AlnessW
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- Oct 6, 2013
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About time I updated you all...
First, a few finishing touches on the build before leaving for the launch.
Av-bay all done complete with wiring, solder, epoxy, terminal block for the Raven, and 3M clamp connector.
9V batteries on back of sled.
I need a way to attach my main shockcord to the nosecone tip, while still maximizing space inside the nosecone. A friend of mine poured for me a special retainer out of stamping mold epoxy that fits nicely at the end of the nosecone, but he didn't have it done in time for the flight. Hence, a temporary solution is needed - in this case, a 1/4"-20 forged eyebolt with some stacked washers solved the problem. Not glamorous and adds some extra weight, but that never hurts I suppose. For the sake of this flight, she'll do. This assembly also doubles as a shoulder for the aluminum tip - many have identified problems with these tips getting knocked loose on minimum-diameter flights with the installed setup of just a bolt and washer lodged into place. Hence, a shoulder is needed.
Works perfectly.
Apogee charges consisting of 3/8" surgical tubing, sealed with nylon end plugs, cable ties, and RTV. Because I was paranoid, I coated each entire charge in RTV as well, because why not. This setup was a deviation from my previous (often non-functional as Fred alluded to) surgical tubing charge setup...a fix that served me well. See my most recent post to my thread in the recovery forum for a full write-up on these.
Next, a few photos during prep...
Motor installed and raring to go.
Looking down the opposite end of the airframe...hehehe.
Perhaps I thought I was ready - but a few other problems materialized as I was finishing prep.
Problem #1
My BRB900 doesn't fit properly in my small av-bay. (Just flew the BRB900 this flight as my 70cm unit isn't set up yet.) I had obviously overlooked checking this fit before I left...oops. Guess some of you were right! My most rinkydink solution ever was to use lots of bubble wrap on the unit and tape the crap out of it to my main shockcord inside the nosecone. I was uneasy about my solution, but there was literally nowhere else I could put it.
Problem #2
The thing still won't stay powered on due to an issue with the battery connector as experienced the day before. Electrical taping the connector in place didnt solve the issue as I thought it did. But of course, I had already buttoned up the main chute/av-bay and put the shear pins in, so I had to undo all of that which was a hassle. (Including having to drill a shear pin out of its hole... :bang: )
I went back in the motorhome with my dad, and we put our heads together to see if we could fix this somehow. After trying numerous different ideas with no luck, I was *THIS* close (like a micron) to bagging it and heading home, hugely disappointed. But then he suggested we try stripping and re-connecting the battery wires, then soldering them to the connector. It worked, and the flight was saved. So I buttoned everything up, called the FAA, did the final preparations, and headed for the pad. As we were loading the rocket in the tower I again was getting pretty queasy - my highest attempted flight to date, a new rocket, would my GPS still work with the field repairs, would I exceed its maximum range, etc. etc.. At that moment there was a blue hole overhead, so I armed up, put the igniter in, and retreated with my whole body was literally shaking as my dad drove me back to the controller.
(Photo credit to Craig Alness.)
Took a minute to catch my breath, and went for it. The motor took a few seconds to think about what it wanted to do, but when it did, she leapt off the pad on a flame about twice as long as the rocket. I was ecstatic. Now all I had to do was wait for the GPS to regain lock. "Is it still accelerating, did the connector come loose, did I use big enough charges, did I seal them properly, am I coming in hot like before"...all of these thoughts are running through my head as I'm staring at the receiver. Suddenly - an update! I waited for it to keep updating just to make sure the bird was open. Sure enough, I had solid lock all the way down to the ground, indicating a proper drogue/main deployment. A huge relief!
Whoo hoo! Posing with my launch controller post-flight. (Photo credit to Craig Alness.)
More below...
First, a few finishing touches on the build before leaving for the launch.
Av-bay all done complete with wiring, solder, epoxy, terminal block for the Raven, and 3M clamp connector.
9V batteries on back of sled.
I need a way to attach my main shockcord to the nosecone tip, while still maximizing space inside the nosecone. A friend of mine poured for me a special retainer out of stamping mold epoxy that fits nicely at the end of the nosecone, but he didn't have it done in time for the flight. Hence, a temporary solution is needed - in this case, a 1/4"-20 forged eyebolt with some stacked washers solved the problem. Not glamorous and adds some extra weight, but that never hurts I suppose. For the sake of this flight, she'll do. This assembly also doubles as a shoulder for the aluminum tip - many have identified problems with these tips getting knocked loose on minimum-diameter flights with the installed setup of just a bolt and washer lodged into place. Hence, a shoulder is needed.
Works perfectly.
Apogee charges consisting of 3/8" surgical tubing, sealed with nylon end plugs, cable ties, and RTV. Because I was paranoid, I coated each entire charge in RTV as well, because why not. This setup was a deviation from my previous (often non-functional as Fred alluded to) surgical tubing charge setup...a fix that served me well. See my most recent post to my thread in the recovery forum for a full write-up on these.
Next, a few photos during prep...
Motor installed and raring to go.
Looking down the opposite end of the airframe...hehehe.
Perhaps I thought I was ready - but a few other problems materialized as I was finishing prep.
Problem #1
My BRB900 doesn't fit properly in my small av-bay. (Just flew the BRB900 this flight as my 70cm unit isn't set up yet.) I had obviously overlooked checking this fit before I left...oops. Guess some of you were right! My most rinkydink solution ever was to use lots of bubble wrap on the unit and tape the crap out of it to my main shockcord inside the nosecone. I was uneasy about my solution, but there was literally nowhere else I could put it.
Problem #2
The thing still won't stay powered on due to an issue with the battery connector as experienced the day before. Electrical taping the connector in place didnt solve the issue as I thought it did. But of course, I had already buttoned up the main chute/av-bay and put the shear pins in, so I had to undo all of that which was a hassle. (Including having to drill a shear pin out of its hole... :bang: )
I went back in the motorhome with my dad, and we put our heads together to see if we could fix this somehow. After trying numerous different ideas with no luck, I was *THIS* close (like a micron) to bagging it and heading home, hugely disappointed. But then he suggested we try stripping and re-connecting the battery wires, then soldering them to the connector. It worked, and the flight was saved. So I buttoned everything up, called the FAA, did the final preparations, and headed for the pad. As we were loading the rocket in the tower I again was getting pretty queasy - my highest attempted flight to date, a new rocket, would my GPS still work with the field repairs, would I exceed its maximum range, etc. etc.. At that moment there was a blue hole overhead, so I armed up, put the igniter in, and retreated with my whole body was literally shaking as my dad drove me back to the controller.
(Photo credit to Craig Alness.)
Took a minute to catch my breath, and went for it. The motor took a few seconds to think about what it wanted to do, but when it did, she leapt off the pad on a flame about twice as long as the rocket. I was ecstatic. Now all I had to do was wait for the GPS to regain lock. "Is it still accelerating, did the connector come loose, did I use big enough charges, did I seal them properly, am I coming in hot like before"...all of these thoughts are running through my head as I'm staring at the receiver. Suddenly - an update! I waited for it to keep updating just to make sure the bird was open. Sure enough, I had solid lock all the way down to the ground, indicating a proper drogue/main deployment. A huge relief!
Whoo hoo! Posing with my launch controller post-flight. (Photo credit to Craig Alness.)
More below...
