Lost rockets

[NAR29996]

I have considered adding a beeper to some of my rockets. My concern is what happens when it gets stuck in a tree or the Tower at NASA?? I know I wouldn't want to be the neighbor listening to a screamer until the battery finally went dead.....

We have received permission in the past to go up the tower to get one back. This will be on a case-by-case basis.

 

[soopirV]

I hate losing rockets when you know exactly where they are! I have half of a Rocketry Warehouse Adventurer 3 (and a then-still-working Eggfinder) buried in the desert hardpan. I had a failed single deploy on a J357, and it desert-darted 5+ feet in. I could dig out to the av bay, but the earth was too hard and the sun too hot to go any further. Have since rebuilt it and am working on my DD technique, but that was just an embarrassment. I guess it's exactly like losing one to a tree, and having the opportunity to "visit the grave" without actually being able to retrieve anything.

 

[ksaves2]

The first one I lost was a smaller estes. Lost several more since. I launch at Kloudbusters pasture, and have seen rockets of all sizes and motor impulses get lost. One in particular I remember was at an Airfest event. Rocket had a large motor, can't remember but I do remember it had the Kate telemetry system. Miss Kate was way to calm speaking as the rocket reached appogee, then calmly proceeded to describe the balistic return. Found the video, isn't YouTube great! https://youtu.be/W7d7qrT_7MQ

Everytime I launch a rocket that i think will need a radio tracker, it lands within sight in an open plowed field. The little ones that land in the tall grass 50 yards away just dissappear.

Eventually, you'll lose a tracker on a ballistic descent or if doing RDF the rocket goes so far away, you lose the bearing and can't get within the ground footprint of the tracker. Flying on the playa out in the dry lakebeds, GPS is just about mandatory
as the ground footprint of the RDF tracker is not far at all. The playa sucks up Rf like a sponge. Has something to do with the salts and the water table. Sure, the range is fine while the rocket is up in the air but once down, the ground range
is terrible. Walkie Talkies don't have that far a range at ground level too I've been told. Kurt

 

[ksaves2]

I hate losing rockets when you know exactly where they are! I have half of a Rocketry Warehouse Adventurer 3 (and a then-still-working Eggfinder) buried in the desert hardpan. I had a failed single deploy on a J357, and it desert-darted 5+ feet in. I could dig out to the av bay, but the earth was too hard and the sun too hot to go any further. Have since rebuilt it and am working on my DD technique, but that was just an embarrassment. I guess it's exactly like losing one to a tree, and having the opportunity to "visit the grave" without actually being able to retrieve anything.

That's the advantage of GPS. You have a ballistic descent, just get one position, preferably as close to contact and you'll find the hole. Even though the tracker will undoubtedly die, that lat/long will get you there. RDF can't do that trick if you don't have
a good bearing lock when in goes in. Even then, it doesn't tell you how far out there it is (important if it's totally sight unseen) and if you can't hold that bearing you'll likely never find it. Kurt

 

[tomsteve]

lost rockets happens.
personally i would rather lose a rocket after launch than lose one due to cato on the launch pad