Where can I put electronic payloads?

[Ccolvin968]

When I bought my Formula 75 kit for my lv 1 cert, a club member suggested that I put the coupler with the mounting plate towards the inside of the nose cone just in case I ever wanted a small electronics bay. Well... I got my Lv 1... And guess what... I want it to use it as an electronics bay. Nothing special. Just an altimeter or a flight recorder of sorts. How would you suggest I mount electronics in there and have it so they are secure during flight since my shock cord is attached to the forged eye bolt in there as well. Or is this kind of crazy and am I wasting my time trying to figure it out? Thanks!

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

Many folks put bays in their nose cones. I have one in my 4" Cowabunga (Wastelander). It depends on what you got going on in there. Pictures and measurements would be helpful.

For recording purposes, grab you a Jolly Logic Altimeter 2 or 3. You can just hang it on your eyebolt, stick it to the inside of your nose cone or half a dozen other options. But make sure you have sampling holes, my vent hole wasn't sufficient on my cert flight and my Alt 3 read only 166 feet.

 

[djs]

I'm a big fan of the Ape-rc nose cone av bays:

https://ape-rc.com/#!/Head-End-Alti...Molded-Nose-Cone/p/46531659/category=11909535

The description is a little hard to understand- but it's a removable sled that goes into your nosecone, and has a removable plate at the end so that you can attach a shock cord or whatever.

You might have to cut something out of your nose cone to get one of these in there, but it's great for ride along electronics.

 

[Ccolvin968]

That altimeter bay would work, except I have a mounting plate up higher up in the nose cone.
Sorry, no pics available right now.
I think I have an idea of what I need to buy (or make) now.
Thanks!

 

[Thorfire]

Here's a couple nosecone av bays I've made. NCs with molded shoulder I use a 1/4" plywood bulkhead that's large enough to snap in place behind the shoulder, with a 1/4-20 t-nut in it to attach the bottom of the bay. For NCs with removable shoulders, I use 2-56 or 4-40 screws though the side to attach them - that way I can have the option using Wildman style head end deployment if needed. I've had good luck with an eggtimer quark for apogee, and a chute release for the main with motor backup for nose cone av bay deploy.

 

[Ccolvin968]

I see you're in Minnesota as well! Are you a member of Tripoli MN?
If so, I just became a member and my first launch was the first Oct Launch.
I think I see what you did. I don't think I have a good setup for attaching an avionics bay.
I have the shock cord mount already mounted up inside of the nose cone with the mounting plate inside of the nosecone, rather than the base of the adapter.
With that being said, if there was a way to securely attach another mount at the bottom of that, plus add vent holes, it would work.
I think I just need really detailed instructions or an in person look at one.
Thanks for your pictures!