Newbie from Central Indiana

[JMS58]

Hello all. I am a retired IT person that just got in to model rocketry. In fact, I haven't even experienced my first launch, but I'm totally hooked on building rockets. I always wanted to get into model rocketry when I was a kid (grew up in the Apollo era) but could never afford it at the time. My wife is not real happy that I have picked up another hobby. I am a licensed HAM, fly RC aircraft, am into ammo reloading and recently bought my first 3D printer, so I have a lot to keep me busy. The first rocket I put together is an Alpha III, then a Riptide (not much to do on that one). I am currently in various stages of completion on the Big Bertha, Der Red Max, and Mercury Redstone. I have a Green Eggs, Super Orbital Transporter, and Majestic still in the packages to start on once I complete the three that I'm already working on. I also ordered two sets of 3 Bandits for my grandkids to assemble and launch this summer. I have learned a lot from this forum already and have started doing research on everything for a Level 1 Certification in the next year or so. I have been in contact with one club that is about 20 miles south of me, but I don't believe they are very active. I see there are three or four clubs in Indianapolis that I may look into joining.

Hopefully I can get out this weekend and get the Alpha and Riptide in the air.

-Jeff

 

[smstachwick]

Hello all. I am a retired IT person that just got in to model rocketry. In fact, I haven't even experienced my first launch, but I'm totally hooked on building rockets. I always wanted to get into model rocketry when I was a kid (grew up in the Apollo era) but could never afford it at the time. My wife is not real happy that I have picked up another hobby. I am a licensed HAM, fly RC aircraft, am into ammo reloading and recently bought my first 3D printer, so I have a lot to keep me busy. The first rocket I put together is an Alpha III, then a Riptide (not much to do on that one). I am currently in various stages of completion on the Big Bertha, Der Red Max, and Mercury Redstone. I have a Green Eggs, Super Orbital Transporter, and Majestic still in the packages to start on once I complete the three that I'm already working on. I also ordered two sets of 3 Bandits for my grandkids to assemble and launch this summer. I have learned a lot from this forum already and have started doing research on everything for a Level 1 Certification in the next year or so. I have been in contact with one club that is about 20 miles south of me, but I don't believe they are very active. I see there are three or four clubs in Indianapolis that I may look into joining.

Hopefully I can get out this weekend and get the Alpha and Riptide in the air.

-Jeff

Welcome!

Good starter you’ve got there with that Alpha III. Pretty much everyone gets that one at some point. Here’s mine, thrown together around 2004.



It flew mostly on Bs and Cs in its active career, but it’s long since retired. Other people have flown theirs on basically anything that will fit in the mount, up to D power or sometimes even greater than that.

For rockets this size, I like to start with the smallest recommended motors (or even a few below the recommended power range if OpenRocket says it’s OK) and work my way up. It’s the opposite of most people’s immediate impulse to shove the biggest, baddest motor they can find into it, but it gets them back more reliably.

I do suggest trying to hang onto whatever rocket you fly first. Certification rockets are special, and you’re basically making a “Level 0” certification attempt the first time on the range. The others…go for broke, there will be many.

 

[Hobie1dog]

to the forum. What's your call sign?

 

[happyhaplo]

Welcome to the Forum, happy to have you.

 

[JMS58]

For rockets this size, I like to start with the smallest recommended motors (or even a few below the recommended power range if OpenRocket says it’s OK) and work my way up. It’s the opposite of most people’s immediate impulse to shove the biggest, baddest motor they can find into it, but it gets them back more reliably.

I created some custom "Launch Spec" cards, printed them on card stock and laminated them. I have all of the recommended motor sizes for each rocket listed with an asterisk beside the motor recommended for first launch. I also included the default recovery type and if parachute, the parachute size, and launch rod size/type. That'll help me especially on my first few launches.

 

[JMS58]

to the forum. What's your call sign?

K9JTV. I have all Yaesu equipment and one Radioddity GD-77 HH for when I dabbled in DMR. I monitor America Link on Wires-X via both local nodes and some hotspots that I assembled/built. Spent a year on HF with my FT-991A and Ameritron AL-811 but haven't been on it in a couple of years.

 

[Hobie1dog]

K9JTV. I have all Yaesu equipment and one Radioddity GD-77 HH for when I dabbled in DMR. I monitor America Link on Wires-X via both local nodes and some hotspots that I assembled/built. Spent a year on HF with my FT-991A and Ameritron AL-811 but haven't been on it in a couple of years.

I hate to hear that You have nice equipment that you're not using. but, You live on a lake and Have a nice QRZ page. you're awesome.

 

[TRWXXA]

Welcome, fellow Hoosier.

KC9WGE here.

 

[Dane Ronnow]

Welcome to the forum!

K7AZK here.

 

[JMS58]

I hate to hear that You have nice equipment that you're not using. but, You live on a lake and Have a nice QRZ page. you're awesome.

We won't be on the lake much longer. My wife retires the end of July, the house is going up for sale, and we are going to climb in our motorhome and see the country for the next 5 years. Bought a couple of acres just up the road that used to have a double wide on it so that will be our home base when we come back to the area. Waiting on the 16 x 40 shed to be delivered and working on getting the utilities reconnected. Good thing about the shed is I'll have an awesome workshop to build rockets in that will be out of site of my wife.

 

[Hobie1dog]

We won't be on the lake much longer. My wife retires the end of July, the house is going up for sale, and we are going to climb in our motorhome and see the country for the next 5 years. Bought a couple of acres just up the road that used to have a double wide on it so that will be our home base when we come back to the area. Waiting on the 16 x 40 shed to be delivered and working on getting the utilities reconnected. Good thing about the shed is I'll have an awesome workshop to build rockets in that will be out of site of my wife.

Awesome ,....you're one of my heroes.

 

[teepot]

Welcome to the Forum. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

[smstachwick]

I created some custom "Launch Spec" cards, printed them on card stock and laminated them. I have all of the recommended motor sizes for each rocket listed with an asterisk beside the motor recommended for first launch. I also included the default recovery type and if parachute, the parachute size, and launch rod size/type. That'll help me especially on my first few launches.

Very nice!

If you get an opportunity, you may want to try out some of AeroTech’s Q-Jet line of composite motors. The A and B motors aren’t really all that special, they just kind of round out the product line, but the higher-thrust Cs and Ds really scream in a little rocket like that.
AT also publishes specs and their broad equivalents.

 

[KB4SMK]

Just tell your Wife you only have ONE hobby……….Collecting hobbies

 

[Rocketclar]

Welcome! I, too, live in IN, near Indpls.

 

[Handeman]

Welcome...

We'll be moving to the Indy area in the next few years. I have a daughter and son-in-law in Whitestown. But first we need to get our travel trailer to all the states east of the Mississippi. We're not full time, but do 6 - 8 week trips a couple of times a year, and lots of 4 - 10 day trips between.

When you start moving around in the motorhome, come by Culpeper VA and join us for a launch at BattlePark. We're actually on the Civil War Cedar Mountain Battlefield. If you're into Civil War, the Fredericksburg, Manassas, Culpeper triangle has over a half dozen major battlefields within it.

 

[jqavins]

Hello all. I am a retired IT person that just got in to model rocketry. In fact, I haven't even experienced my first launch, but I'm totally hooked on building rockets. I always wanted to get into model rocketry when I was a kid (grew up in the Apollo era) but could never afford it at the time. My wife is not real happy that I have picked up another hobby. I am a licensed HAM, fly RC aircraft, am into ammo reloading and recently bought my first 3D printer, so I have a lot to keep me busy. The first rocket I put together is an Alpha III, then a Riptide (not much to do on that one). I am currently in various stages of completion on the Big Bertha, Der Red Max, and Mercury Redstone. I have a Green Eggs, Super Orbital Transporter, and Majestic still in the packages to start on once I complete the three that I'm already working on. I also ordered two sets of 3 Bandits for my grandkids to assemble and launch this summer. I have learned a lot from this forum already and have started doing research on everything for a Level 1 Certification in the next year or so. I have been in contact with one club that is about 20 miles south of me, but I don't believe they are very active. I see there are three or four clubs in Indianapolis that I may look into joining.

Hopefully I can get out this weekend and get the Alpha and Riptide in the air.

-Jeff

Welcome!

 

[bchaltraw]

Do you ever really retire from IT? You end up being the person that the family calls for WiFi issues, Cable Modem installs, running some Cat5E into some attic... PEBUAK! Layer 8 issues will never go away.

 

[jqavins]

"End up being..."? I'm sure he already is.

 

[JMS58]

Do you ever really retire from IT? You end up being the person that the family calls for WiFi issues, Cable Modem installs, running some Cat5E into some attic... PEBUAK! Layer 8 issues will never go away.

I just tell 'em, "The technology has passed me by".

 

[bchaltraw]

I just tell 'em, "The technology has passed me by".

I am not there yet, but in 18 months I will retire and hope my nephews who are programmers will fill in for me. For now I am in cyber security and it's a never-ending battle.