Personal Launch Report - SCRA 2022-10-01

[gdjsky01]

Made my way out to the Southern California Rocketry Association (SRCA) launch this morning at the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area.

I arrived at about 7:15am and helped the LCO/Equipment Manager setup the range. We were ready to rock n roll by 8am.
It was a fantastic launch! Virtually no one showed up. Meaning no lines, no waiting, and no parents with whining little creatures carrying a starter box they did not bother to even OPEN much less read any instructions. Yeah... I am not a kid person. And get off my LAWN! Oh and pls... no comments. I do not care what you think of me.

My theme for the day, and I don't do themes usually, was black powder, staging.

Ok let me be honest (as usual), I face planted the first TWO, yes TWO, 2 stage rockets. The good news is one of them used a B14-0 in the lower stage and the B14, from 1972, yes 50 years old and made about the time I was launching my first rockets, worked perfectly. I flew it under the NAR Expired Motor Testing Program with the full permission of the NAR program administrator.

Another good thing, while I cracked the case of a JL Altimeter One... its fine and still working.

 

[gdjsky01]

Air Commander C11-0 to D12-5
The Air Commander flew great to 851' (260m). This was my first use of an Eggtimer Ion arming it via the html interface and reading out the data from the same.

SCRA-20221001-045.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Estes Savage C6-0 to B6-4
I used a 24mm to 18mm adaptor to fly a C6-0 in the booster. Even though there are two plastic fin cans on this ETX rocket, is not that heavy. Staging was fine. Recover good. The Estes altimeter read out 468' (140m). Not sure if that made sense... have to check the sim, but all flights use a 5 degree outbound launch rod angle.

SCRA-20221001-022.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Saturn Deuces 2xC6-5 439'
A break from staging, I put a Saturn themed Deuces Wild out with a pair of Quest C6-5s. Great flight to an Estes Altimeter Recorded 439'

SCRA-20221001-088.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

Wheeeeee


SCRA-20221001-152.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

MPC Zenith Payloader B6-0 to B6-6
Built from an original kit. Flew great! Staged fine. Who says I can't do staging? Good chute. The Estes altimeter read out 0 feet (0m).

SCRA-20221001-122.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Deucy 3.0 D12-0 to C11-5
Last flight was Duecy 3.0. This is a BARCLONE inspired scatch build (you have to be weird not to find inspiration in the BARCLONE catalog). But three point oh? Yeah I have face planted it twice over the years I have had it. This is the third reincarnation. And it ate it up! The face planted Altimeter One from the Corona early said 1027' (313m).

SCRA-20221001-087.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Wheeee!

SCRA-20221001-082.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

SCRA-20221001-080.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

What a great launch!

Not counting the 10ns of face planted rockets, 91ns consumed give or take. Or 13% of a full G.
Eight launched, one a total loss. One already on the mend. And six ready and waiting their next launch.

Here are all the images
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA9u7XCheers.

 

[smstachwick]

Air Commander C11-0 to D12-5
The Air Commander flew great to 851' (260m). This was my first use of an Eggtimer Ion arming it via the html interface and reading out the data from the same.

SCRA-20221001-045.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

I’m glad you finally got the C11-0 to work. I’m guessing you played around with your technique a little bit?

 

[lakeroadster]

I love reading these reports Jeff. Your enthusiasm from the launch is still evident in the report.

Well done and well written.

 

[gdjsky01]

lakeroadster​

Thanks. I enjoy it, and it gives me a record (for as long as TRF is around I suppose) of what I did and when. And I enjoy sharing my launches. today I'll add these flights to my log on rocket reviews.

It takes me about an hour to post process the images in lightroom and upload to flicker. Mind you I reject a good 75% of all the images. My ancient Canon 7D takes a continuous 9fps with no limit if set to JPEG only (no RAW). So I pile up images fast. And I generally hit the shutter when the count reaches one.
Then 30 minutes to write up the entire report in Notepad++. Once its done, I copy and paste the text and image BBCode into each TRF reply. So about two hours. Not much time at all.

I have taken to scratching the propellent with a pin before taping them together (or inserting in MMTs if gap staged). Also I switch from translucent scotch tape to transparent. And when the MMTs allow, a double wrap of said tape. Do I 'know' those helped? No. But there is no downside I think.

Also if possible, I am going to make sure all future models have a bit of MMT sticking out the back and tape the engines to that. I noticed I am still losing motors from the booster on occasion. Even when they successfully light the second stage. I am now a fan of an engine block at the BACK of the booster.

Cheers
PS: The fitbit says I did about 5 miles of walking total. Good for the heart.

 

[gdjsky01]

Rocsim says the Air Commander would do 920' (280m). The ION said 861'. Close enough given motor and finish variables.
Rocsim says the Deucy would do 1200' (370m). The Alt One said 1027'. Close enough given motor and finish variables.
Rocsim says the Savage would do 660' (200m). The Estes Alt #1 said 468'.
Rocsim says the Zenith Payloader would do 1000' (300m). My other Estes Altimeter #2 said 0 . - Gotta test that one.

 

[smstachwick]

lakeroadster​

Thanks. I enjoy it, and it gives me a record (for as long as TRF is around I suppose) of what I did and when. And I enjoy sharing my launches. today I'll add these flights to my log on rocket reviews.

It takes me about an hour to post process the images in lightroom and upload to flicker. Mind you I reject a good 75% of all the images. My ancient Canon 7D takes a continuous 9fps with no limit if set to JPEG only (no RAW). So I pile up images fast. And I generally hit the shutter when the count reaches one.
Then 30 minutes to write up the entire report in Notepad++. Once its done, I copy and paste the text and image BBCode into each TRF reply. So about two hours. Not much time at all.

I have taken to scratching the propellent with a pin before taping them together (or inserting in MMTs if gap staged). Also I switch from translucent scotch tape to transparent. And when the MMTs allow a double wrap of said tape. Do I 'know' those helped. No. But there is no downside I think.

Also if possible, I am going to make sure all future models have a bit of MMT sticking out the back and tape the engines to that. I noticed I am still losing motors from the booster on occasion. Even when the successfully light the second stage. Or I am now a fan of an engine block at the BACK of the booster.

Cheers
PS: The fitbit says I did about 5 miles of walking total. Good for the heart.

Estes casings shrink a bit after burning, I’ve noticed. Motors that are stubbornly stuck when I load them are almost ready to fall out when I recover them. I would guess that’s sort of the point, but it makes booster design tricky for standard butt staging.

 

[gdjsky01]

Wow.... I missed an entire great flight.

Astron Elliptical A3-0T to A3-4T
I flew an A3-0T under the expired motor program. This rocket had a super flight with nice streamer deployment.

SCRA-20221001-026.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[Jerry F.]

I’m glad you finally got the C11-0 to work. I’m guessing you played around with your technique a little bit?

I've had a Estes Savage come in ballistic twice because I used a C11-0 in the booster and it failed to ignite the second stage - now I use up my inventory of C11's in my Mega Vortico - a cool little OddRoc that spins like mad!!!!