What keeps you in the hobby?

[georgegassaway]

Biggest percentage of it for me is....designing neat stuff to fly. Sometimes for contest purposes. Other times for general sport flying or a technical challenge.

Now definitely, FLYING is what it's all about. But a lot of what I fly are models I've designed. Having learned a lot of things thru the years that I NEVER thought I'd be able to do.

Lots of other things too, the people, goals, and related things (like photography/videos/electronics).

But a lot of my day to day rocket thoughts involve designing in some way or another.

Have another unique project coming down the pike, which if things go well, may be flying by the end of April. I'll announce it later, once the build has gotten far enough. I figure it has a 80% chance of success, 10% chance of not flying well, and 10% chance of disaster (when I try it in full operational mode). This is one I've had on the back burner for 2 years, finally moving forward with it.

 

[lakeroadster]

Have any of ya'll hit the "repetition stage?" How did you address it?

Neat idea for a thread. Thanks for posting.

The wife just asked "Why aren't you working on your rocket today". I tend to step away if I spend more than 2 days working on a rocketry project. For me it's never a competition, it's a journey.

What keeps you engaged in the hobby

March 6th of 2018 I stepped back in as a Born Again Rocketeer. Prior to that I was building back in the mid 70's through early 80's.

Since I'm a retired Mech. Engineer I've found Open Rocket to be an awesome part of my rocketry toolbox. Scratch building and designing has been what keeps me going, kits just don't trip my trigger.

It's a great hobby. LPR is inexpensive and gives me something to do when the weather is to crappy for hiking, or when I'm healing up my old bones from a previous hike.

We live in a charmed time. Being able to communicate here is a huge part of staying engaged in the hobby. It allows us to get help and give help, on our own time, when we want. For those of us that are "long in the tooth" it's pretty amazing. On one hand the actual construction materials for the LPR's I build haven't changed since the 1970's. On the other hand everything else has changed.

Have I mentioned lately... I love this site!

 

[Hobie1dog]

Hoping one day to get my grandsons interested in it.

 

[JohnCoker]

I think over time people gravitate to one part of the hobby or another. For me, the building definitely is the part that keeps me going. Finding a prototype to model in a way that introduces some challenge to be solved keeps me moving forward one rocket at at time.

That said, it's fine to take a few years break if you need it. I switched over to model railroading for a while and eventually came back.

 

[BWP]

I got started in the hobby as a kid in the mid-70s. I now enjoy the BAR aspect. I build kits (or a replica kit) that I either dreamed of building but never did (like a Semroc Mars Lander I finished recently), or I build a replacement for my favorite rockets that I did in fact build and fly (currently building a deci scale Semroc Aerobee 300). Some other examples: an Estes Nike X is flown regularly, a Launch Pad Nike Ajax (with a 3 D engine cluster) has been build and flown several times, a Semroc Gyroc and Estes Orbital Transport are in the build pile.

I'm building my 1st Level 1 rocket now and am looking forward to getting into that aspect of the hobby.

The thing I enjoy most is helping kids get started in the hobby. At the local Cub Scout Pack, we will be doing a build over 2 or 3 meetings then doing a group launch. That's the most rewarding thing for me.

 

[cwbullet]

I like the camaraderie. The people like to help others and I really enjoy learning and teaching.

The building and flying wax and wane.

 

[Rockyt]

I enjoy the building aspect; it is what drives my flying, as well. Seeing something go up that I built, and occasionally designed, is a great thrill...too much of a thrill actually...My last time flying we lost 3 rockets, 1 of which was meticulously sanded, painted, etc. It was a blow to the ego that I am only now getting over.

 

[muddymooose]

I have spreadsheets of theoretical-vs-experimental numbers to fill out so that keeps me interested. Also I haven't gotten bored of whoosh-popping yet.

 

[jnobels]

It was a blow to the ego that I am only now getting over.

Attend enough launches and you’ll see a lot of pain and suffering related to landings or launches gone wrong. It’s just part of the hobby. Some days you get everything back. Some days, 30 hours of painstaking work and a few hundred bucks worth of hardware ends up in an unmarked shallow grave in some corn field.

Like I tell my son: What do we do when we lose a rocket? We shake it off and just build another one.

 

[Rockyt]

I can get behind that...as long as I can build a replacement...I.e. I an buy a replacement.

Strangely enough, I don't mind hard landings. I've been replacing popped fins on one of my son's rockets for 5 years now, something about the monarch...but I don't hate it. I actually have fun and enjoy the challenge of a repair that blends seamlessly with the original build.

When it's gone, though...that's when I get frustrated.

 

[Steven]

Where ever the wind blows. Being an early retiree has given me plenty of spare time to pursue whatever grabs my attention at the time.

 

[grouch]

Look, squirrel!

 

[Steve Shannon]

I can get behind that...as long as I can build a replacement...I.e. I an buy a replacement.

Strangely enough, I don't mind hard landings. I've been replacing popped fins on one of my son's rockets for 5 years now, something about the monarch...but I don't hate it. I actually have fun and enjoy the challenge of a repair that blends seamlessly with the original build.

When it's gone, though...that's when I get frustrated.

Yeah, I agree. If I break a rocket I can learn what not to do. If I lose a rocket (as in never finding it) it eats at me, at least until I build a new one.

 

[Bat-mite]

There is no worse feeling on launch day than wandering around the countryside, asking yourself why you didn't put a tracker in it.

At the LDRS in MD a couple of years ago, I put my transmitter on the charger, and then promptly drove to Higgs Farm and left the transmitter at home on the charger.

Fortunately another fine rocketeer was able to loan me his for my N motor flight.

 

[Steven]

Look, squirrel!

Squirrel meet engine.

 

[grouch]

There is no worse feeling on launch day than wandering around the countryside, asking yourself why you didn't put a tracker in it.

At the LDRS in MD a couple of years ago, I put my transmitter on the charger, and then promptly drove to Higgs Farm and left the transmitter at home on the charger.

Fortunately another fine rocketeer was able to loan me his for my N motor flight.

I simply won't fly without a tracker anymore. Anything and everything I fly with exception of a Stealth gets a tracker. The one single rocket I lost was a constant regular flyer that took a sharp hook as soon as it left the rail. Never saw it again. Went out and bought a tracker and receiver right after that.

 

[Jim Hinton]

I guess I'm a builder first and a flyer second. I enjoy all aspects of the hobby, but there is a definite thrill with seeing a long term project fly and fly well. I built rockets as a kid and always had a liking for it. I had to quit smoking in 2002 to support my wife who had to quit smoking for surgery. I made myself a deal that I could build and fly any and all rockets that I wanted as long as I didn't smoke. I know it sounds kind of silly, maybe childish, but I honored the deal and it worked. My time as a BAR began in early 2002, the same time that I quit smoking.

Jim

 

[neil_w]

Any deal you need to make with yourself to quit smoking is worth it. Congratulations!

 

[Bat-mite]

I simply won't fly without a tracker anymore. Anything and everything I fly with exception of a Stealth gets a tracker. The one single rocket I lost was a constant regular flyer that took a sharp hook as soon as it left the rail. Never saw it again. Went out and bought a tracker and receiver right after that.

Same for me depending on size of rocket and predicted altitude. An 8" rocket to 2500' won't get a tracker. Full visual throughout the entire flight. But yes otherwise.

 

[DeltaVee]

For me it's putting something together and having something to show for my effort... at least until it veers off into the woods. That adds a bit some adrenaline to the mix when the count reaches "zero"!

 

[shreadvector]

I can provide the response for many of those I have encountered at launches across the country:

 

[RoyAtl]

Have any of yall hit the "repetition stage?" How did you address it? What keeps you engaged in the hobby?

(One thing I want to try is competition, I just need to make it so I can get to my local launches. The idea of constructing a rocket to best achieve a specific goal is quite appealing and looks like a lot of fun.)

I got that in high power (where airframes are same ol' same ol'), but not in low power. I haven't flown many of my own rockets lately, but still go to the launches and be LCO so I get the same rush.

 

[Ez2cDave]

I got that in high power (where airframes are same ol' same ol'), but not in low power. I haven't flown many of my own rockets lately, but still go to the launches and be LCO so I get the same rush.

"Scratch-building" is the cure for "same ol', same ol' ", in all areas of Rocketry !