Rocketry Locator App - Operational Basics

[wighty44]

I've recently gotten my Eggfinder TX & LCD system to link up (via BT) with my Android phone and "think" I have Rocketry Locator working. Since I've been unable to find any operational guide on the use of the app, I'd like to discuss what I'm observing (and hearing) to see if I'm interpreting the app's info correctly. Seasoned users feel free to point out any mistakes, or offer your advice...

1) Blue Dot - The phone's position
2) Red Pointer - The rocket's position
3) Obs 1 - The accuracy of the "Rocket Distance" reading is a function of the # of satellites being used by the Eggfinder - more satellites = greater distance accuracy.
4) Question 1 - When the "Radar beep" is NOT on, the phone emits a regular interval beeping tone. What does this represent? (if the "Radar beep" is also turned on a second [different] tone combines with regular interval beeping tone.)
5) Question 2 - Although both the phone and the TX unit remain in fixed positions, the blue dot's position occasionally moves - why?
6) Question 3 - At infrequent intervals, the phone's beeping sound is replaced by two quick short tones followed by a single third tone (both hard to describe in words). After these tones the blue dot changes position. What's happening to cause this and what does it mean?
7) Question 4 - Is there a way to Change the metric units to US units?

For reference the order in which I setup these devices for tracking a rocket is: Turn on the TX & LCD RX units. Wait for the satellite fix (Lat & Long. displayed). The activate Rocket Locator (which asks to turn on the phone's BT), and wait a few minutes for the display information to stabilize.

Comments, Hints...?

 

[KenRico]

WarnerR and I had trouble with this initially. .when working was accurate but getting to that point seemed hit and miss.

Before turning the app on, i turn off my location in the phone and confirm bluetooth is on.

When the eGGfinder LCD shows it has a location , i go to settings and press 'restart blue gps' from the menu.

After the app shows the red pointer and the screen is zoomed to desired scale and centered. ..then i go to my phone settings and turn on its location/gps.

If its showing location i dont mess with it except to zoom or backout ..

Also the compass seems to crash the app so i have to leave it off.

Kenny

 

[ksaves2]

You're stuck with metric. Author's choice. The two beeps if I recall correctly are to indicate 5 (or 10) second intervals I believe and not of any concern. Count the number of beeps and that will tell you. The beep from the phone is when it's receiving position information for its location. If it bugs you, turn down the volume. It does tell one when the base position has a satellite lock. If you look at the screen long enough, both dots will appear to drift around. This is normal as the GPS system is pretty accurate but not totally and absolutely positionally perfect!:wink: There's a little drift involved even with a stationary position.

Kurt

 

[thomas]

The radar beep should get faster if you are pointing in the direction of the rocket.
If you do not know it already, some parts are explained here:
https://rocketlocator.com//
changed to official adress

 

[fantasiiio]

Hi, I'm the developer of the RocketLocator software. Glad to see people still use it

My website was down for many months because my free hosting server was hacked, I lost some data and I did not have time to rebuild the site.
I went here to announce that my website is now up, but as I can see, words travel fast... It was up on may 30th
the https://rocketlocator.byethost3.com address is not supposed to be published because the website was not officially online and my domain name was not linked yet to my website.

So, the official website is: rocketlocator.com

I'm sorry about the crash with the compass. I did not reproduced it yet.

 

[Salvage-1]

Hi, I'm the developer of the RocketLocator software. Glad to see people still use it

Wow... this app works fantastically with the Eggfinder that I go. I added a bluetooth module to my hand held Eggfinder LCD, and with this app, I just stick the receiver in my pocket and use the Android.
We fly in the high desert, with lots of 3ft tall sage scrub. You cant see a rocket behind all that stuff, even LARGE rockets dissapear.
On my last launch, I used the Eggfinder, and rocket locator app. Absolutely fantastic. Being able to see the area on GPS flagged map makes a helluva different.

THANK YOU

Compass works fine on my Elipsis and the Samsung Note 3

 

[ksaves2]

Hi, I'm the developer of the RocketLocator software. Glad to see people still use it

My website was down for many months because my free hosting server was hacked, I lost some data and I did not have time to rebuild the site.
I went here to announce that my website is now up, but as I can see, words travel fast... It was up on may 30th
the https://rocketlocator.byethost3.com address is not supposed to be published because the website was not officially online and my domain name was not linked yet to my website.

So, the official website is: rocketlocator.com

I'm sorry about the crash with the compass. I did not reproduced it yet.

A cacheable mapset would increase the utility immensely though I wouldn't use Google Maps in that fashion as it could violate their copyright. Open Source Maps might be an option as major features are displayed.
Not all launchsites have internet access. https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...-Mapping-Program-Update&p=1573624#post1573624

GPS Rocket Locator is a lot easier to setup than the application I show in the link above and yes Salvage-1 having a nice map in hand is really nice isn't it! Kurt

 

[fantasiiio]

Hi, I never heard of these devices. Cool.

I know this would be very cool to make an offline map.. I already tried some and google map is the only one that can rotate...
So, if you would have an offline map, with open street map for example, you wouldn't mind if there is no compass rotation of the map ?

 

[ksaves2]

Hi, I never heard of these devices. Cool.

I know this would be very cool to make an offline map.. I already tried some and google map is the only one that can rotate...
So, if you would have an offline map, with open street map for example, you wouldn't mind if there is no compass rotation of the map ?

I've never used the compass rotation and don't have any idea what it's good for. Bounces around too much for my taste. I just keep in mind that North is "up" on the screen and then follow the datum line. I was a dead reckoning type of guy using sectional aviation maps in the early 1970's. I kept the compass
"in my head".

The North is "up" orientation is what one needs to keep in mind if tracking without a map. If the "compass" is selected, could be confusing to follow if there
is no photomap on the screen to place oneself.

If an offline map is "doable" I suggest create a version for that purpose. Allow one to cache the launchsite area they wish to use and not have to worry about
an internet link.

It would open up a lot of other WiFi only Android devices. Heck, one could buy a cheap used Android based phone that has B/T and WiFi capability and not even
have to have a phone/internet subscription to use. Use the WiFi to get the program installed and download/cache the maps and use the B/T side to pair with the NMEA receiver. That is basically what I did with a WiFi only Nexus 7 2013 but I didn't have access to a map in the field. I'd be happy with an OSM map as they're pretty good with the geographic features and roads. APRSISCE/32 is just too darned hard for a non Ham without APRS tracking ability to setup. I asked for help in the newsgroup and some nice folks pointed out the trick to get it to monitor two NMEA streams. The program and mapset are free as depicted above
and it's portable with no internet access required. Thing to remember about tracking in the field is it can be hard to see the screen in the sunlight. I use a matte screen protector with the Nexus 7 2013 inside a small, flat black painted cardboard box in order to see it.

When I tried to use a Windows tablet, TW801 https://www.microcenter.com/product/437499/TW801_Tablet_-_Black with APRSISCE/32
I found it very hard to see the 8" screen even though it was inside a flat black painted box. It was better seen using a 9.5 to 10.8" tablet
inside a larger flat black painted box. I'm trying to find some matte screen protectors for the tablets I have. They are dual boot Windows/Android with internal GPS chipset so if GPS Rocket Locator could be had with cacheable maps, I'd be ready for it.
It is very hard to find a Windows/Android dual boot tablet with an internal GPS chipset. The Cube i6 was out there but hard to find now and may be out of production. https://www.banggood.com/Cube-I6-3G-Z3735F-Quad-Core-9_7-Inch-Dual-OS-IPS-Tablet-p-968219.html
The cellphone side didn't work with my AT&T simm and I don't know if it will work with any other provider. I bought it as I wanted dual
boot and understood the cellphone side might not work. As an aside, I bought one of those Quad band wrist cellphones and
that by golly does work with my AT&T Go Phone simm, FWIW!

In order to get the GPS chipset to work in Windows 8.1 one has to get the com0com and GNSS Data interface programs both of which are free. Again, domestically available dual boot tablets (Android/Windows) with internal GPS chipset are impossible to come by and one has to order from China. Here's a link to get the GPS to work in Windows: https://gis.stackexchange.com/quest...et-integrated-gnss-gps-on-windows-8-with-qgis

Stick with Windows 8.1 on a tablet as 10 bogs it down and keeps doing the updating crap with you also turns your device into a Microsoft update torrent device so they can crap out other computers. Get GWX to lock any machine down so it won't update to 10. Once updated to 10, one is screwed especially if it's the home edition. Kurt