3 <img src="level2.jpg" align="right">
5 Building and launching model rockets is one of our favorite hobby activities
6 right now. While everyone in the family gets into the act in one way or
8 and Robert are the most serious and so most Garbee rocket projects end up
9 being father and son affairs...
11 [Bdale](http://www.gag.com/~bdale) is
12 [NAR](http://nar.org/) Sr member 87103 and
13 [Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 12201, and holds a level 3
14 high power certification. Robert is [NAR](http://nar.org/) Jr member
17 ## [Airframes](airframes) ##
21 We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
22 models with!) local clubs
23 [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is
24 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515,
25 [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is
26 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and
27 [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is
28 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and
29 [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72.
30 We have also flown with
31 [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and
32 [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/).
36 * [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
37 company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
38 rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
39 version!), we've also bought lots of
40 [parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
41 from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
42 of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
43 kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo.
45 * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
46 good source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
47 like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
48 tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
49 gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
51 * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
52 and HAMR retainers, which we like for 29-54mm motors.
54 * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
55 seems to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but often
56 are out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
57 [Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
58 smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
59 and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
60 responsive and helpful on the phone.
64 See some of our launch photos in Bdale's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28636323@N03/">Flickr Photostream</a>.
68 Lots of people make electronics for use in hobby rockets. This is a brief
69 list of only the things we've actually used ourselves.
71 First off, Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software
72 designs for rocketry avionics, under the name
73 [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org).
75 We also fly commercial altimeters in some projects. The cheapest off the
76 shelf altimeter we've used and often recommend to beginners is the
77 [Missile Works](http://www.missileworks.com/) RRC2-mini. At about $80, it
78 gets the job done for simple barometric control of dual deployment. Note
79 that while early versions had a firmware bug that we believe is at least
80 partially responsible for Bdale's loss of his first L3 project, recent
81 versions seem fine. For another $20, the
82 [PerfectFlite](http://www.perfectflite.com/)
83 [miniAlt/WD](http://www.perfectflite.com/catalog/MAWD.html)
84 adds the ability to records the barometric flight altitude profile. Both
85 of Bdale's L3 certs flew with one each of these two commercial altimeters,
86 and we often use the MAWD as a backup for our
87 [TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) units during test flights.
89 The [BeeLine TX](http://www.bigredbee.com/BeeLine.htm) boards from Big Red
90 Bee are radio tracking transmitters that just work. They require an
91 [amateur radio](http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio) license, but we think
92 anyone flying big rockets can and should get one of those anyway!
94 ## Rocketry books we like ##
96 Note that <i>Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry</i> is definitely not for
97 everyone, as it's heavy on math and isn't a "how to" book at all! The
98 others are great general books for learning about and gaining greater
99 enjoyment from the hobby.
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