You're dreamin'.... while SOME folks are able to get coverage (Joe Hinton is one) WHEN at the top of the hill, I know of no one with coverage reliable enough to receive calls. Occasionally, you can make a call from the roof of an RV if you're lucky. My Sprint/Nextel Blackberry only works when I'm within a mile of US85. My Verizon flip-phone works 50% of the time from the roof of someone's vehicle. Your mileage may vary...

Warren Musselman

John,

I use a T-Mobile Blackberry. While it does not get any reception at the immediate launch site, I reliably get service and my emails when I go the short distance to the top of the hill.

While having to worry about calls and such on a launch day is a pain it definitly beats having to stay at work. I end up making a trip or two to the top of the hill to check messages or make scheduled calls.

"A bad day launching is better than a good day working"

Ed

Thanks guys, took the plunge an bought a moto razor with cingular service as it works out of hartsel and some say from the hill most of the time. Be nice if we could build a small balloon hoisted repeater for cell phone use...
JS

Hi John,

Actually Dave Hanson uses Cingualr I belive and says his phone works PERFECT at the north site all the time.

CS

Thanks Con, we'll see. So far no dropped calls but most importantly thrash free integration with the bluetooth in my car. In the Ripleys dept, worked right away, well right after consultation with the owners manual when simply turning it on didn't work 😀 Smart but not yet reading minds...It is a fine phone but can you believe no free games, Just a Bejewelled demo, and of course instance access to the internet where you can stock up at to your hearts content for $$, pathetic instance of capitlism able to provide a superb productyet still wanting to pickpocket in the extreme.
J

The current version of the flight computer product I'm playing with developing talks via bluetooth to my mobile phone. One of the options will be text messaging GPS data, altitude, temperature and acceleration via cellular text messages... unfortunately, our launch site is crappy for MOST cellular carriers...

Just imagine, your rocket calls you to tell you where it is...

Max

Smart but not yet reading minds...It is a fine phone but can you believe no free games, Just a Bejewelled demo, and of course instance access to the internet where you can stock up at to your hearts content for $$, pathetic instance of capitlism able to provide a superb productyet still wanting to pickpocket in the extreme.
J

I know - I was bummed at the no free games...So far I've hit 720 with my bejeweled - wondering what the highest can be.

Edward

ed,

doing better than I--mere 260 (but thats while driving 🙄 ), haven't had to wait at the doc's office yet...If you haven't seen it MSN Games Zone has the full version. When first released few years ago, it was all the rage.
J

The current version of the flight computer product I'm playing with developing talks via bluetooth to my mobile phone. One of the options will be text messaging GPS data, altitude, temperature and acceleration via cellular text messages... unfortunately, our launch site is crappy for MOST cellular carriers...

Just imagine, your rocket calls you to tell you where it is...

Max

Now that sounds pretty cool, only thing better I've heard of (supposedly in the works by one of the vendors) is scaling down the full size GPS guided paraglider systems that can land a payload on a dime for rocket use. Plug in the target coordinates and the rocket drops down literally in your lap. I know its been done with conventional R/C but googling for off the shelf chutes, can't find any with enough lift for routine use.

In High Power Rocketry I believe, I saw an article about radio controlled rocket recovery by chute steering... I'll dig those out today and track down the article for you.

Warren

A newb question here- does anyone mess with APRS?
I don't know much about APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) via Amateur (Ham) radio but some of my friends are really into it. GPS interfaced with 2 meter or 70 cm amateur radio repeaters.....

Just curious.

Tim,

The GPS i bought uses packet encoding--ran into a last minute snag. the Yaesu uses this really weird 4 contact mini jack (both sp/mic share the same plug) so waiting on a 2 dollar part. I think the system is a little long in tooth but has much to recommend it still for rocketry. I will likely implement using a direct feed to the sound card on my laptop and forego the TNC entirely. Was hoping to test this upcoming w/e at Hartsel, but for want of a 2 $ part, will likely see first use at LDRS.
JS

I'm interested in APRS, but haven't had a ham ticket since 1976 when my general lapsed and I sold all my radios (electric guitars and girls had a serious impact on my radio involvement at the time). Now I'm fooling around with a bunch of little projects in the 5-10 mW range in 433Mhz and a 900-912Mhz Spread Spectrum chipset that does auto-retry, packetization, etc. with guaranteed data delivery up to 150K baud up to 7 miles Line of Site. The prototype will be flying in July most likely.

APRS is the next step up - I'm going to take the test sometime in the next month or two and get up to speed on it.

Warren

Well the licensing has changed radically..

No more Novice or Advanced. Tech, General, and Extra are it. The CW req is 5wpm straight across the board.

I haven't been too active in the hast few years but a friend who is an ARES coordinator among other things tells me it looks to be changing again possibly.

I only hold Tech Plus (I have my 5wpm CW) and he claims I will be Grandfathered in as a General if this happens.

Warren, if you need the test hotline number let me know (test times and locations). I have it here somewhere and I think it's still active.

@denverdoc- I know that connector very well! I have one on my VX-5r that I use all the time. I used to run packet way back when, but then the web got big and I couldnt deal with the slow speeds for what I was doing.
Started to play with Slow Scan TV at that point. It's all fun stuff though!