fit in a BT50 sized rocket? While I'm building larger and larger rockets all the time, I still have a large collection of the old school stuff that I like to fly. Does the Marco Polo need to have the antenna exposed? Wondering if it will it work inside a sealed cardboard payload section.

I've been watching and waiting on the Flight Sketch SST but I don't know when that will be released. Judging by the face that I can't get a replacement Flight Sketch Mini I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure they will be back once this crap with product shortage around the world is back to normal.

https://flightsketch.com/store/catalog/flightsketch-sst_228/

I did the Marco Polo ultralight single drone package. The tag might fit in a BT50 as it comes from the factory. I had to cut away the protective "wrap" around the tag to completely dry it out after it's swim.
Without that wrap the tag does fit in a BT 50 with a tiny amount of wiggle room. As far as working in a sealed payload section I'm assuming it should. I had the tag in a BT70 sized Arcas and put it into track mode before launch. The hand unit picked up the tag with no problem and kept the lock to an 800ft apogee, so that much I can attest to. After the fun times of drying out the tag and gently coaxing it back to life I'll definitely be buying another one for backup.

I was lucky enough to snag a couple of the minis to replace my lost units. Nothing but pure luck and a daily check of the Flight Sketch site to see when stock became available.

Enjoy your time with Fox Valley. I've flown with them a couple times. Nice group.

 

[Back_at_it]

I did the Marco Polo ultralight single drone package. The tag might fit in a BT50 as it comes from the factory. I had to cut away the protective "wrap" around the tag to completely dry it out after it's swim.
Without that wrap the tag does fit in a BT 50 with a tiny amount of wiggle room. As far as working in a sealed payload section I'm assuming it should. I had the tag in a BT70 sized Arcas and put it into track mode before launch. The hand unit picked up the tag with no problem and kept the lock to an 800ft apogee, so that much I can attest to. After the fun times of drying out the tag and gently coaxing it back to life I'll definitely be buying another one for backup.

I was lucky enough to snag a couple of the minis to replace my lost units. Nothing but pure luck and a daily check of the Flight Sketch site to see when stock became available.

Enjoy your time with Fox Valley. I've flown with them a couple times. Nice group.

Good to know. I'll need to make the investment in a tracker as losing 4 rockets in 3 weeks is a bummer. Granted they can all be rebuilt as I have the DIMS for everything but I hate losing something. The Helicat I lost in the sun. Only had a C6-5 in it and only went up maybe 400ft. with a small 9" chute, I know the darn thing landed less than a couple hundred feet from the pad but I have no idea which direction. I looked for an hour and gave up.

 

[Charles_McG]

I’ve been searching Bong for two motor casings I lost this summer. With a metal detector. So far, no luck.

 

[cbrarick]

Is your detector tuned to aluminum? Otherwise, it will just skip over it. Cases can be even more problematic if they come in ballistic into soft ground......

 

[Charles_McG]

Is your detector tuned to aluminum? Otherwise, it will just skip over it. Cases can be even more problematic if they come in ballistic into soft ground......

It does find Al - I tested it at home first. Plus - I found that old can pull tab under the grass.

I don't think a 1grain 24mm or 29mm case has enough momentum to bury itself.

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Wow, my brother was out on the farm today and came across one of my lost rockets from last year - Miss Riley. Somehow the guide rod stuck in the launch lugs and the rocket and guide took off together (D engine). I was visually tracking what I incorrectly thought was the parachute and nose cone but because it looked so small I thought it must have drifted for miles. Well it appears that the rocket with guide rod had weather-cocked then after separation it nose dived.
Here is a pic of the found rocket with the guide rod. I won't know about the damage/survival until I see it for myself but in theory because it was stuck on a wind swept hill, the snow may not have buried it and it might have stayed relatively dry. I wonder if it can be salvaged!

Edit: nope, the tube is a lost cause. I can replace the tube but I will need to get a new sticker decal. A crack and a small hole on one fin is repairable. Nose cone is intact. Parachute needs a cleaning and I will have to check on the chutes' lines. But it will live to fly again!