# Garbee Rockets #
Building and launching model rockets is one of our favorite hobby activities
right now. While everyone in the family gets into the act in one way or
another, Bdale and Robert are the most serious and so most Garbee rocket
projects ended up being father and son affairs before Robert went off to
college.
[Bdale](http://www.gag.com/~bdale) is
[NAR](http://nar.org/) Sr member 87103 and
[Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 12201, and holds a level 3
high power certification. Robert is [NAR](http://nar.org/) Sr member
87104 and [Tripoli](http://tripoli.org/) member 14036, and also holds a
level 3 high power certification. Robert was one of the first kids to
pass the [Tripoli Mentoring Program](http://www.tripoli.org/TMP)
exam, and flew a lot of high power including a fair number of research
motors in mentored projects before turning 18...
## [Airframes](airframes) ##
## Photos ##
See some of our launch photos in the [Garbee Gallery](http://gallery.gag.com/rockets/),
and on
Bdale's Flickr Photostream.
## Clubs ##
We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
models with!) local clubs
[Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/),
[SCORE](http://scronline.net) (which is now dual-homed and also
known as Tripoli Southern Colorado!), and
[NCR](http://ncrocketry.org).
We have also flown with
[ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/),
[COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/),
[Kloudbusters](http://kloudbusters.org/),
[Metra](http://metrarocketclub.org/),
[NRVR](http://nrvr.org/),
[NZRA](http://www.nzrocketry.org.nz/),
[Oregon Rocketry](http://oregonrocketry.com),
and
[QRS](https://qldrocketry.com/).
## Vendors ##
* [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
version!), we've also bought lots of
[parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo. Apogee is also a distributor of
our [TeleMetrum](http://www.apogeerockets.com/Altus_Metrum_GPS.asp) starter
kits!
* [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
great source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
* [What's Up Hobbies](http://stores.whatsuphobby.com) is the home of the
Polecat Aerospace line of kits, plus Jack carries a lot of other useful
bits and pieces.
* [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
and HAMR retainers, which are our favorite retainers for 29-54mm motors.
* [Aero Pack](http://www.aeropack.net/) makes the flanged motor retainers we
like the large projects that contain 75 and 98mm motor mounts.
* [Chris' Rocket Supplies](http://www.csrocketry.com/) handled a problem
caused by one of their suppliers with an order brilliantly, and will get
more of our business in the future.
* [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
used to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but recently
has seemed to be mostly out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
[Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
responsive and helpful on the phone, so we'll happily buy things from
them that are in stock.
## Electronics ##
Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software designs for
rocketry avionics, under the name [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org).
## Books ##
While a lot of great information is available on the web, there are some paper
books that we've found very helpful at various stages.
* Handbook of Model Rocketry, 7th Edition (NAR Official Handbook)
may be the best first book on model rocketry. While the focus is on small
rockets, the basic principles of static stability and construction covered
here are important at all levels of the hobby.
* Modern High-Power Rocketry 2
covers a lot of material, and is a great resource if you're starting to think
about a high power certification and don't have a club nearby, or just like
to read about how other people have done things and why.
* [Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry](http://www.apogeerockets.com/topics_advanced_model_rocketry.asp) is definitely not for everyone, as it's heavy on
math and isn't a "how to" book at all! But, if you really want to understand
what's going on with higher performance models and/or inside the simulation
software we use when designing rockets, the material here will take you
a long way!