Anatomy of a High Power Rocket 6: Avionics and Recovery Gear

[@wwitsel]

Excellent video Thank you for your work on this video

[@SnoCoScanner]

Daron here. Nice video series. Great to meet you at FITS. Can't wait to see the video from the weekend.

[@Twlight-Astrophotography]

Can you explain how you setup your rocket for gps tracking?

[@liv3mind559]

great breakdown of electronics system. If you were using a single Altimeter in a MD rocket would you take the rc2 or rc3?

[@flyfalcons]

liv3mind functionally they both give you what you need, as you't won't need the third channel the RRC3 provides. The question is if you want to spend a little more to get the data logging beyond altitude that the RRC3 provides. With a MD design, it might be worth it to see your measured max speed. You can also connect the RTX GPS transmitter directly to the RRC3.

[@liv3mind559]

thanks for the response, yeah the extra data logging i feel would def be worth the little extra cash

[@dylanhealy4473]

That was really cool info. I'm just getting back into rocketry because my grandson seems to have interest in it. Keep up the amazing work. You've got a beautiful rocket. What type of motor are you flying and what size is it?

[@flyfalcons]

In the flight video of the Drago build series, I fly the rocket on a J450DM and a K2050ST, both are 54mm motors.

[@t_c5266]

Hi I'm designing a larger 120lb liquid rocket for a competition and I'm looking for more information on all of the recovery systems. Were there any guides or materials lists you followed on this? Or equations that helped you sort out shock cord selection for your rocket weight etc? Currently I have the parachute diameter figured out (easy part) but now I am engineering the recovery system to be as failproof as possible. Your rocket appears to have the most straightforward approach so I'd like to do a similar style system. Any advice, material lists, equations, or designs would be very helpful for my decision making. Thank you.

[@علفاتبلاديالجزائر]

هل يمكنك تعليمي في هدا المجال أنا مهتم بالصواريخ

[@billholcomb-mw4eg]

I have been online with models about a year now do not know how I have missed your site, I am looking and learning how too ! you have got me wanting to use your set up on the Level Two set up. I am thinking a 3" Rocket for that hope it will work well.. Thank you for your info...

[@ismaellorenzo4415]

How I make a rocket where I find the plans

[@edward_jacobs]

Does the altimeter measure altitude relative to the starting point? (E.g. if I'm launching from a high plateau, what prevents the altimeter from thinking I'm already at 800+ feet and deploying the main chutes?)

[@flyfalcons]

Yes, it calibrates to zero when you power it on so altitude given is above ground level.

[@gump1119]

Super helpful, the whole series.

[@e1Pr0f3ss0r]

Can u share those schematics

[@Emre_Kermen]

5:01 6:00 There is no need for schematics you can easily understand everything by looking at it :D

[@studywithme8055]

I have a question: how does the vacuum connection work? Do you make a hole from the outside?

[@flyfalcons]

I connect a shop vac hose to one of the avbay holes, and tape over the other two holes. This works to create a vacuum and simulate a flight to several thousand feet.

[@studywithme8055]

@@flyfalcons Thx for your answer means a lot, one more question: what do you screw the stainless stell screws in that hold the upper part?

[@flyfalcons]

@@studywithme8055 I use T-nuts from the hardware store that I tap into wood blocks, and epoxy the wood blocks on the inside of the avbay coupler.

[@blocc0]

Thanks for the videos

[@azizahmad1910]

can you share the circuit diagram of electronics bay please

[@diegocordero676]

I wish you could list out the components

[@flyfalcons]

Missileworks RRC2+ primary, RRC3 backup, Missileworks screw switches, Missileworks 9V battery holders, Apogee wires, terminals, and charge wells.

[@diegocordero676]

@@flyfalcons oh! Thank you!

[@johnwilliams9451]

Does the Drago kit come with everything to assemble the bay with the metal end caps and the powder caps and charge connections or did you construct that all yourself I really like it and I just got my level 2 cert at Midwest power which was run by Wildman and I'm planning on buying his ultimate darkstar for my level 3 attempt and would love to set it up like you did here

[@flyfalcons]

My kit came with the avbay bulkheads (I had the choice of metal or carbon fiber), but no hardware. I just called Wildman and they sold me a hardware package, though I ended up replacing a lot of it for hardware that I preferred. I got the charge caps and terminals from Apogee.

[@johnwilliams9451]

@@flyfalcons thank you would you be able to tell me which connectors and caps they were if you still know it would be a huge help I'm still kinda green when it comes to dual deployment and I retrofitted my PML kit to do it by basically adding all thread and a rear bulkhead to the payload coupler

[@johnwilliams9451]

@@flyfalcons but it is no where near as nice as your setup and it's wonky to arm it at best... So I'm trying to find a nice setup for my level 3 kit I love your setup it's beautiful

[@flyfalcons]

@@johnwilliams9451 These are the terminals www.apogeerockets.com/Electronics-Payloads/Electronics-Accessories/Terminal-Block and these are the charge caps www.apogeerockets.com/Ejection_Systems/Ejection_Canisters/Ejection_Canister_Caps_2_pk I would recommend practicing dual deploy on smaller rockets before attempting a level 3. These charge caps hold about 2 grams, and I fill the drogue side with black powder for a good separation. You will need to find charge caps in the 7-8 gram capacity range for a 6"+ rocket. My L3 rocket will be 7.5" in diameter and I have large caps for that.

[@Chuck_Carolina]

Where is the winnie? Did it play lawn dart?

[@flyfalcons]

The what?

[@Chuck_Carolina]

@@flyfalcons The flight to landing - the first flight?

[@flyfalcons]

@@Chuck_Carolina Look up part 7 for first flights. A sparky motor and a beast mode K2050ST.

[@Chuck_Carolina]

@@flyfalcons I appreciate your understanding for my use of the English vernacular, crude as it may be. I like your build videos and the content was all good, but I still want to see the first flight - and I still can't find it.... You are one of the true guys here on KZbin who replay to comments and I commend you for that. A link would be cool to your up-load for us (me) dummies.

[@flyfalcons]

@@Chuck_Carolina Give this link a try: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGalhH5tZalgiZo

[@notjoseph4971]

Hey, I'm having trouble finding out how to wire a backup altimeter to my E-bay, could you explain to me how to do so?

[@flyfalcons]

There are a few different ways to do it but I highly recommend running a completely independent system. So the second altimeter would have its own battery, switch, bulkhead terminals, and charge wells. This eliminates any potential single points of failure that would cause both altimeters to not function correctly.

[@iamnotjoseph123]

I appreciate the help, I’m bad at visualizing things, could you possibly link me a diagram of the wiring?

[@FranktheDachshund]

Nice video thanks!

[@flyfalcons]

Thanks, nice Dachshund in your pic; we have two tan Doxies, a mini and a standard.

[@FranktheDachshund]

@@flyfalcons The best dogs in the world 3 minis dapple black and tan, black and tan, and a red all shorthaired minis. Your videos are outstanding, there is no reason to watch any other if you want to learn to build a high power rocket. Manufacturers should link to your vids instead of providing directions. Your build quality is amazing.

[@sendit2873]

y not put an engine case in it

[@flyfalcons]

At the time, I didn't have a case to use. My hardware came after the first launch I took it to.

[@cetrefil9185]

Hi i'm Cagatay. I'm going to the rocket competition (TEKNOFEST) with my team this year. There may be parts of some points I'd like to consult with you about. Did you have an e-mail address where I could reach you?

[@asmus8313]

plywood is too thin - it was necessary to take at least 50mm thick LOL

[@MaxHackbarth]

Quit huffing the rocket!