License
+Copyright © 2022 Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard
+This document is released under the terms of the Creative Commons ShareAlike 3.0 License
+Acknowledgements
+Thanks to John Lyngdal for suggesting that we build something +like this.
+Have fun using these products, and we hope to meet all of you +out on the rocket flight line somewhere.
+Bdale Garbee, KB0G +NAR #87103, TRA #12201+
Keith Packard, K7WQ +NAR #88757, TRA #12200+
1. Using MicroPeak
+MicroPeak is designed to be easy to use. Requiring no external +components, flying takes just a few steps
+-
+
- Install the battery +
-
+
Fit a CR1025 battery into the plastic carrier. The positive (+) terminal should be towards the more open side of the carrier. Slip the carrier into the battery holder with the -positive (+) terminal facing away from the circuit board. -
- -Install MicroPeak in your rocket -
- -This can be as simple as preparing a soft cushion of wadding +positive (+) terminal facing away from the circuit board. + +
-
+
- Install MicroPeak in your rocket +
-
+
This can be as simple as preparing a soft cushion of wadding inside a vented model payload bay. Wherever you mount it, make sure you protect the barometric sensor from corrosive ejection gasses as those will damage the sensor, and shield -it from light as that can cause incorrect sensor readings. -
- -Turn MicroPeak on -
- -Slide the switch so that the actuator covers the 1 printed +it from light as that can cause incorrect sensor readings. + +
- Turn MicroPeak on +
-
+
Slide the switch so that the actuator covers the '1' printed on the board. MicroPeak will report the maximum height of the last flight in decimeters using a sequence of flashes on the LED. A sequence of short flashes indicates one digit. A single long flash indicates zero. The height is reported in decimeters, so the last digit will be tenths of a meter. For example, if MicroPeak reports 5 4 4 3, then the maximum -height of the last flight was 544.3m, or 1786 feet. -
- -Finish preparing the rocket for flight -
- -After the previous flight data have been reported, MicroPeak +height of the last flight was 544.3m, or 1786 feet. + +
- Finish preparing the rocket for flight +
-
+
After the previous flight data have been reported, MicroPeak waits for one minute before starting to check for launch. This gives you time to finish assembling the rocket. As those activities might cause pressure changes @@ -50,11 +149,11 @@ boost. If you need to do anything to the airframe after the one minute window passes, make sure to be careful not to disturb the altimeter. The LED will remain dark during the one minute delay, but after that, it will start blinking -once every 3 seconds. -
- -Fly the rocket -
- -Once the rocket passes about 30m in height (100 feet), the +once every 3 seconds. + +
- Fly the rocket +
-
+
Once the rocket passes about 30m in height (100 feet), the micro-controller will record the ground pressure and track the pressure seen during the flight. In this mode, the LED flickers rapidly. When the rocket lands, and the pressure @@ -62,83 +161,218 @@ stabilizes, the micro-controller will record the minimum pressure pressure experienced during the flight, compute the height represented by the difference in air pressure and blink that value out on the LED. After that, MicroPeak -powers down to conserve battery power. -
- -Recover the data -
- -Turn MicroPeak off and then back on. MicroPeak will blink +powers down to conserve battery power. + +
- Recover the data +
-
+
Turn MicroPeak off and then back on. MicroPeak will blink out the maximum height for the last flight. Turn MicroPeak -back off to conserve battery power. -