# 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 end up being father and son affairs... [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/) Jr member 87104. ## [Airframes](airframes) ## ## Clubs ## We have family memberships in (and regularly enjoy flying our models with!) local clubs [COSROCS](http://cosrocs.org/), which is [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #515, [SCORE](http://scronline.net), which is [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #632, and [NCR](http://ncrocketry.org), which is [NAR](http://nar.org/) section #565, and [Tripoli](http://www.tripoli.org/) Prefecture #72. We have also flown with [Tripoli Colorado](http://www.tripolicolorado.org/) and [ARS](http://www.arsabq.org/). ## 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. * [Giant Leap Rocketry](http://giantleaprocketry.com/) is a good 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. * [Public Missiles](http://www.publicmissiles.com/) make very nice parachutes and HAMR retainers, which we like for 29-54mm motors. * [Discount Rocketry](http://www.discountrocketry.com/) seems to consistently have the best prices on kits and motors, but often are 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. ## Photos ## See some of our launch photos in Bdale's Flickr Photostream. ## Electronics ## Lots of people make electronics for use in hobby rockets. This is a brief list of only the things we've actually used ourselves. First off, Bdale and friends develop fully open hardware and software designs for rocketry avionics, under the name [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org). We also fly commercial altimeters in some projects. The cheapest off the shelf altimeter we've used and often recommend to beginners is the [Missile Works](http://www.missileworks.com/) RRC2-mini. At about $80, it gets the job done for simple barometric control of dual deployment. Note that while early versions had a firmware bug that we believe is at least partially responsible for Bdale's loss of his first L3 project, recent versions seem fine. For another $20, the [PerfectFlite](http://www.perfectflite.com/) [miniAlt/WD](http://www.perfectflite.com/catalog/MAWD.html) adds the ability to records the barometric flight altitude profile. Both of Bdale's L3 certs flew with one each of these two commercial altimeters, and we often use the MAWD as a backup for our [TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) units during test flights. The [BeeLine TX](http://www.bigredbee.com/BeeLine.htm) boards from Big Red Bee are radio tracking transmitters that just work. They require an [amateur radio](http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio) license, but we think anyone flying big rockets can and should get one of those anyway! ## Rocketry books we like ## Note that Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry is definitely not for everyone, as it's heavy on math and isn't a "how to" book at all! The others are great general books for learning about and gaining greater enjoyment from the hobby.