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
18 ## [Airframes](airframes) ##
22 See some of our launch photos in Bdale's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28636323@N03/">Flickr Photostream</a>.
26 We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our
27 models with!) local clubs
28 [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is
29 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515,
30 [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is
31 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and
32 [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is
33 [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and
34 [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72.
35 We have also flown with
36 [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and
37 [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/).
41 * [Apogee Components](http://www.apogeerockets.com/) is a local
42 company. Perhaps best known as the place to get the RockSim
43 rocket design and simulation software (which we wish came in a Linux
44 version!), we've also bought lots of
45 [parts](http://www.apogeerockets.com/building_supplies.asp)
46 from them for building rockets from scratch, and we really like some
47 of the [Dynastar](http://www.dynastar-rockets.com/) mid-power
48 kits like the Rip-Roar and Sky Torpedo.
50 * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a
51 good source for components for building high power rockets. We particularly
52 like the Pinnacle nose cone series, and DynaWind pre-glassed airframe
53 tubing. Local rep Joe Hinton shows up at various launches we attend, and
54 gets most of our commercial motor reload business.
56 * [What's Up Hobbies](http://stores.whatsuphobby.com) is the home of the
57 Polecat Aerospace line of kits, plus Jack carries a lot of other useful
60 * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes
61 and HAMR retainers, which we like for 29-54mm motors.
63 * [Aero Pack](http://www.aeropack.net/) makes the flanged motor retainers we
64 like the large projects that contain 75 and 98mm motor mounts.
66 * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/)
67 seems to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but often
68 are out of stock on things we want. We've bought lots of
69 [Estes motors](http://estesrockets.com),
70 smaller [Aerotech reloads](http://aerotech-rocketry.com),
71 and [Rouse-Tech cases](http://rouse-tech.com) from them. And they're
72 responsive and helpful on the phone.
76 Lots of people make electronics for use in hobby rockets. This is a brief
77 list of only the things we've actually used ourselves.
79 First off, Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software
80 designs for rocketry avionics, under the name
81 [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org).
83 We also fly commercial altimeters in some projects. The cheapest off the
84 shelf altimeter we've used and often recommend to beginners is the
85 [Missile Works](http://www.missileworks.com/) RRC2-mini. At about $80, it
86 gets the job done for simple barometric control of dual deployment. Note
87 that while early versions had a firmware bug that we believe is at least
88 partially responsible for Bdale's loss of his first L3 project, recent
89 versions seem fine. For another $20, the
90 [PerfectFlite](http://www.perfectflite.com/)
91 [miniAlt/WD](http://www.perfectflite.com/catalog/MAWD.html)
92 adds the ability to records the barometric flight altitude profile. Both
93 of Bdale's L3 certs flew with one each of these two commercial altimeters,
94 and we often use the MAWD as a backup for our
95 [TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) units during test flights.
97 The [BeeLine TX](http://www.bigredbee.com/BeeLine.htm) boards from Big Red
98 Bee are radio tracking transmitters that just work. They require an
99 [amateur radio](http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio) license, but we think
100 anyone flying big rockets can and should get one of those anyway!
104 While a lot of great information is available on the web, there are some paper
105 books that we've found very helpful at various stages.
107 * <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;" />
108 may be the best first book on model rocketry. While the focus is on small
109 rockets, the basic principles of static stability and construction covered
110 here are important at all levels of the hobby.
112 * <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;" />
113 covers a lot of material, and is a great resource if you're starting to think
114 about a high power certification and don't have a club nearby, or just like
115 to read about how other people have done things and why.
117 * [Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry](http://www.apogeerockets.com/topics_advanced_model_rocketry.asp) is definitely not for everyone, as it's heavy on
118 math and isn't a "how to" book at all! But, if you really want to understand
119 what's going on with higher performance models and/or inside the simulation
120 software we use when designing rockets, the material here will take you
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