Rocket Recovery Timer 1
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- WRA2 Member
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- Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 1:15 pm
Rocket Recovery Timer 1
Hello All,
After a few months of exams I am done and have had some time for rockets!
Because I do GCSE Electronics I have made a very simple Servo Timer (in some ways by accident, as it was a Buzzer timer, for a simple RC plane locator!).
I have called it the RRT1 (Rocket Recovery Timer 1) and have added a programming socket to the PCB to allow easy changes to the PICAXE 08M2 program. The settings such as Timing delay and Servo positions are changed in the actual program, the downside meaning if you want to change the settings you need a computer at the launch site!!
The Timer can use up to 6 volts, however we have been using a Single cell 3.7 volt Lipo batteries as these are very light and small.
It drives 1 standard RC servo, and has no complex components such as voltage regulators, thus meaning a very simple design of around 5 grams.
The timer has a pair of trigger contacts that allow any type of input to trigger the timer, you can change the settings for an on or off trigger so you can use a breakwire or a G-Switch, we have been using a breakwire.
It has 2 LEDs, a Red Power LED and a Green ARM LED, these can also be changed around! The Red LED will light after a set amount of time saying that the rocket is ready to launch. Once launched this LED goes out.
After the set delay timer the servo activates and releases the door to release the parachute into the airstream, after another 5 seconds the Servo moves back to the starting position for re-packing the chute for the next flight, to reset the timer just turn it off, after you collect the rocket.
This timer is obviously not as advanced as other Servo timers that fellow rocketeers have developed, but hey, this is our first!!
Because of this we will be developing the timer as time goes on, one day having a more user friendly timer that we could sell!
Please feel free to comment and give some constructive criticism, please note I will have a Youtube Video out soon demonstrating the general operation of the timer.
Jamie B
After a few months of exams I am done and have had some time for rockets!
Because I do GCSE Electronics I have made a very simple Servo Timer (in some ways by accident, as it was a Buzzer timer, for a simple RC plane locator!).
I have called it the RRT1 (Rocket Recovery Timer 1) and have added a programming socket to the PCB to allow easy changes to the PICAXE 08M2 program. The settings such as Timing delay and Servo positions are changed in the actual program, the downside meaning if you want to change the settings you need a computer at the launch site!!
The Timer can use up to 6 volts, however we have been using a Single cell 3.7 volt Lipo batteries as these are very light and small.
It drives 1 standard RC servo, and has no complex components such as voltage regulators, thus meaning a very simple design of around 5 grams.
The timer has a pair of trigger contacts that allow any type of input to trigger the timer, you can change the settings for an on or off trigger so you can use a breakwire or a G-Switch, we have been using a breakwire.
It has 2 LEDs, a Red Power LED and a Green ARM LED, these can also be changed around! The Red LED will light after a set amount of time saying that the rocket is ready to launch. Once launched this LED goes out.
After the set delay timer the servo activates and releases the door to release the parachute into the airstream, after another 5 seconds the Servo moves back to the starting position for re-packing the chute for the next flight, to reset the timer just turn it off, after you collect the rocket.
This timer is obviously not as advanced as other Servo timers that fellow rocketeers have developed, but hey, this is our first!!
Because of this we will be developing the timer as time goes on, one day having a more user friendly timer that we could sell!
Please feel free to comment and give some constructive criticism, please note I will have a Youtube Video out soon demonstrating the general operation of the timer.
Jamie B
JSB Rocketry
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.
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- WRA2 Member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 1:15 pm
Re: RRT1
Thanks,
We have never used the Tomy Timer but the idea ticks all the boxes- cheap, reliable and lightweight! I hope it works too!
We have never used the Tomy Timer but the idea ticks all the boxes- cheap, reliable and lightweight! I hope it works too!
JSB Rocketry
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.
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- WRA2 Member
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:40 am
Re: RRT1
Very good job on the timer, Jamie!
Just wondering, how much does the whole timer weigh, including the battery? Will it be able to fit in a T12 FTC Rocket? Good luck with your flights of this new timer, looking Forward to the video. :-)
-Randy
Just wondering, how much does the whole timer weigh, including the battery? Will it be able to fit in a T12 FTC Rocket? Good luck with your flights of this new timer, looking Forward to the video. :-)
-Randy
Blog:http://rrockets.blogspot.com/?m=1
Email: reptiglorandrockets@gmail.com
Visit Reptiglorandrockets on YouTube!
Facebook: Randy Truman Jr.
Email: reptiglorandrockets@gmail.com
Visit Reptiglorandrockets on YouTube!
Facebook: Randy Truman Jr.
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- WRA2 Member
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- Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:39 am
Re: RRT1
Good question. I didn't think of that. The board looks a bit big for T12 FTC of great for PET. Do you own an altimeter?
Water Rocket Expert
I'm 20
Maryland
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." -Albert Einstein
I'm 20
Maryland
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." -Albert Einstein
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- WRA2 Member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 1:15 pm
Re: RRT1
Hello Randy & Water Rocket Expert,
Nice to hear from you!
The timer weighs ~6 grams, and with the single cell Lipo it all comes to around 10 grams.
We have never used any FTC for our rockets so I wouldn't know if it would fit- all I can tell you are the dimensions of the timer here in the image below, I have put a 2 pence coin in for help with scaling (don't be alarmed by the colour of this RRT1, this one we etched at school- but it functions exactly the same way as the one in the picture at the top of the page!
We do own an Altimeter- just a simple Hobbyking Altimeter that runs of another Lipo that you can plug into the computer to give you a simple Altitude vs Time graph, here it is mounted in the fairing on the right, (along with the camera on the left):
Hope that helps!
Jamie B
Nice to hear from you!
The timer weighs ~6 grams, and with the single cell Lipo it all comes to around 10 grams.
We have never used any FTC for our rockets so I wouldn't know if it would fit- all I can tell you are the dimensions of the timer here in the image below, I have put a 2 pence coin in for help with scaling (don't be alarmed by the colour of this RRT1, this one we etched at school- but it functions exactly the same way as the one in the picture at the top of the page!
We do own an Altimeter- just a simple Hobbyking Altimeter that runs of another Lipo that you can plug into the computer to give you a simple Altitude vs Time graph, here it is mounted in the fairing on the right, (along with the camera on the left):
Hope that helps!
Jamie B
JSB Rocketry
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.
Website: www.jsbrocketry.webs.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczlD-uBjlYdJyBFEfuCEbg/feed
Jamie Bignell,
jamie.s.bignell@gmail.com
Somerset UK
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly" -Michael Faraday.