Payload Bay Electronics Mount

[Starfire73]

My sweet spot at this time is mid-high power. I haven't gotten in to dual-deploy, but I am using the heck out of my chute release (JLCR). I don't need an AV bay with altimeters for charges, etc., but I do need a better way to take advantage of my already existing payload bays, rather than just zip-tying a JL Altimeter2 to the nose cone and calling it good. The main reason I started looking at this was because I want to put a Featherweight Tracker on my mid-high power rockets and needed a way to do it. So I have attached some photos of what I came up with. Altimeter on one part at the bottom, tracker on the other at the top. When I get my tracker I will test where I mount it and cut some sections out to reduce weight.

This is for a 4" LOC EZI-65. I'm going to make one for each of my other payload bays if they are a different size. LOC Weasel-29, Lil Diter, Starburst. It is removable and will be held in place by the nose cone base which is secured with friction fit tape and screws. This design also saved me from having to cut the nose cone and epoxy rings in place, etc, to store the tracker in the nose cone. I didn’t want (or need) to do that since I have a nice payload bay available.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm wondering.. why haven't seen any posts of something similar to this from our chute release people? Isn't anyone doing anything like this? What are people doing with their payload bays when they are not using them for dual deploy?

 

[Handeman]

I've only one rocket that would fit what you are doing. It's a 4" Patriot I always use a JLCR in. All my other rockets with payload bays are already DD.

I found one of the large tubes that Aerotech used to use for their igniters, about 3/8" OD, fit snuggly in the hole in the bottom of the 4" plastic nose cone. I pushed one in an inch and taped it in place. I use some electrical tape to tape the upper and lower part of my Perfectflite APRA to the tube whenever I fly it.

 

[Starfire73]

I've only one rocket that would fit what you are doing. It's a 4" Patriot I always use a JLCR in. All my other rockets with payload bays are already DD.

I found one of the large tubes that Aerotech used to use for their igniters, about 3/8" OD, fit snuggly in the hole in the bottom of the 4" plastic nose cone. I pushed one in an inch and taped it in place. I use some electrical tape to tape the upper and lower part of my Perfectflite APRA to the tube whenever I fly it.

Well that’s a great idea. That gives me some food for though with the other rockets I am prepping.

I do want to get into dual deploy someday when I’m looking for something new to do. I figured as long as I stay under about five or six thousand feet (that’s our waiver anyways at our field), I’m going to use the chute release. If I start wanting to go above 6,000’ or get into L+ motors then I’ll make the jump to DD.

 

[Handeman]

Well that’s a great idea. That gives me some food for though with the other rockets I am prepping.

I do want to get into dual deploy someday when I’m looking for something new to do. I figured as long as I stay under about five or six thousand feet (that’s our waiver anyways at our field), I’m going to use the chute release. If I start wanting to go above 6,000’ or get into L+ motors then I’ll make the jump to DD.

DD isn't really that hard. You can get a RRC2 for less then an Altimeter One.

I started with DD on my L1 cert flight and I've never looked back. I find it much easier to fly DD than to do all the sims and all the preflight work to determine delay times to drill motor delays to. With DD, I pre-prep the rocket at home and only have to select the motor for that day's field conditions. It might be a H123W or a J350W depending on wind, wind direction, wind speed, etc. Either case, I don't drill delays, don't add any BP, just install the motor of choice and fly with DD. Safe, dependable, predictable, and easy.

 

[Starfire73]

DD isn't really that hard. You can get a RRC2 for less then an Altimeter One.

I started with DD on my L1 cert flight and I've never looked back. I find it much easier to fly DD than to do all the sims and all the preflight work to determine delay times to drill motor delays too. With DD, I pre-prep the rocket at home and only have to select the motor for that day's field conditions. It might be a H123W or a J350W depending on wind, wind direction, wind speed, etc. Either case, I don't drill delays, don't add any BP, just install the motor of choice and fly with DD. Safe, dependable, predictable, and easy.

Interesting…. Well, this is only my second year in high power (I have decades in low and mid). I’m a goal setter personality type, so this year I’m going to procure and learn tracking. Maybe 2024 will be all about DD.
Thanks for the input.

 

[David_Stack]

Good Morning Starfire73;

Might want to give this thread a read:

The road to L2 is paved with practice. PSII trainer fleet​

Nytrunner's post inspired me to build a Estes PS II based MPR to learn dual-deployment with. As Handeman indicated, it is not that difficult, and does provide enjoyment/fulfillment. In fact I just received a G80 from Chris' Supplies that I intend to use in an upcoming flight (should result in a new personal best for altitude if all goes well)

 

[Starfire73]

DD isn't really that hard. You can get a RRC2 for less then an Altimeter One.

I started with DD on my L1 cert flight and I've never looked back. I find it much easier to fly DD than to do all the sims and all the preflight work to determine delay times to drill motor delays to. With DD, I pre-prep the rocket at home and only have to select the motor for that day's field conditions. It might be a H123W or a J350W depending on wind, wind direction, wind speed, etc. Either case, I don't drill delays, don't add any BP, just install the motor of choice and fly with DD. Safe, dependable, predictable, and easy.

Can you post a few pics. I’d like to see your set up.

 

[Handeman]

Can you post a few pics. I’d like to see your set up.

Sure, Here's a couple from my original L1 rocket back in '07


Here's one of my latest. I went back to the pull pins again, but with a screw switch in series with the pull pin switch so I can turn off the altimeter without having to insert the pull pins, which can get in the way while doing prep.

I put the sled in so each side has one threaded rod through it. That way, I can build each side identical which works well with redundant altimeters.


This is another older av-bay, but I still use U-bolts instead of eye-bolts and I put the threaded rod as close to the u-bolt strap as possible so the metal strap on the u-bolt supports the threaded rods as much as possible. I've stopped using the white terminal blocks and went to terminal strips with solder tabs on the bottom like the pics above.


I also started using index pins on the switch band and nose cone so everything aligns to the rail buttons in only one way. It makes sure my remove before flight ribbons are on the side of the rocket and the GPS chip on the tracker in the nose cone is facing away from the launch rail so it doesn't interfere with picking up satellites. It also ensures the shear pin holes always align correctly the first time. I also use the index pins on the av-bay lids to ensure the pull pin switches always align perfectly to the vent holes.

 

[Starfire73]

Excellent, thanks. I’m in that sponge mode right now. Trying to soak up all the ways people DD so I can decide which way works best for me.

 

[Handeman]

Excellent, thanks. I’m in that sponge mode right now. Trying to soak up all the ways people DD so I can decide which way works best for me.

It really is an evolving process. What works will change as altimeters and you build more and more av-bays. You will seldom build two the same. Every time you build one, you learn something and find something you can improve on.

After you build the av-bay, then you have to learn about what drogue chutes work best, shear pins, friction fit, main chutes, charges, charge cups, etc.

Enjoy the journey!