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 See some of our launch photos in Bdale's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28636323@N03/">Flickr Photostream</a>.
27 We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
28 models with!) local clubs
29 [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is
30 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515,
31 [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is
32 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and
33 [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is
34 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and
35 [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72.
36 We have also flown with
37 [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and
38 [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/).
42 * [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
43 company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
44 rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
45 version!), we've also bought lots of
46 [parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
47 from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
48 of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
49 kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo.
51 * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
52 good source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
53 like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
54 tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
55 gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
57 * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
58 and HAMR retainers, which we like for 29-54mm motors.
60 * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
61 seems to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but often
62 are out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
63 [Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
64 smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
65 and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
66 responsive and helpful on the phone.
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!
98 While a lot of great information is available on the web, there are some paper
99 books that we've found very helpful at various stages.
101 * <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;" />
102 may be the best first book on model rocketry. While the focus is on small
103 rockets, the basic principles of static stability and construction covered
104 here are important at all levels of the hobby.
106 * <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;" />
107 covers a lot of material, and is a great resource if you're starting to think
108 about a high power certification and don't have a club nearby, or just like
109 to read about how other people have done things and why.
111 * [Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry](http://www.apogeerockets.com/topics_advanced_model_rocketry.asp) is definitely not for everyone, as it's heavy on
112 math and isn't a "how to" book at all! But, if you really want to understand
113 what's going on with higher performance models and/or inside the simulation
114 software we use when designing rockets, the material here will take you