Missile Works T3 and Rocket Track - possible to get last reported position?

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BTW, there are two different versions of the RocketTrack app floating around, https://github.com/kruland2607/RocketTrack and https://github.com/bdureau/RocketTrack (first in Eclipse, second in Android Studio) but neither is in the Play Store as far as I know. Maybe the second version is more robust, maybe not.

The only APK that's ever been released is in this message: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...ps-tracker-for-smartphones.53120/#post-522568

You could build an APK from the source files in the github projects but I'm not Android-savvy enough to do that.
 
mikec said:
BTW, there are two different versions of the RocketTrack app floating around, https://github.com/kruland2607/RocketTrack and https://github.com/bdureau/RocketTrack (first in Eclipse, second in Android Studio) but neither is in the Play Store as far as I know. Maybe the second version is more robust, maybe not.

The only APK that's ever been released is in this message: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...ps-tracker-for-smartphones.53120/#post-522568

You could build an APK from the source files in the github projects but I'm not Android-savvy enough to do that.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I checked on the link you provided for the RocketTrack APK, and it has this tidbit:

Kevin has written the "official" software for the Rocket Track system. Some of the really neat features of this app are:
  • ....
  • Saving data for further analysis
  • ....
So where is the Save data button???
 
billdz said:
So where is the Save data button???
Click to expand...
Assuming that the version you're running is built from the source I can see, there ought to be a menu with items for "connect device", "stop service", "save recording", and "menu preferences"

There's also a "keep screen on" preference somewhere.

I've never run this app and I don't have a device to install it on, so I can't tell what it looks like when you run it.
 
mikec said:
Assuming that the version you're running is built from the source I can see, there ought to be a menu with items for "connect device", "stop service", "save recording", and "menu preferences"

There's also a "keep screen on" preference somewhere.

I've never run this app and I don't have a device to install it on, so I can't tell what it looks like when you run it.
Click to expand...
Interesting, wish I could find this menu. I downloaded the apk from the link you cited, and the app looks the same as the one I was using (I probably got it from the same link). No menu that I can find, just 3 tabs Console, Map, Compass. Am I missing the menu somehow?
 
Try swiping your finger from the top where the system bar would be, or double tapping, or any other gesture you can think of.

I think the app is running in fullscreen ("immersive") mode when it starts.

Someone who knew more about Android development could chime in any time.
 
mikec said:
Try swiping your finger from the top where the system bar would be, or double tapping, or any other gesture you can think of.
I think the app is running in fullscreen ("immersive") mode when it starts.
Someone who knew more about Android development could chime in any time.
Click to expand...
I tried swiping in every direction, double and triple tapping, other gestures, no joy.
 
I installed that APK on an old Android tablet running 4.2 ("Jelly Bean"). When I run the program, the vertical "..." for menus appears at the bottom of the screen with the system navigation icons (back, home, task list) and when I click on it I see the "save recording" option. And there's a preference item that allows the screen to be kept on also.

It could be that this just doesn't work on more modern devices or on phones or something, but it did work at some point. Which I know does you no good, but there you are.

Maybe if I feel like beating my head against the wall I'll try building from source and see if I can get anywhere.
 
mikec said:
BTW, Rocket Locator is on the Play Store and appears to be supported at some level (updated last year) so I'm not sure why people aren't using that. Even if you've had a bad experience with it previously, maybe it works better now?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frankdev.rocketlocator
Click to expand...
From what I remember, most people stopped using Rocket Locator because the developer had a run in with Google about using their maps without paying per app so Google maps blocked the app and the maps stopped working. The update last year supposedly fixed that. It seems to have, but they didn't fix the three data items not working right on the main screen. After the screen blanks and you bring it back up, the data is still displayed, but the text description is the same for all three data items.

<edit> I just unistalled the app and reinstalled. It still says it's version 1.1.0, but the play store says 1.4.1. We'll see if the data displays on the main screen keep working or not.
 
Last edited:
Handeman said:
From what I remember, most people stopped using Rocket Locator because the developer had a run in with Google about using their maps without paying per app so Google maps blocked the app and the maps stopped working. The update last year supposedly fixed that. It seems to have, but they didn't fix the three data items not working right on the main screen. After the screen blanks and you bring it back up, the data is still displayed, but the text description is the same for all three data items.

<edit> I just unistalled the app and reinstalled. It still says it's version 1.1.0, but the play store says 1.4.1. We'll see if the data displays on the main screen keep working or not.
Click to expand...
Are there any Apps that run on iPhone? Baring that what android platform (preferably a phone) that works best?
 
mikec said:
I installed that APK on an old Android tablet running 4.2 ("Jelly Bean"). When I run the program, the vertical "..." for menus appears at the bottom of the screen with the system navigation icons (back, home, task list) and when I click on it I see the "save recording" option. And there's a preference item that allows the screen to be kept on also.

It could be that this just doesn't work on more modern devices or on phones or something, but it did work at some point. Which I know does you no good, but there you are.
Click to expand...
Confirmed, I also installed the Rocket Track APK on an old Nexus 4 and, just as Mike said, there's a menu bar on the bottom of the screen. I see no such screen on my Galaxy S9.
 
Philip Tiberius D. said:
Are there any Apps that run on iPhone? Baring that what android platform (preferably a phone) that works best?
Click to expand...
The T3 manual lists "recommended apps" for Android and PC, but no mention of Apple. The Eggtimer manual says "For iOS, we like MotionX. With iOS you’ll have to manually plug the coordinates into your app, since iOS generally doesn’t support external GPS connections. "
 
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billdz said:
The T3 manual lists "recommended apps" for Android and PC, but no mention of Apple. The Eggtimer manual says "For iOS, we like MotionX. With iOS you’ll have to manually plug the coordinates into your app, since iOS generally doesn’t support external GPS connections. "
Click to expand...
The T3 does not have an iOS app.
 
QFactor said:
The T3 does not have an iOS app.
Click to expand...
And of course my 1 remaining Android phone (an HTC from my bachelor days) will not up grade it’s operating system to the point where I can load the App. First it was my phone, then Ducati’s, then the Harley and then the Sailboat. 🤣
 
Philip Tiberius D. said:
And of course my 1 remaining Android phone (an HTC from my bachelor days) will not up grade it’s operating system to the point where I can load the App. First it was my phone, then Ducati’s, then the Harley and then the Sailboat. 🤣
Click to expand...
That's OK. I only had iPhones and iPads when I bought my T3. So I used Visual GPS, with my laptop, at launches. Now I have a Motorola phone that my wife replaced with a Samsung.
 
QFactor said:
That's OK. I only had iPhones and iPads when I bought my T3. So I used Visual GPS, with my laptop, at launches. Now I have a Motorola phone that my wife replaced with a Samsung.
Click to expand...
I may have to purchase a Android based phone from Sprint (crazy deals) or buy one off eBay.
 
IMG_4441.JPGIMG_7706.JPG
With help from Missile Works I started putting together an add-on to their Base station to see if I could work toward an iOS setup. I'm using Adafruit components because they have a "swiss army knife" type iOS app that uses Bluetooth LE (BLE). The T3 uses "classic" Bluetooth - which is what Android supports, and iOS only supports BLE. It's definitely been an education. So I'm learning a new skill set - which is what makes rocketry all the more interesting.
 
mikec said:
Maybe if I feel like beating my head against the wall I'll try building [RocketTrack] from source and see if I can get anywhere.
Click to expand...
I was able to build an APK from the source of the later version (required a few minor tweaks and a lot of thrashing with Android Studio) and it now seems to work properly with menus on my Galaxy 7 running Android 9. I'll post the APK as soon as I've done a little more testing.
 
mikec said:
I was able to build an APK from the source of the later version (required a few minor tweaks and a lot of thrashing with Android Studio) and it now seems to work properly with menus on my Galaxy 7 running Android 9. I'll post the APK as soon as I've done a little more testing.
Click to expand...
Wow, that's great news, thanks much. Let me know if you need a beta tester.
 
Here's a debug APK of my tweaked version of RocketTrack. It works on my phone when I install it through the debugger. I'm not really sure if it'll work if you try to sideload it. I tried building a signed APK but couldn't get it to work. If anyone has any luck, let me know. I apologize for being so clueless about Android, they don't make it easy.

It appears to work all right on my Android 8 phone. [edit: zip file deleted, see the one later in this thread]
 
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Thanks for doing this! The app installed on my Samsung Tab A running Android 9. However, it will not open: "Rocketrack keeps stopping." :dontknow:
 
Buckeye said:
Thanks for doing this! The app installed on my Samsung Tab A running Android 9. However, it will not open: "Rocketrack keeps stopping." :dontknow:
Click to expand...
Try this one. Maybe debug versions only work if the device is in developer mode, this is an unsigned release build. If that's not it, I guess I have more homework to do.
 

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I assume you checked settings/security/install from unknown sources? I assume you have Bluetooth enabled and you're paired to your receiver?

The Android Studio emulator doesn't support Bluetooth (pretty lame) so I have no way of testing this on an Android 9 or 10 device.

I can try to generate a signed APK but it'll take me a while.
 
Yes on the unknown sources and Bluetooth on. I got farther with apk in post #55. The app installed but kept stopping when I launched it. Now that you mention it, I did not yet have the HC-06 paired to my tablet and the T3 devices were not running. Maybe Rocketrack kept aborting because it couldn't find the devices immediately? I think that's doubtful, because old Rocketrack prompts you to select or scan for devices when you launch the app. I never saw the interface to Rocketrack - it would stop before the GUI showed up.

The apk in post #57 would not even install on my tablet, so I don't think pairing or not to the receiver is relevant in this case. But, I tried it anyway, turned on the T3 and paired the HC-06 before attempting to install the apk. Still no luck.

Thanks!
 

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