# 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.