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Model Forum / General / Rockets / September 2005Altimeter Recommendation
I'm looking for a back-up altimeter. I don't want to spend too much money but it should allow dual outputs to fire both a drogue and main chute. Maximum altitude readout would be nice. I currently have an adept unit that has been perfect. Any thoughts? > I'm looking for a back-up altimeter. I don't want to spend too much money > but it should allow dual outputs to fire both a drogue and main chute. > Maximum altitude readout would be nice. I currently have an adept unit that > has been perfect. Any thoughts? I like the PerfectFlite altimeter -- small, cheap, reliable and easy to use. > I'm looking for a back-up altimeter. I don't want to spend too much money > but it should allow dual outputs to fire both a drogue and main chute. > Maximum altitude readout would be nice. I currently have an adept unit that > has been perfect. Any thoughts? Try this unit: http://www.perfectflite.com/cgi-bin/microres/PF_Store/perlshop.cgi?ACTION=enter& thispage=MAWD.html&ORDER_ID=!ORDERID! I have four of the Perfectflite units; never had a failure. IMO, this unit ranks with the Adept Alts 25 for reliability. Also, it is the only barometric unit, I know of, with downloadable data. The price is nice also, $99.00. This one also: http://www.transolve.com/Transolve/index.html The Transolve P-6 can be purchased ready to go, out of the box, $80.00, or if you are handy with a soldering iron, purchase the kit version, %58.00. I purchased one of the units used on ROL, maybe three years ago. It has at least two dozen flights on it with no problems. It even survived a major EX L motor CATO. I had to replace a capacitor and the on board battery holder. The unit has continued to work flawlessly. The great thing about Perfectflite and Transolve, besides price: Both provide outstanding repair service, if you need it. In fact John Fleicher, at Transolve, will work on any unit you send him, even ADEPT units with potted circuit boards. Fred > I'm looking for a back-up altimeter. I don't want to spend too much money > but it should allow dual outputs to fire both a drogue and main chute. > Maximum altitude readout would be nice. I currently have an adept unit that > has been perfect. Any thoughts? PerfectFlite MAWD or MissileWorks RRC2 They're both in the same price range and both quality units. -Kevin I'll toss my recommendation in for the Missile Works RRC2 -- good documentation and great customer support! > I'll toss my recommendation in for the Missile Works RRC2 -- good > documentation and great customer support! Yep, got about three of those puppies also. However, I have had a couple of incidents where both charges fired on the pad @ power-up. Both incidents happened using the twisting wire method, to turn the units off and on. Started using switches on everything, several years ago, and haven't had another problem. Leads me to believe the RRC2 may be a little sensitive to switch/contact bounce, just like the Transolve units are. I have bench checked the Adept Alts 2 and 25, Also Perfectflite unit, and they seem impervious to switch bounce. Testing the RRC2, I was able to duplicate the firing of both charges, (using Davey Fire e-matches), on two out of three instances of testing. The Transolve P6; the test was three for three. The method of testing was to use a switch to rapidly turn the units on and off and then back on, using a Davey Fire e-match, for each event. I may be all wet and others may have different experiences, but I now use switches. Fred What switches are people using? Most switches (except the screw down ones) use springs and so might be considered subject to contact bounce. But the RRC2 manual, for instance, says that using a normally-closed phono jack is OK. I've used that technique myself as it allows the use of a "remove before flight" pennant. For altimeters with a capacitor backup this obviously isn't an issue. I have some of the MissileWorks switches (the 110V vs 220V power selectors) but those aren't really conducive to "remove before flight". Will >>I'll toss my recommendation in for the Missile Works RRC2 -- good >>documentation and great customer support! [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Fred >What switches are people using? Most switches (except the screw down >ones) use springs and so might be considered subject to contact bounce. This may be a little complex to start out with... but I use DIP switches that are mounted on a control board, which is hidden behind a removable access-hatch. :-) Prior to that, I mounted slide-switches on the airframe, and never had a problem with bounce. Be sure that your 'On' or 'Armed' position is *down*, and you won't have many problems. Using phone-jacks for power connections is just as bad (or maybe worse - I've never used'em...) as switches. Vibrations can cause the contacts to separate, resetting your altimeter and causing a failed recovery. Might be fine for shorting pyro channels, but I'd use switches (or even just twisting the wires together...) for power. http://jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=100 01&catalogId=10001&productId=106649 All are keyed the same. Buy several and have many spare keys. Dean > What switches are people using? I use Radio Shack's "submini" slide switch. For altimeters I use a DPDT and solder the wires to both poles of the switch. Haven't had any problems yet with this set up. BTW, stay away from Radio Shack's "micro" slide switches (the tiniest ones). Those are very unreliable. I use the MissileWorks switches, and love them. I've never understood the 'remove before flight' ribbon thing in hobby rocketry. I mean, all you have to do is turn 1 or 2 devices on, it's not like a fighter jet were you have to do a couple more things than that. ;) I guess they do look cool though. -Rich > I have some of the MissileWorks > switches (the 110V vs 220V power selectors) but those aren't really > conducive to "remove before flight". > Will I make my own screw down switches. Take a scrap of two sided pcb board. Drill a hole. Solder a brass nut to one side. Slighly countersink the other side of the hold. Solder a wire to each side. Insert screw, when screw is turned down.. Voila, connection made. Dirt cheap and metaphysically reliable... > I use the MissileWorks switches, and love them. > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > conducive to "remove before flight". > > Will > I've never understood the 'remove before flight' ribbon thing in hobby > rocketry. I mean, all you have to do is turn 1 or 2 devices on, it's > not like a fighter jet were you have to do a couple more things than > that. ;) Yeah, but people still do things like forgetting to arm the altimeter. A visual reminder can help. > I guess they do look cool though. That's reason enough. :) Thanks. Looks like I will go with the perfect. > I'm looking for a back-up altimeter. I don't want to spend too much money > but it should allow dual outputs to fire both a drogue and main chute. > Maximum altitude readout would be nice. I currently have an adept unit > that has been perfect. Any thoughts? |
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