2 <img src="level2.jpg" align="right">
6 Building and launching model rockets is one of our favorite hobby activities
7 right now. While everyone in the family gets into the act in one way or
9 and Robert are the most serious and so most Garbee rocket projects end up
10 being father and son affairs...
12 [Bdale](http://www.gag.com/~bdale) is
13 [NAR](http://nar.org/) Sr member 87103 and
14 [Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 12201, and holds a level 3
15 high power certification. Robert is [NAR](http://nar.org/) Jr member
16 87104, and [Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 14036. He was one
17 of the first kids to pass the
18 [Tripoli Mentoring Program](http://www.tripoli.org/TMP)
19 exam, and at age 16 can now often be spotted flying research motors at
22 ## [Airframes](airframes) ##
26 See some of our launch photos in Bdale's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28636323@N03/">Flickr Photostream</a>.
30 We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
31 models with!) local clubs
32 [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is
33 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515,
34 [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is
35 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and
36 [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is
37 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and
38 [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72.
39 We have also flown with
40 [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and
41 [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/).
45 * [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
46 company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
47 rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
48 version!), we've also bought lots of
49 [parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
50 from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
51 of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
52 kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo. Apogee is also a distributor of
53 our [TeleMetrum](http://www.apogeerockets.com/Altus_Metrum_GPS.asp) starter
56 * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
57 great source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
58 like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
59 tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
60 gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
62 * [What's Up Hobbies](http://stores.whatsuphobby.com) is the home of the
63 Polecat Aerospace line of kits, plus Jack carries a lot of other useful
66 * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
67 and HAMR retainers, which are our favorite retainers for 29-54mm motors.
69 * [Aero Pack](http://www.aeropack.net/) makes the flanged motor retainers we
70 like the large projects that contain 75 and 98mm motor mounts.
72 * [Chris' Rocket Supplies](http://www.csrocketry.com/) handled a problem
73 caused by one of their suppliers with an order brilliantly, and will get
74 more of our business in the future.
76 * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
77 used to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but recently
78 has seemed to be mostly out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
79 [Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
80 smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
81 and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
82 responsive and helpful on the phone, so we'll happily buy things from
83 them that are in stock.
87 Lots of people make electronics for use in hobby rockets. This is a brief
88 list of only the things we've actually used ourselves.
90 First off, Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software
91 designs for rocketry avionics, under the name
92 [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org).
94 We also fly commercial altimeters in some projects. The cheapest off the
95 shelf altimeter we've used and often recommend to beginners is the
96 [Missile Works](http://www.missileworks.com/) RRC2-mini. At about $80, it
97 gets the job done for simple barometric control of dual deployment. Note
98 that while early versions had a firmware bug that we believe is at least
99 partially responsible for Bdale's loss of his first L3 project, recent
100 versions seem fine. For another $20, the
101 [PerfectFlite](http://www.perfectflite.com/)
102 [miniAlt/WD](http://www.perfectflite.com/catalog/MAWD.html)
103 adds the ability to records the barometric flight altitude profile. Both
104 of Bdale's L3 certs flew with one each of these two commercial altimeters,
105 and we often use the MAWD as a backup for our
106 [TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) units during test flights.
108 The [BeeLine TX](http://www.bigredbee.com/BeeLine.htm) boards from Big Red
109 Bee are radio tracking transmitters that just work. They require an
110 [amateur radio](http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio) license, but we think
111 anyone flying big rockets can and should get one of those anyway!
115 While a lot of great information is available on the web, there are some paper
116 books that we've found very helpful at various stages.
118 * <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471472425?ie=UTF8&tag=garbandgarb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0471472425">Handbook of Model Rocketry, 7th Edition (NAR Official Handbook)</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=garbandgarb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0471472425" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
119 may be the best first book on model rocketry. While the focus is on small
120 rockets, the basic principles of static stability and construction covered
121 here are important at all levels of the hobby.
123 * <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412058104?ie=UTF8&tag=garbandgarb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1412058104">Modern High-Power Rocketry 2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=garbandgarb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1412058104" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
124 covers a lot of material, and is a great resource if you're starting to think
125 about a high power certification and don't have a club nearby, or just like
126 to read about how other people have done things and why.
128 * [Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry](http://www.apogeerockets.com/topics_advanced_model_rocketry.asp) is definitely not for everyone, as it's heavy on
129 math and isn't a "how to" book at all! But, if you really want to understand
130 what's going on with higher performance models and/or inside the simulation
131 software we use when designing rockets, the material here will take you