K500 Amazing on-board video

[derekroolz]

Who feels like a fucking astronaut after watching that?!

[bana2s]

Someone may already have mentioned this, but if your failure mode analysis on the mercury-switch apogee detector is correct, you might be able to get it to work correctly with an electronic "lock-on" on the timer. The simplest would be a magnetic reed switch and electromagnet in series, on a parallel circuit with the mercury switch. When the mercury switch makes contact, the electromagnet would activate the reed switch, thus keeping the timer running even if the mercury switch breaks contact.

[solidskateboards]

Finally got to to work, check out the video "Finally, everything works perfectly...twice in one day"

Thanks!

[freshranger]

Dan, you are a true inspiration to Me and my model rocket hobby. After months of failed home trials I bought your book and got the answers I needed. Now we are launching some crazy rockets almost every month. Only problem is finding a big enough field. Thank you again for the book and all the awesome knowledge you post up for us.

[solidskateboards]

Thanks!!

[cwampthing]

Is there anything you can add to the fuel ratio that can give the smoke a color?

[solidskateboards]

I'm sure there is. You should Google it. Unfortunately I don't know though.

[rhn94]

im gonna build a model rocket with pulse jet technology ..

[kotin12]

:47 isn't that down town San Diego? how did you get on top of a building?

[solidskateboards]

Yes, it's downtown San Diego. I work there. Thanks.

[360MoDsX]

Whats your ratios for your engines?

[solidskateboards]

65% Kno3, 17% Corn Syrup, 18% Powdered Sugar

[thunderrockets]

i think aircommand had the same problem with mercury switches

[solidskateboards]

You're right, and they did some very interesting experiments to determine their feasibility.

[Flexo1986]

Man these rockets are just pure power! Especially when you watch the on board camera.

Go Dan!!!

[solidskateboards]

Thanks!

[mazack00]

Probably the best onboard vid so far, tense moments when it's falling!

[solidskateboards]

I love it, especially how the mountains start coming into view on the top of the screen.

[solidskateboards]

I love it. Soooo lucky to get it back!

[TalksWithDirt]

If you don't want to go with the advanced electronics approach. Maybe a second relay that senses the first, pulse. Use that sense signal to stop a retrigger of the timer. This why a computer can help. Your instrument might get spoofed by bogus physical signals. With a CPU and software you can say, if altitude has reached a maximum value, and altitude is dropping, and velocity has reached a minimum and is now increasing -- pop the chute.

[solidskateboards]

Yeah, I know, you guys are right. I could throw an altimeter in there and be done with it. But for some reason I have an aversion to using any integrated circuits in the rocket. Everything system on the Coyote Rocket is built from parts, not bought as a complete system. That’s important to me. The Coyote Rocket project is all about making a rocket from scratch and off the shelf parts that can compete in every way with its commercial counterparts.

[VolksRocket]

@solidskateboards your right stick with the apogee detector! "Keep it simple Studly!" Your philosophy is the best, so stick with it the solution is close at hand!

[solidskateboards]

The thing I like about the apogee detector is that it’s electro-mechanical. Anybody can put it together without a knowledge of integrated circuits or soldering. Yes, I know there is soldering involved with the apogee detector but soldering a wire to a terminal is much different than soldering an IC chip on a circuit board. To me the apogee detector is the perfect solution for recovering the rocket in a ‘steam punk’ way.

[VolksRocket]

Dude! Night Shirts causing Night Terrors in the Night Time! Your right Awesome Onboard Video! Try a pendulum switch and shorten your timer to 5 sec. that should do it! Although I do like the ball bearing thing!

[landshark22]

Similar to what talkswithdirt said. I was thinking some type of arduino based system. You could also use it to gather some flight data as well. A quick google search for arduino rocketry turns up some good info to start with. Great vids by the way look forward to them.

[solidskateboards]

Yeah, I know, you guys are right. I could throw an altimeter in there and be done with it. But for some reason I have an aversion to using any integrated circuits in the rocket. Everything system on the Coyote Rocket is built from parts, not bought as a complete system. That’s important to me. The Coyote Rocket project is all about making a rocket from scratch and off the shelf parts that can compete in every way with its commercial counterparts.

[TalksWithDirt]

Dan, how do you feel about writing some software. It seems to me you need to have something that senses apogee. I'm working on a IMU solution that integrates out the flight, which s difficult way to go, but I do have reasons. There are GPS kits out there that output RS-232 that you can plumb into something like a PIC or AMR microcontroller. Those would be more than capable of doing the math fast enough to sense apogee and pop the chute.

[solidskateboards]

The thing I like about the apogee detector is that it’s electro-mechanical. Anybody can put it together without a knowledge of integrated circuits or soldering. Yes, I know there is soldering involved with the apogee detector but soldering a wire to a terminal is much different than soldering an IC chip on a circuit board. To me the apogee detector is the perfect solution for recovering the rocket in a ‘steam punk’ way.

[solidskateboards]

Yeah, I know, you guys are right. I could throw an altimeter in there and be done with it. But for some reason I have an aversion to using any integrated circuits in the rocket. Everything system on the Coyote Rocket is built from parts, not bought as a complete system. That’s important to me. The Coyote Rocket project is all about making a rocket from scratch and off the shelf parts that can compete in every way with its commercial counterparts.

[TalksWithDirt]

@solidskateboards Who can argue with art. However even the dedicated pros back in the day had huge problems. The V2 guys had similar problems to you with something that could act as a form of memory. Like their instrumentation your system senses the here in now and has no memory of what happened. Thus your timer reset, or so you infer. Lacking a g meter recording or event counter you don't know. But either way you're not alone. Besides even Wyle-E used the Acme company. Acme = Digikey today.

[solidskateboards]

The history of rocketry is an amazing series of experiments and discoveries. You're right, that's where all the fun is.

[williepie]

i wish i had the channel g4 my mom down graded our channels because of the economy )=

[solidskateboards]

You can see it on iTunes too!

[360MoDsX]

awwww... =[

I seen a video on youtube that i thought you should look at, type in Alien R-Candy

cheap alternative that has a realy long burn time. Seems to work realy well and packs good and easy to work with.

Great videos, keep it up! :D

[solidskateboards]

What's wrong with my engines? I think they work pretty good. It's the recovery that needs some help but it'll get there. Thanks.

[VolksRocket]

@solidskateboards there is nothing wrong with your engines

....they are the BEST PVC engine around!

[Snicker8U]

Great video's! You need your own TV show...very intertaining! As in the movie Meet the Robinson's "Keep Moving Forward"

[solidskateboards]

Thanks! I loved that part of that movie. 

[mojaverockets]

Sounds like aliens got into your rocket.

[wasteoftimereading]

@mojaverockets Actually it was a bird that was late for work. So he tought he would hitch a ride. But the bird got very scared. And started screaming.

[solidskateboards]

That was a scary ride for sure!!

[wasteoftimereading]

@solidskateboards Indeed.

[solidskateboards]

Maybe!

[robojot]

awesome vid and awesome onboard vid

[solidskateboards]

Thanks!