3 ![Photo of Bdale and Robert with Horizon just before successful level 2 certification flight](./level2.jpg "Photo of Bdale and Robert with Horizon just before successful level 2 certification flight")
5 <img src="level2.jpg" align="right">
7 Building and launching model rockets is one of our favorite hobby activities
8 right now. While everyone in the family gets into the act in one way or
10 and Robert are the most serious and so most Garbee rocket projects end up
11 being father and son affairs...
13 [Bdale](http://www.gag.com/~bdale) is
14 [NAR](http://nar.org/) Sr member 87103 and
15 [Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 12201, and holds a level 3
16 high power certification. Robert is [NAR](http://nar.org/) Jr member
19 ## [Airframes](airframes) ##
23 We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
24 models with!) local clubs
25 [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is
26 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515,
27 [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is
28 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and
29 [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is
30 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and
31 [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72.
32 We have also flown with
33 [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and
34 [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/).
38 * [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
39 company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
40 rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
41 version!), we've also bought lots of
42 [parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
43 from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
44 of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
45 kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo.
47 * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
48 good source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
49 like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
50 tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
51 gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
53 * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
54 and HAMR retainers, which we like for 29-54mm motors.
56 * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
57 seems to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but often
58 are out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
59 [Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
60 smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
61 and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
62 responsive and helpful on the phone.
66 See some of our launch photos in Bdale's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28636323@N03/">Flickr Photostream</a>.
70 Lots of people make electronics for use in hobby rockets. This is a brief
71 list of only the things we've actually used ourselves.
73 First off, Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software
74 designs for rocketry avionics, under the name
75 [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org).
77 We also fly commercial altimeters in some projects. The cheapest off the
78 shelf altimeter we've used and often recommend to beginners is the
79 [Missile Works](http://www.missileworks.com/) RRC2-mini. At about $80, it
80 gets the job done for simple barometric control of dual deployment. Note
81 that while early versions had a firmware bug that we believe is at least
82 partially responsible for Bdale's loss of his first L3 project, recent
83 versions seem fine. For another $20, the
84 [PerfectFlite](http://www.perfectflite.com/)
85 [miniAlt/WD](http://www.perfectflite.com/catalog/MAWD.html)
86 adds the ability to records the barometric flight altitude profile. Both
87 of Bdale's L3 certs flew with one each of these two commercial altimeters,
88 and we often use the MAWD as a backup for our
89 [TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) units during test flights.
91 The [BeeLine TX](http://www.bigredbee.com/BeeLine.htm) boards from Big Red
92 Bee are radio tracking transmitters that just work. They require an
93 [amateur radio](http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio) license, but we think
94 anyone flying big rockets can and should get one of those anyway!
96 ## Rocketry books we like ##
98 Note that <i>Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry</i> is definitely not for
99 everyone, as it's heavy on math and isn't a "how to" book at all! The
100 others are great general books for learning about and gaining greater
101 enjoyment from the hobby.
103 <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=garbandgarb-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0471472425&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
104 <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=garbandgarb-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1412058104&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
105 <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=garbandgarb-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0262632780&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>