Category: Podcast Programs

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101: Workshop Talk: Shear pins and the Marco Polo tracker with Andrew Kleinhenz

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS_7-101.mp3

The Rocketry Show gang try a slightly new format for the workshop shows.  We are now inviting fellow rocketeers to the workshop to teach us some of their tips and tricks, and to just talk rockets.

Our first guest is Andrew Kleinhenz, friend to both CG and Gheem, Andrew taught us many of the tricks we have built our rocketry tricks around.   He with us, answers these questions sent to us from listeners of the show!

Shear Pin Questions:

  • How do you figure out how many pins you need?
  • Any issues with the LOC-high power type cardboard tubing and small size 2-56 or 4-40 plastic screws for shear pins?
  • Do you use any reinforcement on the cardboard airframe and components?
  • What size do you recommend? Mid Power, to High Power
    • Cardboard and Fiber Glass recommendations for shear pins
  • Where to place them? 
  • Any math equations or an online calculator?
  • Do you test those with ejection charges first?

Marco Polo Tracker

  • What actually is that type of tracker?
  • Approximate cost?
  • Where do you buy it?
  • Difficulty of use?
  • What is the range of the unit?  (How far away can your rocket be from you and still get data)?
  • Advantages of this and disadvantages vs others on the market

Gheem and Andrew on igniters.

  • We had some folks today launching some upgraded BT-55 Goblins today… they used those igniters that came with the package…
  • What would the Rocketry show gang have used?

 

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Episode 100!

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-7_100.mp3

The entire Rocketry Show team gather for Episode 100 to look back on some of their fond memories, and talk about their projects, and more!

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Workshop! With The Rocketry Show Guys

The Model Rocket Show https://themodelrocketshow.com/workshop-with-the-rocketry-show-guys/

After a hiatus (you know, it’s 2020…), we’re back with The Model Rocket Show!

This episode is a classic “workshop” episode fans of The Rocketry Show have come to enjoy – and the N00b is joined by Jesse and Gheem from The Rocketry Show! CG is there, too, but just listening quietly in the background (you know how Gheem and the N00b can ramble on…)

In the first half of the show, we answer listener questions, including one from a Patreon patron which slipped through the N00b’s email for a while (sorry about that, Les!).

After our break, we get to talking shop with a fun, longwinded conversation which culminates in… MURDER!!!

…of the N00b’s Mercury Redstone escape tower.

A lot of rocketeers have been frustrated by a build over the decades, and sometimes smashing a piece which is getting your goat feels like the only solution…

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99: Season 7 Premiere! – Cris Erving of Eggtimer Rocketry

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-7_99.mp3

HomeThe Rocketry Show Podcast99: Season 7 Premiere! – Cris Erving of Eggtimer Rocketry 99: Season 7 Premiere! – Cris Erving of Eggtimer Rocketry The Eggtimer Quantum

We are pleased to have Cris Erving, founder of Eggtimer Rocketry  with us on this episode!

We discus the Eggtimer products, and also give lots of tips and tricks to help you figure out how to solder one together!

Some pointers:

  1. ) If you’re a beginner, use a 20 watt soldering pencil for best results.  This one from Weller is a nice one:
Weller soldering pencil

Fancy temperature controlled irons are nice, but not if you are a soldering newbie!  the wrong temperature settings will either not work well, or can destroy the electronic components you are trying to solder.

2.) Practice soldering things together first.  Cris says go ahead, and use the eggtimer kit for practice.  If that thought makes you nervous, then get one of these surface mount soldering practice kits.

Surface Mount solder training kit.

IMPORTANT:  We’d suggest reading your excellent Eggtimer Rocketry kit manual all the way through to get a feel for what you are practicing for!!

3.) To ensure success, use as little solder as possible!  The bigger the blob, the more likely it will flow to another pin, and short out your connections!

4.) Do not overheat.  Some parts can be damaged by having the soldering tip touching them for longer than 30 seconds.  In fact, this is a nice simple video that is pretty good:

Good luck!!

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NAR Level 2 certification changes / Listener Questions and more!

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-6_98.mp3

Welcome to episode 98 (TRS-6.98) of the rocketry show!

John Thompson joins us to talk about the NAR Level 2 certification changes that are in effect as of November 2020

The NAR and the Board of Trustees have been working diligently to support the update of the NAR level 2 testing.  It has not been updated since 2012 and quite a lot has changed for the better in the ever-expanding hobby. - The new 2020 Level 2 Written Exam Study Guide will be available for download from the High-Power Rocketry page on the NAR website starting October 1, 2020. - The 2020 Level 2 Written Exam Packets for Sections and Certification Teams will be available starting October 15, 2020. Information on obtaining the new packets will be made available before that date. - The new 2020 Level 2 Written Exam use will start on November 1, 2020. - Due to the new exam format, a new HPR Certification Application will also be available for download from the High-Power Rocketry page on the NAR website. The new application will also be included with the new exam packets. - The 2012 & 2017 versions of the Level 2 Written Exam will be valid/accepted if taken on or before October 31, 2020. After that, only the 2020 version will be valid/accepted. - A member failing the HPR Level 2 exam may now retake another version immediately. If the member fails a second exam, the member must wait a minimum of seven (7) days to attempt the exam again. - The Level 2 written exam administrator/proctor must now be minimum Level 1 certified.

Who can give certifications?

1. The certification team consists of two individuals who are a minimum of 18 years old and are members in good standing of the NAR. The certification team members must be unrelated to the applicant. Members of Tripoli, unless they are also members of the NAR, cannot participate on a certification team. 2. At least one of the team members must be already certified to a level equal to the certification level being attempted, e.g., a team member must be certified at Level 1 to judge another individual’s Level 1 certification attempt. 3. Level 1 certifications may be administered by a single NAR Level 2 certified individual; the two certified individuals requirement is waived in this case. 4. Certification attempts must be witnessed in person by the certification team. Video recordings of a certification flight are not acceptable.

We also take a couple Listener Questions - What should I do to prepare for a Level 1 certification attempt? - What attributes should a field or piece of property have for rocketry considerations? CG Fills us in on the results of his DEMO-3 flight

Gheem finds a neat product that helped him with his rattle can paint project

The rocketry Show celebrates 6 years of service

Some hints on the upcoming Episode #100

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Workshop Episode: CG’s ongoing electronics tests, Jesse’s Level 3 project

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS_6_97.mp3

In this episode, CG talks about how his electronics developments have come along  Specifically, what he learned from the first test flight of Mr. Bean (DEMO-1 mission), and the successful

second launch of Mr. Bean (DEMO-2), where his code & flight computer successfully controlled a flight event!  His journey to his Level 2 certification is under way!  Read the details here.

 CD and Gheem @ “Mission Control”

Jesse’s Level 3 project starts to take shape! 

He gives us some details, though he’s a bit secretive on the details right now!

 Another view of Jesse’s L3 Rocket  Jesse’s tube glassing work on his L3 rocket project

Liked it? Take a second to support The Rocketry Show.Com on Patreon!  
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University of Akron’s “Akronauts” rocket team

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-6_96.mp3

Welcome to episode 6.96!

We are joined by the University of Akron's "Akronauts" rocketry team!

We were joined by the following team members:

Team President - Emily Armbrust Chief Engineer - Blake Bowser Former Team President - Mattew Stanko Treasurer - Olivia Renkel Former Chief Engineer - Mattew Reppa Project Manager - Jon Davis

The team formed in 2014, and have been involved in a number of national STEM focused rocket competitions, including NASA Student Launch(USLI), and Spaceport America Cup

They give a fun and detailed overview of what their team is all about, and a couple of their recent competition projects.

You can visit their website for more information at https://akronauts.org/

Here is a listing of the Overall Winners and Awards in the 2020 NASA Student Launch competition:

Overall Winner: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 2nd Place: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 3rd Place: University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 4th Place: University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 5th Place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 6th Place: University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana 7th Place: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 8th Place: Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 9th Place: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 10th Place: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

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James Duffy – Scale Modeling, FAI, and more!

The Model Rocket Show https://themodelrocketshow.com/james-duffy-scale-modeling-fai-and-more/

In this episode, we chat with James Duffy, an accomplished scale modeler and competitor in FAI international model rocketry competitions.

James’ main specialties in scale modeling are the Bumper WAC – an early American two-stage sounding rocket consisting of a captured German V-2 first stage with a WAC Corporal cobbled on top as a second stage…

Bumper 8 lifting off from Cape Canaveral
James Duffy’s scale Bumper WAC

…and the Little Joe test vehicle, which NASA used during Project Mercury to test the launch escape system (the Little Joe II was later used for the same purposes for Project Apollo) and heat shield.

One impressive model James has flown in international competitions is his 1/12 scale Little Joe.

We discuss scale modeling and get his advice, and James tells us about FAI international model rocketry competitions. The American team has made a bid to hold the World Championships here in the United States in 2023. This would be the first time the international fly-offs will have been held in the U.S. since 1992.

Also, check out Spacemonkey Models (CLICK HERE), James’ company selling the most detailed scale model V-2 available anywhere. It’s a static model (which means it doesn’t fly), but it can be converted to a flying model rocket with a conversion kit sold by Apogee Components (CLICK HERE to get it). You can also buy the Spacemonkey V-2 itself from Apogee.

I have one of the Spacemonkey kits, and it’s a gorgeous thing. James has a thorough video tutorial series for building the V-2 on his YouTube channel. CLICK HERE to go to the playlist.

The kit comes with four different decal sets, so you have what you need to build one of four different iterations of the V-2, and the decals fit almost perfectly to the Estes V-2, so with a Spacemonkey kit you have the decals to build three more flying models!

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Gary Rosenfield and Aerotech’s High Power projects

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-6_95.mp3

Welcome to Episode 6.95!

Gary Rosenfield joins us to talk about new high power rocket offerings from Aerotech, and to talk to us about high power rocketry as well.

He talks about Hamster Dance competition that he has been into lately, and if you're looking for more information on that event, you can look here: http://www.rimworld.com/tripoligerlach/hamsterdance/about.html

And at their new Facebook Group called Hamster Dance Flyers here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/690838108136308

After the interview, Jesse and CG talk about their projects. CG gives more information he has found in his post-test flight of his rocket electronics system, and talks about a spinoff project!

Jesse has evolved his tube glassing techniques, and talks about them, and much more!

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July 2020 Workshop Episode

The Rocketry Show Podcast https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/therocketryshow/TRS-94.mp3

Welcome to episode 94 of The Rocketry Show

We’ve been on a roll with great guest interviews lately. The team take a quick break from that this episode to focus more on the results of a few rocketry projects they’ve been working on!

Jesse has been ‘fiberglassing’ a new kit, and building more rockets, but more importantly, recently launched his LOC Precision “Big Nuke”. He tells us all about those, and more!

 

Jesse’s Big Nuke launch

Gheem has been building a beautiful X-15 kit, and he catches us up on where he is on that, as well as a few more projects.

Gheem's X-15 rocket kit!

On July 25, 2020, CG finally got to test his Radio Telemetry system. 

 

Launch of CG’s Mr. Bean rocket carrying his radio telemetry system.

Because of all of the “Covid 19 delays, this test ended up being a “full up” test, which means about 5 tests (each would normally have been their own launch)  all happening on one launch.

He’ll share how that went!

We also pull some of your emails from the Mailbag that we didn’t have time to get to on earlier episodes!