7/2/09

Ham

If I invest hundreds of dollars in a minimum diameter supersonic G-motor rocket that ends up going to nearly the end of the troposphere (just a slight exaggeration), it goes without saying that I will lose a lot of money. So I realized that it would be in my best interest to study amateur radio and go for my ham license this summer. Small transmitters can be placed in a rocket to aid in the tracking of it once it has landed.
By the way, a receiver costs somewhere in the ballpark of $399. Why does my interest in aerospace have to consume every penny? Why?

5 comments:

The EGE said...

My personal machbuster, yet to fly, cost me perhaps 10 bucks in parts for the body tube, balsa nose cone and weight, and streamer. I made the fins from scrap plywood I had and did a lot of work myself, although epoxy clay would have made it a lot simpler.

Of course, had I made it with blue tubes, plastic nose cone, higher-quality fins, etc, it could have easily reached 50 bucks.

Good luck with the ham stuff. I figure I've got no chance of finding mine myself from 5000 feet, so I'll launch it at NERRF with lots of people and just write my cell number on it.

DTH Rocket said...

The vehicle itself will definately cost under 50 bucks. But for this project I want to fly a pretty expensive altimeter (Parrot Featherweight, $159), so I obviously need a reliable way to find it again.

The EGE said...

Oh, I see. I'd say for 400 bucks, though, you could get a lot more accurate finding method than directional radio - GPS transmitter perhaps?

High Power Rocketry said...

I would consider making a disposable rocket and using a G80, so that if you do lose it, the costs are not too high really. Like the old 24mm machbuster kit that may have been before your time. I lost every single one of them, but they were only $15 each.

You can still lose a rocket with a transmitter in it, and then how much have you lost! :) Just something to consider.

Once you get to larger rockets, 38mm and up, you dont have the luxury of going disposable anymore.

DTH Rocket said...

Yes, the rocket itself should be rather disposable-ish, but as I said before, this project I want to be flying a 159 dollar payload, so it's imperative that I find it again.

ShareThis